I’ve been wrong before (according to my wife - often), but I don’t think I have ever been more wrong than when I told our editor that I would be able to do a review for NBA 2K25 after just two days of playing through it (ed - It would've taken me two months, to be honest). How naive I was to think that the new instalment would somehow have less content than before. How ignorant to think that it would be so short lived that I could somehow cram it into a weekend. I’ve been wrong before, but not on this level. Sorry for doubting you, NBA 2K25.



It’s not just that there is a lot to get through, it’s that there is content and nuances within every inch of the game that spending just a short time on each does not do it justice. You need to give each aspect of the game its due time. NBA 2K25 returns with a plethora of content, a whole host of game modes and some of the tightest basketball action one could ever dream of. Sadly, for every bit of good, there is a seemingly equal measure of microtransaction bad to go along with it.



Let’s start on the court with a note that the technical side of NBA 2K25 is somehow even more impressive than recent iterations of the game. While 2K can be held accountable negatively on some terms, one thing that can not be levelled against them is that they don’t care about the gameplay. Each year they show that they are working on the feedback presented to them to improve the gameplay to make it more realistic without losing the video game fun side of it. Where something doesn’t work - like last year’s shot metre - they are not afraid to change it up, or provide alternatives.

While 2K can be held accountable negatively on some terms, one thing that can not be levelled against them is that they don’t care about the gameplay.

The tighter gameplay and improved dribbling systems leads to feeling more in control than ever before with an element of smoothness running through the plays on screen. While previous games have maintained good transitions, there was always that jolting feeling that somehow managed to remove a bit of the immersion. NBA 2K25 deals with this head-on with improved animations and better ball dynamics which results in a far more seamless experience.



This translates into just about every mode in the game, whether it be in the standard full team lineup modes or the reduced versions, offline and online (connection dependent, I assume). Largely, though, it’s a massive improvement as a result of some seemingly small tweaks but together with the new animations, controls and the enhanced player likenesses to showcase smaller differences, the game feels incredible to play. I imagine it must be more and more difficult for 2K to keep improving these elements, but they seem to be managing well for now.

The gameplay, being as good as ever, is complemented by the slick UI, design and presentation of the game. NBA 2K25 continues the tradition of having the best commentary in any sports game with free-flowing, natural commentary from the main commentators, the presenters and those that are courtside. Throw in the stadium sounds, authentic player noises and even the half-time shows and you get an amalgamation of a wonderfully produced atmosphere that adds again to the realism of the game. I do remember moaning years ago about how unintuitive the NBA 2K games’ menus were, but this is now a thing of the past with it feeling a lot less clunky than before, thankfully.



Another constant negative over previous editions was just how inaccessible the game was to newcomers. Even people who played basketball outside of video games have noted how hard it is to get to grips with all the controls. NBA 2K25 has a truly robust tutorial system which eases new players in far better than before. Even for someone who is a bit of a veteran on the series, this was helpful in terms of improving the way I play.

When it comes to game modes, it’s hard to rival the 2K series. This is again evident in 2K25 as players have the option of standard modes where you can just focus on the basketball, to the more advanced modes like MyPlayer and MyTeam. The returning “franchise” mode is once again broken down into eras, offering a unique take on playing through a season or two. If you’ve always wanted to play in the Michael Jordan era with those players and teams, then you can, and of course if you just want to stick to the current era, that’s available too. New to this is the Steph Curry era which is the most recent of the lot. There may be fans who wouldn’t find it as distinguished as other eras, being more frequent, but it does still roll back the years and adds some niche elements to the seasons when you play through.

NBA 2K25 has a truly robust tutorial system which eases new players in far better than before.

MyTeam is usually where I spend the majority of my time. I love the team building element of it and of course the pack opening aspect, albeit I refuse to spend any actual money on the game which is against what 2K hopes for, subsequently making it a lot harder and more frustrating (to be dealt with later) to progress. Still, I enjoy the various challengers that are set out for players to complete to be able to build your team. Even though I fully realise I will never be able to get the very top tier players in the mode, I am content ticking off my collection and various challenges for small bonuses. Season XP means there is always something to be gained, and even if it is slow at times, it still feels rewarding.



