It’s time to put on your sneakers and hit the hardwood; NBA 2K23 is finally here. The latest version of the basketball simulator has hit the shelves, fully featured with high-level gameplay, realistic graphics and, of course, a few controversial player ratings. But it’s normal for sports games to frown a few with their ratings, the real question is how does the game perform despite them?
Developer Visual Concepts has strived to create the most realistic basketball experience for gamers by customizing the way players shoot, dribble and defend. While people might just dismiss every new sports game as an update to the rosters, Visual Concepts tries to make adjustments to how we should play. So, is NBA 2K23 more of the same or is this year’s release a sign of a brighter future?
Takeover of the NBA
NBA 2K23 features the same game modes as its predecessor: Franchise, MyCareer, MyTeam, The W, and Jordan Challenges. Most players immediately head into MyCareer mode to create their own NBA player to take over the league. Visual Concepts has tweaked the shooting mechanics and builds the player to make it more difficult to essentially make a super player. In the past, players could create a player with a maximum rating of 99 who excelled in almost every category. Now you will have a hard time focusing only on a few key areas when developing your player.
MyCareer has a similar storyline to last year’s game, with your player being a controversial concept choice over a seemingly better prospect. Media networks and fans are shocked when the team of your choice picks you with the eighteenth pick over rival Shep Owens. Before you can make any sort of adjustments to your newly created player, you are thrust into an intense battle for the Summer League Championship. Your performance in this title game will greatly influence the coach’s decision on how many minutes you will play and what your role will be in the NBA.
Unfortunately, MyCareer is bringing back the side hustle gigs that you can participate in off the track. You can pursue a side job in music, business and fashion. Rather than being just simple side missions, NBA 2K23 divides The City into these specialized districts. By “beating” the boss in each district, you’ll gain more fans and eventually force a final showdown with Shep. It’s all a bit huddled and overblown, but the NBA is a league full of drama.
Assemble the squad
While more old-school players would rather dive into Franchise mode to control a team and try to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy, MyTeam offers a fun twist on team building. Using the concept of collecting cards, MyTeam is all about earning card packs and creating a team based on the cards you collect. When you enter this mode, you will receive a starter pack containing one premier player in the form of an Evolution card. These types of cards can be upgraded by completing various statistical milestones for that player. Another specialized card is the Dynamic Duo. Certain players, such as Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace, were incredible duos together on the field and playing both cards gives them a boost in their ratings.
In the beginning, you won’t have the option to create your own team logo or jerseys, but you can create a custom team name. As you grind through MyTeam, you’ll eventually unlock more customization options for your squad. One of the biggest changes to NBA 2K23’s MyTeam mode is the removal of Contract cards. These cards only allow you to keep some players for a limited time, requiring you to be a bit more conservative in how you structure formations. By removing them, players have more freedom in which players they have on the field. NBA 2K23 has also added an online co-op version of Triple Threat, allowing you to team up with friends in three-on-three matchups.
Relive Jordan’s most beautiful moments
Arguably the best mode in any sports game, the Jordan Challenges will take you back in memory, reliving all the key moments that defined Michael Jordan’s career. From his time at the University of North Carolina to winning six titles with the Chicago Bulls, these fifteen moments will confirm when His Airness is the greatest basketball player ever. Not only will you experience how amazing Jordan was, but you will also be able to earn rewards that can be redeemed in MyCareer and MyTeam. Each moment has a series of three conditions that you must meet to earn stars for a total of 45 stars.
Of the 15 challenges there is only one where you don’t play the whole game. Since each game has six-minute quarters, it can take more than seven hours to fully complete all Jordan Challenges. The game has a historical filter that makes the graphics look older as if the game was played in the 80s and 90s; if you find the filter too distracting, you can disable it in the menu.
verdict
At first glance, NBA 2K23 looks more of the same, but Visual Concepts’ gameplay tweaks are more than enough to make this year’s game welcome. The changes to the shot mechanics and making it more difficult to create divine players in MyCareer may upset some players, but will be beneficial to the game in the long run. MyTeam is still a fun team building mode and with the removal of contract cards should be a more viable option as opposed to a normal franchise. The player ratings will be a hot topic as I’m not sure how we can rate the Los Angeles Lakers among the top teams when their third-best player is a 78 overall, but that’s a problem that may never be solved. Ultimately, NBA 2K23 is not simply a copy of previous iterations and should be seen as a step in the right direction for the continued evolution of 2K.
Final score: 7.5/10
Advantages:
- Experience key moments in Michael Jordan’s career
- Changes in shot mechanics
- More difficult to make divine MyCareer player
cons:
- Cringe MyCareer storyline
- Some player ratings are headhunting
NBA 2K23 Review code is provided by the publisher. Version tested with the PS5 version. You can read MP1st’s rating and scoring policy here.
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