As a basketball fan, playing and reviewing NBA 2K25 was a real treat. With its variety of game modes and new features, it’s something every NBA fan should try. While it does have many similarities with last year’s iteration, there is no denying that 2K25 also features many improvements.
The first thing you’ll notice is its impressive graphics. The leap from NBA 2K24 is not huge, yet it’s noticeable. Some face scans could have been much better, but overall, the graphics are astounding. Due to this, it’s no surprise that you’ll have to reserve more than 130 GB of hard disk space for the game.
Whether you’re a casual or hardcore fan, you are almost guaranteed to find something you’ll enjoy in NBA 2K25. Not only is this the best basketball simulation to date, but it has a couple of addictive game modes you will spend days grinding.
One of the biggest additions is Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting. This feature allows you to mimic each player’s signature shooting by moving the right analog stick down, and then moving it up when the animation reaches its set point. This is a high-risk high-reward mechanic, but if you master it, there is no doubt that you’ll obliterate your opponents on the hardwood.
With new shooting features, you can further tweak your difficulty level. Image by VideoGamerBasketball is all about buckets, and NBA 2K25 allows you to select different Shot Timing Profiles. These profiles allow you to further tweak the difficulty-reward ratio on your shots. If you set it to low, you’ll have a smaller green window for shots, but mistimed shots will be more forgiving. The other end of the spectrum is much more challenging and is essentially a green-or-miss setting. However, if you can time your shots properly, you’ll easily knock down a barrage of long-range shots.
Besides fantastic new options you can use on the offensive end of the floor, 2K Sports made sure to improve defense as well. NBA 2K25 introduces a cutoff system you can use to stop offensive players in their tracks. Using the right analog stick on defense increases your chances of pulling a defensive stop and poking the ball out of your opponent’s hands. Shot contests now work differently as well, and your coverage during the start of the shots and their release both play a big role in 2K25.
Even if you don’t like to have direct control over the game, NBA 2K25 has something for you. MyGM mode allows you to walk into the shoes of your favorite team’s General Manager in an attempt to raise more banners in your home arena. This year’s version adds more role-playing elements, and you can now pick your backstory.
If you want a bigger role in the league, you can try out MyNBA and check out The Steph Era. You take the reins of the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry, one of the best 3-point shooters in the game, and try to replicate their success.
For fans of old-school basketball, 2K Sports offers a few older eras, including the era dominated by Michael Jordan. They offer unique gameplay and presentation, so playing with the 90s Chicago Bulls will feel different than using the 2023 Denver Nuggets.
MyCareer mode is back, unsurprisingly, and brings massive improvements. Becoming a legendary player and competing for the title of the GOAT has never been more entertaining. The game mode brings a new Takeover system that you can use to elevate your player’s abilities during certain situations in the game.
Playing MyCareer, you’ll be able to dethrone Michael Jordan and call yourself the greatest basketball player of all time. NBA 2K25 also adds Dynasty points, and the more you earn, the higher your rank in your team’s history. If you don’t surpass His Airness, you could finish your illustrious career as the best player to ever play for the team of your choosing.
Creating your own NBA player in 2K25 is fun but also costly if you do it through MyCareer. This brings me to the biggest problem I have with the game. While it’s absolutely entertaining, 2K25 relies heavily on microtransactions. Playing as a 65-rated player is no fun, yet upgrading him to 90 overall rating or higher is going to cost you hundreds of thousands of VC.
Forget about multiplayer modes when you start your MyCareer. Either no one is going to want to play with you or you will get destroyed by players with high overalls. Even cosmetic items, like shoes and sleeves, cost a lot, yet earning VC is a slow grind. At times, you’ll need to play for an hour or two just to earn enough VC to upgrade a single attribute point.
Another awful thing about 2K25 is the removal of some NBA players. While this is nothing new, the list of removed players seems to be getting longer with every year. Adding The Steph Era without Andre Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, is a real head-scratcher. If you decide to play with the Washington Wizards’ all-time team, you won’t see John Wall in it, while Blake Griffin is nowhere to be found in the LA Clippers.
NBA 2K25 delivers a thrilling basketball experience that caters to fans of all levels with its stunning graphics, engaging modes, and innovative features like Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting. Unfortunately, it’s hard to overlook the persistent issue of microtransactions that can hinder enjoyment, especially for those who can’t play for a few hours every day. If you do have time or you’re a basketball fan who simply wants to play quick games, then you should certainly pick up NBA 2K25, as it offers a deep, immersive experience that is well worth it.