– Advertisement –
The NBA returns for its yearly dose of simulation with the release of NBA2K25. Is it a slam dunk? Or should it have been given a tech?
The True NBA Experience
I’ve had a long standing love of sports since childhood, being mesmerized with football, rugby and cricket from an early age. But it’s American sports where I have truly found my passion and deep appreciation. American football has long been my favourite sport but over recent years I have developed a fondness for the NBA and so, with the release of 2K25, my appetite for this sport has only grown. Developed by Visual Concepts, 2K25 is the latest attempt at evolving the franchise to new heights, with impressive results. This truly is the most in depth NBA experience yet and that is reflected in the sheer amount of modes on offer. On launch, 2K25 sports 4 main modes: MyCareer, MyTeam, MyNBA and The W, which are all integrated into the game’s online community hub known as The City.
MyCareer once again puts the player in the shoes of a young upcoming college basketball player who is on the precipice of NBA stardom. With the superb character creation tool returning, you create your superstar and begin the most robust in-depth sports career mode I have ever played. I truly felt like an NBA star with the vast amount of effort and detail that has been put into this mode, from dealing with your agent talking sponsorships; perfecting your game and craft in training; to stepping onto the hardwood and playing games and working your way to a championship in the NBA. It’s the most immersive sim to date and the level of detail and sheer amount on offer in MyCareer are truly spectacular and a culmination of the previous iterations of the franchise. The way in which your player character seamlessly ventures online into The City and interacts with other players is also extremely impressive and allows players to upgrade their player both online and offline and make both modes feel important to player development.
MyTeam and MyNBA act as your GM mode and your ultimate team mode in a similar way to the EAFC franchise. Both modes offer in-depth team management and I sunk countless hours into creating my ultimate dynasty in the league. These modes felt complementary to me with the obvious focus on the career and the online hub and they are well worth your time if you want to act as the general manager of a team or if you want to create your ultimate dream team and face other online players on the court. The final mode on offer in this year’s game is The W, which once again showcases the women’s game and the WNBA. The WNBA has exploded in popularity in recent years, thanks to emergence of stars like Caitlin Clark, so it’s refreshing to see the developers craft a mode which is a fully-fledged career mode for the women’s game. At the start of my time with NBA2K25, I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of content but I can now confidently say this is the most in-depth, immersive sports game I have ever played. Now of course it’s important gameplay holds up its end of the bargain.
Lace Up Them J’s
The best way to describe the gameplay in NBA2K25 is satisfying, yet frustrating. Visual Concepts have spent years attempting to craft games in which you can truly move and shoot like your favourite NBA players and this year I think it’s a vast improvement over last. The introduction of new mechanics, such as the Go-To movement, allows you to recreate your favourite player’s signature moves – whether it’s Steph Curry’s long range shooting game to Nikola Jokic’s sidestep jumper. This mechanic is great when the ball gets dislodged and the play breaks down as you can use these moves to great results but sometimes it feels overpowered. However, using the Go-To shot felt ridiculous, as often I felt like it was a guarantee I would score from it. Another addition to the tried and tested formula is the Rhythm Shooting. This promotes using the analogue sticks to shoot mid and long range jumpers but for someone who is used to holding and tapping square, I struggled to use this mechanic and often stayed true to my gameplay style.
A big emphasis in marketing the game this year has been the revamped dribbling and layup shooting with ProPlay. ProPlay is a system aimed to take authentic movements and translate them into gameplay. It feels fantastic to dribble and move around the court, every step feeling like a move an NBA player would make. I cannot tell you how satisfying draining a three from downtown or slamming a dunk in the face of an opponent is! What always strikes me about the 2K games is how well the gameplay translates to online modes seamlessly either playing in The City in 3 on 3 modes or playing online in Myteam. Defense also feels vastly improved compared to last year and I felt as though I really had a chance to force a turnover every possession this year.
Gameplay is king in sports games and I’m happy to say they have delivered with the most authentic NBA experience I could ask for, but as always, microtransactions rear their ugly head. At virtually every turn of playing the game, I was subjected to offers on the virtual currency to quickly level up my player instead of grinding out games to gain attributes. It feels gross that the developers are clearly instructed by the publisher to make sure the player knows they can pay to win and buy currency quickly. It shouldn’t be the first choice for players to spend real money in order to be able to compete online with other players. It’s becoming alarmingly evident that 2K do not care about the average consumer who cannot afford to buy this currency. It’s a virtual pandemic in sports’ games that I despise and at times, it really cheapened the enjoyment for me.
Ballin‘ Out Beauty
Let me be clear, this is the best looking sports game EVER. I cannot stress how good player models and animations look in this game. Superstars like Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant look plucked straight out of the television broadcast and it’s stunning. Sweat dripping off the brows of players, clothing becoming stained and ragged as the game plays out are just some of the great visual elements on offer. Crowds and stadiums look great, whilst the superb pre, half and post game shows return, along with the Inside The NBA cast, making the game truly feel like you’re watching a live broadcast. Character creation once again offers the most detailed and advanced sports customisation in video games to date. The City is a beauty to behold as every environment and court looks gorgeous. I could wander around the different zones all day long. I am blown away by the level of detail in presentation.
Similarly, audio presentation and soundtrack are top notch. Each shot swooshes through the net and each dunk you slam down creates a roar from the crowd that can be spine tingling. Crowd reactions are amongst the best available. Great and in-depth analysis from your favourite commentators and pundits return, with the obvious highlight being EJ, Shaq and Kenny offering humorous takes at half time. The soundtrack to the game is brilliant, with a vast amount of genres and tracks from a range of artists. Just one minor downside to sound is the voice acting on display in the career mode. It’s goofy and awful at times and really takes you out of the immersion.
Verdict
NBA2K25 is in a class of its own in terms of sports simulation, presentation and immersion. No other game makes you truly feel you’re a superstar like this series. Great game modes, solid gameplay improvements and breath-taking visuals and animations help seal this version as a vast improvement over last year’s game. Whilst the awful microtransactions continue to infect this beloved franchise like a disease, and goofy voice acting can affect the immersion, there is still more than enough to recommend this to both veterans and newcomers to the franchise. See you on the court!
