NBA 2K19 Review

1. Game: NBA 2K19
2. Consoles: Xbox One (reviewed), PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
3. Publisher: 2K Games
4. Developer: Visual Concepts

An NBA 2K19 code was provided by the publisher.

We’ve all been here before, haven’t we? Once the Fall rolls around, basketball fans prepare for another installment of 2K Sports and Visual Concepts’ long-running NBA 2K franchise. And every year, millions of digital ballers hit the court with their custom player and vie for the top spot. NBA 2K19 doesn’t offer a dramatic overhaul of previous series mechanics or introduce something entirely different in the modes department. What it does manage to do is slightly tighten up the on-court action and offer an updated take on the its three main mode pillars. While NBA 2K19 still delivers the best basketball sim presentation on the market, a few bothersome issues and unfulfilled potential blocks its true greatness.

When it comes time to engage in the actual game of basketball, NBA 2K19 thankfully delivers. Complete player control has always been a mainstay of the series, which is an annual tradition that’s still honored here. Ball handling, slick footwork, button/analog stick shot control, offensive/defensive maneuvers, and other advanced on-court methods still feel as real as it gets. There’s a lot to soak in as far as game-winning strategies goes, but series veterans already know that.

NBA 2K19 doesn’t deviate from what brought it to the promised land – it refines everything that has worked up until this point and expects freshman players to do their homework in order to catch up. One new mechanic that this entry debuts is the “Takeover” mechanic, a less over-the-top rendition of NBA Jam’s “On Fire” feature. As a player racks up points and plays well on both ends of the court, he gains momentum. A full Takeover meter eventually “fires” that player up, which then leads to him obtaining new maneuvers and a boost in stats across the board. While not a game changer, this mechanic provides a cool extra wrinkle for every game you engage in.

The allure of the NBA 2K games is undoubtably MyCareer. This entry’s implementation of the mode follows your player as he graduates from playing professionally in China to running with an NBA team back in the United States. Big name actors, such as Anthony Mackie, Haley Joel Osment, and Ricky Whittle play their parts well as the standout figures who influence your rise to stardom.

The story itself starts out interesting enough as you adjust to life in China, play games backed by actual Mandarin commentary, and interact with an old college playmate/rival. Once you’ve finally made it back to your main residence however, the plot falls apart due to “been there, done that” sports movie tropes, a tiresome custom player progression grind, and overdone attempts at delivering truly dramatic moments. The voice acting itself is the only highlight to speak of when it comes to the full experience of “The Way Back.”

Outside of the main story, MyCareer lets your player explore the main hub known as “The Neighborhood.” A sense of familiarity immediately springs up as you waltz around NBA 2K19’s basketball theme park and engage in a number of assorted activities. Engaging in three-on-three pickup games, playing a quick round of dodgeball, customizing your player’s look, and buddying up with other players makes up the bulk of everything you’ll do in The Neighborhood.

The Neighborhood is always lively and full of available players who’re ready to squad up for a fun round of street ball, which is always a treat. It’s quite evident that this hub locale tries its hardest to make its fanbase spend boatloads of real money on VC (Virtual Currency). Paid VC offers are constantly shoved in your face as you delve into The Neighborhood and even the pause menu. VC is freely handed out to you for completing a number of tasks, of course. But the slow in-game progression of your player will make you feel as if you’re forced to become a viable player through microtransactions. VC is used to practically do everything of note in NBA 2K19, which makes it hard to truly enjoy every part of it without ponying up extra real-world cash.

On the MyTeam and MyLeague fronts, NBA 2K19 largely stays the course. MyTeam caters to those who enjoy compiling a prized card collection and turning it into a winning fantasy lineup. It does get quite addictive as you unlock highly-ranked players and add them to your team for hotly contested games against the AI and online community. A rotating array of challenges gives you extra incentive to play on a constant basis, which in turn gifts you with the mode’s exclusive currency (MT Coins). The overwhelming presence of VC permeates throughout this mode as well, however. Having an abundance of VC negates the whole point of playing to gain MT since you can easily obtain quality card packs through microtransactions.

MyLeague presents players with another opportunity to run their own NBA franchise. Instead of getting treated to fully voice-acted cutscenes, your custom General Manager makes important franchise decisions within a visual novel presentation. MyLeague has always been a fun diversion for the NBA 2K series and that sentiment still rings true here. It does its job well and offers an engaging mode for basketball fanatics who think they can run a team better than real-world GM’s. While it might not be as engaging as NBA 2K19’s other modes, it still plays its part well.

NBA 2K19 Takeways

Gameplay wise, NBA 2K19 remains in top form. While tough to master, the game’s on-court mechanics still provides the most lifelike interpretation of the NBA. Player control is as great as its ever been and the new “Takeover” mechanic adds an extra bit to urgency to each game. Hours upon hours of fun can be derived from dominating the court and garnering extra bragging rights.

NBA 2K19 is far from amazing, though. There aren’t a whole lot of major alterations to the gameplay and notable additions to speak of. For those coming over from NBA 2K18, expect more of the same. The heavy advertising of VC, lackluster MyCareer story, and the largely unchanged implementation of MyTeam and MyGM don’t do a whole lot to make this new entry much of an evolution. NBA 2K19 is still a quality basketball sim full of content and strong gameplay. However, it offers an overly familiar experience and is brought down by a litany of issues that are hard to ignore.

Our NBA 2K19 Review Score: 7.5 out of 10

See Also

• NBA 2K19 Soundtrack Curated by Travis Scott