God is certainly smiling down on American sports fans at the moment. The number of decent ice hockey and gridiron video games falling from the sky can only be described as an act of divine intervention. This month, it's the turn of basketball, and Sega's outing has been blessed with style.

ESPN NBA Basketball represents the sport's cultured side. Here, you'll need to learn how to dribble with a touch of class, how to steal and block without conceding a 'personal' and how to execute a cheeky behind-the-back pass. This brand of basketball, although far from unkind to beginners, is sim-like, and requires careful patience if you're to emerge cooler than Shagquille O'Neal parading designer fashion gear on an iceberg.

Opposing defences can be pretty stubborn, and will stick to your players like glue. So you'll need to turn those 'double-teamers' inside out by swerving and swaggering with the panache of a '70s Travolta (the Right thumbstick can help you do this). Defending is equally troublesome. Time those steals carelessly and you'll be penalised for reaching in. Jump to block too soon, and your opponent will be dunking the ball before you've even landed. This game is a weird one. You'll launch into it immediately and think it's a bit of a simpleton, but the longer you persevere, the more the hidden depth will suck you in.

ESPN NBA features all the seasons, play-offs and franchise modes you'd expect. However, an intriguing addition is the appropriately named 24/7 mode, which is essentially a basketball rendition of the career game proffered by Dreamcast's Virtua Tennis. Create a fictional hoop fiend, tone his skills in one-on-one training sessions and enter prestigious tournaments (for which you'll need partners). The real-time clock, however, provides the twist, requiring that your character be trained on a daily basis to avoid losing shape.

The street sub-games are also a lot of fun. ESPN NHL Hockey (reviewed on page 113) has the ice ponds, this has the local yards and city parks. Fed up with the licensed arena of NBA? Then compete in half-court one-on-one games. ESPN NBA can be as relaxed or burdening as you want it to be, with more potential managerial dilemmas to face than the England footy manager.

While not visually in the same league as NBA Live 2004, ESPN NBA marginally sneaks it (just) as the best 'serious' basketball game on the streets. What it lacks in immediacy, it makes up for in its hefty lifespan. NBA purists will undoubtedly get the most out of its bottomless depth, but the attraction of Live play should also make it worth a peek for the casual sports gamer too.

1. Lots of skills to master
2. Incredible depth
3. Excellent bonus modes

1. Average graphics
2. Uneventful and slow at first

Power
Hardly greatlooking this one, but performs the job amiably enough nonetheless.

Style
It's an ESPN product, so what do you expect? Excellent commentary and replays.

Immersion
Too skill-based to really grab you, though still compelling in a kind of obsessive-compulsive way.

Lifespan
The 24/7 mode is an excellent idea, the sub-games are a laugh and its got Live play too.

Summary
A definite grower in the long term, though you might need an interest in the sport to really appreciate it.