NBA2K24 is the latest game in the series, bringing new visual and gameplay improvements. Find out whether its gameplay, story, and graphics are worth spending on in our review!
NBA 2K24 Review and Score Explanation
NBA 2K24 Review Score Explanation
| Overall | NBA 2K24 has taken big steps in the right direction with this year's iteration of the annually released basketball game. Other than the graphic improvements, basketball matches in this game feel authentic and extremely smooth. Major changes have been made to the various gameplay systems and mechanics found in previous iterations. Despite these changes, NBA 2K24 will still feel familiar to fans of the franchise. All the improvements make this game a must-have for fans of the franchise. If you are one of the people who only purchases 2K when substantial changes are made to the game, this is the time to return to the courts. *This game was reviewed on a PS5. |
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| Story | This year's MyCareer story is the best it has been since the Orange Juice storyline with Michael B. Jordan in NBA 2K17. The game mode tells the story of your MyPlayer as a third-generation NBA player from a prominent basketball family entering the draft with ridiculously high expectations. You are touted as the best NBA prospect since LeBron James. This new direction for the narrative is great, as fans had been growing tired of the same old narrative of being the underdog and working your way up the NBA ladder. MyCareer this year is actually enjoyable, unlike in recent years, where it felt like an unnecessary grind to get your MyPlayer stronger for online play. |
| Gameplay | The gameplay of NBA 2K24 is the best a basketball video game has ever been. The dribbling feels great, scoring is balanced, and defense is rewarding. The ProPLAY feature makes the animations smoother than it's ever been. The single player experience has drastically improved, with a much smarter AI that does stupid stuff way less often. The GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Skills feature is a game changer for players who prefer not to spend fortunes on their builds, as the feature makes it possible to play at an optimal level once you complete the in-game challenge, even with a 60 overall (OVR) build. Gone are the days of debuting with bench player numbers attributed to low overalls. What holds this back from a perfect score is the lengthy grind or microtransactions you’ll inevitably have to go through to get your MyPlayer strong enough to compete online, a trait that is ever-present in NBA 2K games. |
| Visuals | The visuals of NBA 2K24 are stunning to say the least. The brand new City is a lot more lively and vibrant compared to its predecessors. The courts from the Elite Affiliation look surreal with its Spacey Sci-Fi theme. The detailing of everything, from the environment, to the players, and even to the sweat running down their faces, are all on point. Overall, the graphics are very impressive for a sports game, but it still pales in comparison to the visual brilliance of other AAA titles more focused on spectacle. |
| Audio | The sound of NBA 2K24 immerses you in its digital basketball world. Sound effects sound exactly like they are supposed to. The sounds everything makes, from the ball dribbling to the net swishing, sounds true to life. The soundtrack is pretty much what you would expect from an NBA 2K game, with a playlist made of Rap, Pop, and EDM tracks. It has great sound quality, but it pales in comparison to the amazing orchestral pieces of some of the other award winning titles. |
| Value for Money | Despite being the best basketball game right now, NBA 2K24 is priced starting at $69.99. It may seem like a reasonable price, and to most it is. However, players who enjoy online MyPlayer game modes are once again going to have to go through either a tedious grind or a 99OVR-sized hole in their pockets. It’s excellent value for the money for players who enjoy their quick play games and MyLeagues, but there’s no doubt that the MyPlayer game modes are going to require big investments, whether it be time-wise or financially. |
NBA 2K24 First Impressions
Pros of NBA 2K24
| Things NBA 2K24 Got Right So Far |
|---|
 Significantly Improved Gameplay ProPLAY System Best MyCareer Story Since 2K17 |
Significantly Improved Gameplay
NBA 2K24 boasts the best gameplay in series history. Some fans may prefer iterations where certain aspects of the game are easier or harder, but I’ll still claim this because everything in this game feels balanced and perfectly favors skill. There are so many improvements that it’s almost tough to list them all. But we’ll do it anyway.
