NBA 2K23 Review: Ruined Greatness

[@jameshartman3630]

It’s so refreshing to see someone with my perspective, I feel like a crazy person wanting offline realism and maining franchise modes

[@Aka_GodSpeed]

Just because the majority don’t do it don’t mean it’s crazy

[@sqweeps.03]

@@Aka_GodSpeed exactly. I play more offline than online tbh

[@ICONOCLAST]

Keep supporting their scam. Good job

[@mickyskickreviews4826]

Franchise modes are always for the OG gamers

[@edwardjones1482]

@@sqweeps.03 I always have played 2k offline lol playing online is a cheat 😂

[@satan6432]

There’s one change that’s minuscule that I really really like. When you first draft the Dream, his name is Akeem. However, as the years go by, his name will eventually add the H to make it Hakeem.

[@dominiqueedwards2847]

Seriously 😑

[@satan6432]

@@dominiqueedwards2847 yes seriously, i love it.

[@Ceas3]

@@dominiqueedwards2847 If your a actually basketball fan, you would appreciate that detail

[@dominiqueedwards2847]

@@Ceas3 not only am i a fan...I play the sport and personally I cld care less if the name or the number on the jersey was wrong...as long as the gameplay is solid thts wat matters n for a long time 2K skates by making trash because they care more about things tht got nothing to do wit gameplay

[@LaidBack--]

@@dominiqueedwards2847 facts. This is exactly what the person making this video was talking about as far as why they downplay consumers intelligence. Perfect example.

[@demarkus_the_ogre]

Now this is the way to review a modern 2k. Being an offline player, I tend to disagree with those who dislike the game. But this opens up my eyes to the things they actually do wrong, while still reaffirming my positive beliefs.

[@Boytaklob]

Fax, everybody hates 2k cuz all they play is park. I never play park I am a sim guy and this 2k is one of the best

[@jraybay]

💯

[@CharlesChristinaWH]

@@Boytaklob right I'm a myleague offline player mostly and i also play myleague with the WNBA too

[@Jay_draco]

There’s plenty to hate about 2k’s offline modes as well

[@aceultraboss]

@@CharlesChristinaWH bro, you can play MyLeague online, it’s actually quite fun…until people learn how to get past all the restrictions just to take your best players. But yeah, offline is better

[@Thehobob0b]

I remember when park first became a thing it was $20 to get to a respectable 88 overall at launch, and from then on it was a grind to earn the rest. Went from an $80 purchase to now basically $200.

[@tekitho79]

It’s $100

[@TDOXVRTICAL]

@@tekitho79 200 including dunking animation clothing etc

[@moneyman100k2]

The goal though is not to have to spend money at all. They saw more than enough suckers that want to be the best on the court, and got greedy with VC. I do blame 2k for this shit, but I also blame the consumers too who put up with it and spend more than what's necessary.

[@goldlion9066]

@@moneyman100k2 I’m broke I got no choice with this shit 😭

[@moneyman100k2]

@@goldlion9066 get a job man, or learn a skill that'll get you paid. that's better than wasting your time on 2k. 2k will always be here. Yo bills/life comes first.

[@KrisVic91]

I bought espn nfl 2k (4), for my ps2 after your video. It's blown me away. I played it for 6 hours straight. I'm almost 31. I haven't played a game for that long in years and years.

[@SalmanAli-hn2kt]

guys don’t reply 👆because they are a scam

[@pwnzorofretards]

I remember playing hooky and walking down to GameStop in 7th grade to pick that baby up for $20. The good ole days….

[@drewmow]

I still like Madden 07 better on the PS2 but Xbox and Dreamcast had the best 2ks ever

[@KrisVic91]

@@drewmow espn nfl 2k4 is amazing on my ps2 man

[@drewmow]

@@KrisVic91 I think Madden copied 2K5 for Madden 07 because the players for the first time, slimmed down just like 2K had done since 00'. My main difference is franchise. Idk why but Madden 07 has the most legit easy to use trades and contracts. Like I said I don't know why but other games throw in tons of penalties in trading so it makes it impossible long-term.

[@mcmartymcfly]

an offline MyCareer would be amazing, i really like the mode and would love to be able to play it the way i want, i already play it like it's offline anyways since i don't play in the playground, but i still have to play it the way 2k wants me too and grind grind grind. the worst part is that they shut down the servers like 2 years later and everything is just gone, you can't play any part of it ever again but like lyou said, it's very unlikely they will change anything since it's where the $$$ is

[@A1.2223]

That's why I play myleague. Can play it forever

[@austin31697]

I hate when they shutdown servers and also right about offline being neglected cause hell in MyCareer there's no camera view of the city before the game nor do you see them get off of the bus walking into the arena,no locker room cutscenes, can't use any badges beyond bronze on your character in offline, NOTHING good does this 2k stuff offer.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yeah they used to have offline versions of the career mode didn't they? I have never been into online sports gaming either Head to Head or these card collecting modes. I did a few online leagues but even those are hard to govern. I just like playing games single player offline. It's getting harder to find games that support that though even Gran Turismo 7 forces you to be online to play most of the games modes.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

@@A1.2223 yeah I hope someday they don't turn that into an online only mode the way Gran Turismo has

[@handheldnintendofan]

I don't know why it doesn't just convert to offline I never finished 17 back in the day and wanted to go back and finish with the orange juice story but I can never play that player ever again

[@Delvokian]

MyNBA Eras is the single most exciting development in sports games in the past decade. I am salivating at the idea of a football game with something like this. Being able to go back and lead Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts to a superbowl, Or jump in with the Raiders when they were actually coached by John Madden himself, just sounds surreal and I need it.

