The NBA2K series has always been my favourite sports simulation game, with its impressive realism, super fun gameplay, ability to immerse myself in basketball in so many ways, including playing with teams from various eras, and absolutely addicting game modes such as MyCareer and MyGM.
NBA 2K25 is this year’s newest iteration of the NBA 2K franchise, developed by Visual Concepts and released by 2k Sports. It brings a lot of new features, including truly life-like animations, more ways to shoot, a new dribbling engine, new game modes, a whole lot of updates to MyTEAM, and many more. And with Next Gen coming to the PC this year, I’m super excited to see what it has in store.
Gameplay
Gameplay has always been 2K’s strong suite. And this year is no exception. The game is smooth, realistic, and just all around fun. However, two main things stood out to me:
ProPlay
The coolest new feature for this year is with the updated ProPlay system, which uses real NBA footage to translate thousands of signature dribbling styles, stepback jumpers, and even off-ball movements of real players into the game. Seeing how true-to-life Steph Curry’s stepback three-pointer looks, or how smooth Kevin Durant’s hesitation pull-up feels, it’s almost like I’m watching an actual NBA game.
Shooting Mechanics
This year, there are also new ways to shoot the ball, such as via Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting. Instead of simply pressing and releasing the shoot button, you flick the right stick down to start the shot, then push it back up when the player reaches their set point, aiming to match the timing of the player’s shooting motion. While it does take some time to master, it feels intuitive, as you’re mimicking the actual jump shot rhythm of the player.
Even if you choose to stick with the shot button, though, you can still customise things like your shot timing profile or the risk-to-reward ratio of getting the shot timing exactly right.
For example, if you’re a casual enjoyer of the game and don’t want to spend hours practising the timing of every single jumpshot, you can use the “Low Risk-Reward” shooting profile, which is more forgiving and emphasises the player’s ratings and openness over the timing of the shot button/stick.
Game Modes
MyCareer
MyCareer — which I feel is 2K’s core game mode at this point — is back, offering even more ways to customise your created player to match your preferred playstyle and skills. You can use NBA player templates to mirror your favourite NBA stars, create builds from scratch, or use the all-new Pro-Tuned Builds— which are well-balanced builds based on position and best skills for those who want to skip the trial-and-error phase before finding a usable build. There’s also a new Takeover system with five levels, from heating up to red-hot, as well as improved badges, giving you even more control over how you craft your player.
However, as with previous years, microtransactions are a significant part of the game. I’ve never purchased VC in any of the past 2K titles, always choosing to grind it out in MyCareer. Unfortunately, this year it feels even harder, as earning VC seems slower than ever. It takes hours of gameplay with a low-rated, slow-moving player just to collect enough VC for decent stats, and at every turn, the game pushes you towards purchasing VC with real money. Many players have voiced complaints about this online —and rightfully so—but it seems microtransactions are here to stay.
MyNBA & MyGM
Take control of an entire team—or even an entire league—as a general manager, by creating your own teams and storylines while trying to meet the expectations of both your fans and your franchise. In these modes, you’ll have full control over every aspect of the team, from drafting rookies and trading superstars to signing staff and more. This time, however, 2K is pushing for a stronger role-playing element. There are various backstories to choose from, such as being an “ex-player” transitioning to the front office, an “ex-scout” with a keen eye for talent, or a financially focused “capitalist” trying to maximise profits—or you can create your own backstory entirely. Each of these backstories provides specific boosts/perks to your team and can shape its playstyle and culture, so there’s a lot of variety and fun to be had in this mode.
Learn 2K – Beginner-Friendly Mode
Learn 2K is basically a really comprehensive tutorial mode for beginners. There’s tutorials on the basic mechanics of shooting, dribbling, passing, and defense, as well as drills, mini-games, and practice scenarios that anyone can run through in order to start mastering the game. It also gives you information on the various game modes like MyTeam and how to navigate the City (which is a large map with parks that allow co-op/online play, a multitude of mini-games, etc.).
NBA2K25 Review Summary
NBA 2K25 continues to uphold its reputation as the best sports simulation game in the market, especially when it comes to gameplay mechanics and realism. The ProPlay system this year introduces thousands of signature animations from real NBA players, there’s more ways to customise your shooting experience than ever, and dribbling is extremely well-tuned.
The multitude of game modes you can experience also means that you’ll always have something new to try. However, microtransactions are still a big part of the game, and modes like MyCareer are a really long grind if you’re not willing to fork up real dollars to get your player to a usable rating. That said, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the game, and for those who love deep gameplay mechanics and immersive basketball experiences, NBA 2K25 remains a solid game to get.
Disclosure: NBA2K25 review licence was supplied for reviewing
