NBA 2K18 Reviews
You absolutely cannot ignore how NBA 2K18 is a full price game that also integrates the business model of a free to play/pay to win title and the way that the enjoyment you get from it suffers because of it.
NBA 2K18 is a king on the court, but its antics off it, particularly its use of microtransactions, leave it in a world of trouble.
"...essentially last year’s game with a shinier coat of paint, and we cannot recommend the game at full price primarily due to the fact that everything new in the game does absolutely nothing special, and it makes the package feel like a bloated mess."
2K didn't learn from the Evolve fiasco. NBA 2K18 is one huge Pay2Win game, especially in story mode which could have easily been the best mode in the game. But grinding endlessly for success is not the definition of fun. Other than that the Nintendo Switch version is filled with bugs and technical breakdowns. What a shame because NBA 2K18 is a full port of the game with no cutoffs.
Review in German | Read full review
To all the NBA fans out there: hold your horses! In no way is NBA 2K18 a bad game, but it's certainly not worth its current price-tag, as the few improvements it offers are simply not enough, and, secondly, its sub-par single-player portion relies too much on micro-transactions. That being said, it can certainly feel as if it's the perfect basketball title for some couch party fun.
There's so much to love about NBA 2K18 on the Switch, but there's no denying that there are some major flaws here, especially in the flagship MyCareer mode. As much as I love NBA 2K's ambition in creating a full portable port, it's tough to wholeheartedly recommend in light of its persistent technical problems and other niggling flaws.
Maybe NBA 2K18 has been the king of the court for too long and now it's getting bored. Instead of improving gameplay, it's figuring out more ways to make money through MyCareer and MyTeam. It's new Neighborhood functions as a metaphor for the entire game itself, in that it seems like a big addition to the game but you quickly realize it's pretty much just an empty shopping mall and a distraction from the actual game.
NBA 2K18 is still one of the most enjoyable sports games that gives you hundreds of hours of gameplay and a realistic experience for the sport of basketball with the addition of new players transitions and new team kits and some new other features.. However, some of the negatives affected the game, such as in-game purchases and frequent loading times with the game defense style still needs some work.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Teased as a prime title for the demographic aimed at in the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, NBA 2K18 achieves that goal of serviceable console play in the portable space, but with notable compromises. Questionable micro-transaction placement and downloadable requirements aside, NBA 2K18 is the truly authentic basketball experience, and a strong sign of things to come.
While still a solid basketball simulation, it's getting harder each year to recommend this series and NBA 2K18 feels like a continuation of that trend. Some technical issues plague many aspects of the game and at this point, myGM is the only saving grace aside from some visual and gameplay improvements.
A handful of technical hiccups mixed with an aggressive monetisation strategy could very well leave a questionable taste in peoples' mouths.
NBA 2K18's microtransactions are disappointing but if you can ignore that, you have a basketball game that is a ton of fun to play.
NBA 2K18 has many flaws, but the core gameplay is on the highest level possible as always. Promoted The Neighbourhood mode is screwed up and micropayments are just awful. Nonetheless, the game is worth playing... unless you have 2K16 or 2K17.
Review in Polish | Read full review
NBA 2K18 has one of the biggest and boldest changes for an annual sports title but inadvertently introduced some serious flaws that are difficult to overlook. Nonetheless, the developers have created a great foundation for the series.
Of course, it's no surprise that NBA 2K18 looks good; the series has looked the part since its advent on the Dreamcast, staying relevant visually and staking out its own part of basketball culture. NBA 2K18 continues the trend, capturing the feel of basketball's urban centers in The Neighborhood.
A good entry in the series for those who skipped a year. Virtual currency is pushed everywhere. The Neighborhood is OK. Basketball action is fun and exciting.
NBA2K18 is a pleasant experience despite its in-game purchases. The gameplay is a masterpiece and you can really feel the improvements. But as always, there are some minor and major bugs to ruin the perfection. You can still enjoy playing it a lot but it would be even better without these tactical issues. The graphics, the music tracks, and the commentary are incredible on the court but when you step outside there are just too many issues. The user interface in the MyCareer mode is terrible and there are lots of silly in-game purchases that are just unnecessary.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Note: Keep an eye out for future patches/updates that could address MyCareer and save issues.
Is NBA 2K18 an all-around slam dunk? Not quite thanks to unscrupulous microtransactions, the undercooked Neighbourhood, and mediocre/annoying storytelling. However, despite these fumbles, NBA 2K18 still delivers wildly when it comes to the ability to just play basketball better than any other title without having to leave the couch.
NBA 2K18 is the biggest departure that the series has had in recent years, which is both good and bad. Elements such as MyPlayer feel like they have the potential to be fantastic, but are still too mired by microtransactions and bugs in its current form to truly be the experience that I was hoping for. Gameplay continues to be the reason to pick up any NBA 2K game however, and NBA 2K18 doesn't miss the mark when it comes to putting forth the most realistic basketball sim on the market. With a few patches over the course of the next year, I'm hoping NBA 2K18 can continue to improve and fix many of the issues that I have with it out of the gate this season.