NBA 2K23 Reviews
NBA 2K23's on-court improvements should've led it to an easy layup, but the ever-present nuisance of pay-to-win microtransactions make it much harder to enjoy.
No sports game gets the past right quite like NBA 2K23 – and its present-day immersiveness is incredibly powerful, too.
Overall, NBA 2K23 is a fitting tribute to the historical legends and iconic moments that made this sport what it is today. Though the game has its fair share of issues with its poor narrative choices and omnipresent microtransactions, it’s still a solid improvement over the previous game. This year’s release isn’t quite the flashy free-throw line dunk that lands a perfect score, but it is a worthy, all-around effort that would earn M.J.’s shrug of approval.
There is a lot to evaluate in NBA 2K23, and a lot of that evaluation is yet to come from its restive community, various influencers, and people like me. But NBA 2K23’s appeal and value, for once in a very long time, far outweighs its raw and constant calls to spend money, and the guilt and icky feelings that brings. As I said back in August, if nothing else, no one can complain that Visual Concepts did nothing for its franchise mode. So if the microtransactions truly bother you that much, you can always go to MyNBA Eras and rewrite 40 years of history at no extra cost.
NBA 2K23 is a return to form for the usually exceptional series, improving gameplay while imbuing a sincere love for basketball history into new and reimagined modes.
That’s naïve, overly-simplistic advice, maybe, but we’re a decade into this series’ slide straight into hell and nothing else seems to be working, so it’s worth a shot.
NBA 2K23 is one of the best games ever to jump onto a sports court. Its playable and audiovisual fundamentals are beyond doubt, but the addition of historical modes to its roster is a better move than the selection of Michael Jordan in the third place of the 1984 Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The NBA 2K franchise is back and moving in the right direction. After years of stagnant gameplay mechanics and subtle improvements to its franchise mode, this year’s game has taken huge, direction-defining steps. NBA 2K23 offers an amazingly customizable experience. With the exception of a few perhaps philosophical issues and some lingering old assets still in use, this year’s version registers as an All-NBA first team selection within the series’ storied history.
NBA 2K23 is one of the best entry in the series so far, thanks to its devout tribute to the story of the sport and a few gameplay innovations. ERA MyNBA e the Jordan Challanges represent the best example of sport digital storyitelling in the world of videogames, while MyTeam and MyCareer suffer from the usual monetization policy, even if The City is far more engaging than the last year. On the court NBA 2K23 is a solid basketball experience, with a new shooting system that feels simple and consistent.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NBA 2K23 was able to build on the success of last year’s release and provide us with the basketball experience we have always wished for. It seems the series has taken a good step towards achieving what seems to be near and perhaps in the next installments, a remarkable transformation into one of the best sports games
Review in Arabic | Read full review
There's no denying it: NBA 2K23 is once again a sports game of the highest level, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Jordan Challenge and the retro options. However, it's getting harder and harder to perceive the visual and gameplay improvements, along with the most aggressive micropayment system in the entire industry.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA 2K23 is the game the community has been wanting, but that hardcore community is far more advanced than any casual player looking to just play a basketball game.
NBA 2K23 is both fantastic and frustrating, where VC is a huge problem, but new modes like The Jordan Challenge is thoroughly enjoyable.
NBA 2K23 does a killer job of opening the floor to those that are new to the franchise, or those returning for their umpteenth time. With gorgeous visuals that help solidify this as one of the best-looking games of the generation so far, to controls that let you feel like a pro, there's very little to complain about here.
NBA 2K23 makes the inevitable downgrades and cuts that we see every year with this franchise on Nintendo's console and, just like other last-gen versions of the game, it's also missing both The City and the brand new MyNBA Eras. Loading times can be frustrating, and 30fps basketball feels noticeably stodgier than the 60fps found in other versions. However, if you can put up with these necessary downgrades and slight technical shortcomings, this is still a solid port of a superb basketball sim that's stuffed full of enough content to see fans through another season.
NBA 2K23 at its core is the same great experience that players enjoy each and every year, while also still mired by the unpleasant microtransactions for your MyPlayer. This year's return of the Jordan Challenge, however, takes the game to new heights that it has not felt for a number of years now thanks to the level of authenticity found in the presentation and gameplay surrounding the GOAT Michael Jordan.
Bothersome microtransactions aside, NBA 2K23 delivers a nearly flawless sports sim.
This game should go down as one of the best sports games ever, instead it's a chilling reminder of the chokehold microtransactions have over the genre.
NBA 2K23 is a step up for the NBA 2K series as far as gameplay and in-game elements go, and the new additions to modes like MyNBA and MyTeam help the game modes feel less stale as a whole. However, the game's incredibly heavy reliance on microtransactions continues to hold back what is otherwise an incredible sports game.
Visual Concepts has finally created a beautiful chapter of NBA 2K, balanced, rich in content, aesthetically true next gen.
Review in Italian | Read full review