Review: NBA 2K21
At this point, any hesitancy to pick up this year’s version of NBA 2K is likely going to come down to two things:
- With the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X less than two months away, some are going to question whether the current-gen versions of NBA 2K21 are worth getting.
- With the COVID pandemic delaying the NBA 2020-2021 season–and the fact that NBA 2K21 is being released while the NBA’s 2019-2020 season is still going–why even bother?
Both of these are legitimate concerns. While the next-gen versions of the game are just around the corner, we haven’t seen much of it. As for the other issue, well, that will be a dealbreaker for some. When you load up NBA 2K21, aside from the 2K soundtrack being different and the menu’s looking slightly different, there’s not a whole lot that separates itself from 2K20. There are no fancy new uniforms to check out, the 2020 draft class is nowhere to be found (for now), and the real-time rosters are the same as 2K20’s last update. Aside from spotting Tom Thibodeau on the Knicks bench, I don’t know that I could tell one from the other. It’s unreasonable to blame 2K for this. For the most part, EA’s new installment of Madden isn’t affected by COVID aside from the stadiums being full of fans. 2K has had a far more challenging task ahead of them since the NBA shut down for months.
Let’s just get this out of the way immediately: If you’re thinking about picking up NBA 2K21 and you have no way of updating the game throughout the next year, I would say with 100% certainty that you should reconsider. I know that people that fit that scenario are outliers, but they’re still out there. For those people, buying this game makes no sense. However, assuming that you do have the means to keep downloading updates as they’re pushed out, we’re going to get to see roster updates get taken to the next level over the next few months.
While you’re not going to see the 2020 NBA Draft Class of LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards when you boot up 2K21, data mining on the game has uncovered that they are already present, just waiting to be unleashed. The NBA Draft is currently set to take place in early-November. I would imagine that shortly after the completion of that draft that you would be able to hop into 2K and find them on the appropriate roster. As a Pistons fan, this isn’t as exciting as it should have been (We were screwed out of that early pick) but it’s going to add some extra excitement for fans of a lot of those lottery teams. With free agency moves and new uniform unveilings, I would imagine that these would be updated in the same fashion. It’s not ideal by any means, but it’s making the best out of a bad situation for everyone.
Shoot Your Shot
The big addition to NBA 2K21 is the pro stick shooting mechanic. While most of us have been used to the time-based shooting that 2K has had for decades, this system adds a new element to the process. With the pro stick mode enabled, players will need to continue to time their shots accordingly but now they will also need to aim their shot at the basket. It’s more challenging, but it adds more control over whether your shot is going in or not. Now, you can time your jump perfectly, but flick your stick a little too far left or right and it could mean all the difference between a swish and an airball. If you’re able to master the geometry of your shots, you could be unstoppable.
Pro Stick is a feature that I didn’t expect to fool around with much–and I did find myself hating it initially–but after jumping into a freestyle session with Dario Saric and spending 30-45 minutes trying to get comfortable with it, I do see its value. I would recommend trying it out. If you like it, it’s a good addition to your repertoire. If not, you can turn it off and play as you have been.
The Shadow Knows
Whether it was Al Jerfferon’s voice acting or the ghost of Vic, NBA 2K’s MyCareer has provided some of the most cringe-worthy gaming experiences of the last decade. Compared to other 2K MyCareer stories, the one in 2K21 is an Academy Award winner in comparison. It’s not as bad as it usually is, though I would stop short of calling it good.
In “The Long Shadow,” you play as Junior, the son of a local legend in the basketball ranks. Choosing to pursue football instead of living in his father’s shadow on the court, Junior is convinced by his high school coach, Djimon Hounsou, to take advantage of his natural talent and pursue basketball. Aiding Junior in his journey is one of his father’s old teammates, Archie Baldwin–played by the one and only Michael K. Williams. As Junior, you will play through the Newark/New York high school basketball scene, overcome a knee injury while trying to attract the eyes of scouts from NCAA universities, and, ultimately, make it to the NBA.
For as strong as the story starts, there are a few things that took me out of it rather early on: 1.) I doubt that having more turnovers than points would attract NCAA teams such as Syracuse and Oklahoma, but sure enough their scouts were impressed by my feeble efforts. I feel like this is a common issue with sports games that attempt to do this in their career modes. In Madden, you can bomb at the NFL Combine and in the NCAA Playoffs and still find yourself as an early round pick. As Junior, I had a genuinely bad feeling when I had that terrible game and let my teammates down. I was given a choice: Try to play through a knee injury (and risk further damage) or sit out and be 100% for the next game. I chose to suck it up and play, and I was terrible. Receiving those offers afterwards only goes to show that nothing that I did really mattered. 2.) As the story progresses, Junior’s story arch starts to take place off the court more-and-more. For me, that’s when things started to go downhill.
Overall, I would say that it’s a step in the right direction. I really enjoyed playing in the high school circuit. The atmosphere and amateur commentary are both really charming and add so much to the atmosphere and get the player emotionally attached. I wish there were more of that.
Game Time Decision
For fans of the 2K franchise, you know what to expect going into 2K21. Things haven’t changed much, and that’s both good and bad. The VC system and microtransactions are still gross and suck all of the fun out of MyTeam and career mode, but, again, it’s been like that for years and you know that going in. In my two decades of playing NBA 2K, each installment manages to be better than the last. It is no different here. Even without the updates that are to come, on the court, in-game, NBA 2K21 is still the best sports experience that you will find. For the NBA 2K die-hards that can spot gameplay improvements and spend hundreds of hours with this game in a given year, you’re going to be more than happy with 2K21–even in its current form. For those that are hesitant about picking it up due to the console launches, there is no shame in waiting.
At this time, given the circumstances, I don’t feel comfortable giving NBA 2K21 a score. In its current form, it’s rather bare bones when compared to what it will be months from now. As the NBA’s 2020-2021 season starts to come into focus, the more valuable that NBA 2K21 will become. We will check back in with NBA 2K21 to see how these updates affect the overall experience.
(NBA 2K21 was reviewed on a Sony PlayStation 4 Pro. Review copy provided by 2K.)
