NBA 2K15 is a visual treat for fans with precise gameplay that will keep you glued to the screen
Year after year, the NBA 2K series games have been performing consistently well and giving EA’s NBA Live Series sleepless nights. When it comes to visuals and offline gameplay, 2K is the best in the business, but paying attention to details has made this franchise the most popular basketball game. Just like in real life, Tim Duncan will hug the ball before every game, Dwayne Wade will do his typical show boarding pull ups on the rim, and Kobe will give a piece of his mind when he thinks he got fouled. Before you start the game, there is a new pre-game show hosted by co-whosts of Inside the NBA Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson. They actually give some key insights on some important matches and advise on how to steam roll your opponents.
On court action has always been NBA 2K’s forte and 2K15 does not disappoint in this aspect. Initially, you might think the players movements are a bit slow but before you know it, you quickly get used to the seamless gameplay. A new status bar under the shooting player tells you exactly why you missed the shot or why you are an expert in 3 pointers. This smart feedback is an excellent addition to the game. If the shot is too late or too early, the status bar becomes red. Slight improvement is when the bar appears yellow and green is when you have aced the shot. The game is definitely tougher than the last edition, as the artificial intelligence isn’t that easy to dupe on the court and now the opposition plays a very aggressive defence and steal the ball from you before you realise what actually happened.
The game comes in several different modes, but the best is MyCareer. You start off as a rookie and make your way up to a superstar. Upgrading your MyPlayer is now a lot simpler as skill sets are now grouped under Defense or Athleticism, this way you spend more time on the court then off it. A master move by the game developers is the addition of experienced players like Steph Curry for the Warriors and Demarcus Cousins for the Kings mentoring the new players. Best part is that it really is their voice, which makes a difference and makes it more authentic.
Then there is MyGM, or the Manager mode. You are responsible for picking and choosing players, scouting for players, basically build your own dream team. You also hold press conferences, and impart advice and gel the team as a unit via the new conversation system. MyGM is, no doubt, a very addictive mode.
Next is MyTeam, where you earn or buy decks of cards that give perks to both you and your players. You extend contracts allowing players to play a certain number of games. So keep winning, keep earning, and as a result keep upgrading. This mode is just like the FIFA Ultimate Team.
There is also an online game mode called MyPark. You create your own players and based on what team you choose, you get special moves. The tournament is between three factions and the more you win, the more you customise your player. It sounds quite interesting, at least on paper, but before you get all comfy in this mode, the server shuts down or hangs. This is an annoying flaw with the game and keeps happening on a regular basis.
The NBA 2K15 retains its title as the best basketball game, as long as you stick to offline gaming modes. The visuals are as real as they can get, the voice-overs are brilliant and the gameplay is more aggressive. Can one ask for more? Actually yes, they really need to work on improving their online game modes.
