NBA 2K19 Reviews
NBA 2K19 had a real opportunity to learn from last year's mistakes, and in some ways it did. The Neighborhood is more convenient, the Prelude is way more interesting, and the gameplay has seen some subtle but important improvements. Unfortunately, all this is marred yet again by the game's predatory microtransaction system, which turns the MyCareer stuff into a grind-heavy, pay-to-skip farce.
If you've passed on some NBA games, now is the best time to return to the court. It features a ton of refinements across the board and took into consideration some much-requested features from fans. If not for the blatant microtransactions and VC-driven progression system, NBA 2K19 would be the best basketball game on and off the court to date.
Purchasing NBA 2K19 for yourself just depends on what you plan to play within its larger package. If you were already put off by MyCareer last year, then not much has changed to win you over this season. If you're looking for the best basketball sim on the market though to just play with friends or play by yourself in some of the more team-based game modes, you cannot do better than NBA 2K19. Despite there being so many fundamental changes that I want to see from this series moving forward in regards to many of its abrasive practices, at least the actual basketball has continued to be phenomenal without skipping a beat.
If you're new to the series or would just like to have a really good basketball game to dip in and out of over the year NBA 2K19 is a solid choice, but if 2K18 frustrated you with its microtransactions and you don't want to grind or pay to be competitive with your own player then not much has changed from that base model.
the basketball gameplay in NBA 2K19 is brilliant, and it has been for the last decade that I've been reviewing this series. But the way VC is used in the game needs to be re-evaluated, as it has become ridiculous and is blatantly pay-to-win. This greedy freemium model within an already fully priced game needs to disappear.
NBA 2K19's on-court disappointments are somewhat remedied by the hugely entertaining off-the-court shenanigans, but a steep learning curve may leave less experienced players a little overwhelmed.
There is a lot to like about NBA 2K19, but it's hard to come away from it without a bad taste in your mouth. Its pay-to-win nature and occasional hiccups are hard to swallow.
I don’t see myself ever really going hard for that 99, because the ability to do that requires the use of my wallet just to get started, because grinding for VC for free is insanely slow and I think they made it that way on purpose to push microtransactions.
Improved in many ways, this year's NBA 2K continues to drag behind some historical problems of the series, among which there is certainly the absence of an anti-cheat for the online sector, which has other annoying design flaws, and the rather invasive presence of microtransactions.
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NBA 2K19 is a fun basketball game held back by unnecessary bells and whistles alongside intrusive microtransactions. The basketball is second-to-none and the players feel and look incredible. It is a true shame the game is shackled by microtransactions which make progression a grind both for MyTeam and your player.
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Whatever viewpoint you're coming from, NBA 2K19 is both slightly better and a bit more competent than its predecessor, but there are still issues that need to be addressed. It is still clearly designed so there is an underlying temptation to invest in some VC just to get to the good bits, instead of spending days, weeks, months slowly building up your player or your team. That said, whatever score it's given really won't matter since the NBA 2K series will remain dominant when the competition isn't as strong as it could be. While NBA 2K19 is competent it has also, for me at least, continued down the road of not feeling as fun or exciting as previous NBA 2K titles. This year, the feeling isn't so much of outcry as it is fatigue at having seen the gradual changes take place over the last several years.
The biggest question mark on NBA 2K19 is if the game can be separated from its economy? And the answer is no, definitely not. Your character can’t both look cool with baller swag and be good at the game unless you’re willing to put in hundreds of hours or spend a significant amount of money. However, can the game be enjoyed despite its economy? Absolutely. Despite the dire circumstances of 2K going all-in on VC, NBA 2K19 has seen a return to form for MyCareer mode as well as a solid showing across every single game mode. But when 50% of your game is heavily reliant upon a “pay-to-win” system, there is something fundamentally flawed about the product and message that you’re putting out to your players and potential audiences. I understand the need for video games to make money, but there are more ethical ways of doing so without ruining the experience along the way. Please buy NBA 2K19 because it’s a great game, but don’t give in to the pressure of the non-existent shiny gold coins – they’re just not worth it.
There seems to be a stronger foundation in place this time around, and for fans, that may be enough to keep their basketball season from ending early.
2K19's MyCareer represents some of the very worst in exploitative, money-hungry design in all of video games.
Barring a massive rethink from 2K in regards to their microtransaction focus, I think NBA 2K19 is the last NBA 2K game I will be excited for. It is clear the developers only see its consumers as a walking pile of cash so why would I willingly subscribe to that philosophy.