PlayStation 2
Released in 2003 by Sony Computer Entertainment
Grade: D+
At a glance, ShootOut 2004 seems promising, but its shallow, off-balance gameplay results in action that doesn’t feel much like basketball.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the last hurrah for the ShootOut brand on PS2. This series was consistently second rate, all the way back to the original NBA ShootOut on PS1. Sony took a year off and rebranded to simply the “NBA” series ending with NBA 09: The Inside, and they had similarly poor results. See NBA 08 on PS3.
Praises and gripes
It’s a little ironic that they called this game “ShootOut,” a term that refers to a high-scoring affair full of 3-pointers. You won’t get any shootouts in ShootOut, where jumpshots are a nagging challenge. It’s tough to get open and the shooting animation is stiff.
The surest path to success is forcing your way to the basket. To do that, you’ve got to exploit the game’s overly simple control to zip around and zig-zag into the paint. You can also try dumping the ball down to a post player, who can back down his defender and put up a short hook shot. This game really should be called “RockFight.”
With action like this, the game doesn’t look or feel very genuine, and it’s not enjoyably up-tempo either. It’s just wonky. The CPU plays with methodical patience, making things more out of whack.
The graphics look fine in a screenshot, with their smooth player models, but in motion it’s a clunky mess. Players don’t interact well and they don’t have the graceful motions of basketball players. The camera views all have issues, and there are bulky displays underneath the players, complete with a name, number, position, energy bar, and two stars that change color to indicate how well they’re playing.
The sound is ambitious, and Bill Walton’s quips are worth a chuckle. “It really helps to open your eyes when you shoot.” “That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.” “How can he look at himself in the mirror?”
This game is easy to play, but it’s hard to enjoy.
Published July 15, 2022