It is the same old story in all of the major sports on the planet when it comes to video games:
End of the season: Fans get bored of the current game and start to look forward to the next release
Beginning of the season: Developers rush through the latest game to satisfy the fans, the fans complain about glitches and start to reminisce about how good the previous game was.
Halfway through the season: Fans begin to warm to the latest game before getting ready to start the process all over again.
This isn’t just exclusive to basketball and NBA2K23, it’s something that we also see with NFL fans and with soccer fans and the FIFA titles. That isn’t to say that there aren’t problems and areas from improvement in all of the major sports video games.
Rather that it’s sometimes difficult to discern between genuine concerns with the game and the hyperbole, which is where we come in. Below we’ve identified some of the areas where NBA2K23 could improve ahead of next year’s release.
(The trailer looks good, but is the game?)
Interested in the NBA? Can’t get enough of the on-court action? Why not check out the latest NBA odds…
Visual Gameplay
Leading up to the release of NBA2K23 we were told all about the improvements to AI gameplay that was going to make this game more realistic to play and a lot less arcadey. Whilst there have undoubtedly been improvements to how the AI operate and move around, it hasn’t massively revolutionised the way the game looks.
In fact, you could take a clip from any of the previous three NBA games and it would be nigh on impossible to distinguish between them from gameplay alone. However, plenty of time and effort goes into updating the players attributes as their form fluctuates. The NBA odds always closely reflect the quality of a team and the players. The reigning champions, The Golden State Warriors, are currently the best rated team in the game and are nearly always the odds on favorites to win any game they play in the NBA.
Whilst developers could counter with, ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ fans do need to see something new with each iteration to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.
That’s something that big gaming titles do all the time, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Take Call of Duty Warzone for example, a hugely popular title that has drawn in hundreds of millions of players across the world.
Every year since its release it has changed aspects of the gameplay or visuals to keep things fresh and appealing to keep the playing base engaged.
(The gameplay from NBA2K23, or is it from the year before? Or the year before that?)
Relentless Capitalism
There are a lot of things to like about American sports but there are also a lot of things wrong with our top sports. One of the chief criticisms of our domestic sports from outsiders is how fans are not viewed as part of the fabric of a team, but rather as consumers and walking dollar signs.
When you play NBA2K23 it’s hard not to think that the critics are right. At every moment you are being peppered with adverts to try and get you to part with your hard earned money, to do what? Further enjoy a game you’ve already paid for.
This isn’t a criticism that’s unique to this latest NBA 2K game, it’s a critique that we’ve had for a good while now. The fact that the hardest thing to do when playing NBA2K23 is not spend any of your money on pointless micro transactions says it all really.
(NBA2K23 the game that you pay to own and then have to pay to play.)
MyCareer Regression
There’s always been a feeling that the developers skimp on the detail when it comes to the NBA 2k series, a feeling that was heightened when we played MyCareer mode. Not only do we have the same cruise ship setting and nickname for our character, but we have almost nothing new to enjoy.
Then there’s the fact that to improve your character, you need to spend virtual currency which the only real way to get hold of is by spending actual money.
All in all it’s a terrible experience for the player and one that makes you want to search out a refund for the $60 you spent on the game and the further dollars it squeezed out of you after your initial purchase.
NBA2K23 In Summary
“They had us in the first half, not gonna lie”
You might have thought from our introduction that we were going to mount a serious defence of NBA2K23 but, unfortunately that wasn’t to be the case because we’ve actually played the game.
It’s a shame that the game is in the state that it currently is but unfortunately, that’s what happens when developers put profits ahead of people. The be all and end all for NBA2K23 is making as much money as possible and as a result, the product suffers.
If you’re going to spend $60 on a basketball game, make sure it isn’t this one.