NBA 2K19

 PlayStation 4
User Score
2.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 462 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 462
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 462
  3. Negative: 326 out of 462
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  1. MrBla
    Sep 14, 2018
    0
    The game is pay2win. All the content is locked behind VC and MT, you must pay to enjoy the game. The grind is insane and it's not possible to unlock anything by playing unless you play 10h/day every day for 5 months. And they even lowered rewards this year and locked the auction.
  2. Zin_Master
    Sep 14, 2018
    0
    You should not buy this game at all, which is sad if you are a fan of basketball. The use of micro-transactions is egregious; at every corner VC is required to progress your character. This is a "AAA Game" that costs $60 yet it is based on a pay to win platform....this is unacceptable. One cannot play the game without being inundated with commercials either. The announcers literallyYou should not buy this game at all, which is sad if you are a fan of basketball. The use of micro-transactions is egregious; at every corner VC is required to progress your character. This is a "AAA Game" that costs $60 yet it is based on a pay to win platform....this is unacceptable. One cannot play the game without being inundated with commercials either. The announcers literally plug Gatorade for 30 seconds at a time. 2K is trash and predatory. Parents...do not buy your kids VC as this is an unethical scheme… Expand
  3. Phury
    Sep 14, 2018
    0
    This is going out of the control.
    Greed takes over like nobody cares.
    It is very frustrating that the money is more important than to satisfy the consumers so they actually can enjoy the game and recommend for others like back in the day when there was no pay to win rubbish in the games like this. Everyone who gives a high score here please tell me this: Why is it fun to play approx.    This is going out of the control.
    Greed takes over like nobody cares.
    It is very frustrating that the money is more important than to satisfy the consumers so they actually can enjoy the game and recommend for others like back in the day when there was no pay to win rubbish in the games like this.

    Everyone who gives a high score here please tell me this: Why is it fun to play approx. 20 hrs and have an 80 overall player heading to Mypark and hoping to have a balanced/not one sided game with others who has 90+ overall and with only playing 5 hours because they levelled up with real money?

    It has been for years now.

    I am talking from experience, I have 100+ hour in mypark in 2k15, 2k16, 2k17 struggling to win because of I could not afford extra money to pay to unlock extra attribute points to increase my overall stats.

    Shame on the publisher who just want money instead to create the best ever basketball sport simulation in history.

    I recommend NBA LIVE 19. It is not bad at all. A different experience for sure but it has no pay to win. If you see a 90+ overall player online, well you can tell that player has worked all the way up to earn the skills and ratings which is fair and inspirational.

    Here is how 2k shall sell coffee for their employees at their headquarters:

    Basic espresso straight from the machine right into the mouth – 100 VC
    Basic espresso served in a paper cup – 140 VC
    Double espresso in a paper cup and a lid – 250 VC
    Coffee latte + paper cup + lid – 300 VC
    Plus sugar – 60 VC each sachet
    Plus sweetener – 80 VC
    Plus/minus temperate of the beverages – 20 VC/10 degrees
    Extra milk (cold) – 80 VC / 10ml
    Extra milk (hot) – 90 VC / 10ml
    Chocolate powder on top – FREE if you buy NBA2K 19 Anniversary Edition    … Expand
  4. Bambookas
    Sep 13, 2018
    1
    there is something wrong with game's face models and lighting as they look very plastic-like and lighting on the skin looks awful. There is also NO Brightness and HDR settings in the menus...ONCE AGAIN. The colours look awful on my 4K HDR TV and it is only game where they seem to overbright and I cannot do anything about it, because 2K was too lazy to implement the settings..

    Online is    there is something wrong with game's face models and lighting as they look very plastic-like and lighting on the skin looks awful. There is also NO Brightness and HDR settings in the menus...ONCE AGAIN. The colours look awful on my 4K HDR TV and it is only game where they seem to overbright and I cannot do anything about it, because 2K was too lazy to implement the settings..

    Online is still laggy and there's still input latency, although surprisingly it is much less of it this year than previous years (2K17 etc, was unplayable because of the input lag when playing online games).

    I don't really like the way they adjusted the difficulty settings this year as it seems that CPU nails all the shots, but it is very hard to hit a bucket for yourself..

    Also the amount of blocks you get and weird looking animations for loosing a ball are enormous...Not to mention the shot meter for layups which is really ridiculous to see 90 overall players miss layups undefended, the shot selection in the post also raises lots of question marks!

    In general, it is not much different from NBA 2K18. New menus, new neighbourhood layout, new game mode in myTeam (also like 3 modes removed from it, I guess they will bring it back in the future as a "new mode")... Yeah, I am pretty disappointed.

    I am not even going to speak for microtransactions and CV bs... let's just say I was playing 6 hrs of myTEAM straight and only managed to earn 8k in game currency (myTEAM coins) (from about 30 games played and about half of them I have won).

