Game Preview: Five New Things You're Gonna Love About "NBA 2K11"

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If you haven&rsquo;t noticed by now, we here at Complex are big advocates of the <strong><em>NBA 2K</em></strong> series. The current king of this virtual basketball shit has become one of the most reliable sports titles out there&#8212;and this fall, it&rsquo;s about to get a whole lot better, even if you don't care about Michael Jordan's likeness rights. We got some time with the game last week, and instead of rubbing it in, we figured we'd give you a tip sheet with the five new things you need to know about the upcoming iteration. Last name Later, first name Thankus!

Complex says: While NBA 2K10 has great graphics, 2K11 builds a bridge all the way across the uncanny valley to Howthefucktheydidthatville. The court looks cleaner; the audience looks real; no more blurry flat-pressed images that move side to side. Players' builds are more defined—if a player isn

Complex says: To put it in simplest terms: the gameplay is sick. The characters move faster, and there's no choppy turning or poor movement. What we were really impressed by is how much the A.I. has improved: Hall of Fame is not recommended to first-timers. For the seasoned vets, no more passing down the middle and no more lucky passes—who is you, Ricky Rubio?!

Complex says: NBA 2K10 was close to perfection, but there were three things we had problems with: The amount of kicked ball violations, the repetitive commentary, and the fact that it was impossible to force someone out of bounds. Well, we're pleased to announce that kicked balls have gone down (at least judging from the time we played). The commentary is way less insulting (word to

Complex says: This is what NBA 2K fans have been waiting for for years: a chance to play as Michael Jordan. Not only do you get to play as Jordan, but Jordan Mode allows you to relive his favorite moments. We played "The Shrug": After we shot our sixth three at the top of the key, MJ turned around and gave off the greatest shrug of all time (sorry, 'Ye)! Jordan fans will love playing as number 23, but it's special for the youngsters too. Reliving his moments gives him way more meaning than simply "that dude my kicks are named after."