[@quentinparhiala9415]

your right

[@sailingyachtlifevsyeanonot7621]

lol at madden ever even thinking about adding something so great .... mlb the show would def try it at some point though , playing as griffy jr on the mariners in the 90's would be great , and of course going back to babe ruth time with real old time stadiums would be amazing or playing as the white soxs during their black socks taking a dive season

[@adamprice3466]

EA had a Tiger Woods golf game like that, you went back in time to play against the greats of every era. And you wore clothes and used equipment from that era.

[@Ma1q444]

No it isn’t lmao

[@booboo4ever24]

I been wanting to play with T.O. on Madden, and on 2k22 my League I put all my favorite legends from the 80s to 00s, I even add Bill Russell, basically play a season with all time teams

[@dottown7961]

I literally stopped playing it. I don't want a story mode that I have to do a fashion show. I just want to grind, build my player up, and make him a hall of fame player. I don't want to play park. I don't have to play with anyone. I just want to make a good player and enjoy the journey. I also hate the limits. You can't have a fast big man, but Giannis is a 99 in speed. Then they will have a draft and have a player heavier than a center, yet he runs a 99. But my center can't get faster than 72. I just want to enjoy getting a shoe deal and balling out.

[@longerhandles]

really makes me miss 2k16 man.

[@DonFamilia62]

This might be my last 2K/EA title. On one hand you have madden whose pack odds are all time low and they cant even release a promo on time and without bugs, then there's 2K with their hand out requiring $100 per build on top of the new $70 base price. These gaming companies are starting to feel like super villians.

[@lillagahnavich7700]

Imagine some of us that have been done with these games for over 3-4 years bc we saw the bullshit happening...it's sad man.

[@Sacksalot]

@@lillagahnavich7700 nice humble brag

[@onehandedbandit5878]

I only bought 2k for offline play and franchise the only online I will play is online play now so I don’t have to waste my money I have never spent money for VC or madden ultimate team cuz I know why it’s a scam

[@arnoldmunez5057]

@@Sacksalot even worse are the channels being filled with comments of people who don’t think this is a problem. They are the reason why we will never get another good video game

[@booboo4ever24]

Been, I've always played offline season 2k9

[@ChiGuy251]

When I play MyCareer I usually avoid park/rec/pro-am altogether for the first few weeks because the advantages VC buyers have is ridiculous. I'm use to the storyline/cut scenes so it doesn't usually annoy me as much but this year it feels like a full on RPG. I do like the idea of a career mode that strictly revolves around your NBA career and everything else such as park/city games are optional and has nothing to do with your progression. It'd be great if the cutscenes only focused on NBA related things such as whether you made a starting line up or not, hyping up key match ups, evaluating your performance after a win or loss and have actual consequences such as the Top Takes Daily crew doubting you after a tough loss or praising you for a big performance. MyCareer could be even better if they just cut the unnecessary stuff and focus on the in and outs of an actual pro career.

[@nox2sweet]

I totally agree!

[@deprosport7254]

Amen

[@RecapRico]

I honestly don't stop playing maycareer until I'm about 75% done with badges and I'm in the mid 80s at least.

[@yasugi0153]

Yea the older titles deff catered to the story more but people complained so they made it background

[@maseg8828]

Ok

[@dollylobster8371]

As a 13 year old kid who has had to deal with these garbage sports games, 2k23 was a breath of fresh air. I’ve imagined what it felt like playing sports games of the past due to your channel and 2k makes me think about what that would be like. I play offline and this is the most fun video game experience I’ve ever had.

[@ChuckwaldMartin]

I've hated online gameplay since 2k21 dropped, 2k20 was the smoothest in my opinion, offensive moves weren't overpowered and no over powering lockdowns, shooting was extremely smooth, no slow/weird/moving catches that are unpredictable and you jumpshot timing was the same each time you shot. Offline my career is horrible to me as all you have to do is stepback and pull up and everytime you're shooting an open 3 every year

[@carsonbenvenuto8549]

I feel bad you just missed the prime era 11-16

[@Eagles2020]

@@carsonbenvenuto8549 you missed 2k10

[@janis551]

get yourself 360 and a ps2 and play the old games. pretty fun

[@matthewbless3335]

@@ChuckwaldMartin if you think offensive moves weren't op in 2k20, you never experienced the nightmare that was the Giannis Behind the Back 🤣🤣🤣

[@RyanMKE_]

As a huge OOTP baseball fan, MyNBA eras is a huge selling point to me. In OOTP you can choose any year in MLB history going back to 1871 and you can replay the entirety of MLB history. I highly recommend OOTP if anyone here is big into the NBA Eras concept and also likes baseball. I hope the keep adding to this mode cause its an absolute winner.

[@TheIshShow1]

That and football manager are really good.

[@dexxxhundo1365]

What is that on

[@TheIshShow1]

@@dexxxhundo1365 It's a PC game!