The variety in MyTeam certainly adds to the enjoyment with a number of different match types to play through, some new and some returning. Whether it be full lineup matches with specific targets to knock down, or the more wild 3v3 matches, 4pointer games or even more nuanced modes, there is fun to be had in each and every one. The simpler Domination, where you play the current NBA teams is still my favourite, even if it is the simplest of the lot. There is a mode called Breakout which adds a board game element to it with fun rewards which again adds more variety to an already stacked mode.

MyPlayer is the other meaty mode returning once more, with the RPG-like element of The City to explore. MyPlayer once again has you taking your created player from the scraps to the higher echelons of the basketball world. It’s tried and tested but somehow 2K always manages to make it incredibly engaging and enjoyable. I have seen some awful story modes thrown into video games (looking at you FIFA and even the Spike Lee NBA story from years ago), but 2K have found their niche in the balance between story and gameplay, and I am happy to say that NBA 2K25 definitely has the right side of that balance. Playing MyPlayer lets you focus on your character's college years and build up to being a pro, or going to your current season and focusing on those matches. It’s a great method of moving between past and present in a way that you prefer that you never feel like you just want to get on with it.



The City has more available events to take part in than ever before, but at the same time feels a lot more manageable and scaled towards what most gamers will find easily accessible. Nothing in The City feels too forced in terms of where you have to spend your time, and it really does feel tailored to how each person wants to play the game and build their character.

Sadly, The City is where the ugly microtransaction head once again rears itself. For all the good NBA 2K25 does on the court and for content, it’s almost ruined by the ever increasing pull of the game to spend real money on virtual currency to improve. This is evident in MyPlayer where you once again can gain a distinct advantage if you are willing to spend money. Perhaps this would not be so problematic if playing single player - although it takes so long to level up your character that the temptation is there - but if you truly want to compete on an online level, then in order to mix it with other players, you will have no choice but to upgrade. This was clear to me when I took my player into a seemingly friendly online matchup where my low ratings stood out like a sore thumb. I quickly realised that there was no place for me in that area, and thought how sad that paying real money for competitive advantage is still a thing in these games. There is an option to play against other lowly rated players, but it’s still not great.

For all the good NBA 2K25 does on the court and for content, it’s almost ruined by the ever increasing pull of the game to spend real money on virtual currency to improve.

MyTeam (as mentioned earlier) suffers from the same way to the point where there is a daily challenge to open a pack in the market, every day. There is an advert of “what’s new” when you login which will show you the packs in the market, and once you clear that first advert another pops up to remind you what else you can spend your VC on. Sadly the time it takes to earn enough in-game currency to open packs is incredibly slow and players are certainly pushed to spend to get the best cards. If you want to take on the higher rated teams offline, or be competitive in the online MyTeam modes, you’ll have to spend money from the outset, and likely throughout the lifecycle of the game if you want to keep up. It’s a sad reality that continues to be a blotch on the 2K name, but seems unlikely to ever change.



WNBA continues to be on the rise in the games and while it doesn’t come with as many options as the men’s side of the game, it is starting to have its own place on the yearly roster of modes. There is something fresh and enjoyable about playing the WNBA mode as you learn about the players and teams, their skill sets and how the mechanics differ from the men’s game, which creates new and different challenges, but it does still feel like there is more to come from that side of things. There’s not a lot more to say on this portion of the game as it does not offer the same amount of content and ability to tinker with the options, but the base is there and it’s only going to improve with each release.

NBA 2K25 is another feather in the 2K cap. It’s without doubt the best Basketball game on the planet (not as though there are others, to be fair). Given the lack of competition, it’s impressive to see 2K continue to improve the game each year and come up with elements to bring people back for more. It does, however, seem like there’s not much further it can get although we have seen the team be creative before. The microtransactions are without doubt the biggest bugbear, but it seems unlikely to ever change, and while the play-to-win mechanic is something I can just never get on board with, I am perfectly okay to appreciate the finer points of the Eras mode, or dabble in the MyTeam mode with the realisation that it’s always going to be a somewhat limited experience.

If basketball is what you are after, then basketball is what you will get with NBA 2K25 and a lot of basketball for your buck too. Sadly, you’ll need more than just that if you want to enjoy it to the full extent of what’s on offer, but if you are happy to overlook that, you still get a more than decent experience with the base game.

*PS5 Review code provided by 2K Games