NBA 2K22 Reviews

NBA 2K22 is ranked in the 63rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2021

NBA 2K22 exceeds what was achieved in the previous year, and although it does not represent a radical change for the franchise, it has everything necessary to satisfy NBA fans. For better and for worse, the game has everything players love about NBA 2K, but also everything they hate.

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BaziCenter
Amin Bala Zadeh
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 21, 2021

Still the best Basketball simulation game on the market, NBA 2K22 does good but not enough to break into the 9th generation of gaming hardwares as the PS5 version of the game is only superior to its PS4 counterpart in terms of visuals, and the RPG-like My Career mode and heavy reliance on microtransactions keep dragging it down.

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Gamefa
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 21, 2021

NBA 2K22 is not very different compared to previous instalments in the series. However The game still delivers one of the best sports game experience of new generation courtesy of Improved graphics. That being said, The amount of In app purchases and microtransactions is Unacceptable for a game which already costs $70

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TrueGaming
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 20, 2021

NBA 2K22 once again proves to be the best in its field and offers an extremely enjoyable basketball simulation experience on the field.

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80 / 100
Sep 19, 2021

The on-court experience created by NBA 2K22 continues to be unparalleled, delivering a basketball simulator ever closer to reality. There is a lot to enjoy in the various game modes present, but unfortunately, the game is quite hampered by the excess of microtransactions and the bad decisions of MyCareer that leave any player worried about what the future holds.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 15, 2021

NBA 2K22 is not a perfect basketball game, but it is the best installment of the series in years. The creators implemented novelties that have a big impact on the gameplay, and the biggest scratch on the project are still cumbersome microtransactions and the emphasis on them.

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Pure Xbox
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 15, 2021

NBA 2K22 is an excellent next-gen addition to the franchise on Xbox Series X, delivering revamped gameplay that feels better than ever before on the court, smoother transitions between modes and all manner of graphical bells and whistles to boot. My Career's new City area has been well implemented and could well be a huge timesink for those who are into that mode and, although there's no other major changes to speak of, what's here is undoubtedly still the slickest basketball ticket in town right now.

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Heavy
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2021

Game development is hard and a year after being the only major sports video game franchise to produce a full-on next-gen experience, they followed up with the most polished and still feature-rich game they have produced, maybe ever. NBA 2K22 is a must have for anyone who has remotely enjoyed the series in the past or who has a taste for basketball and the culture it powers. Still, there is room for improvement on multiple fronts. It’s the gift and the curse of producing a game with so many layers.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 20, 2021

The changes that were implemented for NBA 2K22 are for the better.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 13, 2021

Despite all of its gains…and perhaps I'm being over-critical…but NBA 2K22 remains a gorgeous but ultimately non-fun experience unless for those who spend lot of money on VC. Yes, you can grind, but this alternative would take dozens of hours and hundreds of painful losses online/offline. Also, the solid improvements to the shot meter, off ball defense and overall AI cannot overcome the lack of on-ball spacing, right stick spamming requirements, and/or omnipresent sensation of being stuck to a defender indefinitely.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 1, 2021

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.

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Sep 18, 2021

Aside from the unfortunate microtransactions and bloated hubs, the only fundamental low points are lackluster developments for MyLeague, MyGM, and The W. Each of these modes still plays well, but it's clear they aren't a prime focus. 2K22 doesn't offer much over last year's game for players who enjoy these modes aside from improved gameplay should they hit the court. Despite its flaws, NBA 2K22 still lands as a success for its on-court display, if nothing else. The game feels smoother, more intuitive, and really shines with the haptic feedback on PS5, which makes every move feel engaging. There may still be wrinkles to iron out, but the NBA 2K ship is heading full-steam ahead in the right direction with the release of NBA 2K22.

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8 / 10
Sep 15, 2021

NBA 2K22 is another fine entry in the franchise that continues the developer's habit of delivering satisfyingly solid ports of their basketball sims on Nintendo Switch. Yes, most of the modes don't try anything massively new - beyond MyCareer's revamped Neighbourhood setting - and the loading screens will have you pulling your hair out from time to time, but refined core gameplay and enough content to keep you playing until the end times make this one an easy recommendation for b-ball fans.

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8 / 10
Sep 19, 2021

NBA 2K22 spreads itself a little too thin off the court, but it genuinely takes strides on it. The game's rewritten defensive system makes for a much more enjoyable experience across all modes, where you feel rewarded for using the ball effectively and engineering open looks. MyCareer's first foray into non-NBA activities could do with fleshing out, and there's still an overreliance on advertising and microtransactions. But with one of the most complete Franchise modes on the market, and with exceptional presentation across the board, this is a series at the top of its game again.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2021

NBA 2K22 does many things well, most of which has already been done well in the past. Exceptional, challenging gameplay keeps the strength of the game close to its chest, and NBA 2K22 offers an impressive spread of modes to complement that gameplay. Apart from a few misguided choices, the biggest crippling factor this year comes from how The City takes a good idea and stretches it way too thin. NBA 2K22 is great for hardcore fans of the franchise, but it doesn't leave the door open for many others.

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Sep 17, 2021

NBA 2K22 provides something for everybody, from intense local matches with friends, to an immersive franchise mode, to an integrated online community.

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Sep 18, 2021

2K Sports makes one hell of a basketball game and that'll let you tolerate these scheme-based game modes IF you can actually get on to play them.

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8.2 / 10.0
Sep 21, 2021

NBA 2K22 shines on the court, while struggles in the city. Visual Concepts did a great job getting back on the right steps its basket simulation, and the new shooting system feels good, the new defensive AI is tough and, overall, everything is in the right spot. The new MMORPG-like MyCareer is an ambitious and enormous attempt to maximize the retention of the players. Well, it tries hard, but it doesn't succeeds.

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8.3 / 10.0
Sep 20, 2021

NBA 2K22 is a successful return to form for the series. An extra year on the hardware has certainly helped, and the developers continue to blend lightweight RPG elements with action-packed basketball for an end result that I have sunk a ton of time into already, and will no doubt continue to play throughout the rest of the year. The focus is still on the Career mode, with minor tweaks to Franchise, WNBA and MyTeam, but that’s okay by me – MyCareer is where I’m usually at. There’s still room to improve, but this year’s iteration of the series is worth playing for hoops fans.

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8.4 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2021

‎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.‎

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