Shooting in this game is tough but fair, as shots are easier to green (Excellent Release) but they only go in when you green. Similar to 2K23, mistimed shots will rarely go in during Hall of Fame (HOF), Park, Rec, and Pro-am games. Finishing in the paint has been nerfed and feels a lot more balanced compared to the dunk-fest that is 2K23. The defensive mechanics of this game rewards tight defense. Playing defense feels very similar to NBA 2K23, but with a much needed buff to interior defense. If you’re a longtime fan of the 2k series, scoring can actually be more challenging, considering how different some aspects of the game currently are. All of these contribute to an excellent system that rewards skill and punishes mistakes.
Adrenaline Boosts, which were first introduced in NBA 2K23 to combat the “Left Righting” problem, where small point guards that quickly run back and forth along the 3 point line until they’re open, has been reworked. Getting bumped by your defender now consumes one adrenaline bar while running short distances will not. Running out of adrenaline bars will no longer slow down your player, but will significantly reduce your scoring capabilities instead. This is a great change from what used to be an otherwise clunky system. The game now buffs both a ball handler's playmaking capabilities and a defender's impact, making things even more skill-based.
AI players in this game are so much smarter than they were in 2K23. For years now, 2K's single player game modes have been kind of boring and repetitive. This was largely due to the AI being poorly programmed, making ridiculous mistakes that no NBA player, or even functioning human being, would, like running out of bounds for no reason. This was extremely bad for a game that markets itself as a realistic basketball simulator.
Furthermore, everyone who’s played long enough already kind of knew how to beat AI defenders, and once you’d learned how, single player modes became boring. This not only affected single player game modes, but online multiplayer as well since AI players replaced users who quit or disconnect. The new and improved AI can now shoot at a decent rate, defend well, and position optimally. They now make for decent teammates and competent opponents. Having an AI on your team during online play is no longer the handicap that it once was.
Crossplay hit the 2K servers for the very first time upon release. Parks are still present in the game, so you’ll still be able to assemble a team like you would at a real life ball park. But with the crossplay feature added onto it, you’ll be able to avoid the surprisingly common occurrence of having to play with the same people over and over, as you’ll have a much larger pool of people to pull from now. Users can tell which platform a player is on as there is a platform indicator beside a player’s name. So actually, rather than bring players from different platforms together, this feature might instead finally help settle the age-old debate of which platform plays the game better.
On the MyPlayer builder side of things, the game provides you with less points to work with when making your build. This means versatile builds that can do everything well are gone. This is great for the game, as players would have to stick to doing what their builds do well and work as a unit to cover for each other's weaknesses. These specialized roles make for a more team-oriented style of gameplay similar to MOBAs, where certain classes have specific jobs to benefit their team.
ProPLAY System
NBA 2K24 runs on the new ProPLAY system, which translates real life NBA footage into the game as animations. The smoothness and realism of the game that we have repeatedly praised in this review can be attributed to this change. The new animations we see from this system include dribble moves, jumpshots, dunks, and even celebrations. This makes every single NBA player feel unique to use. Because 2K is ultimately a video game, the animations they used have generally been a lot more fast-paced when compared to its real life counterpart to make it match with the programming. This time around, the animations are exactly how they are in real life, slowing the game down a little bit and further resembling real basketball games.
Best MyCareer Story Since 2K17
For the last few years, MyCareer has fallen short in terms of delivering a story worthy of its players' time. None of the storylines were interesting enough to sit through and the game mode felt like a place where you can effectively (but oh-so-boringly) just grind out your build. Some of the previous storylines were pretty wacky, and most of them were average at best. Nobody in the NBA starts out as a college DJ, let alone become a generational talent. To rub salt on the wound, some scenes were unskippable and wasted everybody's time.
For the first time since NBA 2K17, MyCareer is actually fun now. It features a story about your MyPlayer being the biggest draft prospect since LeBron James, and are already in future GOAT discussions. This is a nice change of pace, as fans have been growing tired of the same old underdog narrative. The cutscenes in MyCareer were actually interesting to watch and, for the first time in years, the overwhelming urge to skip a cutscene is gone.