    Negative rating because I feel like 2K need to review their pay2win walls and free2play mechanics game has (selling for 60 bucks!)    … Expand
  5. MatamesiQuieres
    Sep 13, 2018
    0
    Another microtransaction simulator, don't buy it, don't help this scumbags get away this time.
  6. KennyBania
    Sep 13, 2018
    0
    - VC everywhere
    - An actual gambling system where you can lose it ALL
    - “Buy VC” right under the quit button - Need VC to do those dances in the trailer - Need VC to use a skateboard or bike from the trailer - $200 of VC gets your player to level 80 only - Stuttering in 4K on Xbox One X - Horrible stadium lighting - Players warp and ice skate on the court - The biggest name in the    - VC everywhere
    - An actual gambling system where you can lose it ALL
    - “Buy VC” right under the quit button
    - Need VC to do those dances in the trailer
    - Need VC to use a skateboard or bike from the trailer
    - $200 of VC gets your player to level 80 only
    - Stuttering in 4K on Xbox One X
    - Horrible stadium lighting
    - Players warp and ice skate on the court
    - The biggest name in the world - Lebron - and they get his skin tone wrong (way too dark)
    - The biggest rookie name - Doncic - and they have his height wrong
    - After release they made a patch to reduce and nerf XP
    - 2K are evil scum    … Expand
  7. jeremym480
    Sep 13, 2018
    10
    NBA 2K is the cream of the crop when it comes to sports games. Game play is better than ever, MyLeauge and CAP is head and shoulders above all other sports games. This is a must own for any basketball fan.
  8. ReyalsfoSwodahs
    Sep 13, 2018
    8
    Unlike everyone reviewing this game based on MyPlayer, I'll speak on the things that actually matter in a sports game. The game plays better this year than previous years. Just by making the ball harder to drive and the opponents ankles harder to break, the game has taken a step forward. On offense, though I'm only a few games in, I cannot seem to spam the pick & roll like previous years.Unlike everyone reviewing this game based on MyPlayer, I'll speak on the things that actually matter in a sports game. The game plays better this year than previous years. Just by making the ball harder to drive and the opponents ankles harder to break, the game has taken a step forward. On offense, though I'm only a few games in, I cannot seem to spam the pick & roll like previous years. I feel like the computer defense tries to adjust to stop your offensive schemes. Also, I personally like the timed layups because it adds a level of I-cannot-drive-in-and-chuck-up-some-garbage-and-make-it-every-time. Now, the game has things it needs to improve: presentation, overall realism/look, and some gameplay flukes. I cannot stand when someone like Marvin Williams has the best game of his career against me...every time we play. Frank Kaminsky shouldn't be taking more shots than Kemba Walker. And that has been a huge complaint of mine for years now. They're too focused on the MyPlayer stuff to work on any actual gameplay. I'd still give the game a solid 8 so far. I'm excited to see how the game adjusts with different teams (will the Warriors play like the Warriors, will the Celtics play like the Celtics, etc...). If you're not in to the MyPlayer aspect, the game takes enough steps forward to warrant picking it up this year. If you're just looking to create a player a cheese-fest, apparently the game isn't for you.… Expand
  9. iStanley
    Sep 13, 2018
    4
    EDIT: Changing score to 6 after 3 full days of playing. Tried to play a Rec game and pro am game with my friends for the past 5 hours. Only had 2 games in those moments. Same thing like last year, game modes fail to work properly and the game hasn't even been released yet. Crashes happen way too often.

    EDIT2: Okay, so 2K just stealth patched the game to dramatically reduce the amount of    EDIT: Changing score to 6 after 3 full days of playing. Tried to play a Rec game and pro am game with my friends for the past 5 hours. Only had 2 games in those moments. Same thing like last year, game modes fail to work properly and the game hasn't even been released yet. Crashes happen way too often.

    EDIT2: Okay, so 2K just stealth patched the game to dramatically reduce the amount of exp points you get a game. For any company doing this, most would release a statement of some sort. This is extremely shady and makes me wonder what else they stealth "fix" without any of the player base finding out. They have changed it more after the backlash and reaching front page on reddit. I am sure the changes would have stayed if that didn't happen. I've seen so much greed, predatory nature, and shadiness from 2K so I shouldn't be surprised right? Sadly, I am. How a triple A company can succumb to such leeching tactics from players of all ages and how nobody has the power to stop them. Guys this is a rated E game and they essentially have a game mode where you can gamble the "Virtual Currency." The only notable difference from this and a casino is that the house ALWAYS wins. Very optimistic about the game when I played it 4 days early. It seems like they used that as research method on how to maximize profits and "quietly" modify everything on release date. I'm reducing score to 4, this is disgusting. 2K, please take notes from Blizzard and how they handle patch notes and responding to fanbase.

    I only gave one review in my life, which was last years NBA 2K18, and I gave it a 0 from how many things were wrong with it. The obsessive bugs and predatory was rampant more than ever last year and it was to the point of being distracting and anger-inducing. It was an extreme grind to get your character where you wanted it and the cutscenes were awful. I am glad to say that this year has made great improvements.

    Many have agreed that this year's 2K has the best story, and best of all, it's skippable. Thank the **** lord. The gameplay is smoother than ever and low-skill players are punished for bad dribbling and ball protection, instead of having the ball on a string like last year. Everything feels more fluid.

    While the predatory VC tactics are back again this year, it has turned the dial from 11 to a 7. I can't say they've changed much because they release a special edition that allows for the game to be played 4 days earlier with some bonuses - I think they are just trying to minimize outrage. That being said, it's much easier to earn VC this year and more items are not as expensive or free.

    You can't have 2K without it's glitches. Some modes won't work (rec center) and game crashes pretty often. Still, loading times are quicker than ever and it seems to be the most polished one so far. You can tell that 2K cheaped out a bit by bringing the exact same assets from past 2Ks straight into this one.