[@dexxxhundo1365]

@@TheIshShow1 that'd be why I never heard of it I play Xbox

[@RyanMKE_]

@@dexxxhundo1365 OOTP and Football Manager both also have pretty good mobile versions you could try if you wanna ever check em out

[@tidigimon]

Appreciate you standing up for the devs. It really is us (the fans) and them (the devs) vs. Take Two and their shareholders. Whenever you hear interviews from Wang or any of the devs its clear they're actually passionate about the sport and aim to honor it with their game. It's the publisher who forsakes the sport and milks its player base for every nickel and dime. Hoping micro transaction regulation makes its way to America at some point to stick it to them

[@BenjiWantsBliss]

Gotta be honest here, this is one of the best reviews I have ever seen on YT. Have a good day and thank you for the effort.

[@enigmaa777]

i think gameplay was better in the early 2010s. maybe a little less fluid, but very much fun and deep. shooting mechanics were also much more intuitive and predictable (in a good way). they recycle a lot of stuff from the older games and it is all just a cash grab at the end of the day. they’ve removed depth in favor of incentivizing the purchase of VC

[@purwantiallan5089]

NBA 2K24 increased this microtransactions a lot more.

[@thebystander3949]

Got this game during a spring sale for $3. Still playing MyLeague with updated 24-25 user updated rosters. I have an unreal AllTime Spurs Myteam NMS of course, with Manu Kawhi Wemby Timmy And Robinson all Invincible or EndGame. The gameplay is great.

[@thetexanshurtme]

13:49 Out of the Park Baseball: I'm about to end this man's whole career

[@matthewbless3335]

*Major* sports title is the key there. As much as i love OOTP, it's still very much a niche game, as are most text sims

[@matthewbless3335]

Just to be very clear on the 150 dollar version of 2k, it comes with everything the premium version of the game does, but also adds NBA League Pass, which is like a hundred dollar value. That's honestly not terrible if you were planning on buying League Pass. I wasn't, so it was easy to pass on. The VC expense this year is pretty crazy tbh

[@Badboyjimmybob]

Softdrink is the goat😊🎉

[@pixel_retrobowl]

Ikr

[@quentinparhiala9415]

I agree

[@JohnAnthonyHD]

Was waiting for this video from you, I think MyNBA is one of the greatest modes ever. I’m glad Hakeem is finally valid on 2k, I haven’t played My Career since 2k14. I hate how streamers and content creators just play park legit and won’t touch MyNBA then again half these guys don’t even know basketball like that

[@TheGoldeagle99]

What do you mean?

[@BlueBlur24]

@@TheGoldeagle99 He probably means that Park players only know streetball and not actual basketball.

[@Whyareyoulying100]

@@BlueBlur24 no he means they don't know anything about basketball period . And that they only play videogames. Some ppl that play 2k never even touched a real basketball or know the rules in basketball lol

[@evanstewart6893]

2k23 is a big step forward from 22 in my opinion everything from , gameplay and presentation

[@AdamKlownzinger]

You’re objectively wrong

[@kyperactive]

And how is that so clown?

[@evanstewart6893]

@@kyperactive MyNBA is realistic with its presentation, movement and shot creation is seeing a improvement, Rim Protection and off and on ball defense is improved. I’m pretty sure you just bought the game cause it’s popular and everyone is playing it instead of paying attention to detail that’s in the game

[@Killakev169]

Lol on ball defense did not improve please play park before making a dumb comment like that

[@kyperactive]

@@evanstewart6893 This was referring to the guy who made the reply jfc

[@improbablyyourdad8458]

Mycareer is dead. I used to only buy the game for that mode and association. Now only play myleague cause everything else is ruined my micro transactions. In 2k11 you played in the combine and that decided where you were drafted, then you played summer league and that decided if you get signed. Once you were signed you could become a Star, starter, 6th man, or based on how you played and impacted the team. Each game you had goals and you also has season/career goals that would expand your attribute cap. That mode let you feel like each player you made was different. Your career trajectory was truly yours to mold.

[@TheDJHAUN]

BRA THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO MAN WE NEED SOMEONE TO SPEAK OUT ON THE CPU IN 2K ITS HORRIBLE ! KEEP MAKING THESE MAN THEY NEED TO GET BACK WHERE THEY GOT THERE ATTENTION FROM AND THATS MYCAREER !

[@warriorgrl3076]

@7:57 thank you!!! thank you! seriously, i absolutely love the gameplay in this game, and i agree 1000%!! i went back to NBA2K23 for a reason… it’s just, special. i love the MyWNBA experience and the ability to make WNBA Expansion Teams. also @9:48 thank you again!! the easy green releases make the hours you put into perfecting your releases on shots feels very rewarding, while not feeling to slow or grindy! i also love the delayed Green effect too, as well as the variety in animations that’ll trigger even if it’s green! it has you on the edge of your seat for a sec as you think “did that go in”? so immersive! because irl, Basketball shots can and do go in, in a variety of ways like that. @10:36 yes!! i feel that exact same way about the gameplay tbh! great video as always!!