The game now acknowledges how well you do, giving you cutscenes and different in-game events as you set records, further immersing players in its brilliant story. You will actually start getting the recognition you deserve, unlike in previous iterations where nobody really seemed to care much whenever you’d make basketball history. The game also does well in expressing where you currently stand in the GOAT ladder. The new GOAT skills feature, which significantly buffs certain attributes for a few minutes upon completing in-game challenges, helps players experience glimpses of their player's full potential as early as their first game.
This makes this game so much more fun as in past titles, players often started their careers with terrible stats because of their low overall ratings. Nobody really wants to play their first NBA game without being able to shoot, dribble, pass, or defend properly. All of these factors, paired with 2K24's smarter AI, makes this game mode worth your time. It’s definitely a step in the right direction for a mode that was once considered DOA.
Cons of NBA 2K24
| Things That NBA 2K24 Can Improve |
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Still a Grind Intensive or Microtransaction Heavy Game Game is Only Good on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
Still a Grind Intensive or Microtransaction Heavy Game
For the longest time, getting one's MyPlayer ready for online play has cost its users either weeks of grinding, or a lot of money. To no one's surprise, the game sadly continues to rely on either one of these two. You simply cannot win as a 65 OVR build against a maxed out player, even if you are more skilled than them. The biggest competitive advantage one has over the other is a matter of how much they have played or how much they have spent. Sure, it’s become more skill based, so skill still plays a factor. However, your skill can only take you so far when your character is just that much slower, weaker, and less accurate than everyone else. Not even a week into the game's release, and the park is already filled with high overall players who have undoubtedly spent on their builds.
It is currently unknown as to how much virtual currency (VC) a build needs to get to 99 OVR. However, if the prices of recent years are any indication, builds may end up costing around 450,000 VC, or $100. 2K lets you earn around 2,500 VC an hour, and that's if you are efficient and effective with your grind and only play MyCareer. Getting your build ready for online play will take weeks or months if you don't buy VC.
We mentioned earlier that, because of how the new MyPlayer builder works, people will need multiple builds to play different roles. While having those different roles is fun in theory, this requirement to grind also turns that into a negative. After all, not everyone will be willing to invest a lot of time or money just to be able to play a different role in the same game.
NBA 2K24 now also has a battle pass for every season called “Pro Pass.” Unlike in previous 2Ks where all rewards were free, provided you grinded enough to reach the required season level, seasons now have a premium tier for exclusive rewards. Additionally, 2K has made it so players can purchase season levels so that they can skip straight to certain rewards. This should not be the case for a game set at the new AAA game price of $70 and is already so steeped in expensive microtransactions. Furthermore, the ability to purchase season levels affects the exclusivity of the late game items that were previously only awarded to the top players of the season. It’s an absolutely shameful cash grab.
Game is Only Good on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
NBA 2K24 released on multiple platforms, including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. However, only PS5 and Xbox Series X|S got the upgrades the game series desperately needed. Without these major gameplay improvements, NBA 2K24 is pretty much a reskin of its predecessor, with a brand new park and nothing more. Everything about this game that we have praised in this review is not available on other platforms, even the MyCareer story. NBA 2K24 has received overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam. We do not recommend this game for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch.
Who Should Play NBA 2K24?
NBA 2K24 is Recommended if You Enjoy:
• NBA 2K Series
• Sports Games (EA FC, Madden, UFC)
• Real life Basketball
There’s no question that those who already played the previous NBA 2K games will play this year's iteration. However, I think that the game should also be played by non-gamers who love watching or playing basketball, due to how it looks and feels like a real life basketball game. Fans of other realistic sports games like Madden and EA FC will also enjoy the realism present in this game.
For people wanting to familiarize themselves with the NBA, or just basketball in general, NBA 2K provides a fun way for just that. It’s not uncommon for people to learn the ins and outs of a sport through a video game. In fact, I only became a die-hard basketball fan after I played NBA 2K10 thirteen years ago. New players can learn everything about the NBA by playing the game, including the different players, teams, history, culture, and many more.
