NBA 2K16 is one of those sports games which allows you to step into the shoes of a superstar and craft your own rags-to-riches story. 2K games have set a high example of what a top-end sports game should look like and NBA 2K16 is no different. EA Sports (FIFA 2016) and Konami (PES 2016) should probably take down some notes from these guys. But is this the best sports game of all time? Here’s what we thought based on our review. Thankfully, that is really where the bulk of negative points of NBA 2K16 are. Ball handling in matches has gotten incredible, and the amount of animations really end up being transparent to watching an actual live match on TV.

 

Shooting has gotten strangely harder in terms of competing with the CPU even as a level 82 MyPlayer, but it keeps things challenging despite not being the most ideal way to do things like something comparable to racing game rubber banding. Matches give you not only experience but also VC currency to use on accessories, shoes, etc. Your MyPlayer is highly customizable and you can assign attribute points very easily under categories like “Athlete, Defender, Shooter, etc.” The agency dealings along with the endorsement deals in the MyCareer on the newly added Off-Days really adds a different layer to the game than previous titles. I would have loved to see the previous additions of where you go into your manager’s office and get to make discussion type choices but unfortunately that was removed from the game as well.

 

Press conferences are luckily still in the game and end up being slightly repetitive into the 2nd year of the Rookie season with the same dialogue repeatedly at points. Once you get into the NBA, you start experiencing some of the aforementioned lengthy cutscenes. You begin to see your player battle with a host of personal issues, such as the owner of your team not wanting you to hang around with Vic, your best friend. On top of that, your sister and your new girlfriend bicker incessantly, and your parents do not want to move out of Harlem. It’s a weird, interesting mixture of story topics that do bring about some intrigue. The story makes references to things like alcoholism, sexual diseases, and death, things you would not expect in a game rated E10+. Unfortunately, some of that intrigue wears off as the story progresses and it begins to devolve into a melodramatic mess.

 

While the character interactions are not bad, the writing is heavy-handed and feels like a cheap Hallmark movie at times. That being said, the sheer existence of such a deep, multi-hour story mode in a video game is unique enough to gain some praise. It was a risky decision to make this the focus of NBA 2K16, and it slips up in some areas, but really succeeds in others. While it may not be as heart-rending as it wants to be, NBA 2K16’s MyPlayer truly is a one-of-a-kind mode. Gameplay is the most realistic it has ever been; you can’t simply drive to the basket without a fight. The defence is tighter, which means you really have to think about your options when on the offence.

 

Make sure you work the defence well by getting a teammate to screen your marker; as mentioned, the AI will be on your tail from the off so always be ready to make the perfect move. 2K Sports might have created the best version of NBA 2K basketball ever. NBA 2K16 just came out last week, and it has already sold over four million copies worldwide. The biggest drawback to NBA 2K is still its horrendous load times. Whether you’re waiting to start a game or even for a cutscene to load, it still takes far too long. In MyGM mode these loading times can compound quickly as anytime you need to talk to a player about playing time, evaluate scouting reports, discuss strategies for important upcoming games, or anything else that takes you away from the homescreen, you’re looking at a significant load time. No joke, there’s enough time to catch up on your favorite TV show with all of the loading times 2K16 has.