-
NBA 2K17
Grinding For Greatness
by Matt Bertz
Concept:
Improve the best sports sim on the market with myriad enhancements to MyGM, MyCareer, and the gameplay
Graphics:
A greater variety of body types helps the players look more realistic, and authentic crowd touches bring the arenas to life
Sound:
The most impressive commentary in sports games gets better with guest analysts like Chris Webber, Steve Smith, and Brent Barry
Playability:
Still one of the most complicated sports games to control, but offers longtime players a lot to master
Entertainment:
With an abundance of deep modes and stellar on-court action, NBA 2K17 offers hundreds of hours of fun
Replay:
High
Elite NBA players enjoy the 24/7 spotlight of national television, lucrative endorsem*nt deals, and even occasional crossovers into Hollywood. But underneath this veneer of the charmed life are thousands of hours spent in gyms perfecting shooting strokes, honing dribbling moves, and sculpting physiques to withstand the rigors of an 82-game season. For better and worse, NBA 2K17's popular MyCareer mode looks past the glitz and the glamour to focus on the practical side of being a professional athlete.
A year after the Spike Lee debacle, MyCareer returns with a new narrative penned by screenwriter Aaron Covington (Creed). Regardless of which organization drafts you, your team's rookie class includes an overlooked gem named Justice Young, played by the talented Michael B. Jordan (Creed, The Wire). Together, you strive to become the next great NBA tandem, following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Your chemistry develops through cutscenes and hours of practice at the gym, and if you play off each other enough during a game, you unlock the ability to take control of the tandem. Controlling two players at the same time almost feels too empowering; lethal give-and-gos are unleashed at the push of a button, and Young rarely misses an open look.
Performing well in MyCareer is paramount to improving the skills of your player, who once again starts with an absurdly low rating in a shameless ploy to get users to take the easy path and spend money on the virtual currency. Regardless of which approach you take, you need to put many hours into the practice mode to round out your player. Earning currency via games played and endorsem*nt deals is still the way to upgrade your primary skills, but certain critical skills like stamina and free-throw shooting can only be improved by grinding at the gym. Unfortunately, the path to upgrading these is needlessly opaque; even if you shoot free-throws for 20 minutes, you may not raise your rating a single point. After putting 20 hours into the gym activities – which offer great variety, by the way – I still don't understand the logic of when skill points do and don't get awarded.
See more of the review at Game Informer
The NBA 2K17 Legend Edition Gold includes
Physical Items (Not Included in Digital Version):
- Kobe poster
- Black mamba controller skin
- 2 Panini Kobe trading cards
- Lenticular cover insert
Digital Content:
- 100,000 VC
- ‘92 Dream Team playable in Quick Game
- Kobe #8 Mitchell & Ness Jersey
- Kobe USA Basketball Jersey
- Kobe hoodie
- Nike Kobe shoe collection – 24 shoes in all
- MyTEAM Gold Bundle (includes 5 packs w/guaranteed Kobe Free Agent card)
- Early Tip-Off access starting September 16
BEST IN CLASS GAMEPLAY
2K puts shot making in your hands like never before. Advanced Skill Shooting gives you complete control over the power and aim of your perimeter shots as well as your ability to finish inside the paint.
THE PRELUDE
Begin your MyCAREER on one of 10 licensed collegiate programs, available for free download one week prior to launch!
MyCAREER
It's all-new and all about basketball in 2K17 – and you're in control. Your on-court performance and career decisions lead to different outcomes as you determine your path through an immersive new narrative, featuring Michael B. Jordan. Additionally, new player controls give you unparalleled supremacy on the court.
USA BASKETBALL
Take the court as Team USA with Coach K on the sidelines. Earn USAB MyTEAM cards and gear up your MyPLAYER with official USAB wearables.
COLLEGE INTEGRATION
For the first time, play as college basketball legends with each school's all-time greats team and MyTEAM cards.
LEAGUE EXPANSION
For the first time, customize your MyLEAGUE and MyGM experience with league expansion. Choose your expansion team names, logos and uniforms, and share them with the rest of the NBA 2K community. Your customized league comes complete with everything from Expansion Drafts to modified schedules and more to ensure an authentic NBA experience.
2K BEATS
Imagine Dragons, Grimes, Noah “40” Shabib of OVO Sound and Michael B. Jordan curate another electric 2K soundtrack, featuring 50 songs.