How NBA 2K24 Matches Up to Recently-Released Games
| Games That Came Out Recently | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
 Baldur's Gate 3 |
Baldur's Gate 3 is a highly rated RPG that just recently came out and made headlines. Although undoubtedly an excellent video game, it may not appeal as much to people who aren't really into fantasy games. Consider NBA 2K24 if that is the case. | If you want something with a little more variety other than just basketball content, BG3 is a great game to get into. Boasting great reviews, a rich story, and strong party-based RPG gameplay, BG3 is the way to go, especially if you aren’t really keen on sports games or basketball in general. It is also completely devoid of microtransactions. |
 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon |
AC6 is a fast-paced action game centered on mecha-based vehicular combat. If that doesn't sound appealing to you and you'd rather play something with more realism, NBA 2K24 is the obvious choice. | AC6 was made by the same developers of Elden Ring, one of the most beautiful and visually striking games of all time. AC6 is similar in the sense that it is also a visual masterpiece. You will not find any spectacle even remotely similar on NBA 2K24. |
 Sea of Stars |
Sea of Stars is a highly praised turn-based RPG that features a lot of puzzles, turn-based combat, and a great story. Similar to those above, if you would rather play games more grounded in reality, NBA 2K24 is the choice. | Sea of Stars is quite affordable with excellent value for money while NBA 2K is the inverse, with the added con of having to invest more than the $70 you shell out for the game. Sea of Stars also features a modern take on the 16-bit visual style similar to older 2D games of the 90s and early 2000s. If these sound great to you, go with Sea of Stars. |
How NBA 2K24 Matches Up to Similar Games
| Games Similar to NBA 2K24 | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
 Madden 24 |
Madden 24 is the American football counterpart of NBA 2K24. NBA 2K is the clear choice if you like basketball more than American football. However, if you are a fan of both but are unsure of what to get, NBA 2K24 seems like a more polished game and provides you with more value for your money. | Of course, get Madden 24 if you would rather play an American football video game rather than a basketball video game. Matches in this game now feel surreal because like 2K, Madden was able to make significant upgrades to its gameplay and AI, but lacks improvements in its different game modes. Moreover, Madden Ultimate Team, its most popular online game mode, incentivizes microtransactions, but is not necessary and can still be played properly without it. |
 FIFA 23 |
Similarly, the FIFA franchise is the soccer (or football) counterpart of the NBA 2K franchise. This year’s iteration is yet to be released so we'll have to wait and see if they are able to replicate the massive upgrades that NBA 2K was able to do. Get NBA 2K if you prefer basketball over soccer. | FIFA provides a slower style of play given the nature of both sports being compared. Since scoring goals are rarer and more difficult to execute, they feel more rewarding than scoring points on NBA 2K. FIFA also offers way more cultural diversity than 2K in the form of a wide selection of playable teams from different nations. The Career Mode grind in FIFA is also way easier and does not require microtransactions, though its Ultimate Team mode does, given how big a competitive boost you get out of them. Get FIFA if these sound appealing to you or if you like soccer more than basketball. |
 MLB The Show 23 |
Again, if basketball is something you like more than baseball, the clear option is NBA 2K24. If you aren't knowledgeable in both sports, NBA 2K is exponentially easier to pick up. Basketball is quite simpler than baseball and MLB The Show's complexity can be overwhelming to players unfamiliar with baseball. | If you enjoy baseball and you're already familiar with the sport, MLB The Show would be a really fun experience for you. The game’s complexity, which may be discouraging to unfamiliar players, leads to a fuller, more complete baseball experience. Hitting, pitching, and fielding feels incredible in this game. Customization is amazing as it gives you access to classic players, classic ballparks, and tons of licensed equipment. It can also be great if you're trying to get into the baseball scene and you're willing to invest a little time to familiarize yourself with the different rules and mechanics of the game. |
NBA 2K24 Trailer
NBA 2K24 Product Information
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| Title | NBA 2K24 |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 8, 2023 |
| Developer | Visual Concepts |
| Publisher | 2K Games |
| Supported Platforms | PC, Playstation 5, Playstation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Sports, Simulation |
| Number of Players | Single System (1-4); Online (1-10) |
| ESRB Rating | E |
| Official Website | NBA 2K24 Website |
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