NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 Reviews
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 offers a solid arcade experience. This title does not yield any significant advancements for the genre or the series itself. Instead, it takes elements from other sports titles, scales them down and wraps it all up in a fetching, exaggerated aesthetic.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 offers an arcade basketball experience that's both fun and simple, with fluid gameplay and some over-the-top movements that really stand out when playing.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 proves pick-up-and-play arcade basketball is still alive and well.
NBA 2K Playgrounds is a small step forward in the work of Saber Interactive. In addition to greater content, we will have more control over the unlocking of players.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As an NBA Playgrounds apologist and lover of arcade sports sims, this game can only be characterized as a disappointment, and a frustrating one at that. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 has all the ingredients for an excellent game, but its best flavors are overpowered by the saltiness of its microtransactions and repetitive season. It's a shame, because the gameplay itself is absolutely excellent; it's the surrounding constructs, progression system, and a lackluster season that leaves this game tripping over its own laces.
For basketball fans that don't always want the true-to-life simulation of the mainline 2K series, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a slam dunk.
Starting with the positives the game absolutely looks great, has a ridiculous roster of players (including the likes of Michael Jordan), and features all sorts of preposterous on-court moves and dunks...
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is back better than ever and turns into the perfect companion for NBA 2K19. It will delight those who look for a more arcade gameplay.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The 2-on-2 gameplay feels just as smooth as it did last year.
An improvement on the first game ruined by terrible microtransactions.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 features many gameplay improvements over the original, and a deeper roster of superstar players thanks to the 2K umbrella, but unfortunately the experience is marred by the return of loot boxes that dictate which players you can even use.
In all NBA 2k Playgrounds 2 lacks some of the simplicity of NBA Jam but more than holds its own with added features, an addictive gameplay loop and a fun, cartoonish presentation style. The microtransactions are the only downer in what is otherwise a stellar bit of arcade fun, one that should be enjoyed by anyone that has regular game nights with friends.
Arcade sports games aren't as plentiful as they once were so the fact that NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is as enjoyable as it is speaks volumes for what the genre is capable of.
NBA Playgrounds 2 brings a lot of great improvements to the table with enhanced gameplay mechanics and visuals, but the package is brought down by unnecessary, backward changes.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a step forward gameplay wise... but it excessively rely on microtransactions.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A clear improvement over its predecessor. Looks better and plays better too.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 has a great presentation, a fun set of mechanics and a solid character progression system. There are microtransactions, as all sports games seems to be laboured with them these days, but it's nowhere near as intrusive as some other sports games I have played. However, without any statistical tracking, limited number of players on the court and only a handful of modes, that this title won't have quite the shelf life for me that a more involved simulation game like NBA 2K19.
When it's all said and done, Playgrounds 2 provides a somewhat enjoyable experience that's not worth its headache. If you want a quick and easy, arcade-style way to play basketball with your friends, you should just go to your local arcade with a fistful of quarters and play NBA Jam. Trust me, even though you have to feed the cabinet money after each game, you'll still feel less exploited.
If you liked NBA Playgrounds then this game will surely be a solid improvement you enjoy. If the first game was too buggy, or there were too many issues, then Playgrounds 2 fixes many problems. There are still reasons to be cautious with things like roster unlocks and limitations in the game modes, but it is overall a solid package.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 improves on a quite a few aspects of the original game like game modes and gameplay mechanics. But its microtransaction model leaves a sour taste in the player's mouth. Unlocking great players takes a very long time and the game wants to get you to buy in-game credits. But if you're patient, or spending more money isn't a problem for you, you can have a lot of fun with NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.
Review in French | Read full review