NBA 2K22 Reviews
Although NBA 2K22 is the best and only new generation basketball game on the market, it is far from being a perfect game and continues to annoy with its microtransaction-oriented structure.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
NBA 2K22 remains an entertaining entry in this ever-growing franchise. There’s lots of smart changes and good adjustments that make this installment even more interesting to play, but there is also a lot of familiarity and unsettling extras which are starting to hold the entire property back with each passing year.
So at the end of the day, NBA 2K22 feels like it comes with two separate modes: offline for those who just want to have fun and aren’t necessarily NBA superstars and multiplayer for people willing to spend real money and get their high-rated players overnight.
NBA 2K22’s much improved career mode and vastly improved defensive options provide a deep, satisfying game of basketball for new and old fans alike.
I was honestly looking forward to NBA 2K22 with the real-life NBA 2020 season a write-off due to covid, I thought that this edition would have been a big jump in all areas of the game from the 2020 and 2021 editions but sadly it wasn’t. Here’s hoping that Visual Concepts will keep building on the great foundations and add something spectacular in the 2023 edition! Don’t get me wrong it is still a great game. It’s just not the jump in improvement I may have been expecting. If you want a visually stunning basketball game, a superb soundtrack, and aren’t worried about grinding away for VC points, then this is the one for you! I award NBA 2K22 the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
NBA 2K22 is another good entry in the fantastic NBA 2K series. Its reworked shooting mechanics, impressive visuals on Switch, and loads of NBA content will keep any basketball fan's attention for hours on end. While many modes received no noticeable additions, and there's a heavy desire for spending money on microtransactions, NBA 2K22 is still a must-play for Switch basketball fans.
I have my gripes with NBA 2K22 for sure, but for the most part, it delivers such an entertaining Basketball experience that it’s hard to dislike it. MyTEAM is a wonderful game mode full of life that could keep anyone playing for hours, and MyCareer is as addictive as always, and also cut back on some of the mode’s previous issues. Although I’m not ecstatic about defending and shooting, they’re things that can be worked around by a good player and won’t derail my enjoyment of the game anytime soon.
NBA 2K22 has a few things that make this upgrade feel worthy. The new play mechanics are excellent, and it continues to excel on the presentation front. The microtransactions are still super gross and I wish some of the other modes such as Blacktop would get a proper overhaul as they are starting to feel dated. Still being the only NBA game in town it does upgrade nicely. I found myself deleting the old version to play this one, and not being a huge NBA fan that is saying something.
The good news though is that NBA 2K22 is a great game in pretty much every other facet, which helps to overshadow the VC issues that have been present for years now. Combining MyCareer with The City was a genius decision and the introduction of Seasons across multiple game modes will keep NBA 2K22 fresh moving forward throughout the next year while waiting on the next annual entry.
NBA 2K22 is generally a beautiful representation of next-generation console hoops, but it's a little disturbing that many of the newest things I noticed didn't have a whole lot to do with basketball. The on-court product is good, but it's not perfect. Basketball is still my favorite sport to watch, and I love the game, so I'll keep playing, but I can probably put the music and fashion career on hold - and I don't need to spend any more money.
NBA 2K22 requires a more tactical approach, making on-court play the best it has been, but VC still stalls enjoyment.
NBA 2K22 is the best-looking sports game of this generation, but flashy looks and incredibly deep game modes can't mask the on-court issues that plague this year's offering.
There is also a wide range of modes in NBA2K22 that will allow players to do more than just play basketball and experience the different aspects of the NBA. But the game is plagued with a lot of microtransactions that may not fully hinder your experience but should just be toned down and not shoved constantly in your face.
Year after year, like it or not, 2K has become the home for basketball. While it does not revolutionize the genre, it's a great step in the right direction in the simulation department.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
NBA 2K22 improves on playable and makes it more challenging when attacking, but makes defending more fun and fair. The additions in The My Career mode are surprising at first, but then they end up getting heavy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It is amazing how a publisher can make a game with content and game modes this enticing then bury all it under a pile of microtransaction rubble. This franchise deserves better yet despite everything, NBA 2K22 is a rich and enjoyable game you can play for a long long time...
Review in Turkish | Read full review
The basketball gameplay is magnificent, the visuals and audio are too. Now 2K, just get rid of the overly offensive microtransactions and advertisements... please.
NBA 2K22 may have the best basketball gameplay in the series’ history but continues to be plagued by a massive microtransaction focus and persistent technical issues.
Overall, NBA 2K22 plays like a strong offering from 2K, a welcome change from recent years.
NBA 2K22 is a surprisingly solid perennial release, refining and improving upon troublesome and dull mechanics with a generally more fun, accessible court experience. While its RPG ambitions are admirable, its quest system pales in comparison to the next-gen version. Overall, though, this current-gen version stands firmly on its own, offering a solid suite of modes and sweet basketball simulation.