    One big complaint I had last year was about the neighborhood and how spread out everything was. This year it's all centralized and closer, which is nice, but I still much rather prefer menus for everything.

    Overall, I am very impressed with the changes. But improving from 2K18 may just be an act of actually trying a little to make a game. I hope they can keep doing this moving forward and minimize the pay-to-win tactics.    … Expand
  10. piwrecks
    Sep 13, 2018
    0
    every year theres bugs, every year they are hungrier for microtransactions and pay to win players.i only bought it because it was suppose to change all the BS problems that have piled up over the years, a big one being the ridiculous grind that attempts to coerce players into microtransactions to save weeks of your life. The reddit community believed this was addressed so i bought theevery year theres bugs, every year they are hungrier for microtransactions and pay to win players.i only bought it because it was suppose to change all the BS problems that have piled up over the years, a big one being the ridiculous grind that attempts to coerce players into microtransactions to save weeks of your life. The reddit community believed this was addressed so i bought the game, then within 48 hours of buying it they patched the game to make it more of a grind like it was before. now i want my money back.… Expand
  11. Mr_King870
    Sep 13, 2018
    1
    Pay to play. The biggest joke of a game this year for sure, don't buy this game
  12. YakuzaOyabun
    Sep 13, 2018
    0
    Yet another money grab.Im going live this year.This game should be free to play with the amount of microtransactions.NO THX.NEVER AGAIN.
  13. JackieChangCZH
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    Been a huge fan of NBA 2K since 2k11 , with quick play mode is getting better every year . However , the increasing amount of microtransactions has made the MC mode which is the mode i play most an unenjoyable grind progress , i really hate the gym system while u waste a lot of your time playing stupid mini-games , what is more worse is that u need the time to play more boring games ifBeen a huge fan of NBA 2K since 2k11 , with quick play mode is getting better every year . However , the increasing amount of microtransactions has made the MC mode which is the mode i play most an unenjoyable grind progress , i really hate the gym system while u waste a lot of your time playing stupid mini-games , what is more worse is that u need the time to play more boring games if you dont want spend extra money, u have to tolerate the fact u may need to finish 3 games to get one skill point up . Actually , money can not solve your problems too. Using money will cut your feeling of your character is growing and if u stop investing , then u will feel so hard to grow . I‘d like to make 2K
    pay for it's greed this time.    … Expand
  14. jay_caspian
    Sep 12, 2018
    6
    NBA 2k19 is one of the most engaging and fun sports games I've ever played. However, it is bogged down by an ever increasing reliance on micotransactions that, while improved from NBA 2k18, still act in an aggressive attack against their customers.

    The game is visually stunning. The core gameplay mechanics are near perfect and the changes they made to steals (most especially) were duly    NBA 2k19 is one of the most engaging and fun sports games I've ever played. However, it is bogged down by an ever increasing reliance on micotransactions that, while improved from NBA 2k18, still act in an aggressive attack against their customers.

    The game is visually stunning. The core gameplay mechanics are near perfect and the changes they made to steals (most especially) were duly noted and much appreciated. While 2K is pretending to bring new additions to the game, they are only half advanced as they pretend to be. Many features are simply a return from NBA 2k17 or earlier, and had been deleted, removed, or dramatically changed for the worse. For example, skipping cut scenes, the traditional MyGM mode, and free haircuts for your MyPLayer, all returned this year, but it begs us asking the question, why did 2K remove these features in the first place.

    While 2k touts that they are making VC easier to earn this year, they can only claim this due to a deceptive change to the game. Yes, you earn more VC by having difficulty multipliers and the overall per-game VC cap has been raised, but the amount of VC you need in order to level up your character has been permanently increased. For example, last year I spent $10 buying 35k worth of VC which was enough to get my MyPlayer to a healthy 71 before beginning the game mode. That same 35k worth of VC can only get a MyPlayer up to a 67 or 68 now. You'll need 200k VC, or $50 worth, in order to go from a 60 to 85 -- a truly daunting task for an adult like myself who works 40 hours a week and has a family. The MyCareer path could have easily been called 'Return to the Grind.'

    Once you get passed the VC issues, the game is amazing. The new MyCareer story mode is amazing. It was the first time since they introduced the storytelling with 2K14, that I actually wanted to watch every cut scene. They hired a great writing staff and a number of A list actors to partake in the experience, and it was amazing. I felt myself attached to my character because 2K delivered a powerful story about BASKETBALL life, rather than creating some phony and pathetic storyline and then wrapping basketball around it.

    My only other critique is that the teammate grading system is terrible. They tweaked it so that you are punished incredibly hard for minor infractions while not rewarding positive play. An assist gets you plus 20% while leaving your coverage of a player on defense, mixed with him scoring, can net you a full letter grade penalty. They also are reckless with how often they cite you for someone scoring on your character, even if you were playing solid Defense (this is basketball, your opponent will inevitably score some of the time). My last game I had 27points, 11 Assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals, with 2 turn overs, only to have a teammate grade of C+. This definitely needs an update.

