Next generation sweat
Moving into a new generation of consoles is always exciting. With sports games it is a mixed bag. The games always take the leap in terms of graphics, but seem to trim back the amount of features contained within. NBA 2K21 is a combination of both. While the graphics are next-level, there are also a host of improvements over the previous generation’s offering. Where it falls short though is failing to address the problems from the last gen version of the game. What we end up with is an impressive first outing that feels more like the target the team set out for early on.
I am not going to dive into the depths of the stuff we already covered in the core game. If you want to see how those modes stack up, be sure to check out Ryan’s review of the past-generation version of the game here.
Let’s start with the most obvious change: the visuals. NBA 2K21 is absolutely stunning. This is one of the games that people will show their friends and say “this is what these new consoles can do.” The player animations are downright spectacular. Seeing their expressions on their face change with the action is super impressive. The sideline activity is also increased. There are so many little nuances and details scattered throughout the game that it took me 4-5 games before I noticed them. 2K has done an amazing job of recreating just about everything the NBA has to offer. Then there is the sweat. Yes it is a goofy gimmick, but I do find it impressive in the fourth period when my players are simply drenched.
Weirdly enough the commentary has also received a next-gen upgrade. The entire team has been revamped, with much more dynamic play-by-play and a host of new guests. The 2K series has always been the most impressive commentary in a sports game to me, and with this new version it has once again stepped up its game. The new team consists of Brian Anderson, Allie LaForce, and Grant Hill, and they deliver exceptional commentary across the board. The dynamic play-calling impresses me every time I boot up the game. This helps tremendously during long seasons of play.
When I mentioned that this entry felt like the bar for this year’s entry it comes to fruition even more so when playing. Everything that came up in the game play department in the last-gen versions seems addressed here. Awkward animations are not as frequent. Momentum and driving to the hoop feel a lot more realistic this time around. Players react more genuinely to the on-court action. I am not an expert in the sport, but everything felt more organic and just easy to get into. The customization remains dynamic enough that anyone can hop in and have a great time.
The story mode remains mostly unchanged, with the exception of a new branching path. This allows players to play in the G League out of high school. It is an interesting addition, but the games remain the least fun part, and still make this mode feel more like an afterthought compared to the rest of the game. MyPlayer has received a massive overhaul and feels like the true focus of this version.
The last generation version
One expects a bit of “sameness” with annual sports titles. They’re on a tight development schedule and generally are only expected to make major overhauls when they aren’t any good (like the oft-maligned WWE 2K series). NBA 2K19 was a very good sports game…
The City is a massive world to explore that can host up to 100 players. This thing is huge, too huge in fact. I found myself wandering around areas that seemed to have no use other than to exist. It is impressive in scope and overwhelming in practice. It definitely feels like scope over substance. I found it takes a long time to get into games in The City and I was just never drawn into what it wanted to deliver. With some tweaks this mode could be highly impressive, as it stands it is more a chore than anything else.
The rest of the game feels like the last generation version, down to the troublesome microtransactions. While I appreciate 2K not cutting out anything, I do wish they have toned down these aggressive portions of the game. Still, even with these issues NBA 2K21 on Xbox Series X is mighty impressive. The game is a graphical showpiece and the amount of content is undeniable. If you skipped the previous gen versions, this is the one to get. Those that bought the upgrade version are going to be pleased. This is the most impressive sports game launch on a next-gen console in years, and more than worth the price of admission.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