[@mobilegamerytwellplayedyt5272]

The thing with 2k23 in my opinion if u get past the micro translations in the online this 2k is what I wanted from the 2k developers the offline is one of the best if not the best of all 2ks myeras Is the my league mode the Micheal Jordan challenges are awesome the mycareer story is not the best tho, myteam is a decent mode I like that they added some new stuff to it to keep it fresh

[@MarkelScott100]

Jordan challenge is goated only weakness it has is it skips over his finals with Charles Barkley and his legendary duel vs reggie miller due to licensing issues

[@mobilegamerytwellplayedyt5272]

@@MarkelScott100 yea true it would be amazing if they finally got the rights for barkley and Reggie Miller to be in 2k

[@MarkelScott100]

@@mobilegamerytwellplayedyt5272 yea we need reggie and charles in the game

[@vindictivezit652]

I always (like most people do) win my MyPlayer's chip by the end of they year, even with me sinking half of my 2k time to MyNBA as well. But this year might really be the year I don't get to win a chip since I've been enjoying the whole MyNBA Eras feature they added. Me running long-form franchise-esque "series" for all eras has my basketball historian juices fired up. I'm really just loving the MyNBA side of things.

[@BallinLikeMike23]

When I first heard about the my league eras I knew it would make a great video for channel. Thank you for covering this important and awesome mode. The bar has been set for career mode in sports games.

[@richardvelante4510]

2K 23 is like that uncle that paid for your College and wants to collect behind closed doors.. ..

[@rayodfilms]

SOFTDRINK WITH ANOTHER BANGER LETS GO‼️

[@tlow8745]

It's such a shame because every year I don't give a crap about online, I just wanna go back to how it was in 2k12 even 13 where you could have a 99 overall pg doing Jordan dunks and hitting Steph 3's whilst taking Miami to 8 straight championships from the rookie year. I don't care about builds, like you said have my career offline & have builds for online park matches. Like literally how are you supposed to make a player like KD, Zion or Wemby in the current my career and be good? You can't. It's not fun.

[@souldrum86]

My favorite mode is my NBA era's. Currently using 1991 Bulls. I was really enjoying my career at the start. The AI teammates are smarter this year. And I love walking into the arena and going to the locker room. Even the pregame shoot around is so good this year. Allowing you to run out of the tunnel. Gives you the feel like you're at a real NBA game. However upgrading your player is such a scam. I don't mind grinding but this year upgrading your player is horrible. I'm halfway into my season and I'm only a 77 overall. BTW I hate the park. I avoid it at all cost.

[@Reefer-Rampage69]

Hey what OVR are you now if you’re still playing any!? I just picked up the Jordan Edition on sale for $30!!!

[@J69user]

@@Reefer-Rampage69I snatched up the game for $10 on steam sale before the Finals. I just got it for the classic teams 😂.

[@SamsterTH]

Really appreciate this review, homie. Played the game on release, and been enjoying it since! I began to notice that "the internet/easy-minded" tend to hate anything they don't understand or have a history disliking in the past, so your open-minded approach and honesty when it came to all sides of the game was a very welcome change. The world would be a better place with more people like you :)

[@quentinparhiala9415]

me to

[@skyjones92]

Thank you for this review. I've heard bad things about this game but everyone focuses on my park and my career. While I was once more into my career, I am primarily an offline player and really just want to play franchise mode anyway. I may get this game now thanks to you.

[@styledbycisco5641]

Having to roam around the neighborhood to do quests you are forced to complete before playing mycareer games is sooooo annoying

[@stevenwilliams1140]

100 percent agree with you on this review great job. I stay away from online and just enjoy the eras. I know online is the the thing now but I’m 34 and playing with Jordan and Kobe again is way cooler then online for me

[@mr.sinister5584]

10:20 I dont want to practice. Granted Im not playing online and have no desire too. I love franchise and want to just do that, irl series, fantasy drafts, etc. And I do a mix of playing and sim. But I should not have to green every shot for it to go in. I know im not good at the game, but I still want a fun experience. I also want the cpu to still be competitive so I dont want it to be too easy. Ive tried messing with sliders, trying the base sliders, etc. Nothing consistently works and I dont get it. Its funny you mention 2k20 as being bad because that one I really enjoyed. During my franchise I didnt have to green every shot, the meter would be slightly off and still go in. I personally like that

[@robbratcher4675]

You hit the nail on the head with your review of the MyEra. It's a thing of beauty.

[@ParamoreFAV3]

That idea you had about separating Park from Career was once in 2K bro; it was Create A Legend lol. They’re so ass for taking it out; all they needed was simple cinematic scenes postgame or pregame and just hoop.

[@Abstrack23]

One of the worst Basketball games I have ever came across. Glitch fest 24/7. Players staying in the box for the more than 3 seconds and doesn't even have the IQ to come out, defenders getting faked out in nearly every play and players cutting to the basket in between 2-3 defenders lol. This game flat out sucks.

[@yeahimveelo5242]

Dont forget the consistent fouls every 20 seconds

[@Abstrack23]

@@yeahimveelo5242 Don't also forget getting kicked out and they count it as a lost to your record lol. I swear to God, one game I was up 16-9 and they counted it as an L towards my record because the "connection" got interuppted. Happened about 7-8 times now to me. Therefore my real record should be 48-12.

