NBA 2K23 Reviews
$70 at launch is a big ask, but this is a very big game. The gameplay is the best it has ever been, and the live service is the most predatory feeling, but there is enough other content on offer that I’d still recommend this year’s title.
NBA 2K23 has something for everyone to get stuck into – whether you want to get engrossed in the Jordan era or have your own come up in MyCareer, all provide a lot to work with. With some of the best visuals to hit consoles and deep gameplay that plays so solidly, NBA 2K23 is a great iteration of the franchise.
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
With more single-player content than ever before and the best on-the-court basketball around, NBA 2K23 is a strong offering that is plagued by some of the worst pay-to-win elements possible.
MyCareer may still falter, but it’s worth checking out nonetheless, but you know why you’re here. It’s to Slam Jam, with the greatest of all time and be the greatest ever. Regardless of some minor impasses due to microtransactions, NBA2K23 continues the trend of its franchise being the leader in sporting titles.
NBA 2K23 makes up for the problems that were experienced last year for the next-generation consoles. The visual bugs have been fixed, especially for the lighting effects, and the loading time has been optimized. Note that we did not have the opportunity to try the version on other platforms and it is important to point out that there seem to be several problems on the latter. The franchise mode is complete, the gameplay is still fun and the career mode is still impressive. Clearly, the developers of Visual Concepts don't seem to rely on their assets and that's great for an annual license.
Review in French | Read full review
NBA 2K23 reconfirms itself as a sports title with a very broad offering capable of appealing to new players and veterans of the parquet.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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
Overall, NBA 2K23 has some of the best gameplay in an NBA 2K game. While the MyPlayer mode is a bit of a shadow of its former self, the various additions and changes to MyTeam and MyNBA make up for it overall. Despite being on point in most areas, the Virtual Currency situation will definitely affect players’ enjoyment of the game. While the term “pay to win” does come to mind, NBA2K23’s gameplay and various modes are still very well done.
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
NBA 2K23 has everything needed in order to make NBA's fans fall in love, but it still has more than an aspect that needs improvement, from the IA to the intrusive microtransactions.
Review in Italian | Read full review
I would recommend NBA 2K23 for its sheer breadth of material and the fact that it really tries to be a basketball universe unto itself (hence the massive file size). It's certainly not perfect, as I still keep running into odd glitches now and then, and even some strange things that carry over from the last game (Do I really have to keep walking through the Dallas Mavericks shootaround to get to my guys? Why is that still a thing?), but it is and shall likely always be the sports game I play almost every day, no matter what time of year it actually is - even when the fans tell me I stink.
NBA 2K23 leaves us torn: On the one hand, it’s an almost perfect simulation of the sport delivering a high amount of detail and gameplay-value. On the other hand, the experience is heavily harmed by microtransactions and in-game advertisements.
Review in German | Read full review
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.
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 is a fantastic package that is marred by a heavy reliance on microtransactions. Unless a player is going to spend hours and hours grinding out The City, the only way to find a modicum of success is to open your wallet and buy the virtual currency to boost your players and teams. The on-court gameplay is blast, and the tweaks to the AI have made playing against the computer more challenging and fun, the Jordan Challenge and the addition of the retro players and modes is a blast and I hope these features make the cut for next year. Speaking of next year, I can see it maybe being based on Kobe Bryant who we know wore the number 24 with the Lakers and tragically passed a few years ago. With it being the 2024 edition of the game, it would only make sense and be a nice honor for the ‘Black Mamba’, I just hope (I’m sure they won’t) that they stop the over reliance on this pay-to-win method that 2K has been doing the past few years, the game would be so much more enjoyable without them.
Without a focus on MJ's career, 2K23 doesn't offer too much more than last year's iteration. It's a serviceable experience for newcomers and pros alike, it's just a damn shame it's becoming more and more a marketing tool than a game. What concerns me is, where do they go from here?
When we throw all the listed elements into a pot and mix them, we get an excellent playable basketball, which is great to watch and you will enjoy every single virtual game. But we already feel the stagnation in the series and the technical shortcomings do not help either.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.
At first glance, NBA 2K23 appears to be more of the same, but the gameplay adjustments made by Visual Concepts are more than enough for this year’s game to be accepted with open arms. The changes in the shot mechanics and making it more difficult to create godly players in MyCareer might make some players upset but will be beneficial for the game in the long run. MyTeam is still a fun team-building mode, and with the removal of contract cards, should be a more viable option as opposed to a normal Franchise. The player ratings will be a hot topic, as I’m not sure how we can rate the Los Angeles Lakers among the top teams when their third-best player is a 78 overall, but that’s an issue that might never be solved. Ultimately, NBA 2K23 isn’t simply a carbon copy of previous iterations and should be viewed as a step in the right direction for 2K’s continued evolution.