“NBA 2K22,” the 23rd installment in the history of the franchise, was released on Sept. 10 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. The game continues to be the premier basketball simulation, outpacing and outliving EA’s “NBA Live.” One of the major reasons for this is “2K’s” in-depth career mode, as well as the “neighborhood,” an area where dozens of players can meet up, show off, interact, shop and play pick-up basketball games. 

A “new and improved” neighborhood is a major selling point for “2K” this year, with a different park for current and next gen. Current gen, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PS4, players will find themselves wandering the decks of the “Cancha del Mar,” an enormous cruise ship. This iteration of the park is a unique and different take from previous games, and is a welcome breath of fresh air from the slightly stale neighborhood dedicated players have become accustomed to throughout the years. The Cancha del Mar provides players with dedicated floors of the ship that house different areas, all accessible from an elevator system, similar to the buildings that used to line the neighborhood courts in previous games, perhaps just a bit more streamlined. 

Next gen, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, players will not be walking the plank on the high seas, but will be living the high life in “The City.” The City is essentially a larger and more in depth version of the old neighborhood, with more non-playable characters, more to do, and a better user experience. Players can still customize their own court and penthouse, as well as shop for shoes, clothing and the like at several different stores. While certainly a welcome addition, one wonders if time would have been better spent addressing the basketball experience itself.

As far as gameplay is concerned, little has significantly changed from past titles. Casual players will find the beginning of the MyPlayer career mode incredibly difficult, as you start with a player rating of 60 overall, and progression is intentionally slow as a means of promoting micro-transactions. Players who are joining the game cycle even a few weeks after release will have an extremely difficult time keeping pace with the hardcore ballers who inhabit the courts seemingly all day. The entire model of player progression is a scheme (and effective one at that) in coaxing players into spending an additional $5, $10, $20 or more to become a better player who is able to keep up with others. 

Many game modes have seen little or no updating and particular glitches and bugs persist in “NBA 2K22.” While it may be unrealistic to expect a game with no issues, some of these have existed for three or four titles now. The negligence towards certain modes is perhaps understandable when compared to the overall player base of each mode, but is frustrating nonetheless. 

While updates to the neighborhood and a much more in depth career mode experience headline “NBA 2K22,” the game itself has not changed in any real meaningful way. Player models and overall graphics have certainly been improved but may still feel cartoony at times. Players who desire to do so are still able to abuse game mechanics in a manner that ruins the experience of online play for others and the continual slog to upgrade your player from a 60 overall to be even slightly effective seems worse than previous years. “2K” continues to be an effective basketball simulation and a great way to connect with friends, but the gameplay has changed very little within the last four or five years. 

Image from NBA 2K via YouTube