NBA 2K24

NBA 2K24 is, at least on consoles, an interesting product. It's a good installment that introduces some quite appreciated innovations. The gameplay system is perhaps one of the best we've seen over the years, the in-game difficulty matches the chosen level, player control has improved, and the same goes for the AI. Unfortunately, as always, there are microtransactions that make the experience not affordable for everyone and, often, a bit frustrating. Continuously having to pay is not exactly a strong point for a title that is already paid. But in terms of content we're good, with plenty of choices and good variety for everyone, with some gameplay improvements. It's a shame for the PC version that doesn't reflect at all what has been said. Several features are missing, and you don't even remotely feel the "next-gen improvement." Once again, it's unacceptable that a fully capable platform ends up with an incomplete product sold at a nearly identical price to its "complete version."

Yet with all of that, you still cannot shake those microtransactions.

In NBA 2K24, some thoughtful additions to gameplay visuals and mechanics get deeply overshadowed by some minute growing pains with ProPlay, some major hurtles dodging gacha pop-ups, and plenty presentation hindrances that keep you from playing the actual game. Behind all that is still a fantastic basketball game, even if it doesn't feel different enough from last year to merit a must-buy status, even for basketball fans.

NBA 2K24 is fantastic when it comes to its gameplay, but its extreme focus on microtransations ends up hurting the experience.

NBA 2K24 is the most NBA 2K game you could imagine, rocking moderate improvements to gameplay without really providing offering anything exciting enough to entice lapsed fans back onto the court.

Pay-to-win mechanics aside, NBA 2K24 is a solid basketball sim with unrivalled authenticity; just don’t expect a huge leap forward from last year’s title.

If you're looking for a basketball game with updated rosters and you want a good game, NBA 2K24 is the best option to go for. But when we think that it comes out every year and compare it to last year, we can't put anything on it this year.

NBA 2K24 is fantastic to play on the court, but Virtual Currency stops your everyday player from seeing any proper progression for hours.

NBA 2K24 offers an extremely polished experience, given its unrivaled on-court feel and a few welcome additions, but questionable decisions and an uncanny push toward microtransactions hurt what could otherwise be considered a natural step forward for the franchise.

NBA 2K24 features revamped gameplay through ProPLAY and small game mode tweaks that make it a worthwhile upgrade. Not everything is perfect, and there is still so much room for growth in future games, but NBA 2K24 is a promising step forward in a franchise that has been complacent in recent years without any real competition.

NBA 2K24 is the definitive NBA 2K playing experience, crushed under the weight of excessive monetisation attempts.

After Michael Jordan, the main character of the current NBA season is Kobe Bryant. But if you want more changes in game, you will be disappointed. And the fun is still spoiled by microtransactions.

No two basketball games play out the same, and the same can be said for NBA 2K24‘s variety of modes and features. ProPlay was a welcome addition to the overall feel of the gameplay, adding an extra level of realism. Some modes work extremely well, like The W, and others like the career mode fizzle out, but overall the gameplay itself is great. Unfortunately, having microtransactions at what feels like every corner is a real letdown for something that otherwise has real potential.

The core experience is superb, but the same is true of the now significantly cheaper NBA 2K23. Unless the latest rosters are important to you, buy that instead. [Issue#33, p.77]

NBA2K24 is more than ever a prime example of a game that is made with the mentality to fulfill the wildest microtransactions dreams of the executives and stakeholders of the publisher. Between the constant pressure to throw more money in its virtual store you can find a hidden and excellent basketball game.

Ultimately, what makes NBA 2K24 wonderful ends up being negatively overshadowed by the level of pay-to-win that the game has. There are many cosmetic items for styling MyPlayer with fun clothing or having fancy new hoverboards and animations that all would have been plenty valuable as microtransactions, adding in the ability to improve actual game skills by paying money was an unnecessary and distracting feature. The game itself is fun, realistic, and addictive, and could easily be a must-play for any basketball fan if the in-game purchases can be overlooked.

There’s no doubt NBA 2K24 is the best presented sports game on the market, and it’s also arguably the most complete, with a dizzying selection of modes and features to accommodate all playstyles and tastes. But an insidious overreliance on microtransactions and player retention yet again detracts from the MyCAREER mode, which to its credit feels much more focused this year. There’s still a lot to like about this game, and depending on which modes you enjoy, you may never have to interact with the nefarious aspects at all. But it does sour what is otherwise an enjoyable game.

Good basketball and paywalls don't mix well but overall this game is a better experience than last year's edition.

I really like the on-court action and think most of the modes have cool ideas, but everything is being brought down by an abundance of microtransactions. Sure, they've been there for years, but this year something feels different. I'm not saying you should skip NBA 2K24, just go in with your eyes fully open. If you're someone who can't control their purchasing decisions, 2K will use every trick in the book to tempt you. For me, that's not really an issue, and I'm a fan of 2K24 because of it, but it's absolutely something everyone needs to ask themselves before diving in.

The shooting and gameplay have added more frustration this year, but the paint play is the best the series has seen. There are some positives and some negatives to the new ProPLAY implementation, but a variety of presentation changes truly help to make the NBA games feel fresh. The biggest knocks remain with both the shooting frustration and the even bigger focus on microtransactions. After the strides made last year, NBA 2K24 is the first regression the series has seen on this generation of consoles. Plus, the PC version is still running on the previous generation version of the game, and even Madden had rectified that this year.

NBA 2K24 showcases a franchise in need of going back to the fundamentals. Its clumsy implementation of VC is nothing new, but it's now actively hampering the rest of the game - especially given the disappointment of MyCareer. And yet, on the court, NBA 2K24 remains the finest basketball sim I've played in years - it just needs to find its form again.

Following the innovative and pleasantly surprising NBA 2K23, I expected Visual Concepts to build upon its success and introduce even more improvements with its latest entry in the long-running basketball series. But instead of mirroring the Black Mamba's gradual rise to permanent relevancy, NBA 2K24 sadly feels like a stop-gap – a quick hit to temporarily satisfy diehard fans. If this continues, the series could veer closer to a forgettable imitation of Kobe's signature move: a fadeaway into obscurity.

NBA 2K24 is another installment in the annals of sports game history. In the moments that it works, it works well. But it’s not welcoming for newcomers, and the insipid practice of MTX is about as subtle as a ball to the face.

NBA 2K24 is Visual Concepts' best basketball game to date. The gameplay feels fantastic and this is complimented with an excellent atmosphere during games. It also looks stunning and the addition of Mamba Moments is a big plus. This is why it is such a shame the game is being destroyed by the microtransactions. Annually a point of criticism, but it's really hitting its stride as it hinders the enjoyment of the game.

Aside from the expected graphical upgrade, the list of material improvements in NBA 2K24 is particularly short this year.