Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K Games, Take-Two Interactive
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
NBA 2K23 – Review
Just like FIFA, we see a yearly release of many other sports titles. In this case, we’re taking a look at NBA 2K23, 2K’s long-running basketball series of games. With this year’s edition revolving around the legendary Michael Jordan, we were quite curious to see what the game had to offer. Just like last year, we were presented with a very good sports game, with a few very amusing and entertaining modes, but also loads of microtransactions that cheapen the experience.
Story
While we reckon that most players will not immediately pick up this title for an extensive storyline, there is a fairly good story present in NBA 2K23. You’ll be able to play with your own custom character, who will have to rise to the top. Of course, this may sound like a very cliche story for a sports game, but the way it’s presented here is simply very appealing and it does motivate you to press on. For newcomers, it might be advised to simply dive into the career mode first, as it will allow you to gradually get better and better.
Graphics
For our review, we received a PlayStation 5 copy of the game, and we can honestly say that this game looks amazing. Sure, there are still a few wonky animations and odd-looking facial animations here and there, but as a whole, we were under the impression that we were truly controlling a real-life basketball match. We loved the many different details in the background, as well as the very fluid movements of the players. The game will certainly please diehard basketball fans, as well as those who enjoy a good-looking sports game.
Sound
The sound design of NBA 2K23 is also of top-notch quality. The game boasts an impressive soundtrack with a lot of talented artists. You immediately get in the mood when hearing Rapstar by Polo G in the menus, and the finishing touch is provided by the commentaries during the matches. Commentaries in sports games often grow stale rather quickly, but in NBA 2K23 we still found them fresh and nicely done after quite a few matches. Of course, if you’re focusing on an exciting match, we doubt you’ll actually pay attention to what is being said.
Gameplay
NBA 2K23 is a sports game that revolves solely around basketball. This series came to life way back in 1999 and is still going strong. We’d even dare to say that this series is reaching more and more people, and it’s extremely accessible to newcomers. Don’t get us wrong, you’ll take quite some time to actually learn the ropes, but there are enough modes to try your luck. These modes range from the MyCareer and MyTeam modes to quick matches, exploring the WNBA leagues, and of course, in this Michael Jordan-centered release, the Jordan Challenge. In the latter, you play through iconic moments of Michael Jordan’s career, and the game has added a few retro filters to the experience to give you a very authentic feel and atmosphere. The Jordan Challenge will certainly please (real-life) basketball enthusiasts, and we can’t blame you if you simply want to pick up the title for this mode alone.
The controls are very intuitive, and even new players will learn the ropes after a few matches. The more you play, the more you’ll learn advanced techniques, and before you know it, you’ll be the king (or queen) of the court. We did sometimes encounter odd movement patterns, but as a whole, we were impressed by the smooth controls, the polished animations, and the overall great gameplay.
Sadly, not all is good when it comes to NBA 2K23. The game is littered with microtransactions, and not just for cosmetic items. For many actions in the MyCareer or MyTeam modes you’ll need VC. This VC you can earn by playing the game, but you’ll often only earn pocket change while actually needing a treasure trove to do the things you want to do in the game. We found this part of the game the most disappointing, and truth be told, we couldn’t be bothered continuing the aforementioned modes for exactly this reason. Luckily we found more than enough other content to have fun with, but the clear cash-grab mechanics did leave a bad aftertaste.
Conclusion
NBA 2K23 is a great basketball game that will please newcomers to the genre and series, as well as veterans who have seen the series grow. We loved the very realistic visuals, the tight controls, and the many modes and options to choose from. While we still don’t like the inclusion of too many microtransactions on top of paying for the actual game, there is still a lot of content readily available without having to spend extra money on the game. We very much enjoyed our experience with the game, and we do hope that NBA 2K24 will offer an even more polished experience, and hopefully with a lot fewer microtransactions present.
NBA 2K23 - Review,
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