NBA 2K17 Review

NBA is back for another year and boy have 2K delivered the Alley-Oop. They have slam dunked on their competitors with another amazing MyCareer mode and updated loads more features to deliver an amazing sports sim.

Another year, another installment from 2K in their award-winning NBA series, Following on from last years. 2K have improved loads, visually it has surpassed last year’s players visually sweat and look like they’re actually working on the court. Spike Lee isn’t directing this year MyCareer, unlike last year though you don’t play high school games just college games and then again you’re given a choice whether you should join the pros or stay in school for another year but that choice is not given to you. So why mention it? I want to stay in school and improve my game. You control Pres (short for The President of Basketball) yep that’s the given nickname this year. It is better than Freq if you ask me, starring Michael B Jordan (Creed, Fantastic Four) as Justice Young who is visually a character and also a good friend to Pres.

MyCareer has always been a huge platform for 2K and now you see some other developers like EA finally copying the foundation and making a story which it should be. 2K have improved this year with more opportunities on off days to do loads, the last couple of years you have only been able to do one thing and that is it, this year you have time slots, so far I’ve had five things to do in one day from restaurant appearances to training. Training is split between solo training to team training to working with Justice Young (Michael B Jordan). Throughout, training you have a work out meter at the top and when you have maxed it out it will lead to you getting a gym rat badge (don’t think that is what it is called) where you can gain skills quicker…the more work the better the rewards I guess.

You can now have conversations via your characters mobile with the coach, your mother, your friends and teammates, some may lead to you doing a team activity or going to the gym for extra work, at first when I saw all these activities I thought AWESOME, then I thought this will get boring real quick, who wants to train three time a day in all of their days off…i know professionals do but this is a game. The further you go in your career the more you will get and shorter the days will be as autograph signings and co will take over I’m sure. I feel I have jumped ahead a bit, in college you play four games that lead to the championship match and then you are called up to Team USA in the Olympics which is a first…well for me. Then the all important draft where you’re ranked on your college performance, I managed to get my character as a lottery pick and went 6th overall pick in the first round…not bad.

There is so much more to be done in MyCareer but i don’t want to spoil it, just know this it is awesome and surpasses last years by miles, and for those that had the chance to access the Prelude were able to get a head start on their career by creating their player and also playing the college games.

Gameplay this year feels smoother and is far more fluid than last year, movement doesn’t feel sluggish and the ball handling is on point, i found it a lot easier to poke the ball from an opponent not like last year where it was near impossible…well for me it was.

MyPark has been given new servers which will reduce any sluggish gameplay due to lag, the character models you can choose from in player creation is very tidy also, very lifelike features and real player animations gives game more authenticity. For the first time by adjusting the height, weight, and arm span of your player you instantly see what stats are affected which is good to really put a mark on your player’s position.

MyGM this year has had a refresh as well, i played it last year when i couldn’t sleep and managed to get through three seasons and really enjoyed it, the level of creativity and hands on work with the team and staff was truly amazing. Now you can have board meetings to discuss the likes of relocation or retiring jerseys for players that have given their blood sweat and tear to the franchise,

Crowds in-game are really vocal and clear, even the reaction to the games, they really have done well with the crowd…sure they all looks similar but cares what they look like, at least they’re not pieces of cardboard like the old days.

Controls have stayed the same so pros from last year haven’t got to do much to learn, it was perfect last year and is again this year.

There is a focus on Kobe Bryant who as of last season retired after a long and illustrious career with the LA Lakers but like some other players in the past *cough* Last year’s focus Michael Jordan they don’t always stay retired for long.

2K have done really well with the soundtrack and have kept it up to date featuring artists like Drake, Jay Z, Imagine Dragons and more. 2K really care about their sounds as they have hired Sean ‘Puff Daddy’ Combs to produce the soundtrack to another one of their shelve jumping titles WWE 2K17 which is due out in October.

NBA 2K17 was reviewed on the Xbox One but is also available on PS4 & PC.

TVG would like to thank 2K for providing us with the code for this great game. Had a blast reviewing it!