Game review: NBA 2K25 (PS5)
I've said this before in other reviews, but it's always hard to write about annual sports games because they sometimes never add anything new to their gameplay or visuals. This is true for any sports franchise and this includes 2K's annual NBA 2K series too.
NBA 2K23 was fun for me though because it added a mode that let players relive the legendary career of Michael Jordan. The first time 2K did this was for NBA 2K11, so it was great to see the mode come back for the newer Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles.
NBA 2K24 was more of the same, but it included Mamba Moments to celebrate the late, great Kobe Bryant. Much like the Jordan Mode, Mamba Moments allowed players to play through some of Kobe Bryant's best career highlights.
Well, this year 2K has released NBA 2K25 and sadly this game is missing the career modes that I aforementioned. Even though Jayson Tatum and Vince Carter are on the multiple covers for the game, there are no modes in 2K25 to honour their careers. I reckon 2K should have revamped its Dunk Contest mode to truly commemorate Vince Carter's career.
Not to mention the Slam Dunk and 3 Point contests are still locked behind the MyNBA mode. I preferred how it was in older NBA 2K games, where they had their own separate modes. The best Dunk Contest in video game history was way back in 2007 when NBA 2K8 came out.
Anyway, NBA 2K25 feels more like a minimal upgrade to its predecessors opting to improve on its animations and dribbling gameplay. 2K has added over 9000 new animations to make sure every player looks and plays like their real-life counterparts. Everything has been captured to reflect how players played in the 2023 and 2024 NBA seasons.
On the court, developer Visual Concepts has somewhat made shooting changes to make it easier for you to get cleaner buckets. The default shot meter has been changed once again as you now just have to match the arrows until they turn green. This is different from previous years where you had to fill up a meter.
You can also choose to shoot using different styles of controls now. Most players will be using Square (X on Xbox) to shoot, while others like to flick up on the right stick. There is even a newer way to shoot where you simulate a shooting motion by flicking down on the right stick first and then pushing it up to shoot.
I usually suck at dribbling, but there are tons of new ways to bounce the ball and avoid opposing players. The practice mode is a great way to familiarise yourself with the gameplay and controls because you can do both offensive and defensive tactics. They even teach you how to do cooler dunks if you're a player tall enough to do that sort of thing.
The presentation is quite cool this year too because some new halftime cinematics have been added. One of the cooler things to watch in the game is seeing regular folks trying to make a half-court shot. People do this in real life and they can win a lot of money if they get the ball in!
Graphically I cannot tell if the game looks better than last year because most of the NBA 2K titles start to look the same to me. I will say though that the newer character models of rookies like Bronny James and the WNBA's Caitlin Clark look really good this year. It will be interesting if the graphics improve if people play on the upcoming PS5 Pro console.
Aside from normal games, a lot of people will spend their time in the MyCareer mode. This is where you can create a rookie and turn them into the next NBA Superstar. At the start you either scan your face in the NBA 2K app to create your player or just use one of the face templates. After that, you can then choose their position and skill range. I opted to be a Point Guard to play like Stephen Curry.
MyCareer also gives players the option to start where they want to begin their careers. You can opt to start in the NBA immediately, play on the street, or relive your player's high school basketball journey. I chose the latter and I was surprised that the high school games featured different commentary and a whole new atmosphere.
If you played MyCareer in the past, it's basically the same as before. You only control one player, and you are graded each time you play. Virtual Currency (or VC) is a big part of the game because you need it to buy new clothes and increase your player's skills. The only new feature added is optional go-kart racing and you can even earn VC driving in this mode.
The WNBA has its own career mode, but this is more streamlined because you don't have to watch any cringy dialogue scenes. The WNBA games also have their own commentary teams, so the presentation is accurate to separate it from the men's NBA games, which feature the same old commentators.
MyNBA is also back, and this is the game's franchise mode. Here you can take charge of player trades and even coaching decisions. The main goal in this mode is to basically win the NBA Championships and you can control the whole team here instead of one player. I also like the fact that you can choose to play in different NBA eras too, so it's not just for the current players.
Similar to MyNBA is MyGM which means you can become a General Manager. They have a new walking around area in this mode this year where you can roam the corporate offices of your team. You can even speak to players to fully immerse yourself in the role of GM.
Lastly, there is MyTeam and this is where you get assigned random cards to make up your own NBA team. This year they have added back the Auction House so you can offload some of your cards and buy new ones from other players. The cool thing about MyTeam is that you can play different games as it's not always 5v5 like in normal NBA games.
That being said, MyTeam is still microtransaction heavy and you won't always get the players and cars that you really want. I usually don't like to spend too much time in this mode each year because I rarely like to spend real money on virtual items that will be worthless in 12 months' time…
While NBA 2K25 improves the on-court gameplay and visuals, the game still feels the same as it has ever been. The same modes exist and they still don't have a separate mode for you to play the annual Slam Dunk and 3 Point contests either. Hardcore players will still buy NBA 2K every year, but I don't believe 2K25 is essential for everyone outside the NBA fan base.
Verdict: 7.0/10
