It’s that time of year again. Time to hit virtual court and try to live our LeBron dreams while dodging a microtransaction or two as 2K and NBA-developing veterans Visual Concepts serve up NBA 2K24.
If you have played any of the recent instalments you will know what you’re getting here, a well-rounded basketball sim that sticks to its well-used formula. But take a step back and it may all seem like you have been there and done that all before, with an overall vibe of it just going through the motions.
Career Mode
Instead of a full-fat single-player story mode in NBA 2K24, you get a hybrid tale in MyCareer that sees you creating a player and shaping your play style, before setting out to become the G.O.A.T through playing your role in key games during the season.
Make an impact at these points by completing challenges and you’ll bank G.O.A.T points that will see you climbing a list of the greatest players ever. We are talking LeBron, Jordan and Kobe to name a few.
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But things end up getting muddy when the online features step in, which tries to add in the city, based around a Miami Beach front this time. You’ll do side activities like playing street ball, but bear in mind you’re meant to be the talent of a generation. Yet here you are on the mean streets playing against Joe Bloggs.
Uber Microtransations
As you play you’ll earn VC – the game’s upgrade currency, that will see you growing stronger and faster to become the ultimate dunk hero. But earning enough VC in game can be very slow, this is where microtransactions enter the frame.
If you’re willing to shell out real cash, you can speed things up by a shocking amount. This sort of undermines the whole mode, as you can splash the cash right away and be top spec in the blink of an eye.
Beyond this issue you never feel connected to your character and it’s all a bit underwhelming and like it’s trying to shoehorn two modes into one, which ultimately has them clashing.
Buy NBA 2K24 Kobe Bryant and Black Mamba Editions from Green Man Gaming.
Talkin’ ‘Bout MyTeam
The other big mode is MyTeam – which returns seeing you once again building your dream team through short sharp matches and collecting player cards both in single and online play. And it’s about the same as last year, in terms of how aggressive microtransactions are.
New to this year is Mamba Moments which is a mode that spotlights iconic moments from across Kobe Bryant’s career, in a similar way to last year’s Jordan Challenge.
This is a refreshing and fun mode that shows a legend in his prime, though there are only seven moments.
This is a bit disappointing as MJ got 15 moments. Fans may also question why certain Kobe moments are missing; like his iconic 60-point career-ending swansong.
Away from the modes, controls have been tweaked with shooting being a real hit-and-miss affair now. AI is also unpredictable and can sometimes do odd things that will baffle you.
Although the new ProPLAY tech is a hint at what the future may hold for the series, as it recreates movements from real NBA court action in game.
Court Appearance
Visually, NBA 2K24 is stunning as you would expect. From the shine from the court to the sweat beading on player’s faces, the detail is outstanding. Players’ movements and animations look ever closer like the real thing.
Shout out to the commentary team as well with Shaq, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson Jr. putting in a solid shift. While the overall sound is very good as well; from the screech of sneakers to the thud of the ball, all of which adds extra layers of detail to its already televised quality presentation.
Payin’ in the Hoop
NBA 2K24 is a bit short on the new features with Mamba Moments being head and shoulders the best, but it has played it all a bit safe. Though with that said, it is still the most robust and well-rounded basketball sim to date when on the court.
If you’re looking for a few tweaks and this year’s new player roster updates, then it’s got you covered. However if you’re after more, you’ll have to wait to see what NBA 2K25 has in store.