NBA 2K15 is one of the most-versatile sports simulations to hit the games market in years. It’s got a collection of game modes that let you approach the game of basketball in just about any way you could imagine, but the ongoing network issues make NBA 2K15 a must-pass for certain fans. And the dry wall near my television will attest to the incredibly frustrating nature of both the difficult game and the confusing digital download installation process.
With a steep learning curve, not to mention a complete lack of meaningful tutorial or practice modes, NBA 2K15 isn't the most beginner-friendly entry in 2K Sports' basketball franchise. No one (and I mean no one) should be forced to get their teeth kicked in by Miami's "Big Three" -- the demo game at the beginning of NBA 2K15 is based on Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals -- over and over again without any explanation for putting them in such a predicament.
More on that a bit later, though.
As someone who doesn't play sports games all that often anymore, I'd forgotten how difficult it can be to jump back into a genre that grows and changes almost as quickly as the professional sport that it's based on.
Those with little patience for learning new mechanics are likely to find frustration during their early moments with NBA 2K15, but the payoff is there. The moment you realize you're becoming a master of the virtual court is as rewarding as any I've experienced in any game of any genre. I'm actually having trouble putting NBA 2K15 down long enough to review the rest of the games coming out this holiday season.
NBA 2K15 creates passionate gameplay. I scared my dog and my girlfriend once by leaping into the air and loudly taunting the game's digital recreation of Serge Ibaka after I stripped the ball from him with less than five seconds left on the clock in a 102-102 tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a flash, I'd snagged the ball and lobbed it back down the court to a waiting Carmelo Anthony; who took the pass, dribbled a few feet and delivered a monstrous dunk that left every fan at Madison Square Garden screaming in celebration. An inbound pass and one failed half-court shot later, the Knicks stood triumphant over Kevin Durant and the other losers on the best-rated team in NBA 2K15.
My neighbors probably thought I'd won the lottery … and it wasn't even a playoff game.
Having not played a basketball game in several years, I'm not really sure why I thought it best to begin my exploration of NBA 2K15 with the game's MyCareer mode. But I did. And after enough frustration to lead me to punch a hole in my wall (seen here), I've found it to be my favorite way to play the game.
For those not familiar, MyCareer gives players the opportunity to create a custom NBA player and then guide that potential superstar through their entire professional career. You'll start as an undrafted rookie, fight your way onto an NBA team and then do your best to become a starter. From there, the only goal left is taking your team to the NBA Finals, and maybe picking up a few individual awards along the way.
An in-game social media system gives players a way to keep tabs on their public profile, primarily via the acquisition of new endorsements and famous fans. NBA 2K15 even let's those dissatisfied with their current situation can even push for a trade, provided another team is interested in signing your player and your current team can work out a favorable deal. Just make sure you finish politicking before the trade deadline.
There's even a system that'll help you recreate yourself in the game, provided you already own the camera peripheral for your chosen next-gen console. You've probably already heard a bit about that portion of the game in the news by now, or at least some of the funnier mistakes that fans managed to record, but I'm happy to report I was able to make a passable version of myself in NBA 2K15.
I had to fudge my measurements a bit, given that my actual height didn't really lend itself to playing power forward, but was pleased to find that my typically large noggin looks fairly normal atop a 6'8" frame. From there, your created player's path through the NBA will be determined (mostly) by your own actions, and it'll be up to you to figure out how you fit into whatever NBA team(s) you play for.
Between games, you'll have access to your team's practice gym, where you can practice the shots that gave you trouble during your last outing or perfect your aim from a particular spot on the court. You'll also get a chance to spend the Virtual Currency you earned in recent games and/or from endorsements on additional attribute points, animations (like new dunks) and other upgrades for your created player.
Thankfully, since MyCareer is unlikely to appeal to everyone, NBA 2K15 also includes a handful of other modes that gives players a chance to play a more-traditional basketball game. Those interested in taking the reins of their favorite basketball team still have that opportunity, and MyGM mode includes all the bells and whistles you'd expect from such an offering in a modern sports game.
In MyGM mode, NBA 2K15 gives players control over everything from your team's current roster to the prices of tickets and concessions during home games, and you'll be rewarded for meeting seasonal goals set by the teams owner(s). Of course, just like in MyCareer mode, too many performances will leave you looking for a new home and someone else willing to sign your paychecks each week.
Sometimes meeting those goals will be as simple as making sure your team wins a certain number of games each season, which shouldn't be difficult for anyone better-versed in the game of basketball than I am. Which is to say, you might have to toggle the difficulty a bit to get exactly the sort of experience you're looking for, but even a cursory knowledge of basketball should be enough for you to find success.
Of course, as time goes on, the people signing your paycheck are going to expect more and more from you. Has it been a few seasons since your squad last made the playoffs? Might want to make the post-season a real priority, even if you know there's a good chance that you're going to be eliminated in the first round. Sure, throwing the season might net you a higher slot in the NBA Draft, but those higher picks won't do you much good if somebody else is coaching the team next June.
The franchise's popular MyTeam mode also returns in NBA 2K15, giving you the opportunity to find out just how godly a team would be if they managed to sign Michael Jordan, LeBron James and a smorgasbord of other players (famous and otherwise) from the National Basketball Association's 68-year history.
