NBA 2K23 Reviews

NBA 2K23 is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Polygon
Top Critic
Unscored
Sep 16, 2022

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.

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7 / 10
Sep 16, 2022

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.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 16, 2022

NBA 2K23 does a good job with introducing some cool ideas into its stubbornly lackluster larger format.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 15, 2022

I can safely recommend NBA 2K23 to every sports games fan, even though the microtransactions are extremely aggressive. The gameplay is too good, and I hope future updates won’t break it.

Review in Polish | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Sep 15, 2022

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

9 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

NBA 2K23 builds on last year’s rock-solid entry with some well-considered on-court changes, a deeper, more satisfying career mode, and an array of accessible nostalgia-tweaking content. Most refreshingly, almost none of these additions are designed to push extra spending. If Visual Concepts stays hungry, NBA 2K23 could be the beginning of a new dynasty that would do its cover star proud.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

NBA 2K23 is another Enjoyable basketball experience that utilizes new, interesting features like Pro Stick. Almost everything looks and works better. Movements are smooth, AI has been improved and Customization Options are plentiful.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Sep 14, 2022

No sports game gets the past right quite like NBA 2K23 – and its present-day immersiveness is incredibly powerful, too.

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4.5 / 5.0
Sep 14, 2022

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.

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Forbes
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

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.

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IGN
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

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.

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4.3 / 5.0
Sep 14, 2022

NBA2K23 is a product of many arguably long overdue, bold decisions, and they combine to produce the best 2K in seemingly forever. Yes, some outstanding quibbles persist, but massive upgrades to gameplay, AI, a legitimate emphasis on classic eras, and no contracts in MyTeam are all winners.

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Gamersky
深夜诗人老阿吽
Top Critic
7.8 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

NBA2K23 came with some interesting changes by bring back old memories. Jordan's legendary career and the year-based dynasty mode are both very attractive new features. NBA 2K23 is still the best basketball game in the world, even though it's still similar to NBA2K22. I'm glad to see that the NBA 2K series have made some innovations and changes, but there is still a lot of room for further improvements.

Review in Chinese | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2022

With the return of Michael Jordan challenges and the expansions in the MyCAREER mode, NBA 2K23 is as good as ever but the not so great parts like mtx are also as prevalent as ever.

Review in Persian | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2022

The only thing that makes NBA 2K23 better than its predecessor, even if by just a little bit, is the inclusion of the excellent Jordan Challenge mode, a great love letter to the best player of all time. Does that make the game worth your time? Well, if you’re into basketball, you don’t exactly have a choice, but, at the very least, 2K23 isn’t worse than the games that preceded it. Small wins, y’all.

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8 / 10
Sep 13, 2022

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.

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90 / 100
Sep 13, 2022

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

8 / 10.0
Sep 12, 2022

This year's NBA 2K game is one of the best in recent years. The MyCareer mode has an actual interesting story with a great cast of characters. The Jordan challenge is an incredible addition to the game and is really fun to play through. MyTeam is basically the same as last year but added Triple threat co-op, which is cool. The game does have some framerate issues and camera bugs which could be annoying but every good aspect of the game makes up for it.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

Sep 12, 2022

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.

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85 / 100
Sep 12, 2022

Despite its heavy focus on microtransactions, NBA 2K23 is the basketball game that sports fans have been waiting for for a long time.

Review in Spanish | Read full review