NBA 2K16 review

Improvements

Outside of career mode, there have been improvements across the board. The Ultimate Team franchise version returns, but now MyTeam doesn’t seem so focused on getting you separated from your money. It’s easy enough to sink tens of hours into this as you try to collect the right cards and assemble your ideal team. There have also been some minor improvements to MyGM and MyLeague that help them run a little smoother.

Although the best feature in both is the SimCast Live feature. This allows you to change tactics and make groundbreaking decisions even while simulating a match. Giving you more control over this aspect of the game is a very welcome addition, as simulating matches in the past felt a bit like you were handing over responsibility. Now you can remain the guy who calls the shots, even if you don’t want to play every single game.

The online components of NBA 2K16 have also seen many improvements. While the previous installment had a whole host of problems when it came to playing multiplayer over the internet, this version eradicated most of the problems. Matches tend not to be delayed, while finding and connecting with other players is much more effective than it used to be. MyPark now works as it should for this reason, although 2K Pro-Am mode still has some issues with features not working as expected.

Audio and images

All topped off with the excellent presentation offered in NBA 2K16. Whether it’s the detailed player models or the silky smooth animation, the visuals on display are truly spectacular. Players move around the pitch realistically, and TV commercials featuring the likes of Shaquille O’Neal in post-match interviews add new depth to the game. At this point, the series has effectively become the equivalent of a real-life game.

In terms of audio, NBA 2K16 continues to excel. You can really feel the atmosphere inside the virtual basketball arena grow and fade as the action on the pitch unfolds. Commentary is exactly what you expect from this series. There aren’t too many repetitions and the commentary team manages to reflect what is actually happening most of the time. NBA 2K16 also features a great soundtrack that makes navigating the menus a joy.

Game

When it comes to actual gameplay, NBA 2K16 has a similar “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude. The controls have been refined, so they seem to be a little more responsive, allowing you to perform more complex moves. You’ll still see the AI ​​making the weird bizarre decision or just fumbling for no reason. This has been a problem for several years and can take you out of the dive when the CPU misses a shot or pass that even an amateur player would have made.

Those playing for the first time may very well be overwhelmed by having come to terms with the controls and gameplay. There is no tutorial to teach you the basics. Instead, beginners will need to switch to training modes where they can experiment and learn without any guidance. Some of the online features still don’t work perfectly, especially the uploads. These can take an absolute age to complete, necessarily keeping you out of the action.

Final verdict

These are just minor complaints, however, and it’s clear that NBA 2K16 has taken everything the developers learned from the previous year’s title to create a much better game this time around. The huge amount of time you can spend in the different game modes makes it great value for money. If you love basketball, you can’t do better than this title.