[@yeahimveelo5242]

@@Abstrack23 smh they ripped us off this time around 🤦🏿‍♂️

[@IlDeimos]

One bad thing about a sports game can make the entire game trash. For instance, if I'm paying $70+ for a game, and still need to pay $100 per build to be competitive online, that's pay to win, and it instantly makes the game trash. I don't care what they did good. The speed boost rim running is OP, the cheesy fades from the 3, the cheesy Hof glove steals, the 15 different shot timings for 1 jump shot, the inconsistent gameplay making everything a roll of the dice. The game is trash. There is a reason why people rather fade at the 3 then take a normal jump shot, because fading with a 92 3 ball is easier to make then a normal a 3 with a 92 3 point shot.

[@eeik5150]

I’ve never had an issue with the micro transaction aspect of my career. I just don’t participate in the games online with other players and just focus completely on the career aspect of my career. Having a slow grind actually makes it more rewarding once you finally get to the point where you’re dominating games, at least that’s how it feels for me. My issue came when suddenly you had to participate in online games with other players in order to unlock certain cosmetic features like some of the tattoos, and some of the gear that you can wear on court. That stuff pissed me off. I don’t like playing against other players in my career because of the people that pay to win. I want to just focus on the my career aspect of being a career player in the NBA and try to reach all the way to retirement and looking how I want to look.

[@piemuggs]

I’ve only ever played Franchise. One weird thing I’ve noticed is that when new players enter the league through the draft, so many of them have 99 speed and acceleration. It’s pretty ridiculous. The attributes can be a bit off, but it’s still pretty fun to play a team that only has drafted players.

[@TheShapeshifter]

the increased price of VC and the lessened amount you earn from MyCareer games completed turned me away from the game. I can't pay extra money to play this game anymore.

[@jonraybon8582]

The Eras feature is something that I've wanted for years. Being able to go back and play through the 80s and 90s, and play with the Showtime Lakers or the Bad Boy Pistons, see the rule changes, logo changes, new teams, etc. is amazing. The only thing better would be a *good* NFL game with this... fat chance of that happening.

[@DrSkull1939]

I just started playing offline. I love having all those historical teams and players. Barkley doesn't want to join because he wants to get paid. I love the different PA announcers for each stadium. I recognize the guy in Detroit for example. Also it has 10 slots where you can put a all of your teams in. It's a fun off line game for me. I'm not paying extra for this game

[@eloc.0215]

As a fairly competitive park player, and someone who used to play alot of myteam, This is the worst 2k gameplay wise Ive ever seen. The worst sports game gameplay wise Ive ever seen, and its not even close. The defense is garbage, the rim running is garbage, the shooting is garbage, theres a build system that allows every player to do every little thing... Its just garbage. Myteam is the worst it has ever been, with endgames, tacko fall returning with 99 in every stat... Its just dreadful. And the gameplay in the game is catered towards park, which is what makes it even worse. Because while it can be catered towards park, it STILL sucks for park. Still though, not as bad, or nearly as bad as it sucks for Myteam. Its single handedly the worst Mainstream game in terms of gameplay Ive ever played. Its a little fun at times but still regularly boring, and I cannot even begin to comprehend why you would even install this game if it is not to play with friends. The community on social media is growing smaller, which makes for a less interactive community and game in general, which is led by the bad game at it's core. Current gen is the least detailed game ive ever seen Aswell.

[@elitedabbin9211]

The defense isn’t just garbage is downright atrocious,with the way you get bumped and slide and Literally can’t get the easiest steals there possibly is.

[@TellHerNothing]

The gameplay is amazing, i went from being a strictly park player to having 150+ playnow games, The shooting should never be changed, once you learn how to green consistently you're unstoppable My only issue that contact dunks seem to be nonexistent

[@RoseLikesFootball]

Another benefit of adding an offline MyCareer: You can play it after the servers go down. As a long time FIFA player, NBA servers going down after like 2 years was a shock to me. FIFA usually keeps old servers up for around 5-6 years. On top of this, many of the gamemodes are offline, so even when servers do go down, the game still has plenty of value, especially when it comes to nostalgia. This especially annoyed me as a MyCareer player who likes to play full games. That's right, 12 minute quarters, whatever. Obviously, it takes a while to get through my career, usually like 2-3 months per season, but that is how I like it. So one day I went to load up my old MyCareer save I had dumped so much time into - I think I was on season 3 having played every game, 12 minute quarters - and I couldn't play because the servers went down. So annoying and so unnecessary. And its probably only done to force me to buy the new game if I want to play MyCareer, even though FIFA has never shut down their Player/Manager Modes and still rakes in sales.

[@robertcohen41]

Sooooo glad I gave this game up. By my second year, 2k21, I was becoming a full blown pack addict and wasting money. And at the end of the year, I realized that all that money was spent and now I had to start over in 2k22?!?! Never going back. Gambling addiction is a serious thing and buying game packs is gambling.

[@chasemartinez6466]

I feel like my park has ruined the 2k experience. It’s the only the thing they care about. Park players complained endlessly about skill gap in my park and it permeates every other mode. Why do I have to green almost every shot from midrange to 3 in play now? How am I supposed to learn the releases of every single player on every team? In head to head games with my cousin game scores are always like 42-48 and we shoot 40 percent or less everytime.

