Thoroughly teased at the beginning of the summer, carried by the communication of Visual Concepts and 2K Sports, NBA 2K21 next-gen was expected like milk on fire. The first major sports title on the new consoles, it must show us the future of the genre on these unprecedented platforms. Well then, how is this future, eh? Answer at the bottom of these lines.
Releasing the same game twice, on two generations of different consoles and a few weeks apart: this is the challenge taken up at the end of 2020 by 2K Sports and Visual Concepts for NBA 2K21. The temptation of a simple porting could have been great if the teams had not announced and teased upstream about new generation basketball, eager to get the following message across: the REAL NBA 2K game this year is on Xbox Series and PS5, not elsewhere. What does this future of virtual basketball have in store for us? What is striking at the outset is an unequaled fluidity with which could have been offered before. No loading time, no latency in the menus: everything is fast. Clean. The interface has gained in clarity, without losing splinters. And graphically, the slap on the cheek (right or left, it’s up to you) is there, without being resounding. NBA 2K21 is beautiful, very, very beautiful. Very detailed, very, very detailed, with incredible light-on-skin renders, realistic sweat, even deeper physical details. But NBA 2K pays a little for its reputation as a beautiful game, in the sense that the current-gen version was already effective at this level. But the physical gap is there, without dispute.
What is striking at the outset is an unequaled fluidity with which could have been offered before.
It is also present with the controller in hand. Playability on current-gen had some flaws, which several patches had fixed. We think in particular of the shoot system, supposed to be more picky, so much so that it was off-putting for the competition and difficult to understand for the regulars, shocked to see some OK shots not coming in. If we can determine the shooting system that we want, it is clear that we have in our hands the NBA 2K that we would have liked to have in September. Everything is fluid – we will not repeat it – with players less heavy and less slippery on the floor, too. The feeling of movement on the ground is pretty crazy, reinforced by the new controllers, which vibrate in unison with each interaction (dribbling, rebounds, interceptions, blocks, duels and falls). Mention for the Dual Sense, which offers an incredible experience, especially with the adaptive triggers, which harden with use as soon as your player enters red energy level.
It is clear that we have in our hands the NBA 2K that we would have liked to have in September.
You will understand, gameplay level, yes, it smells like the next-gen. Always with this little idea of saying that we are only at the beginnings of what the new consoles can bring to a title like NBA 2K. The reason ? Some technical slag present in the past and still, unfortunately, present. We think of a rigidity still present in the characters and players encountered during the game. If their basketball gestures are impeccable and realistic at the highest point, it is spoiled when they move in space. And what about the halftime show, with a Big Shaq still so stiff and stuck? What about certain facial expressions and sometimes shifty looks on close-ups? Yeah, I’m tough and NBA 2K has always gotten us used to that, you might say. But are we talking about next-gen today? And therefore an identified site to explore for Visual Concepts, undeniably. To justify this next-gen aspect precisely, other than by its aesthetics or its technique, NBA 2K21 offers itself two new game modes and as many promises for the future, ultimately the license. The first is none other than a life-size extension of the Quartier, this interactive hub that allowed players to connect with each other, compete against each other, take part in several different gaming experiences (Pro-AM and REC in particular) and, outside of Career, to “grind” their avatar. We will also note that apart from a few additional cinematics, we are on the same career as on current-gen. No miracle therefore for this last campaign, not very immersive because less well written than other episodes and with less content (NBA Combine in particular) and still not very immersive on new generation consoles.
It is difficult to speak good or bad about The City, because it will only have value and stakes once it is assailed by players. As it stands, the latter is above all too big for what it is and what it brings.
The Quartier is therefore transformed into a city, with more potential to exploit, shops now under the banner of a brand and new products to tame, such as the return of affiliations, more promising because they are divided by district. At the time of this test, it is difficult to speak well or badly about The City, because it will only have value and stakes once it is attacked by players. As it stands, the latter is above all too big for what it is and what it brings. We especially regret the intermediate stage to access it, Rookieville, a playground in a port area, in which you will have to obtain pro status to hope to see the gates of the City open to you. A deplorable step yes, in the sense that it involves a good number of difficulties, bugs in particular (with people and sometimes no one, while there are people, you follow?) But also a certain individualistic attitude among some, concerned about “Grind” at all costs, sometimes jeopardizing your 3 vs 3 shocks, while only victory allows you to progress effectively.
Women’s basketball, the WNBA, has a dedicated mode, The W, which allows you to create your own player (75 overall at the start) in order to integrate her into one of the twelve teams of the North League. American. For step-up, nothing very complicated: you have to play and manage the side effects of your life as a player, namely the other professional aspects of your career and determine your image (influencer, fashion, etc.). So many aspects that allow you to glean the skill points inherent in your progress. Yes, you can grind without going to the cash register in NBA 2K21, a surprise, especially as on the men’s side and in My Career mode, VCs are still as decisive and still as conducive to getting you out of the CB from time to time. other. Even quite often, given the general average of some online …
Finding the basketball stars in their fetish gestures, with enhanced graphics and 60 FPS on the screen is delicious happiness, happiness even more pronounced thanks to a next-gen gameplay.
We can still salute the work done in this mode, in order to offer an even more complete and more readable build to the players, with the disappearance of certain insignias and badges, a more advanced physical customization for your avatar, the management now of two Takeover (instead of one), a primary and a secondary, not counting the team one, determined by your choices, also, on the floor. If there is one last small drawback, it concerns the new MyNBA Mode, which combines the My GM and my League modes, taking all the features of both, in order to offer the player the NBA adventure (draft or not and if so when? How many teams? What salary cap?) the most personalized and customizable there is. The idea is good but does not bring anything new, where My Team, by integrating a Season Pass and Insignia and Badges cards, had already taken more risks in recent months. Ultimately, NBA 2K21 strikes a blow, not masterful so far, but significant for its arrival on new generation consoles. Finding the basketball stars in their fetish gestures, with enhanced graphics and 60 FPS on the screen is delicious happiness, happiness even more pronounced thanks to a next-gen gameplay. For the rest, it is undeniable that this version lays important bases, in particular with a City which offers a certain potential. But we will have to wait before judging it and see the sequel to realize if this version was really just a taste of the future.
