NBA 2k14

If you like the NBA 2K series you will like NBA 2K14. I think that it is more than fair to say that by this point we know what we are getting with this series each year and that is not meant as a negative. I love this series; it is the premier basketball franchise and they kind of perfected the formula a few years back so there is only so much they can add to each new game. One of the most noteworthy things about this year’s game was it was the first game in the franchise to be released for the then-new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Did You See The Sweat?

When it made its debut on the Sega Dreamcast many years ago, the NBA 2K series wowed people with its visuals. NBA 2K14 is a great looking game and features some amazing player likenesses. It is not just the players that look great, but the whole game in general. From the way, the matches have a TV-style presentation to the way each arena looks. You cannot deny that this is an amazing looking game.

Changes On The Court

Rather than changing a ton of stuff, 2K made some smaller tweaks to the gameplay that are there to make things “smoother”. If you agree with this or not is down to you, but the two main gameplay changes I want to talk about are first of all the shooting and then the dunks. I feel that the shooting timing is much better in this game than it was in the previous games. It is much smoother now and feels better. It does take a while to get used to as the timing is different from the previous games, but once you get it down it does feel much better.

The other change is the blocking of dunks which NBA 2K14 was actually the first in the series to allow you to do this. Blocking a dunk is awesome the first time you do it and it can be very exciting when it happens. The problem is the AI is incredibly aggressive when it comes to blocking your dunks! There are many other gameplay changes such as new skill moves and a couple of other touches too.

Your NBA!

One of the things that we take for granted in this series is the game modes. Like the other games in the series, this game is stacked with game modes. You have your My Career/My Player, My GM various online modes a new training mode, and more There is a mode for everyone in this game and that is great. The mode I always like to play most is the GM mode where I always try to take the Bulls back to their glory days.

The G.O.A.T

The main new gameplay mode is centered around LeBron James and it is called Path to Greatness. It is the same kind of thing as the Michaels Jordan mode that they did in 2k11, but as you have probably figured out this one is about LeBron James. I did actually prefer the Michael Jordan one if I am honest, but this one here is still kind of cool and well worth playing through.

Pros:

• The new LeBron mode is very well done
• GM mode is once again my JAM!
• The presentation is fantastic in every regard
• The soundtrack is very fitting
• I liked the new timing of your shooting

Cons:

• The dunk blocking can be incredibly aggravating
• I feel LeBron mode would be even better if they had waited to do it now

The arrival of a new generation of video game consoles is a particularly important moment for sports titles. Aware of the situation in which they find themselves, Visual Concepts wanted to make it clear that no one is going to take away their untouchable reign in basketball simulation with a title full of virtues and very few flaws. With NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the American developer raises to new heights of realism the classic proposal of the saga and gets that, beyond enjoying one of the best graphics of this young generation, we discover new ways to have fun with the NBA. It is time to know in-depth what is behind this title created by and for the fans.

About the game

NBA 2K14 has all the official championship licenses. That is to say, there are the thirty current franchises, with their players, their pavilions, their uniforms, or their logos. Of course, there are also the Pelicans, the new name of the former New Orleans Hornets. There are also 34 classic teams, from the Boston Celtics 1964-65 to the Philadelphia Sixers 2000-01, passing through the Detroit Pistons 1988-89, the Chicago Bulls 1997-98, or the Lakers 1997-98. It is therefore possible to bring together on the same court current players with legends such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. The biggest novelty of the title in terms of licenses is the inclusion of fourteen Euroleague teams, including four Spanish teams: Barça, Real Madrid, Laboral Kutxa, and Unicaja.

NBA 2K14 is a continuist simulator, which takes directly from its predecessors. That means that, as always, it is as deep and varied as a real game can be. Practically everything can be done. Basket shots can be managed with one of the classic buttons or with the right joystick, so the mechanics consist of releasing it at the height of the jump. There are jump shots, bombs, layups, stratospheric dunks... Free throws are more difficult to make than last year since you have to calculate the timing very well and release the button just as the ball leaves the shooter's hand.

How well does it fit in the series?

The game takes a lot from all the past games in the series, luckily it is mostly the good parts. You can actually see a leap forward when you compare this game to titles like NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K12 because the physics of the game are much better in NBA 2K14. We can even make baskets from further away without having to use the right stick. Even the dunks feel great and realistic.

Review: 9/10

In the end, NBA 2K14 remains as strong as ever. The leap in this edition has not been as high as in previous editions, we suppose because of the obvious end of the generation and the fact that, in just a couple of months, the saga will be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Still, despite the absence of a qualitative leap, NBA 2K14 continues to set the bar high and only the changes made in the control with the right stick, for its occasional errors, can be indicated as a negative point. The LeBron James mode is a very well-designed addition that incites to play, although, like everything that surrounds the self-styled King James, this will depend a lot on how well the player likes him.

Pros:

• Great realism
• Fast action
• Excellent gameplay

Cons:

• Not very original