[@couragecrusader7649]

I went back to 2k22 myleague. The shooting is way too hard to be enjoyable…

[@priorwitness]

Thanks for the in depth review! I'm a Franchise mode guy who never plays online for all sports games. So to hear that those modes here are awesome that's fantastic! It sucks for those that do play online as many people do. For me I still won't buy it until it goes on sale for around 20 though. Sports games just don't stay expensive for long. I'm sure in a couple months or so it'll hit that mark. Heck I already see on sale for 40

[@colbychick]

Are y'all missing the insane sequence at 22:37???

[@billybadass3056]

yes and your time stamp doesn't show anything either....

[@dillonconners586]

The shooting is unreliable and dogshit. With or without the shot meter, you can hit what looks like a perfect green, and miss that shot 8 times in a row. Next game youll hit 8-9 hitting the same spot. It makes no sense. Post gameplay is really good, but shooting is garbage. Then you go online and have people who drop 23 3's straight on your head, probably running scripts. If you're the average fan, youll enjoy slashing and post play. The minute you start shooting from mid and 3, you'll see a gross lack of any consistency. It's not the worse shooting ever, but there seems the be a fair amount of rng included in with the skill. It's ridiculous that the shot meter is pretty useless as you can hit perfectly in the green just to be gaslighted by the game 1 second later. The eras is cool, but lets not pretend shooting isnt busted with inconsistencies. I had my shot timing drop because a defender ran up a half second AFTER i released the ball. Went from a perfect green to a miss for no good reason, the ball was already up and then the timing drops with the ball in the air. Not like i released late, like i released, it stopped in green, then the bar just skips and drops out of green. Garbage. Thats not okay in a $70 game.

[@dillonconners586]

I'm fine missing when I take hard shots, or my timing is just off, but when I take a shot hard or not and I time it perfectly and I miss more than I make, it's not okay. It's not "git gud", it's one game I'm draining 70% of 3's with half being somewhat contested, next game I miss 10 in a row wide open landing in green. Zero consistency.

[@Mike_Ro_Wayve]

Am I the only one that’s been having insane issues with green shots not going in, the ball passing to a entirely different person than who I was passing to?

[@jacktherocket7516]

Yep, I have been having these issues since 2k18

[@Nocing]

My only problem is $120 for a build and any trash can random running up with a 25 steal ripping my 90 ball handle 6’8 wit gold unpluckable it’s disgusting I have a 88 win % wit 400 games it would be 90+ if the game didn’t pass you the ball out of bounds on 1v1 and square spamming post scorers

[@marcragusin947]

That’s a great review. I’m not a huge basketball fan and haven’t bought a 2k since 2k16. But I dropped $70 to play MyNBA eras. I’ve been blown away with how much fun it has been. I’m legitimately getting more into basketball because of the enjoyment I’m getting from this game.

[@michaelahurt]

What is your favorite part about MyEras?

[@marcragusin947]

I’m a huge sports history and documentary fan. So getting to simulate and create in past eras is such a blast. It also allows me to do this in a serious or funny way. So I’ve taken a serious approval by trying to rebuild the Nuggets in the Kobe era (since I was in HS then and remember us tanking for Lebron and drafting Melo over D Wade). On a less serious note, I’ve created the terminator to go back in time a kill Michael Jordan’s career. It’s a ton of fun and what a video game in 2022 should be

[@michaelahurt]

@@marcragusin947 Thanks. I think my expectations were just too high. Idk. Seems like other people liked it a lot more than I did. I tried to recreate the Pistons cause I wanted to extend the Bad Boys into the 90s and I guess I was expecting a true faithful simulation where Bowie would go over MJ, I could draft Rodman and Dumars, trade for Dantley then Aguirre, etc. But obviously Dumars and Rodman are top 3 picks, Dantley is treated like he's a franchise player and it's impossible to make that trade, Aguirre even more so, every draft is just players drafted in order of career win shares, Rodman had blonde hair, Jordan HAD hair in 1988, a bunch of players were missing (including Bowie), a bunch of rookies had tattoo sleeves and compression pants in the 80s, Isiah Thomas shot 57% while Arvydas Sabonis shot 42%, rookies were making $1m on a $12m cap and eventually a bunch of All-Stars were FA signing one year deals cause no teams could afford to sign anyone ... I just couldn't get into it. I'll have to try the Kobe era though. That might be more fun. Hopefully the cap works better than it does in the 80s

[@jdgreen214]

@@michaelahurt Yeah it sucks they don't have the rights to all the older players. I'm sure someone will realistically create the official draft classes from each era. I miss having time to do stuff like that.

[@pivan_prod]

Shooting delay on online gamemodes is still a problem for the playerbase and new players. At least on pc, the shooting delay makes it a lot of the time unenjoyable to play online. No other game really has it. Sad that 2k focus on microtransactions and not on a real problem.

[@josiahnaegelen9314]

I'm watching this review way late, but easily the best reviewer I've seen who looks at the game holistically. Thank you!

