Review: NBA 2K14

If you have ever played an NBA 2K game, you will have a very good idea of what to expect from the new NBA 2K14. Hell, even if you’ve played more than one in the last 5 years or so, you will know exactly what to expect. Not much has changed for a long time, and 2K14 isn’t going to be the game to change that. But, is this a bad thing? On one hand it’s virtually the same game as 2k10 with some small tweaks and roster changes. On the other it’s by far the best NBA game around… so why mess with a winning formula?

Regardless of whether you are happy with the content provided or expect a little extra from 2K14, there is no denying it’s an awesome game. The NBA 2K franchise games have a way of making me late for other things I’m supposed to be doing. It seems every time I sit down to play a few games in My Career, the properties of time and space change in a strange way and before I know it I have played 10-12 games and misplaced several hours. It is so easy to lose yourself in this game.

My favourite thing about NBA 2K games (other than the excellent gameplay mechanics) is always their commentary. Every year, the old recordings are thrown out and new material is recorded. This makes sure all the anecdotes are relevant at the time of release and the commentary team talk about what they would in a proper game. Couple this with the various sponsored events like the Sprite slam cam and Sprint halftime report and you have a final product the makes you feel like you’re actually involved in an NBA game.

All the NBA stars making an appearance look much the same as they did last time around and move very naturally on the court. LeBron James is the superstar gracing this year’s cover, and it’s clear that a lot more work has gone into his virtual counterpart than any of the other future hall of famers. He looks quite like himself — which may sound strange — but when comparing him to other players, this is a good thing. Chris Bosh, for example, looks somewhat more like a melting chocolate bar than himself. Thankfully, these monstrosities are few and far between. Be warned though: every so often you will get a close up of a player before they shoot free throws or after they commit a personal foul and it can be a haunting encounter.

The impressive thing about LeBron’s onscreen performance isn’t that he looks like a human; it’s all about how he moves. My guess is someone spent a crazy amount of time on the court with some motion capture gear, because when Lebron leaves the ground for a dunk the resemblance to his actual style and movements is incredible. Although the dunks are the most impressive of LeBrons moves, it’s the entire package together that makes it work. Post moves, shot fakes, hesitation moves, you name it; every move looks like the real James in all his regal glory.

Each instalment of NBA 2K brings with it a new story mode for you to follow along between games and try and achieve certain milestones to progress. This time around rather than feature some of the classic games of the past 2K attempts to predict the future with LeBron’s “Path to Greatness”. This mode follows LeBron on his mission to get his next championship and beyond with some surprises along the way. At times the story behind the games is light-hearted and a little silly, which is a nice break from the super serious nature of the NBA.

The controls have been switched around a little again, so veterans will have to relearn the basics. That is, unless — like me — you never bothered to use the “stick shooting” mechanic. Crew mode has made its return and 2K sports have signed an agreement with the Euroleage, allowing their teams to be represented fro this game and several more after it.

NBA 2K14 is an excellent game, but after having played some NBA Live 14 on PS4 at E3 this year, I’m basically just hanging out for a next-gen basketball game. NBA Live 14 looks to be an actual contender this time around, something the 2K sports team haven’t really had to worry about in the past. If the NBA 2K series wants to keep its dominance as the number one NBA game on the market, they’re going to have to innovate. There is a chance that the current-gen versions of this game are this way and the PS4 and Xbox One versions will be totally different, but my guess is they will be the same games but much prettier.

People will eventually stop paying $90 a year for roster updates and new commentary. Let’s face it: each year’s new instalment feels like an epically expensive piece of DLC. If I had my way, the next instalment in the NBA 2K series would not be numbered for the year or season. A month before the regular season starts, paid DLC would offer gamers the chance to upgrade to the new year’s roster and all the other enhancements 2K sports deem worthy. This is almost certainly never going to happen, but hey, a guy can dream.

If you haven’t played an NBA 2K game and you’re a basketball fan, you should definitely pick up this game. If you’re interested, yet own NBA 2K13? It’s probably best to hold off until November and the next-gen version.