NBA 2K21 Review

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Fast Facts

NBA 2K21

Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K Sports
Website: https://nba.2k.com/
Genre: Sports, Basketball
Platform: Xbox One
Age Rating: PEGI 3
Release Date:  04/09/2020
Price: £59.99

A code was provided for review purposes.

One more year, the king of basketball returns to claim his throne. NBA 2K21, the new instalment of the Visual Concepts and 2KGames saga, continues to dominate the basketball simulator market by not having any clear and powerful rivals in front of it. And, although the saga always presents juicy novelties, it begins to suffer from a certain continuity in many aspects.

Graphics That Are Exceeded Every Year

If Visual Concepts has shown something in this generation, it’s that they know how to recreate the NBA environment to perfection. And NBA 2K21 is no exception. Everything from ambient sound, fans, sound effects and courts are recreated and performed to perfection. A job like no other, as we are used to, that makes us feel as if we are really on the playing court.

At that point, we find several details that denote the design and development work behind it. Since time immemorial in NBA 2K, when we played away, we felt the pressure of the public when taking free throws. From the first moment we see how they are on top of us, pressing for us to miss the shot. This year we can see that, depending on how the game goes, the pressure will be less, since the stadium will gradually empty as the minutes go by.

On the other hand, the design of each player is again impressive. Everything, even tattoos and brands, are faithfully represented in each one of them. In addition, we can see the recreation of sweat and how it appears as the minutes of play progress.

Finally, we cannot stop talking about the game ball. Both in its design, noticing its roughness, even its own physics, it’s more realistic than ever with more realistic bounces. In addition, you can see how the ball is no longer so close to the players’ hands, giving more variety to the plays.

A Title That Is Constantly Evolving

NBA 2K21 is presented with an authentic revolution in its shooting system. Gone is the power meter from previous deliveries and gives way to a new system, in which aim is more important. In this new way of shooting, we find an indicator similar to that of previous years, with the exception that this time we have a central area that indicates the aim that our shot will have. If we can get the bar in the center, we will make an excellent launch (the desired green) and the shot will go home.

Now, this system has generated more controversy than anything else in its early weeks. Especially because if you don’t hit a green, you will almost certainly miss the shot, making the game experience very frustrating. This means that the outside and middle distance game is of little use, focusing mainly on the game under the basket.

It’s true that the system also includes a modification of the ProStick, which makes pulling with the stick today much more intuitive and simple. Especially because we can move the bar in the direction in which the center is located, increasing the chances of success. Of course, we never know where the targeting area will appear, so many times we may overshoot or fall short if we are not fast and agile moving it.

With all this, in NBA 2K21 they have tried to make the shot more realistic, seeking aim and modifying the direction of the shot and the position of the hand as a player would do in real life. The result in its first days has been little chaotic and even the developer has already released an update on the lowest difficulties of the game.

A Title That Every Sports Lover Can Enjoy

Talking about the duration and time that a sports title takes us is always difficult to define. Per se, with infinite games, which depends a lot on the time that each person wants to dedicate to it. Modes like MyGM are a pool of endless hours, and we can go as far as we want. Playoffs and Seasons will depend on how much we want to dedicate to it. In addition, this year we will be able to play, for the first time, the Seasons mode with the WNBA. A great success from the developer that for some editions already included the women’s competition, but only for the Play Now mode. Now, in NBA 2K21, we can play a full season of the American women’s basketball league.

Something similar happens with the jewel in the crown, MyTeam, so it depends a lot on the time we invest. And, related to it, will be the level of improvement and evolution that we have. The more time played, the more coins and packs, and the more chances to build an unbeatable team. This year MyTeam receives new game modes, such as Limited, a competition that we can only play on weekends and meeting a series of requirements.

Additionally, free 40-day season passes have been added. These offer juicy rewards if we progress through their different levels, giving us special cards, power-ups, badges and envelopes. And in order to get the necessary experience and ascend in each level, we will have at our disposal a whole series of challenges, both daily, weekly and seasonal, in which we will have to meet different objectives.

The Classic Of Each Year

With the uncertainty of the moment chosen for its launch, we are left with the feeling that NBA 2K21 is a passing game. Visual Concepts already has its sights set on the new generation, something logical, but it could not miss the train of a last game on Xbox One. That is why perhaps this installment sins of being more continuous than usual in certain aspects. It remains for us to see what news the new generation of consoles will bring.

Rapid Reviews Rating

You can purchase NBA 2K21 for Xbox at the following link: Microsoft Store