Basketball games on the PlayStation aren't hard to come by, and with big names like Shootout, In the Zone, and NBA Live, anyone entering the market with a new basketball game has his work cut out for him. NBA Fastbreak '98 packs most of the play options from other games into one, and the result is a pretty good first attempt.
Fastbreak '98 features the usual exhibition, season, and play-off modes. It also has a really great practice mode, where players can play a little one-on-one and perfect their skills.
The graphics are amazingly smooth, and the motion-captured player animation looks very nice. Players seem to hang in the air a little longer than their real-life counterparts, but that helps create the illusion that they are hella taking the rock to the hole. All this rock slamming can be seen from no fewer than eleven different camera angles, which can be changed at any time during the game. One of the strong points of the game is that not only does it come jam-packed with tons of options like substitutions, on-the-fly play calling, and injuries, but it gives you the ability to turn them all off and just play straight-up hoops. The AI is good, except when it comes to common sense stuff like killing the clock. Overall, the computer does a good job of providing a realistic game. Computer players set screens and cut to the hoop when they don't have the ball. All these things combine to make Fastbreak '98 a good basketball game - it's fast-paced arcade style mixed with elements of a five-on-five simulation that would impress any basketball buff.
The sound effects sound real enough, and the music throughout the game is actually quite good. The play-by-play, however, is really annoying. The guy's voice is terrible. But at least you have the option to turn him off.
But is Fastbreak '98 better than the rest? Well, in many areas, yes. With its intuitive controls that allow any beginner to easily start to play, plus a whole slew of advanced play options for experienced players to explore, and more play options than the other basketball games, Fastbreak '98 comes out a winner.
