NBA 2K22 Reviews
NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it's simply not fun to play.
NBA 2K22 Switch simply doesn't cut it. It tries to pack too much into too little, and ends up with modes that don't work, difficult to embrace graphics, endless load times, poor shot meter dynamics, and impossible on-ball defense. An impossible start to a title not likely to get patched to playability.
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.
NBA 2K22 is an almost impossible game to rate, because it’s a damn good basketball game at its core. The biggest problem is how it tries to be anything but a basketball game, and while that doesn’t damage the overall quality on the court, it makes it hard to root for it. It’s the ‘03 Lakers, and I hate the ‘03 Lakers.
MyNBA is the only aspect of NBA 2K22 that provided a thoroughly enjoyable experience with practically nothing to complain about. NBA 2K22 gets in its own way, but there’s some genuinely great things there if you’re willing to endure it.
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 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.
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 is serviceable, if not slightly better than average. The game functions as it should, but it’s clear where the focus is. The graphics become more impressive each year, especially for the newer platforms. Gameplay isn’t very different, but it definitely has a level of polish that I didn’t see in previous years. It’s just too bad that the fun of the game is bogged down by the clunky transitions and the constant nagging to spend real money on in-game items. NBA 2K22 is exactly what the franchise has been; a fun, familiar, and accessible competitive sports title.
While there isn’t enough new content in NBA 2K22 to justify a full-priced upgrade, its online component is a marked improvement over its predecessor.
If you are looking for the best version of NBA 2K22, the eighth generation release is probably not the best place to look because it lacks any truly new features compared to the last year's outing and a yearly franchise with not many new ideas is always a disappointing product that you have think twice about buying.
Review in Persian | Read full review
NBA 2K22 offers the best on-court experience in the history of the series. That’s no small thing for a franchise long known for rock-solid gameplay. The problem is that so much around that experience feels incomplete or messy. NBA 2K22 provides such a wide range of experiences that many players will get what they need from it. The overall package, however, is a lot more uneven.
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.
The shooting and dribbling are both reworked in positive ways and games are more realistic and approachable than ever. Outside of regular seasons, though, the modes you play that basketball in are trending downward in quality. Unless you're ready to live your life one pack of virtual cards at a time, there isn't much of value in MyCareer, MyGM, or MyLeague. Here's hoping NBA 2K23 takes the refined gameplay and brings about more exciting variation in the modes.
While NBA 2K22 has made positive changes in terms of gameplay that may have simplified the game in some respects, other changes such as more natural defense in the game have made it easier to see a more balanced gameplay. However, in-app payments and various technical problems such as long loading screens along with frame drops and bugs have made NBA 2K22 not fully able to entertain its audience.
Review in Persian | Read full review
NBA 2K22 makes some appreciated improvements to on-the-court gameplay and tries some refreshing, if not entirely successful innovations in MyCareer that make this year’s version feel like a bit more than just a roster update.
As solid as it’s ever been on the court, NBA 2K22 is still an astonishingly good sports game, but its continued reliance on cynical microtransactions in MyCareer and MyTeam leave a sour taste.
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.
A good vintage that this NBA 2K22, this is undeniable. On current-gen, the game does the job and follows in broad strokes what the next-gen version offers, the power and graphic quality less. The latter enjoys an arduous gameplay for novices but oh so much more balanced for purists, with the dose of challenge that goes well. In the end, there are only the VCs, untimely loading times (again) and a technical quality not always irreproachable in certain areas (facial expressions) to cast a little shadow on this new component, which can only end up elsewhere than at home if you like basketball... failing to revolutionize the genre and the license in the great widths.
Review in French | Read full review
NBA 2K22 continues to set the standard for gameplay, with changes this year that ensure a much more realistic and satisfying pace of play. But it's the same old story: it's one of the most aggressive games in the industry when it comes to micropayments, and its star modes can't be enjoyed unless you're willing to pay.
Review in Spanish | Read full review