It’s fall season and tradition dictates that we get our sports gaming fix. EA’s NBA Live has been moved from Q3 2019 into Q4 which gives 2K time to shine with this latest entry in the series. The main hook for me going in was the promise of a MyCareer mode with more heart and drama than the previous few installments. Let’s dive deeper and see if developer Visual Concepts has delivered.
MyCareer exceeded my expectations with strong performances from the likes of Idris Elba and Rosario Dawson. The story starts with you as a senior in college ruing missed chances at super stardom. When trouble breaks out during the NCAA tournament everything changes and this is the catalyst for what plays out in the rest of your journey.
The story lasts about three hours before you set off on your NBA career. Some may feel disappointed at the lack of changes to the virtual neighbourhood, but I found it a winning formula last year and was happy to see it return. One aspect I could have done without is the sometimes excessive load times. It is times like this that current gen consoles start to show their age and this is something many gamers will be looking forward to seeing the back of next year.
We are currently at a stage where developers are getting the maximum out of this generation in terms of graphics. In yearly franchises especially you are very unlikely to see massive upgrades. Now that’s not to say things don’t look impressive; NBA 2K20 is a beautiful game. It’s just that once again we are going to be waiting another year before seeing any sort of leap forward.
Refinement is the order of the day when it comes to gameplay. New animations and transitions all add up to the best basketball sim out there. Shooting feels easier this year which should help gamers new to the series bed in faster. Speaking of newcomers, 2KU provides a much better tutorial this year and is something that both new players and seasoned vets will be able to get something out of. Slider settings also allow you to completely customise every aspect of the gameplay to both test yourself in areas you are strong and cover those you are still perfecting.
Something I also found really impressive was the different feel of the gameplay when playing the newly added WNBA. It would have been easy for Visual Concepts to simply re-skin the existing gameplay and animations, but instead they have gone over and above to create the same level of authenticity. Unfortunately this isn’t currently playable online.
I should note that I saw numerous people mention gameplay bugs that they experienced in the first day or two after release. I have put just over 15 hours in to the game so far and haven’t had any issues. Should I start having any problems after this review goes live I will update it to reflect what I encounter.
Once again the most controversial aspect of this game is the microtransactions. Our review code included the Legend Editions 100,000 VC to get us started, but even that will only take you so far. Both MyCareer and MyTeam modes are afflicted with the heavy lure of real world investment, but to say spending money on the game throughout the year is necessary would be unfair. At the end of the day you make these decisions yourself and there is plenty to keep you busy here with MyGM, MyLeague and Play Now if the aforementioned modes rub you the wrong way.
One of the most impressive things about NBA 2K20 is the level of detail they have brought to the match day experience in the game. In 2019 it is something that all sports games are trying to achieve, but none pull it off as well as the NBA 2K series. Pre-game shows with legends like Shaquille O’Neal and in game commentary from Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony and more set a scene that had my girlfriend, a gamer in her own right, assuming I was watching a game on TV as she browsed her phone next to me.
Some will point to the microtransactions and conclude that NBA 2K20 being sold at full price represents bad value for money, but I totally disagree. Certainly there are modes that dangle the carrot pretty brazenly, but if you are willing to grind you can get there without spending anything, plus there are a host of modes where it isn’t an issue at all.
NBA 2K20 shines brightest where it matters most; on the court. From the unrivaled presentation to the fluid, always satisfying gameplay, this is a game I can’t help but recommend. If MyTeam is going to be your main focus I can understand your frustration, but I have always preferred playing sports sims against the AI and so for my own personal verdict, NBA 2K20 is pretty much a slam dunk.
A review code was provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PS4 Slim.
