Gaming review: NBA 2K17
As a Lakers fan I have been accustomed to feeling apprehensive before each game in the NBA and generally disappointed after, this is certainly not the case with NBA 2K17.
I have come to contemplate that the latest entry in the franchise is the most polished and complete sports game on the market to date. 2K Sports and developer Visceral Concepts have captured all of the excitement from the build up to tip off, to the remaining seconds of the 4th quarter watching Kyrie Irving drop a 3 point shot to tie a play-off final. One thing is clear from early on, this is the true gold standard of sports games and with the impressive new tweaks, will this be the one to beat?
The first thing you'll be prompted to do when you launch the game is to create your own pro, there is a couple of ways to enter yourself in the game. You can either go through the face-sculpting option, or you can attempt importing a scan of your face through the game's mobile app. My advice would be to stick with the face sculpting, despite the advancements over the years - scanning your face in to the game still looks more like a caricature than a true representation of yourself. Once you have completed your creation you will be greeted with a brand new simplified menu system, 2KTV has now been removed from the main screen, which is a surprisingly refreshing move, instead we see the newly structured pre-game show during the loading screen before we are treated to the build up to tip off.
There are a ton of modes and features to sink your teeth in to in NBA 2K17, you can go for the "Traditional" 5-on-5 in online or offline leagues either with the incredibly popular MyGM mode or the challenging and detailed My League. The amount of variety in each mode is staggering, you can choose to experience the NBA as it appears today or create your own custom journey with fluctuating numbers of current or "fantasy" teams. Players who are looking to encounter a story driven career on an up-and-coming rookie and his varied liaisons with coaches, players, and their family members get to explore the impressive MyCareer. If you fancy a more MMO-like experience with the NBA world, then The Park allows you to customise and level up your individual player as-well-as compete with and against your friends in a constantly advancing world. Meanwhile, anyone who is looking to assemble a fantasy team in an Ultimate Team-style card selection, and then take it online to soar the leaderboards and contest against others, have the addictive MyTeam.
Not only is NBA 2K17 huge in variety, but, it looks, sounds and feels amazing in every aspect of the game. The presentation is flawless and polished from the stunning visuals to the impressive commentary, Kevin Harlan and Greg Anthony are probably the best announcement team in all of sports games, and with the occasional rotation of Doris Burke, Chris Webber, and a few other informative basketball personalities that join the panel, dependent on which city you find yourself playing in, the commentary never feels repetitive and is simply superb with Kevin and the team reeling off endless facts and stats on each player. Aside from the impressive sounds of the game, there are some first-class visuals on show, impressive looking arenas with a pulsating crowd, whose reactions to either a 3-point attempt, a foul or a dunk are electric and with an atmosphere so breathtaking, you really feel as though you're catching up on NBA TV during each game.
Of course, none of this would make a difference if NBA 2K wasn't as formidable on the court. Fear not, Visceral Concepts have done a magnificent job of combining the most realistic basketball strategies and individual player skills into their gameplay. Each star player has a well mastered unique skill-set that sets them apart from others. This will also give you an understanding of a team's real-life strengths and weaknesses. As a dedicated Lakers fan, I was eager to see how true to life each player was represented on a skill level, needless-to-say I was blown away, the likenesses of D'Angelo Russell are nothing short of outstanding, watching Timofey Mozgov dominate the air with rebound after rebound was a pleasure to be hold.
NBA 2K17's dedication to ensuring we have the most authentic and realistic basketball sim experience does have its drawbacks. One particular drawback is its difficulty of entry for new players; NBA 2K17 is possibly the most demanding sports game to pickup, It seems to be very much aimed towards existing basketball fans, sadly, it doesn't have many useful tutorials to teach you the ropes from basic controls to becoming an advanced master of the court (Think Kobe Bryant). The best that's on offer is a small mode titled - 2KU: A straightforward practice in the basic controls and concepts with very little else to aid in your journey to mastering the court.
One major improvement from last year's game is MyCareer. After the disappointment of the over the top Spike Lee story, NBA 2K17's MyCareer puts the focus back on the life of a budding NBA rookie who is playing his way to the top of the team roster. We see the same attention to detail as in previous entries such as - Outstanding presentation, an enjoyable storyline, and an extensive amount of flexibility with the way you develop your character throughout the story.
MyCareer's biggest advantage is that it grasps the fact that its players are all out basketball fans who are looking to experience the dream of being a professional athlete. It delves deep towards achieving that dream with its giant scope of customisation options and idols to meet along the way, alongside this, the story cleverly combines your character into the games beautiful presentation.
Another mode that has had some attention is MyTeam, it is slightly more balanced naturally through being able to bring in players through either auction or packs. What's different this time around is there are dynamic duo player cards available, so in the interest of your team building you'll want to try and grab the other half of the pair to take full advantage of the duo cards and boost your squad. When you begin MyTeam you shall be automatically loaned a star player for a few matches, just to help get you into the swing of things against your opponents, but once the loan ends, you'll need to acquire the best players to compete.
The Verdict:
The franchise has yet again taken another step closer to the most perfect sports sim in gaming history, with it's unrivalled depth and variety - to it's solid and smooth flowing movement on the court. Every player resembles a likeness to their real life player persona and no game is ever the same as the last.
If you're willing to put in the time and effort to become a pro, then this will be a huge eye opener on what every other sports game should be delivering in quality and quantity.
The experience of NBA 2K is more stunning and addictive than ever before.
This game was reviewed on PS4, with a review copy supplied by the publisher.
By Simon Hill
