NBA 2K22

Although NBA 2K22 is the best and only new generation basketball game on the market, it is far from being a perfect game and continues to annoy with its microtransaction-oriented structure.

NBA 2K22 maintains the consistent quality of the series, but some of the old problems of the previous game and the unchanging game mode also makes the game experience lack of surprise.

At the end of the day, NBA 2K22 feels like it comes with two separate modes: offline for those who just want to have fun and aren’t necessarily NBA superstars and multiplayer for people willing to spend real money and get their high-rated players overnight.

Low on innovation, big on fun… and slimy microtransactions. Despite the shameless 7 money grab of certain modes, there’s lots for basketball fans to love. [Issue#7, p.91]

NBA 2K22 is the best-looking sports game of this generation, but flashy looks and incredibly deep game modes can't mask the on-court issues that plague this year's offering.

NBA 2K22's basketball feels more refined than last season. The revamped stamina meter leads to a more tactical team game and shooting is consistent and reliable. It looks as sharp and well-presented as ever and those wanting some quality time on the court will be well served. Unfortunately, the familiar encroachment of microtransactions dominate the MyCareer and MyTeam modes. The old problems with judging your performance also still persist.

NBA 2K22 continues to set the standard for gameplay, with changes this year that ensure a much more realistic and satisfying pace of play. But it's the same old story: it's one of the most aggressive games in the industry when it comes to micropayments, and its star modes can't be enjoyed unless you're willing to pay.

NBA 2K22 remains a very good basketball game but it rely too much on its assets and doesn't evolve anymore. It's difficult to see the differences between the 2021 and 2022 versions in terms of technology, graphics and content available to players. However, we notice the efforts made on the gameplay, which is much closer to the reality of the courts and less frustrating, as well as the care given to the My NBA mode. As far as the career mode is concerned, we're clearly left wanting more, it's just a lot of filler, to the detriment of the narrative quality of the career. To conclude, NBA 2K22 remains solid on its feet, still offering the best for a fan of the orange ball, but it's cruelly lacking in creativity and struggling to renew itself.

NBA 2K22 has the best offensive flow in years, matched by improvements to defense. Still, technical problems persist and microtransactions are hard to ignore in some modes.

NBA 2K22 offers the best on-court experience in the history of the series. That’s no small thing for a series long known for rock-solid gameplay. The problem is that so much around that experience feels incomplete or messy. NBA 2K22 provides such a wide range of experiences that many players will get what they need from it. The overall package, however, is a lot more uneven.

NBA 2K22 is generally a beautiful representation of next-generation console hoops, but it's a little disturbing that many of the newest things I noticed didn't have a whole lot to do with basketball. The on-court product is good, but it's not perfect. Basketball is still my favorite sport to watch, and I love the game, so I'll keep playing, but I can probably put the music and fashion career on hold — and I don't need to spend any more money.

NBA 2K22 offers very good gameplay mechanics, but the series’ focus on simply playing basketball is fading. In the story mode, the developers experiment with open world and put too much emphasis on side activities related to sponsors. As a result, the city in NBA 2K22 is a one big advertising billboard. Willingness to try new things is generally commendable, but this is not the way to do it. [12/2021, p.63]