With a reasonable retail price of $19.99 and no monthly fee, we liked the idea of quick online basketball matches with these sorts of RPG features. But hosting servers and providing this service isn't free, and Sierra Online is hoping that players will buy into FreeStyle 's Bills system. Some skills, clothing items, and extra character slots won't be available for purchase with the points you've earned by playing matches alone.
If you're tired of your center and want to create a forward, or see a nice set of stat-boosting bling that's caught your eye, you might have to cough up real dough for FreeStyle 's in game currency, known as Bills. While we were assured that this wouldn't result in a bunch of artificially beefed-up ballers owning everyone online, the Bills system still sounded a little cheap. But for the time being, we'll have faith in the promise that attention towards maintaining game balance and the matchmaking system will keep this nightmare from coming true.
On the other hand, it's not like you have to buy into the Bills system if you don't want to, and the game will provide you with $10 dollars of the virtual currency for free. Plus, the idea of purchasing matching uniforms for your teammates or a brand name pair of sneakers may be a nice option if the price is right. With solid arcade-style action, and online play with no monthly fee, FreeStyle seems to be making all the right moves so far. You can expect this up and coming baller to hit the streets in the states early next year.
