Praise
NBA 2k21 and NBA 2k22 current generation were two very decent video games in their respective rights and have brought enjoyment to different fan bases. In NBA 2K21, this game had many great defensive mechanics and the shooting was not overpowered to where anyone with below a certain shooting overall can make jump shots. In NBA 2K21 this game in the MyCareer mode was played on a boardwalk which gave off beach vibes. In NBA 2K22 this game brought in a lot of new things that were good for the game from what was in the previous game. For example, The shot meter in this game was bigger than the previous year. The shooting in the game was way easier and the dribbling was better. This game in the MyCareer brought in seasons and levels that went to level 40 which is something similar to the battle pass in Fortnite. Lastly, this game in MyCareer was played on a yacht which during events would land on an island that would be hosting the event you can play at.
Overview
NBA 2K is a gaming franchise that started in 1999 when 2K1 came out with NBA superstar Allen Iverson on the cover. This franchise consists of only basketball games which have all 30 NBA teams in the game and even great teams for the past such as the team Micheal Jordan played on with the Chicago Bulls or the Lakers team that Magic Johnson has played on. NBA 2k21 is a basketball video game that has many different modes, most notably MyCareer and MYTEAM. NBA 2K22 has the same modes but the game is not the same because of the gameplay differences.
Issues
NBA 2K21 has many issues in the game which caused the game to become a little un fun too many. The first problem with the game was the shooting. Yes, I said that it was one of the praises but, the shooting in this game was very inconsistent. It did not matter if you had a rating of a 95 three pointer if you could not time your jumper to perfection every time you were going to miss your shot sometimes. Additionally to the shooting even if you times the shot perfectly you can still get a white and miss your shot which would enrage players. The next problem with this game is that slashers were too overpowered. People in this game with any type of slashing and finishing ability can just take an angle or do a spin dunk and will either get a contact dunk animation or will finish with a crazy layup animation almost every time. It did not matter if you had a defensive build guarding that person you will get dunked on. Lastly, the dribbling at one point in this game consisted of one move which was called the curry slide. If you do not know what the curry slide is, well it was a behind the back move that will get you open almost every play on defenders and most offensive players abused this move and got open almost every play. In 2k22 even though the game was seen as a big improvement from NBA 2K21, this game had its fair share of problems. For example, the new levels system was too easy and people were hitting level 40 within a week which made the game boring. Additionally to the new levels system, the rewards of when you hit level 40 were not very great all of the time and even if you hit level 40 in four different seasons the legend reward was much worse which was a pet parrot that sat on your shoulder and did not do anything for you. Another issue in this game was the dribbling again because people were now just spamming side to side and not actually forming dribbling combinations to get open. Lastly, the shooting was too easy. I know I said the shooting was one of the praises but, in this game anyone can make a shot consistently as long as you have a 69 three pointer and up and know your jump shot by heart. This caused people to make outrageous contested shots which enraged a lot of players. This game was seen as a major improvement from the prior year but, due to it becoming boring after the first week of every season people progressively stopped playing the game.
Strategy
Improvements to the next game which I hope was implemented in 2K23 is to have better season rewards each season to keep people playing. Make leveling up take a little longer so people can stay playing the game and have the motivation to continue playing. Make the shooting in the game balanced so people who should be able to shoot make their shots every time and people who should not be able to shoot, possibly only hit shots occasionally or not at all. Lastly, I hope the next game can vastly improve the events and even bring some of the old ones back that they have had in prior years like court conqueror or ruffles.
Encouragement
I loved the defense in 2K21 because it was more realistic besides people dunking on you. THe shooting in NBA 2k22 was a vast improvement from 2K21 that should be used moving forward but tuned down just a little bit. The NBA 2K franchise has been doing a great job with giving us something a little different every year and I hope that they continue in that direction. This is the only basketball game franchise that is existing so I want to see them go in the right direction rather than go downward because that would mean I would not be able to play a basketball game for the year. This franchise is trending in the right direction and I hope that they do not take a step back this year.
Kylen Dilligard 