NBA 2K23

All of this just works. ― Todd Howard

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NBA 2K23 “Insert basketball quote here” Protagonist(s): MP Genre(s): Sports Platform(s): Apple Arcade Microsoft Windows Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Xbox One PlayStation 5 Xbox Series: X/S Stadia Release: WW: September 9, 2022 Arcade Edition WW: October 18, 2022 Developer(s): Visual Concepts Publisher(s): 2K Sports Series: NBA 2K Predecessor: NBA 2K22 Successor: NBA 2K24

NBA 2K23 is a basketball simulation game based on the 22/23 NBA season developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K as the successor to NBA 2K22 and the predecessor to NBA2K24. It was released on September 9, 2022 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, Nintendo Switch, Apple Arcade (as a separate edition), and PC.

Good Qualities

1. While it does kinda look a lot like its predecessor, this game is a fair improvement over the previous game in terms of gameplay, MyNBA/MyLeague and MyGM.
2. MP is a likable character.
3. Amazing new eras mode that allows you to manage a team back when Jordan, Larry Bird, Shaq, Magic Johnson, just to name a few, played.
4. Solid gameplay and graphics.
5. The Jordan Challenge mode from NBA 2K11 returns.
6. Nice soundtrack with good songs such as "RAPSTAR" by Polo G and "2055" by Sleepy Hallow.
   • The soundtrack updates brought some more good songs such as “Lemonade” by Internet Money ft. Don Toliver, Gunna & Nav, “Quicksand” by Morray, and “Kacey Talk” by Youngboy Never Broke Again, just to name a few.
7. Amazing and revamped builder system.
8. Improved WNBA career mode. You can now play in the all star game and have your very own expansion team.
9. MyNBA (MyGM/MyLeague in the PS4 Xbox One and PC version of the game) offers a huge and fun customizable basketball mode. You can even make your very own NBA league by customizing the team branding and making all the teams different, or you can create your own player and put him on a NBA team if you don’t like the MyCareer mode.
10. The season 4 update of the game added a eras play now mode.
11. Huge and big explorable city hub where you can play on garage courts with your friends, buy clothing and basketballs, skate around the city, and make beats with the DJ booth.
12. This, alongside MLB The Show 23, is the best sports game with the 23 in the title unlike others such as Madden 23 which is pretty much a terrible game.

Bad Qualities

1. This game is infamous for its predatory microtransaction inflation and abuse. Which in fact has been one of the main criticisms for NBA 2K today.
   • However, similar to any Call of Duty game from Black Ops 4 onwards, this problem will only get a little worse and out of hand in NBA 2K24 where it will introduce a seasons pass with levels exclusive to pro and hall of fame which costs $9.99 and $19.99 respectively in a $70 dollar game. Which is inexcusable for a game costing that much (or even $100 or $150 if you pre-ordered either of those), The criticism has gotten so bad to the point where AngryJoe made an angry rant on the season pass model.
   • Heck, even MLB The Show 23 handles this model better by not having a premium pass in the model.
2. MyCareer, While diehard mycareer fans may still enjoy it, is one of the weakest modes in the game. Suffering from a subpar story, and the upgrade player attributes price is higher.
3. The soundtrack while nice, is filled up with just rap songs but soundtrack updates gave the game rock songs, (despite being only 2 at least) and electronic music.
   • Also there is a fair share of bad songs on the soundtrack such as “Astronaut In The Ocean” by Masked Wolf for example.
4. Despite being said it was going to be buffed the paint defense is atrocious sometimes.
5. The eras modes are only for the next-gen versions of the game.
   • And once again, just like previous sports titles, the PC Port is based off the inferior current gen version.
6. The game feels extremely pay-to-win as it basically takes $100 to finish a My Player build in My Career without grinding.
7. Another criticism is that the games framerate drops and lags at times.
   • On a side note, the servers lag a lot and it gets very annoying.
8. The MyCourt feature is only available for the current gen version of the game.
   • However there is a gatorade private court in the next gen version but it is inferior to the MyCourt feature from the current gen version.

Reception

NBA 2K23 received "generally favorable" reviews from critics and YouTube reviewers praising the solid graphics and gameplay, But criticizing the microtransaction abuse.

There has been many positive reviews left on the main features of the game such as the massive city hub found on the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game. The Jordan Challenge is another hit, allowing players to relive the iconic moments of Michael Jordan.

However, players have slammed the game's microtransactions, stating that it would cost over $100 in VC just to finish building a player, and have also said that the game feels extremely pay-to-win and puts the player at a significant disadvantage if they cannot afford or do not wish to spend extra money to improve their MyCareer player. Players also criticized the fact that the brand-new eras are only available to PS5 and Xbox Series X players, not PS4, Xbox One or PC.

In addition, there have been many complaints by players, particularly on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, about how the frame rate dips and the game lags.

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