Outstanding!
Unfortunately, the answer isn't as cut and dried as many people would hope. Both games are excellent, though for completely different reasons. They're also both flawed in a lot of fundamental ways. Since Big Ben Wallace, centerpiece of the Pistons' defensive juggernaut, is the cover man for ESPN NBA 2K5, let's start by taking a look at the defensive game. Well, we could start out that way, if there was much to talk about. Alas, it seems that the developers didn't pay much attention to the their fans' grumblings in the offseason, particularly when it comes to guarding a man one-on-one.
Last year, many fans were put off by the fact that you weren't able to square up and guard your man with the press of a button, as you can in EA's game. I figured that Visual Concept would bring back the ability to D-up, since it's an integral part of any defensive minded player's repertoire, but I was wrong. It's not that you can't properly guard your man, because you can, with some help from the AI. Once your man crosses midcourt, you'll automatically square up, facing your guy with your back to the basket. It usually works out well, but there are some instances when you'll spin around the wrong way, allowing him to blow by you. They apparently made up for this exclusion by allowing you to call for a double team with the press of a button, but even that has its problems, as you don't have much control over what happens after your men surround the ballcarrier. They'll simply swipe at the ball, and will either tie him up for the jump ball, or he'll be able to pass it out to a wide open teammate.
That's not to say that defensive players don't have a few tricks up their wristbands. You can stop a driving player by planting your feet if you hit the "take a charge" button at the right moment. This seems to work a lot, but it might be a bit too effective. I found that there were a surprising number of charging calls against both sides, as the computer controlled AI took full advantage of the trick, as well. Unfortunately, that felt like the only option when dealing with an oncoming player, since I found it very hard to time my jumps properly when going for a block. It seems like there is a slight bit of lag, so you'll jump just a little too late, either after your man has gone past you, or in his path, giving him a chance for a three point play.
Those three point plays are easier to come by this year, thanks to some new in-air mechanics that allow you to alter your shot depending on the defensive pressure. After you take off using the shot button, you can hit it again to do a double clutch, as well as use the right analog stick to change hands and evade the defender's outstretched arm. While you're more likely to get a shot off that way, the chances of making it will decrease dramatically. Still, it's a nice way to get out of trouble when you run into a wall of seven footers, and there's always a chance that it'll fall for you.