    Overall, NBA 2K is a phenomenal game that's incredibly fun to play but is hindered by it's desire to take the money of its most devoted fans.    … Expand
  15. Tenacidad963
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    En el videojuego de 2K19 se observa lo mismo que en el del año pasado. Todo se logra con microtransacciones a pesar de que se paga como un triple A. En vez de vender el producto con todo incluido te obligan a pagar para no tener que jugar por horas, que a la larga se hacen semanas. Aun con la edición de aniversario lo que te venden no es la experiencia de juego, sino la emoción de comprarEn el videojuego de 2K19 se observa lo mismo que en el del año pasado. Todo se logra con microtransacciones a pesar de que se paga como un triple A. En vez de vender el producto con todo incluido te obligan a pagar para no tener que jugar por horas, que a la larga se hacen semanas. Aun con la edición de aniversario lo que te venden no es la experiencia de juego, sino la emoción de comprar por partes todo el contenido. Incluso, uno de los productores del equipo de desarrollo dice que la gran mayoría de jugadores de videojuegos no tienen paciencia para jugar y por eso ponen las microtransacciones. Sin embargo, en Steam para PC el NBA 2k18 tiene una clasificación de mayormente negativos.

    In English
    In the video game of 2K19 the same thing is observed as in the one of last year. Everything is achieved with microtransactions despite being paid as a triple A. Instead of selling the product with all-inclusive you are forced to pay for not having to play for hours, which eventually become weeks. Even with the anniversary edition, what they sell to you is not the gaming experience, but the excitement of buying all the content in parts. Even one of the producers of the development team says that the vast majority of video game players have no patience to play and that is why they put microtransactions. However, in Steam for PC the NBA 2k18 has a rating of mostly negative.    … Expand
  16. Kronka
    Sep 12, 2018
    1
    Although the game is better than last year, let's not act like 2k is doing us a favor. The game still revolves around micro-transactions like a **** F2P mobile game. I'm Canadian so I already pay $80 + tax for the game to still be basically forced to pay an additional $60 to actually make the game playable. They still deserve the hate until they fix it.

    One of their executives in an    Although the game is better than last year, let's not act like 2k is doing us a favor. The game still revolves around micro-transactions like a **** F2P mobile game. I'm Canadian so I already pay $80 + tax for the game to still be basically forced to pay an additional $60 to actually make the game playable. They still deserve the hate until they fix it.

    One of their executives in an interview said, "Users expect everything for Free and that's not reasonable". Well you dumbass, users expect that because they already paid full price for your stupid game, did you forget that part?    … Expand
  17. sherbz
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    Microtransactions and VC have ruined this game. Executives should take note that in chasing the whales - that 2% of the community who pay thousands in ruinous micro transactions in order to get an unfair advantage over others - they alienate the other 90% of the people who play the game. Dont buy or support this garbage.
  18. daniloadventist
    Sep 12, 2018
    10
    Excelente jogo! Nota 10, só faltou liberar dia 07/09 para a pré-venda da versao stardard.
    Melhor jogo de Esporte do Mercado!
  19. VallejoMach
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    MTX infested dross. Don't buy this horrific scam of a game. Reasonable gameplay crippled once more with unnecessary and overly long tedious grind (Unless you want to take 2k's benevolently offered opportunity to 'choose' to pay your way through the game faster...so kind of them)

    Avoid like the plague. It's worse than you could ever possibly imagine.
  20. ClipCarter
    Sep 12, 2018
    2
    The gameplay is on point but I have to give it a negative review. The microtransactions system is as bad as it was last year if not worse because you no longer get sponsor money for playing playground, the most poular mode. Beware 2K it might not be next year or even the year after but at some point EA is going to release a good product and boy when that happens do not expect any loyaltyThe gameplay is on point but I have to give it a negative review. The microtransactions system is as bad as it was last year if not worse because you no longer get sponsor money for playing playground, the most poular mode. Beware 2K it might not be next year or even the year after but at some point EA is going to release a good product and boy when that happens do not expect any loyalty from the players you've been ripping off for years. You'll be begging us to buy your game $30 before Christmas.… Expand
  21. barren_sky
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    Shame on these 'professional' reviewers for not condemning this game for it's terribly implemented micro-transactions. NBA 2k19 is completely designed around holding back your progression to entice you to spend real money on it's virtual currency. This is a free-to-play phone game choking out what used to be a wonderful basketball series.
    Have principles. Don't be the sucker 2K thinks you    Shame on these 'professional' reviewers for not condemning this game for it's terribly implemented micro-transactions. NBA 2k19 is completely designed around holding back your progression to entice you to spend real money on it's virtual currency. This is a free-to-play phone game choking out what used to be a wonderful basketball series.
    Have principles. Don't be the sucker 2K thinks you are. Don't buy this game.    … Expand
  22. sander-smits
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    Microtransactions everywhere, stay away from this money grabbing mobile game.
  23. SongOfSickness
    Sep 12, 2018
    2
    Ever been charged €50 just to be able to walk in to a casino, then get screamed at to fork over more money? This game is what that's like.
  24. LRBEternal
    Sep 12, 2018
    10
    The best NBA 2K to date. Visual Concept really focused on the gameplay this time, and it shows. This game has all that you need in a basketball game. I don't really care about the micro-transactions because with all the game has to offer, i don't have to buy any to enjoy my experience.
  25. Exostryker
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    pay to win and cheats, don't buy this game, EA and 2K don't deserve your money
  26. Deadheadbill
    Sep 12, 2018
    0
    Buggy with multiple crashes in just a few hours, reprehensible micro-transaction policy and online matchmaking issues make this game complete crap. Not recommended.
  27. e10hu
    Sep 12, 2018
    3
    Gameplay is good but is its only saving grace. Death by microtransactions as usual. Should not be blatantly pay-to-win when we've paid the full price for the game + it comes out every year. Been hoping for an offline mycareer so that we would not be subjected to the limits because of scaling for online players. Slow grind is unrealistic because some of us are working and don't have thatGameplay is good but is its only saving grace. Death by microtransactions as usual. Should not be blatantly pay-to-win when we've paid the full price for the game + it comes out every year. Been hoping for an offline mycareer so that we would not be subjected to the limits because of scaling for online players. Slow grind is unrealistic because some of us are working and don't have that kind of time too.