[@prancesco15]

The amount of content this game has compared to other sports titles is mind blowing

[@quentinparhiala9415]

Yes it is

[@arnoldmunez5057]

I wish It did, because then what you said would make sense. The only worthwhile mode is the theater

[@Ma1q444]

Bro what content does it have

[@youtubeisracistx]

nope. look at the sims 4. its worse cus total for dlc on that game could be over $200 if you dont wait for sale

[@collider12]

Also streamers showcasing only mypark ruined it because it’s really fun to play with friends but to grind your player for so long then it to be not as good for park but good for mycareer is a horrible feeling

[@DiscoveryPal478]

We need a new NBA live very badly. The fact you could play online and spend 0$ and still have fun is amazing. Im mad I didn't play it when it came out and instead gave 2k more money by Making builds.

[@chrisjones2737]

I would kill for a new live

[@shadoweditz9335]

Yeah I played nba live 18 and it was so much from especially the pick up basketball games

[@MessengerKeyson99]

I wish they brought back ‘Create A Legend’ mode that was in NBA2k12 & NBA2k13.

[@joshuastar77]

If it wasn't for park and the game costing 160$. This game could be on the levels of 2k11-2k16.

[@blakelip3]

Take away MyPark & revamp MyCareer with no story this game is 8-10 easy

[@OneNateS]

Has @SoftDrinkTv reviewed any of the current The Show games, cuz imo, as a person who doesn’t like or associate themselves with Baseball in any way shape or form, after playing MLB The Show I whole heartily believe that that’s currently the best sports game out there rn. It’s a genuinely fun and refreshing game . Coming from a guy who doesn’t even know what an RBI is.

[@OfficialFoshiznik]

100% with you on how career mode should be. I’m from the UK so have zero experience of playing basketball irl so don’t have the knowledge of the fundamentals so try to stick to just doing the nba side of the career. However I still have to play with others to meet the quests so I get murdered even after spending real money on my player just to compete as the worst player on the court. Love the gameplay, especially how much easier it is to cut without the ball like irl but I’m still bad at moving with the ball.

[@cmoney8085]

And remember in my career when you hit stat milestones it would put up during the game

[@fyrecracker7201]

I like that the video is 23 minutes. Clever

[@MisterRichay]

Thank you for being the most rational reviewer out there. As an offline only guy I might actually play this for the retro franchises when the price dips.

[@ugoaroh7809]

For these past few years, I've just been making characters. Importing them into myleague and then player locking them so it's like I'm playing as that character. I'd say this is a good option for anyone who only wants to play nba games and wants to create a custom character that's any overall without paying money

[@eeik5150]

To be fair Kotaku is a 2/10 review site that is more likely to take a political stance on a game rather than review the game detached from politics. 1:35

[@xman777b]

excellent review. Regarding historical mode: How i wish the great 90's Indy Pacers & Phoenix Suns teams were included :( Please get Barkley and Reggie signed Take 2, so this part of NBA history doesn't remain a black hole for the series.

[@matthewbless3335]

Player DNA really helps with that. Just pick your favorite version of Barkley and Reggie up there and have a blast

[@nolongerwavey]

My question is why do we still have that recycled blacktop court since 2k17?! What happened to court selection?

[@mayitakeyourhatsir8632]

Man I would always play MyCareer not to play in Park because fuck that, I'd just try to make the most OP career you could imagine. I had a player in 2K21 that had a career 3P% of 60% and that shit was fun as hell. It's a shame that even in the offline version of it it's an absolute grind, it took me an entire summer of playing the game for at least 2-4 hours a day with some sessions of even more, for me to get a like 92 overall player. And now I hear it's EVEN WORSE??? I just want to be able to create a player, have a reasonable grind to success, and not have to deal with all this bullshit

[@Nasiere2x]

7:06 well they kinda do have that as you can player lock any player in mynba, including real players which is sort of like create a legend from 2k13.

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

That's true, I've done that before

[@jaleikwaiters1852]

This game is trash no reason you have to green to make a shot & badges and micro transactions ruined this game too I guess I’m too old school back then you had to actually be good at the game now you just need too abuse badges and master the shots which is ridiculous

[@tee_buckets]

Agreed bro! Nostalgia has nothing to do with it either , the games were created with more passion prior to these newer ones and that’s just true truth! After 2k17 2k fell off bad gameplay wise, so much sliding , horrible foot planting, the dribbling isn’t at tight, lack of Jersey movements almost looks as if the jerseys are stuck to the players bodies , muscle tone looks Gumby like, the shooting mechanics haven’t been good since 2k17 bro, 2k taking advantage of us all because they have no competition, I just hope Live makes a comeback

[@abdouplys4209]

Hey softdrinkstv your my favorite sports youtuber because you are honest about video games and don't hype it up like other youtubers and i hope you reach a million subscribers.

[@rashadh7983]

I really enjoyed your reviews on sports video games. And this reviewed was another W. I truly believe that NBA 2k23 is trying to Complete for best sports game or best game of the year. But those micro transactions is keeping the game back from greatness. I vow to not play my career.. Because of the micro transactions.

[@J.Wick.]

NGL... I pretty much only bought this game for the Jordan Challenge & NBA 80s/90s ERA. I'm not an annual 2k buyer, nor am I a huge Jordan fan. I simply miss 80s/90s basketball. And for that, it was pretty awesome. Bring Back the SONICS! I had to get Kemp & Payton a ring lol.

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

I took over the Sonics in the 80s as well. Dale Ellis became a superstar

[@J.Wick.]

@@SOFTDRINKTV Yep! Got that range!

