NBA 2K16 - Review

NBA IS BACK!!!! And like every year so is the next instalment in 2K Software's series of video games. NBA2K16 has just hit the shelves and brings with it a tonne of new features and a story mode directed by Spike Lee, this mode doesn't come without problems though, I will get into that later.

Some of the new features this year are the pre mentioned new Story Mode, updated presentation and upgraded player models and animations which look absolutely fantastic and so true to life that I have had friends come over and ask if I was watching a basketball game from last season. The most crucial improvement for me this year has been the updated AI, the game starts you out on pro mode as default and I would recommend you lower the difficulty level if you are new to this game and have never played before. The new AI is incredibly difficult to score on, you will not just jump into this game and start smashing down dunks like Michael Jordan.

To be successful this year you will need to first master the controls and then use actual basketball concepts and plays to move the ball around and get open enough to put up a shot or drive to the basket. In previous versions I never really bothered to set up plays but this year it is essential and I found the "2K Smart Play" feature (engaged by pressing up on the d-pad) to be a great help, engaging this mode will put an icon on the floor where your player needs to stand and then a play will develop from there, sometimes a teammate will set up a screen for you and other times you will be directed to pass the ball to another marked player. The AI does adapt to your success though, for example if you are constantly getting open enough put up jump shots the CPU will then start to crowd your player and force you to adapt new tactics such as driving the ball to the hoop to score, it is really challenging and it just feels like basketball should.

The controls to me feel a little bit more "floaty" than in previous years and at times the player you are controlling can feel like they are on skates which can make running around trying to pull off moves and pass accurately a bit difficult at times, hopefully the control quirks will become second nature like they have in previous years with a bit more play time.

I played a couple of games in "My GM" mode where you basically take control as the GM of your selected team, and perform tasks such as setting up your game plans for upcoming games, adjusting practice schedules and types, motivating the other staff and players around you and of course taking to the court to play the games. There are a lot of things to look after and you can choose how involved you want to be, you can just go ahead and play the actual games rather than having to worry about all the other team tasks and there are a wide berth of options that can be manipulated to automatically perform certain management tasks for you. The vast array of options will most likely confuse new players to the series and it is easy to get overwhelmed, however the more time you spend with the game, the more it will reward you and the more you will learn.

The presentation in this game is outstanding and is undoubtedly the best I have ever seen in a sports video game. Before the game even starts you get treated to a pre game show with Shaq, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, they discuss key points and players in the upcoming game, their performances can appear a little stilted and disjointed at times but these guys aren't really Hollywood actors (well except for Shaq but he has never really been able to act anyway) so you can forgive them for this. Once the actual game starts the commentary is handed over to Kellogg, Harlan and new addition Greg Anthony and the presentation kicks in to even higher gear with full player introductions and realistic broadcast camera angles.

At one point my jaw hit the floor, at the end of the first quarter they flicked back to a pre game studio interview of Joakim Noah from the Chicago Bulls talking about his expectations of the game, Incredible!! The commentary is also the best I have ever heard in a sports game the commentary team regularly talk about events from the opposing teams past few games and talk about how the players have performed. The players looks absolutely incredible with sweat dripping down their faces and bodies, in the past 2K has only scanned individual players faces in this edition they have mapped and scanned many different players bodies as well and this just adds to the realism of the game and the player animations.

The other mode I spent some time in was the "My Player" mode, in this mode you create your own budding NBA superstar and traverse your way through high school to college and then on to the pros. This is basically the story mode of the game and this year the task to create it was given to Spike Lee. It is vast in the scope of what it tries to do but unfortunately it falls flat in a lot of areas. I created my superstar as a 6 foot 5 power forward, caucasian with a big hulking frame, once you create your star and the first cut scene plays is right about the moment some of the problems of this mode come to life. The first cut scene shows my created player at the local court with my supposed twin sister, except she is african american.....WTF? I am caucasian and I have a black twin sister, how is that even possible? As the mode progresses you work your way through high school to college and you get a few more cut scenes, some which include your parents who are both black, sure I could of been adopted but it still doesn't explain how in hell my twin sister could be an african american.

Once you have worked your way through college a cut scene happens with your family and an NBA super agent who wants to sign you, in this scene there is much back and forth between the agent and family members about whether you should declare yourself eligible for the NBA draft or stay another year in college. I was thinking to myself as I watched the scene that I actually wouldn't mind staying another year in college to boost my players stats a bit from playing in a few more matches. The cut scene ends with my player saying he will think about what he wants to do and tell everybody in the morning, then next minute suddenly and without any decision from me the NBA draft starts and I get drafted 11th to the Phoenix Suns.....Why didn't I get a choice to stay in college?? Why make a cut scene solely dedicated to discussing the benefits of staying in college one more year if I don't get any chance to do so?? Glaring faults like this really ruin the immersion of this story mode.

It's not all bad though, it is fun participating in games and earning 2K coins which you can then spend to boost your stats.

It would take several long reviews to discuss all of the available game modes in NBA 2K16, whether your interest be creating your own superstar, managing a team or playing in your local park that is fully customisable there is enough here to satisfy anybody with even the mildest interest in basketball. Each year 2K Sports add many improvements to their game enough to justify a purchase each and every year. I wish other sports game developers could do the same, EA I am looking at you!

The Score

8.5

Review code provided by 2K

The Pros

+A plethora of customisation choices and game modes

+Gobsmacking graphics and presentation

The Cons

-The story in be-a-player mode, in many cases just doesn't make sense

-Overwhelming for newcomers to the sport