    Career games can be skewed against you - your teammates are 'powered down' so that you can be the hero of MyCareer and basically carry everyone to victory. But if you're not paying to win the grind is horrible, you can't do **** against the opponents and your teammates are kinda useless too. No proof of course but it is very possible for 2k to do something like that.    … Expand
  28. JeepDaddyMac46
    Sep 11, 2018
    10
    First of all, stop lying on your User Revuews. Most of you probably don’t even have the game. If you did, you would know just what an amazing game 2K19 truly is. Stellar gameplay, improved menus, best graphics in the series to date. There are tons of gameplay options and so many customization options. Outside of the core game, there are Premium modes, MyCareer and MyTeam that willFirst of all, stop lying on your User Revuews. Most of you probably don’t even have the game. If you did, you would know just what an amazing game 2K19 truly is. Stellar gameplay, improved menus, best graphics in the series to date. There are tons of gameplay options and so many customization options. Outside of the core game, there are Premium modes, MyCareer and MyTeam that will require “grinding” or you can optionally buy VC to progress faster. There are a few miscues in the launch software; controller vibration doesn’t work, speed is a tad bit slow and the soundtrack is laughably horrible. Despite that, this game is a blast to play and MyCareer is fantastic.… Expand
  29. D3NGZ
    Sep 11, 2018
    0
    awful movement. Shot meter taking all the skill out of the game. micro transactions up the ass. yeah 0 and a refund from me.

    you literally pay 60$ for a Roster update, the game looks the same for the past few years.
  30. mavs3441
    Sep 11, 2018
    1
    60 dollar games that promote pay to win mechanics and build their game around it don't deserve good ratings, regardless if you have a good game or not.

    NBA 2k is superior in gameplay to Live, but the money grabbing is despicable.
  31. TheFirm34
    Sep 11, 2018
    0
    If you buy this game, you cannot really play it unless you spend at least an additional $100 more on micro-transactions. You can play it, but you will not have a fun time doing it, unless you pay-to-win. Also the developer has urged Belgian players to "fight" their government to allow micro-transactions to be activated. Ain't that just insane? This SHOULD be the death of NBA2K, the greedIf you buy this game, you cannot really play it unless you spend at least an additional $100 more on micro-transactions. You can play it, but you will not have a fun time doing it, unless you pay-to-win. Also the developer has urged Belgian players to "fight" their government to allow micro-transactions to be activated. Ain't that just insane? This SHOULD be the death of NBA2K, the greed is just too strong with this one.… Expand
  32. sheporgan1
    Sep 11, 2018
    2
    One word: Microtransactions. Completely ruins the progression and makes the game a real slog
  33. guille514
    Sep 11, 2018
    4
    Same as last years. Gameplay itself is good, graphics are good but still unplayable without buying VC. Also Proam force you to play with 5 players so not playing it this year...
  34. galip
    Sep 11, 2018
    8
    Game's feels slight more realistic then last year version, graphic has improved, my personal problem with all of nba 2k's games is the net/rim physics .. it might seems to be a slight issue, but in any past 2k game (and my first was 2k6!!) when the ball 'meets' the net, it never really felt realistic .. which for me it's quite disappointment that they did not improve on that area for allGame's feels slight more realistic then last year version, graphic has improved, my personal problem with all of nba 2k's games is the net/rim physics .. it might seems to be a slight issue, but in any past 2k game (and my first was 2k6!!) when the ball 'meets' the net, it never really felt realistic .. which for me it's quite disappointment that they did not improve on that area for all these years ..
    as far as gameplay thats my only issue .. everything else feels great to me.

    didn't check any of the other modes yet, so my review is all about the gameplay.    … Expand
  35. ocinom
    Sep 10, 2018
    0
    The graphics are ugly AF. Everything feels like the same. Micro transaction centric game. Another poor product by 2k sport.
  36. game4mastermind
    Sep 10, 2018
    5
    This review is focused on the my career mode Ghost Blocking has been a problem since 2k17 and they still have not fixed it and a lot of the bugs from 2k18 have carried over with off the knee ball turn overs when you dribble , players legs and jersey disappearing, missing wide open dunks/layups when the player defending you is much smaller and barely touching you, the cpu splashing 3s likeThis review is focused on the my career mode Ghost Blocking has been a problem since 2k17 and they still have not fixed it and a lot of the bugs from 2k18 have carried over with off the knee ball turn overs when you dribble , players legs and jersey disappearing, missing wide open dunks/layups when the player defending you is much smaller and barely touching you, the cpu splashing 3s like curry with a rating of D because they are matched up on you the cpu turns into a cheese machine that can never miss even when their ratings are way lower or have little to no defensive rating, the shoe glitch from 2k18 is back getting angry texts when you are wearing the correct brand. The only positive is the team mate cpu is much better and the neighborhood is better layered out overall a mixed experience but the bad is currently weighing out good and badly needs these things patched ASAP… Expand
  37. Trovski
    Sep 10, 2018
    4
    Problems that were in previous games are still here graphically it seems to have taken a few steps back and forward in some areas. Overall an improvement over the trash 2k18 was. Would've been a fun game if VC still didn't dominate it
  38. LuigiBergolo
    Sep 10, 2018
    0
    Probably the worst 2K game to date. Been playing for a few hours now, and not a single aspect of the game excites me, It is like they took a fairly 2K18 and just made it worse
  39. DarthNinja916
    Sep 10, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. DISCLAIMER: 2K always is bad when it comes to launching their games, so I’m just going to deduct one point off the score for the fact that this launch was terrible and will get worse on the 11th with the other players joining in.

