NBA 2K17, the latest entry in the NBA2K series, was released on Sept. 16 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Visual Concepts, the developers of the game, and 2K Sports, the publisher, worked diligently to make this year’s installment of the game as authentic as possible; almost as if one were watching an actual NBA game.
The visuals in the game are astonishing. The graphics are well done this year as the developers travelled to all thirty NBA arenas and recorded the sounds of each buzzer and the sound the net makes once you make a shot. The game play is incredible with the commentary team that has eleven different commentators that group up based on the location of the home team. Because of this, the game never feels dry as there is different insight into every game that you play.
Ever wondered what it would be like to play in the NBA? NBA 2K17 will allow you to do this. The “MyNBA2K17” app, available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, will allow the player to perform a face scan and put themselves into the game. The storyline for the created player is completely different this year compared to last year’s edition. This year, the created character is already a high school prodigy who is about to decide what college he is going to attend. While in college, the player tries to impress NBA scouts with their play and attempt to win the NCAA National Championship to increase their draft stock. After the NBA draft, the player meets up with the newest signee of the team: Denver Levins, a former D-League and International player that shares the same position as the created character, and the two grow a friendship on and off the court. This mode has exponentially improved as the story that this mode creates continues well past the player’s rookie season, as it did in last year’s MyCareer mode.
Visual Concepts have also improved the MyLeague/MyGM modes. In this mode, the gamer has the ability to control a team’s destiny from everything from relocating a team to a different city to changing the official NBA rules in the offseason as either a team’s General Manager or Owner. This mode was completely revamped as now it is possible to create a league with up to 35 other players as gamers can expand the NBA to 36 teams if the player chooses so. This mode really makes the creativity aspect of the gamers to the test as many people like to do “what if” scenarios.
The best game mode in the game is MyTeam. The objective of this game mode is to collect cards from opening packs, playing games, or buying cards off of the auction house. The goal for most players is to collect the best possible team of 13 players from past and present. If you manage to collect 2,500 different cards, you receive a 99 overall (in a 100-point rating scale) Kobe Bryant. Cards are broken down into tiers: bronze, silver, gold, emerald, sapphire, ruby, onyx, diamond, and pink diamond. Instead of just playing against other users in the mode with your team, you can play MyTeam Blacktop. In this revamped game, you select one player from your collection and get randomly selected two cards that are in the game and not necessarily cards that you have obtained.
All in all, this game is a must have game for all sports lovers. It is an incredible upgrade from last year’s edition of the game with all these improvements. The developers listened to almost every request that the community had offered. Even though there is still no draft mode, like “Madden” has incorporated, the game receives a 9.2 out of 10.
