NBA 2K25 Review: A Rim Roll of a Time

NBA 2K25 is among the most highly anticipated releases in the NBA 2K franchise. It will be available for PC players as a New Gen title and will introduce many new features to enhance realism and revitalize the franchise. NBA 2K25 one of the most realistic basketball games ever made, but has some issues that detract from an otherwise fantastic experience.

New Gen PC Release

Many players are excited about NBA 2K25 coming to PC because this year’s release is New Gen, which means PC players will finally have the same features that PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles have had for years. However, the long wait for this has only partially paid off.

Although the next-gen release for PC is a step in the right direction, I still recommend keeping your console for now. NBA 2K25 suffers from poor optimization, resulting in numerous micro-stutters, bugs, and crashes, even on high-end gaming rigs. Furthermore, there’s no crossplay between PC and console players, and cheating has become rampant shortly after the game’s launch.

While PC getting the New Gen release is indeed exciting, it’s essential to maintain realistic expectations until 2K addresses the issues I’ve discussed. Nevertheless, NBA 2K25 offers many thrilling new features you’ll enjoy, regardless of the platform you play on.

Are NBA 2K25’s New Features Worth It?

With the introduction of new systems such as ProPLAY, Signature Go-To Shots, Dribble Movement Engine, additional animations, and shot-canceling features, NBA 2K25 is the most realistic basketball game to date. 2K put a lot of work into the latest NBA 2K entry, and it shows.

Powered by ProPLAY

2K has introduced ProPLAY in NBA 2K24 and added 9,000 new ProPLAY animations in NBA 2K25. These impressive additions include 1,500 dribbling animations, 1,100 signature shot animations covering the majority of players from the 2023-24 NBA season, and over 1,300 new off-the-ball animations, including 150 new signature motion styles.

The new animations bring fresh energy to the NBA 2K franchise. The stunning animations and graphics make it feel natural and fun to control digital players. When you combine the new ProPLAY animations with the new dribbling system, you’ll experience the most authentic NBA gameplay ever seen in a basketball game.

New Dribbling System

NBA 2K25 features an all-new dribble engine built from the ground up, which marks the most significant change to their gameplay engine in many years. In every previous version of NBA 2K, a player’s dribble movement was managed by manually programmed, pre-scripted animation transitions from a library of motion-captured movements.

The new dribbling system is a game-changer, as the old clunky and predictable ball handling has been replaced, offering unparalleled control and responsiveness. Every move and counter-move reflects the true essence of basketball, making it even easier to avoid defenders and execute that perfect shot.

Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting

In addition to the new animations and dribbling system, NBA 2K25 introduces a new way to shoot called Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting. Instead of simply pressing and releasing the shot button or stick, you will first pull the shot stick DOWN to start the shot. Then, as you see your player’s jump shot animation reach its Set Point, you push the shot stick UP and try to match the timing and speed of the player’s motion. This intuitive DOWN-UP motion on the shot stick rewards you for accurately mimicking each player’s signature shooting motion.

I enjoyed playing with the new Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting, especially since the new shot meter is the worst in the franchise. While it took me a bit to get used to, I started to enjoy using it once I realized that the tempo for the rhythm shot would be different for each shot and that I needed to react to my player’s shooting animation. For instance, the tempo for a set shot will be quicker, a pull up a bit slower, and a fade much quicker. Once you master the rhythm shot, you’ll feel like you are shooting a basketball, leading to some fantastic moments on the court with your MP.

The City and MyCareer Improvements

2K considered fan feedback regarding the size of The City in 2K24 and the perception that they were pushing players to spend VC on premium vehicles to get around The City. Instead, The City is smaller and easier to navigate, and you can obtain free vehicles by progressing the game. In addition, there is less empty space like there was in 2K23 and a lot more social areas for you to show off your skills with fellow players.

In MyCareer, you no longer need to complete the entire story before hitting the street courts. You can start playing on the street courts right away if you prefer. Additionally, you are not required to go through the pre-draft storyline for your MyPlayer, but doing so will earn you valuable rewards. Finally, your MyCareer player can access a private court and other useful features in their house.

These changes made MyCareer a lot more fun to play in all aspects. I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the massive amount of ground needed to cover when completing quests and enjoyed doing what I wanted, when I wanted, since, after all, it is my career. However, I quickly learned that NBA 2K25 was plagued with microtransactions, especially in this game mode.

Microtransactions

Unfortunately, the game is overrun by predatory practices and is inundated with microtransactions. While playing without spending real money is technically feasible, missing out on numerous features and struggling to stay competitive online is inevitable. The prevalence of cheating in NBA 2K25 on PC further exacerbates the situation. It’s exasperating that microtransactions are aggressively imposed on players right from the game’s initiation, especially given the high cost of the various game versions.

The prominence of microtransactions overshadows two of the most popular game modes, MyPLAYER and MyTEAM, significantly detracting from the overall gaming experience. What’s worse is that the process of earning VC has been considerably slowed down this year, making it extremely tedious to accumulate enough VC to make meaningful progress in either game mode. The amount of time required to earn sufficient VC is unreasonably long.

In MyPLAYER mode, you need Virtual Currency (VC) to upgrade your character. You’ll have a hard time without it, especially in Online mode. VC is also required to unlock new animations like Dribbles, and improve your character’s attributes.

In MyTeam, you’ll need a lot of VC to open packs and upgrade your team. However, the odds of getting good items from the packs are very low, which may tempt you to buy more packs. If you’re considering buying or selling items in the auction house, don’t forget the 10% tax that applies to all transactions.

If that wasn’t enough, two season passes are available for purchase, with some of the most valuable items locked behind their paywalls. For instance, the free version of the Season Pass offers 80 rewards that can be used in both MyCAREER and MyTEAM modes. The Pro Pass upgrade includes an additional 44 rewards.

NBA 2K25 — The Bottom Line

Pros

• Thousands of New Realistic Animations
• All New Dribble Engine
• Beautiful Graphics

Cons

• Microtransactions
• Plagued by Bugs and Crashes
• No Crossplay between PC and Consoles

NBA 2K25 delivers an exceptional experience for seasoned players and franchise newcomers. With its updated engines, animations, graphics, sounds, and presentation, the game offers an incredibly realistic experience. However, I recommend that PC players hold onto their consoles for now due to prevalent cheating and poor optimization. Moreover, the absence of crossplay with other platforms significantly limits the player base. Unfortunately, the microtransactions are more aggressive than last year, potentially providing an unfair advantage to those who spend money on online game modes. Despite these challenges, the game’s visuals, gameplay realism, and overall enjoyment are truly impressive if you can overlook the downsides.