    So this is my 8th year playing 2K, and after the absolute GARBAGE that 2K18 was, I was ready for a refreshing change.

    I can gladly say that this is a improvement.

    2K for years now has struggled to make a skills gap and a actual reason to get good at the game. 2K15 and 2K16’s Scoring Style idea was a slight improvement but did nothing to stop 6’ 7” speed boosting dribble God’s from dominating the Park and was simply useless as players could still have extremely high dunking and shooting attributes. 2K17 tried to change the game and introduce Archetypes; new play styles that would limit a players abilities and have to cater to a certain way of playing. But then Playmakers, Sharps, and Glass Cleaners took over and the “skills matter” idea fell flat. 2K18 tried to improve the archetype system by adding dual archetypes all with their own certain caps to badges and attribute caps. Then Sharps and Shot-Creators became too overpowered as shooting was a breeze once you got Limitless Cheese or Difficult Shi*s as my friend calls them. (Limitless Range and Difficult Shots).

    So you think in 2K19 they would finally figure it out right?

    Yes, and no. Now while the archetype system is massively better than 18, there still are some OP builds; the Playmaking Shot-Creator, or even the Slashing Shot-Creator are some popular “OP” builds as they are all around builds that can do 2 things really well, and also be pretty successful at others. Builds such as the Pure Sharp and Sharpshooting Playmaker got their nerfs, but also some slight improvements to make it so they can’t do the offense all by themselves but still can carry the load pretty well. And as always, Slashers are dominant and eventually will get nerfed, but we’ll see if they become like 2K17’s slashers or 2K13’s. Badges such as Ankle Breaker and Relentless Finisher seem slightly nerfed but not majorly. Limitless Range is a noticeable nerf this year as I did a shoot around with Curry and Klay and could barley hit from the logo and beyond the hash mark. (3/10 with Klay, 4/10 with Curry.)

    So what’s bad?

    Well as always, the micro transactions are awful but not as bad as previous 2K’s, *cough cough, 2K18*. This may seem misleading as first as many things are still the same prices, but you earn VC at a pretty good rate this year, especially in MyCareer. Teammate grade can give you a 2x bonus, so can difficulty multipliers. (Pro to HoF.) The daily things also help a bit, and so does the daily spin, which at the moment is basically inaccessible because of the thousands surrounding it constantly, but still, you can also use endorsements this year to boost your per-game salary and there’s also events at the park such as the Reese’s Puff “Crunch Hour” that give you 2x VC every game.

    MyTeam looks less pay to win, but the $250,000 tournament will definitely change that lol.

    MyCareer is back at it with the cheesy nick names and stuff, now it’s nowhere near the cheesiness of 2K16 or 18, but still cheesy with Jackson Ellis and ATM returning, but I’ll be honest, I did laugh when I heard their bum a**es try to talk smack against me.

    MyLeauge and MyGM made some improvement, but is still slightly boring unless your into numbers and stuff like me/do challenges.

    Otherwise I’d say this is a great basketball game and would get it unless NBA Live has smooth gameplay that isn’t stiff and robotic.

    Score: 8.7/10

    2K Rating: tied for 5th.    … Expand
  40. TheSnowman
    Sep 9, 2018
    2
    Paid for the 20th Year Anniversary edition and boy did I need it (for the extra VC to make mycareer player viable)

    I enjoyed the Prelude story of the MyCareer, sadly after the prelude the career mode quickly dies. The prelude itself can be skipped and even at that, it lasts a very short period of time, you could probably complete it a couple of hours including the matches you have to    Paid for the 20th Year Anniversary edition and boy did I need it (for the extra VC to make mycareer player viable)

    I enjoyed the Prelude story of the MyCareer, sadly after the prelude the career mode quickly dies. The prelude itself can be skipped and even at that, it lasts a very short period of time, you could probably complete it a couple of hours including the matches you have to play.

    After the prelude the mycareer just dies, cutscenes are non existent, you get repetitive, generic interviews at halftime and end game with the same two option one question interviewer.

    Nothing happens, sim games to the end of the season get 0 VC
    Play every game without paying to win (upgrading your stats with the VC bundles) you will be in for a very long and boring grind, struggling to do anything against anyone.

    The Mycareer mode is filled with pay to win micro transactions, I bought the anniversary edition so I could play the game early(before release) and I’m glad I did as I had a long weekend.

    I enjoyed playing the game, but you must invest real money to purchase VC to make your mycareer player viable otherwise you would be grinding badges and VC for atleast 5 full NBA seasons (over 400 full matches) before your player could match the ratings of the NBA.

    The grind is far too slow in this game, I made it to the end of the prelude at 75 rating and was going up against 90+ rated players in the playoff games, they stick to you like glue even on the easiest difficulty, I went from 30+ point games in the prelude to struggling to make 10point games in the NBA.