Of course, MyTeam wouldn't be much of a challenge if you began the experience with access to the greatest names in the history of professional basketball. It also wouldn't be hard to complete all of the challenges that have been put together by the NBA 2K15 dev team.
Instead, you'll start out by choosing a starter deck that takes inspiration from your favorite NBA team. You probably won't recognize many of the players in your collection but that'll change as you complete more challenges and earn better players for your MyTeam line-up. Eventually, you'll have an entire squad of diamond-quality cards and all of your starters will be current or future Hall of Famers.
You'll need more than just a few good players to find success at the mode's toughest challenges, though. While I'm not especially proud to admit it, between taking a few years off of the franchise and devoting the bulk of my time to the MyCareer mode upon return, I'm pretty terrible at any of the NBA 2K15 game modes that require me to manage the actions and movements of an entire team.
I'm barely good enough to consistently put up double-doubles with the character I tailored to my specific lifestyle, but I have little doubt that someone more-experienced with the game will find an enjoyable experience if/when you need a reprieve from NBA 2K15's various other offerings.
Sadly, Visual Concepts falls well short of earning perfect marks with this year's entry in the NBA 2K franchise, thanks to a handful of highly-visible missteps that can occasionally make NBA 2K15 a bigger headache than the game should be.
Thanks to noticeable input lag, at least when using wireless controllers included with the PS4 and Xbox One, it can be incredibly difficult to figure out proper timing for each player. It's particularly noticeable with quick-release shooters and, since the delayed input-registration affects numerous other actions (like passing into congested lanes), can easily become one of the most-frustrating aspects of gameplay in NBA 2K15.
Fortunately, those who lack the desire to master the game's new complexities can just as easily disable some of the extraneous stuff and play fast-paced, incredible-looking games of basketball that use players' actual stats to determine success/failure. Your friends might harass you a for a little, but you can just return the favor a few minutes later after setting-up 5'11" Shane Larkin for a fast-break dunk.
There don't appear to be any similar fixes for the game's network issues, which continue to create problems for the NBA 2K15 community more than a month after the game's debut. Granted, as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy competitive multiplayer, staying offline wasn't exactly a deal-breaker for me. That said, if you prefer online competition, it might be worth waiting until 2K Sports can get control over the servers issues still causing problems for NBA 2K15 players.
While easily my favorite of the various game modes available in NBA 2K15, MyCareer wasn't without a few obvious weaknesses of its own, several of which feel like exactly the sort of thing that a dev team should be able to straighten out before launch day.
For starters, the game will absolutely inundate you with post-game talks. It doesn't matter how well you did, how well your team performed or if there's even a chance you might take something away from the latest discussion with your agent, coach, GM and/or teammates.
Nothing made this more apparent than my coach pulling me aside in the tunnel, after a 109-82 blowout of the Brooklyn Nets, to let me know that my 24 point, 12 rebound performance wasn't enough for my teammates to really think they could count on me. You'll also occasionally be asked to appear before the press, both during and after the game, and the answers you deliver in each scenario can have long-term implications for the chemistry of your team.
Unfortunately, these appearances are as binary in nature as every other conversation prompt throughout NBA 2K15. Players are given two possible responses to choose from, one humble and one arrogant, but a lack of real nuance or impact easily make these segments the least-interesting/necessary aspects of the NBA 2K15 MyCareer experience.
NBA 2K15 Review - Final Verdict
Despite the fact that basketball has never been my primary sport of enjoyment, NBA 2K15 has easily become one of my favorite releases of the 2014 fiscal year, and is currently sitting much higher on my personal GOTY list than I'd ever have expected from a basketball simulation in 2014. And, if you ask me, its current placement is as much a result of the things that NBA 2K15 does right as it is the result of big games like Destiny and Assassin's Creed Unity proving to be gigantic disappointments.
I might even go as far as to say that NBA 2K15 could very well compete with anything else released this year for the right to call itself the best-looking game on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. There's been more than one occasion when my girlfriend walked into the living room, didn't see the DualShock 4 in my hands, and assumed I'd found a way to watch out-of-market games without springing for cable.
There are a few players that don't quite look right but, especially during game time, the presentation in NBA 2K15 is second to none.
Admittedly, NBA 2K15 is not without some fairly significant flaws. Those only interested in playing NBA 2K15 online still have plenty of reason to hold off on a purchase, given the game's ongoing server woes, but this year's NBA project from 2K Sports and Visual Concepts might be the most feature-packed basketball game I've ever encountered.
Even better, the various offerings feel noticeably different from one another, allowing you to tailor your next play session to fit your mood. Whether you're looking to kick back and focus on your personal performance, or lead your favorite team to its next Finals victory, NBA 2K15 has something for just about anyone hoping to fit a little more basketball into their gaming diet.
Score - 4/5
What do you think of NBA 2K15? Are the game's ongoing server issues too big a deal-breaker for you to consider buying NBA 2K15? Looking forward to seeing how 2K Sports and Visual Concepts continue to build upon the series next year?
Let us know in the comments section!