[@paul-pq4xp]

Appreciate the in-depth review. Especially the attention that was paid to the offline/online player experience.

[@notsocooldude7720]

You acknowledge that playing against the CPU sucks yet say the offline modes are great? To me it’s unbearable. The way the CPU plays just breaks any immersion and ruins it for me. Maybe the concepts are good but if the gameplay is ass I don’t get how you can praise it

[@AWPSpace]

Hey softdrink I love watching your reviews. A suggestion for a review is the new Maximum football 23 I don't really trust other reviewers so I would like your opinion on it

[@DrSkull1939]

I really fear that 10 years from Lord permitting, we will look back on this game like we do 2k05 football. I hope someone buys the rights to the NBA and it's likeness. Basketball will go the way of Madden

[@sel6765]

I really miss Mycareer offline 😢

[@iankinnell5643]

Agreed they need to have an offline my career even if they made the previous years one as the offline version or they can have some items only unlockable online

[@yoAventus]

I’ve always been and will always be a MyCareer guy first and foremost. I think it being offline would do wonders for the mode. I still want to simulate an NBA career and everything that comes with it, even the stuff that seems tedious just cause it’s attached to the online mode, doing interviews and walking around a living breathing city interacting with everything and getting super immersed. A very customizable offline MyCareer even with all the cutscenes and other stuff would be amazing.

[@jduke93]

I’ve actually enjoyed 2k this year, they added a bunch of stuff this year especially myera which is really dope

[@joelbarcial6920]

Great review. I stopped playing MyCareer in 2K17 and moved to MyGM then. I enjoy the offline version esp with the uploading/downloading of rookies. I just realized after watching your review that yes, pace is really slow with the current game. They are ok on defense but are having a hard time getting to 100 pts.

[@whoasked9500]

Hey SOFTDRINKTV, I've been wondering if you would ever talk about the F1 games. Before EA bought Codemasters, they were putting out banger after banger. However, the newest game F1 22, despite some updates, is kind of shit. Maybe not an absolute dumpster fire, but it's a huge step down from previous games. And oh yeah there's greed inserted from EA in the game too.

[@randm4246]

Green or Miss is a good concept, especially offline, but falls apart quickly online. Having to time your release down to the last nanosecond while playing with significant input lag just doesn't work.

[@lenin17301560]

Fine, I'll play it offline. I wish FIFA or Madden were good offline, and bad online.

[@Emmvnyo]

I like the vibe of your videos, music really has that “Bone Labs” vibe to it haha

[@bw0081]

In response to the $160 price tag. For a while, they had a deal attached to that where you could get a year of NBA League Pass at that price, which if you want League Pass, is an amazing deal.

[@o0Henry0o]

But it also gave you a Go-Kart and a 10% XP Boost on MyTEAM and MyCAREER for the whole season which make it’s pay to win and a lot harder grind for people who already have league pass or don’t want it and bought one of the two cheaper editions

[@BamXBam97]

And you could only get that addition pre ordered for a short period of time. Since the game is now out you no longer can purchase that edition.

[@michaelahurt]

*WAS* an amazing deal. Personally I think giving people a $200 League Pass package +the game and everything else for $150 then revealing the day you charge their credit cards that LP is actually only a $90 value so people basically unknowingly paid full price for both the game and LP is pretty shady. It's still a good deal for what you got. Although 2k hasn't actually sent the LP codes to a lot of people still.

[@handheldnintendofan]

@@michaelahurt league pass isn't 200 though I was looking at prices the other day it's only 100 so the price must have come down

[@michaelahurt]

@@handheldnintendofan It did. It was $200 for years. The NBA announced they were slashing the price from $200 to $90 or $100 or whatever it is now literally the day 2k charged us. My card got charged right after midnight and the press release was later that morning. So shady

[@iankinnell5643]

I'm a offline Franchise player so I'm gunna,get a copy soon I love the fact you can build expansion teams to make your own league even better

[@tee_buckets]

We need to simply go back to the OLD motion system from 2k11-2k17! Every since 2k18 the 2k series regressed gameplay wise and even graphically. The shooting this 2k is the worst it’s ever been #SMH Rim mechanics are terrible , it’s either a MAKE or MISS, you can’t get rewarded for a slightly early or late layup or a jump shot 😕

[@blur8163]

“You start out at 60 overall which is very low for an NBA player” I don’t even play most modern sports games but bro you literally start at 30 overall in like 2K11 lol

[@jonathanparris1372]

This was the best sports review I may have ever seen. Actually convinced me to buy the game after reluctantly holding out due to the MyCareer grind

[@dcb99filmz]

Someone needs to make a Slam Dunk draft class...Rukawa, Sendou, Maki, Akagi, Kogure, Mitsui, Miyagi, and of course, Sakuragi. also, Coi Leray's Anxiety now lives in my head rent free

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

Also Kuroku's basketball draft class

[@chadwellington2524]

i got anxiety thats why i keep it on me

[@itsjust_jerry8510]

thank you, You helped me appreciate 2k23 more than I had and made me want to try playing it again. Great review!

[@Smilodon_ex]

I wish 2k was able to make a nfl football game cause ea ain’t it 💩😂

[@BrockMak]

17:45 That's partially true for current gen. It's still "Ringers" at "Ballers"