    The AI in this game is also terrible, you have to manually run plays even when not playing the Point Guard position(there is an option to enable automatic offensive and defensive plays in the main menu, I highly recommend you turn it ON) otherwise you will be left with 5 stationary players doing nothing while you spam the pass button until you finally don’t get “call for pass ignored” (after your teammate rating takes a pummelling because you had to ask stationary Frankenstein to pass you the ball 8 times.

    Games felt rigged during the playoffs, game 1 we would win easily shots when in, even enough game at times, we had better shots and pulled away.

    Certain playoff games were just unwinnanble, teammates miss every shot, you can’t hit any shots.
    If you get close to winning you get subbed out and lose (or get subbed back in with a deficit) then your teammate turnovers the ball for no reason by dropping it or playing the most ridiculous pass you have ever seen to the opposing team.

    Top tip go someone really really tall, the perks of being tall beat every position in the game.
    You cannot beat a tall player as a small player no matter what you do.

    I invested in a 6”4 shooting guard and went into the “neighbourhood” to play some street hoops against other players, did a 2v2 against weaker opponents, they were both 7” foot + giants and you cannot stop them backing you down and scoring in the paint (cannot) if you see two big guys on the court and you are smaller, just find another court.

    The shot feedback is terrible, you must need gold badges to become an efficient shooter (I wouldn’t know, you need about 1000 games to get gold badges)

    Excellent release gets you a bucket every time.
    Anything else is less than 50/50 even when you are open
    Have a 90 shot 3pt shooter and I struggle to get 50% from 3pt land with open shots with slightly early/late just ridiculous.

    The outfits and accessories you can buy are pretty basic and cost VC (and a lot of it)
    Costs 4000 for a tank top

    Can’t change shot type unless you go to the neighbourhood, a major pain, no area to test the individual jumpshots before you select it, you have to go to neighbourhood(1 minute load screen), pause, select my player, select animations, set the jump shot, head to the practice arena(1 minute load screen), test the jumpshot, head back to the neighbourhood if you don’t like it(1 min load screen)

    Load times are pretty bad in all aspects of the game as well.
    Loading into a game takes about a minute, including the 2k pregame show (shaq, ernie) which becomes repetitive after 3 games, that you have to watch for about 20 seconds before the match loads to allow you to skip.

    Then every foul, out of bounds, sub takes about 10 seconds to skip. Hitting X like previous games seems to have a timeout delay where you have to wait at least 5 seconds before you can skip the break in play(no matter what) a key place you can see this is during timeouts, it has an onscreen “team name timeout timer 60 seconds” timer that you cannot skip until it hits 53 seconds, hitting X before 55 results in nothing happening.

    Either way I wish this game was better, watching videos and the hype by streamers/personalities made me buy it early, but they all got VC boosts to make their players the highest rating so they were basically “paid to win”    … Expand
  41. kevinmclendenen
    Sep 9, 2018
    0
    Been a huge fan of NBA 2K since 2006, so let's get that out of the way. For you real OGs that play NBA 2k without a shot meter, let me break it down for you.
    1. The MyPlayer is dreadful. I have no idea why they are so determined to waste time with the terrible cut scenes. Even with the skipping mechanism, there are constant delays and the interface has been in decline for years.
    2.    Been a huge fan of NBA 2K since 2006, so let's get that out of the way. For you real OGs that play NBA 2k without a shot meter, let me break it down for you.
    1. The MyPlayer is dreadful. I have no idea why they are so determined to waste time with the terrible cut scenes. Even with the skipping mechanism, there are constant delays and the interface has been in decline for years.
    2. Microtransactions. You thought EA was bad? For this reason alone, do not purchase this game. Do not allow these developers to destroy the industry with pay to play BS, after you have already dropped $65 on a game. Do yourself and gamers everywhere a huge favor and wait for this game to go on a major sale. Do not give 2k your money until they wise up. Log in and drop a negative review until they start giving hoopers the experience they deserve. They are literally pleading with their fans to support microtransactions in the German version of 2k, because the German government has assessed the extra "lootboxes" to be complete BS, which they are!    … Expand
  42. Ramondro01
    Sep 9, 2018
    1
    I’ve been playing NBA 2K since 2k3 and I always loved the game but I feel like 16 was the last good game they released, Im one of the players that loves playing PlayNow Online with classic teams and this year instead of adding the players some teams missed they removed some that were already in the game, each team has basically a rotation of 6 or 7 players. The My Career mode is trash, whyI’ve been playing NBA 2K since 2k3 and I always loved the game but I feel like 16 was the last good game they released, Im one of the players that loves playing PlayNow Online with classic teams and this year instead of adding the players some teams missed they removed some that were already in the game, each team has basically a rotation of 6 or 7 players. The My Career mode is trash, why do I need to start playing inn China? WHy everything I want to do ask me to buy VC? This game really feel so like a copy of the last one, don’t buy it if you care about your money. No more 2K for me.… Expand
  43. Reza19
    Sep 8, 2018
    0
    Always grinding, they say they already scale back the VC, but by how much ?? 1% ?? I play my career it very frustating to get the VC, it almost impossible to play using VC in game. The design us to make purchase the VC, what do you want me to do ? Buy $65 AAA game and spend another $50 just to get 85 overall, you nutt, don't buy this game
  44. THEAND1MAN
    Sep 8, 2018
    0
    Is it wrong for me, to think that Live is better this year? I was expecting more. A shot meter for LAYUPS? ARE you serious? Layups are supposed to be easy. It takes FOREVER to level up your player in 2K. In Live, you can level up in no time. There is no grind in Live just FUN and Free clothes, gear and accessories daily. $100 Anniversary Edition, lucky me BUT Live is Better.
  45. Pimpollo1
    Sep 8, 2018
    1
    Dont buy it!! Buggy mess full of micro-transactions !! Avoid this game!! Once again dont buy it!
  46. Streety
    Sep 8, 2018
    0
    Buggy mess full of microtransactions. Every year people blindly pre-order this game and every year they shaft us...
  47. scather
    Sep 8, 2018
    5
    Good: Seem to earn a bit more VC from games, Haircuts are free. Load times are faster. Skip-able cut scenes. Story not as bad as last year. Nice how you can change clothes without going to mycourt. Training makes more sense for badges.

