NBA 2k14 Review

It is probably the best looking PS4 launch title out there, but does NBA 2k14 have the substance to make to make you play again and again? Lets take a look.

Start with the look, it is amazing. The most graphically advanced game we have ever seen. Play models are off the charts realistic and game presentation and those graphics make the game look like real life, something said many times, but this time for real. Even legendary players from classic teams have been recreated in such detail. 

Beyond graphics, the animations and player interactions are improved. Basketball is a game of continues motion and variances in that motion, so now to see how smoothly they are in and out of animations is truly incredible. Every spin and cross over puts you on the spot to defend, everything is faster and true to the NBA game.

New this year on the in-game gameplay side is the addition of Points of Emphasis options that allow you to pick general offensive and defensive styles at any time. It is a much faster way of changing a gameplan to shut down the perimeter or feed the post.

The immersive MyCareer is back and gets a refresh with some new moments and scenes from being drafted to interacting with your agent. Your character still has that generic voice that doesn’t quite fit any face, and for all the fancy new presentation, post-game press conference questions and pre-draft interviews are virtually identical to those in 2K13 and 2K12. Your character with talk crap to the opposition and will even see him drive to the stadium in his car. Its all part of the goal to make you feel like an NBA player, but the presentation here needs some work.

The worst part is actually quite weird, because the real NBA players and coaches can’t speak at all. Voice capturing every NBAer would be tough but at least have something because while you chat to teammates, they stand staring at you with no emotion or response, just a subtitle like this is NES. Come on man!
The artist formerly known as Association, now My GM has been given a presentation overhaul too, and you can now choose a specialization when you start. This allows you a leg up on some GM-y things like negotiations and chemistry.My Team is back and as you know we always love card-based collecting sports modes so this is right in line with Madden's Ultimate Team, one of our favorites. My Team also features Tournaments that will allow you to win rare player cards and more.

NBA 2k14 also seems extremely difficult compared to any other sports game that we have played. We are well-seasoned players in almost every genre but for some reason we found it extremely hard to win games, even on the lower difficulties. This is our biggest beef with NBA2k14. Some people go online to forums and say that once we spend actual money for the games virtual currency (which almost every title has now, from Candy Crush to NBA 2k14) and buy players for the various modes, it will ease up. Ridiculous to think, but I went 1-14 in MyTeam. Granted they were entry-level players and cards, but on the second lowest difficulty level, and against the 76ers... WHAT?

Overall, the game looks great and maybe I need to practice. But after all, its the only basketball game there is... period. So monopoly or not, its still a great offering from the 2k bunch.

GRADE:
B+