NBA Ballers: Chosen One (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

Year-in and year-out, sports titles are released to entice players to buy a new version of a game, and in recent years, altering the sport for a more arcade feel has been common. NBA BALLERS: CHOSEN ONE is one such title, meaning that while at its core it's rooted in basketball, the actual game itself has very little to do with the very sport it's supposed to represent. Chosen One is at heart a Cinderella story of a no-named ball player who, through a sponsored tournament, travels to various locations and engages NBA players in 1 on 1, 2 on 2 or 1 vs. 1 vs. 1 matches, usually held to a point total of eleven and always involving over-the-top dunks, passes, and jukes around the opposing player.

To go with the over-the-top action, the game uses each and every button on the controller in one way or another, which makes the game tougher to grasp initially, even for gaming veterans. The main attraction to this type of game is the emphasis on tricks or combos. When your character has control of the ball, pressing a button combination will engage the "Act a Fool" mode allowing you to bounce the ball off your opponents head, kick the ball, and other moves that look fairly well animated. Progressing through the main story mode puts your created character in a series of six episodes, each containing multiple chapters of matches which you must win to complete each episode. As you do this, new and exciting moves as well as clothing options are unlocked, allowing you near total control over how your game avatar looks and moves. In addition to the standard story mode, online options as well as local multiplayer modes are available. While a good diversion for players who exhaust the relatively short single player option, playing online does have its quirks with finding people to play with, as well as dealing with less than ideal playing partners.

Chosen One is not a terrible game by any means, but it definitely is a niche title. The presentation of the title is somewhat disappointing, as the graphics seem gears towards the PS2 level of sharpness, and the emphasis on tricks really detracts from what possibly could be an entertaining playground basketball-type experience.