    Bad: No "rookie" difficulty in Mycareer again. Controls seem lagged at times. Moving player feels like piloting a boat at times. AI still steps through    Good: Seem to earn a bit more VC from games, Haircuts are free. Load times are faster. Skip-able cut scenes. Story not as bad as last year. Nice how you can change clothes without going to mycourt. Training makes more sense for badges.

    Bad: No "rookie" difficulty in Mycareer again. Controls seem lagged at times. Moving player feels like piloting a boat at times. AI still steps through you/around you with ease when you are defending yet when on offence you can't move anywhere without the usual player defense gravity BS where they stick to you like flies on **** One button press to intercept can send you halfway across the court. Trying to steal is like playing rugby where your guy grabs the other player, often 3 seconds after the fact. Bump steals are NOT fixed. Catch a rebound and drop the ball if anyone is within range, assuming you actually get the rebound. Seems weird at times. Pushing up on the stick when defending sends you out of the way rather than just raising your arms. You and your team still commit dumb passes that defy logic. Throw passes to your open team mates and they brick all the time. Shame the AI doesn't miss. TOO HARD FOR THE CASUAL PLAYER.

    Note: I watched a lot of youtubers/streamers and suspect they have pretty much been paid off with events/head scans and attention from Devs. Taints everything they say. I don't believe them. The fact Ronnie etc avoided answering some of the questions tells you everything. I would have probably still bought the game, but no respect for the fact they were not up front about certain things. Like NO ROOKIE MODE.

    The casual player might as well forget about it. This game is for the hard core.

    Overall frustrating. Not as fun as it should be.    … Expand
  48. truestofreviews
    Sep 8, 2018
    0
    An unnecessary and supidly-long grind fest, coupled with microtransactions the publishers are actually publicly defending (o,O?), ruin any and all possible fun this game might've had at inception.
  49. Gn2056
    Sep 7, 2018
    6
    Problems. 1. Input latency is as horrible as ever. 2. Terrible gatorade training facility returns to waste yourtime to fill turbo between games. 3. This game is fine if you play against computer, my career n mypark however are a disaster. Rec center disaster. Honestly, the game is pretty much the same as last year with a boost to vc earned. But people that play know the problem is the postProblems. 1. Input latency is as horrible as ever. 2. Terrible gatorade training facility returns to waste yourtime to fill turbo between games. 3. This game is fine if you play against computer, my career n mypark however are a disaster. Rec center disaster. Honestly, the game is pretty much the same as last year with a boost to vc earned. But people that play know the problem is the post 85 grind and terrible on court performance. But biggest problem is the greed. Wait for a sale.… Expand
  50. ps4lover
    Sep 7, 2018
    10
    wow, NBA 2k19 is excellent basketball game ever i playing.. Gameplay and animations are top notch.. Defense improve is pretty much better beside offense.. ai cpu playing very properly on offense and defense..i haven't start up My GM/League yet but will do soon as possible.. My Career is very good with good story narratives. graphic look great and presentation look very good.. stats overlaywow, NBA 2k19 is excellent basketball game ever i playing.. Gameplay and animations are top notch.. Defense improve is pretty much better beside offense.. ai cpu playing very properly on offense and defense..i haven't start up My GM/League yet but will do soon as possible.. My Career is very good with good story narratives. graphic look great and presentation look very good.. stats overlay and scoreboard look very clean… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Best PS4 Game of 2018
27
#27 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018
46
#46 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 49 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 49
  3. Negative: 1 out of 49
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Oct 28, 2018
    80
    NBA 2K19 is fantastic at all the times when it isn’t asking you to part with real cash. Although sadly, in MyCareer, you’ll be tempted to open your wallet way too often. [Issue#155, p.95]
  2. Worth Playing
    Oct 12, 2018
    85
    NBA 2K19 is still the go-to basketball simulation game out there. Its polish and refinement have only improved since last year, and it's difficult to imagine any improvements for next year. The MyCareer story has definitely improved, and so have the cut scene management and character customization. MyTeam feels like a revolving mode of new updates and content, but players who don't purchase VC may be getting the short end of the stick, since 10 pack boxes are exclusive to VC only. The game is amazing in all regards, but the constant reminder and pressure to purchase VC is wearing thin.
    Read full review
  3. XGN
    Oct 9, 2018
    90
    NBA 2K19 is everything that you expect from a basketball game. With the new edition 2K Games and Visual Concepts are closer to the real thing than ever.
    Read full review
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