The NBA 2K24 MyCareer Just Isn’t Worth Your Money
Here we are with NBA 2K24, and what’s changed, really?
I’ve reviewed quite a few NBA 2K games over the years now, including NBA 2K16, NBA 2K17, NBA 2K18, NBA 2K19, NBA 2K20. I quite liked where NBA 2K was at around 2K16, thanks to them bringing on Spike Lee to make the story really interesting, and 2K17 was pretty good too, but from there things went a bit south as more focus went into a career that’s designed to grind you into spending real money.
If you read my review of NBA 2K22 which focused on the MyCareer mode, you’ll know that I didn’t think that it was quite worth it. I was pretty fed up with where MyCareer was going.
NBA 2K24 may look absolutely amazing, and still be one of the best feeling sports games out there… but that doesn’t mean it’s convinced me about MyCareer mode and its money-hungry grind.
WATCH THE VIDEO REVIEW INSTEAD (or keep reading below)
The visuals are a true marvel, showcasing the true capabilities of the Series X hardware and coming across as really life-like, especially when in the broadcast camera. From the lifelike players to the impeccable court reflections, the aesthetics alone make it a feast for the eyes.
Insert Coin
However, there’s a ‘but’. While draped in its next-gen sheen, the game doesn’t entirely escape the pitfalls of its predecessors. The core mechanics are commendable, but the persistently intrusive microtransaction model casts a shadow on the overall experience. Especially in modes like MyTeam and MyCareer, the push towards virtual currency purchases feels heavy-handed. The charm of immersing oneself in a game gets somewhat undermined when faced with virtual goodies pegged with real-world price tags.
Also, I feel at this point that it’s sort of just downright dystopian and disrespectful to see how many times they are willing to use Kobe Bryant to sell games, considering his tragic passing in recent years. Maybe it’s going towards helping the rest of his family, but aside from that… it all feels a bit… ugh.
It actually looks pretty amazing on an Xbox One S, except…
However, it’s not as feature filled as the new consoles like the Xbox Series X version we reviewed.
As The Loadout reports: “That’s right, if you’re planning to pick up one of the NBA 2K24 pre-orders on PS4 or Xbox One, you might want to reconsider. Visual Concepts and 2K, though this Courtside Report, confirms that you’ll be able to “earn REP… and follow your NBA dreams along the winding streets and beautiful shores of The City” only on PS5 and new-gen Xbox consoles. This includes the new MyCAREER ‘key games’ feature, streetball games, and the new refined Affiliations: RISE and ELITE.
Here’s our own video showing off gameplay on an Xbox One S:
Sugar Coating
While there are moments of brilliance in ball-handling and dynamics, occasional AI quirks disrupt the flow, leading one to wonder if some of the older 2K series bugs haven’t been entirely ironed out. That said, the gameplay is still just incredible, and there are few sports games out there that feel as intutitive as this does.
NBA 2K24 looks amazing visually, it’s a true display of “next-gen” eye candy. Heck, it just straight up looks and sounds almost real now, and it also plays really well too… which is a shame then that when playing MyCareer mode, it still looks and feels more like a free to play MMO that’s grinding you to death to entice you to spend money.
If you’re a die-hard fan that forks out the cash every year and spends even more on microtransactions in MyCareer mode, you’re already playing it right now. If you’re just someone looking to play a decent NBA / Basketball game, you can do yourself a favour and pick up a previous entry for cheaper, or wait for this one to go way down. I would forgive them if they at least still put more effort into a good story mode.
Another year, another NBA 2K… and they’re still up to their same old tricks. It’s a shame about its bad side, because the good stuff is still so very good.
Verdict: ✪✪✪ (Good)
✪ Poor (0-5) ✪✪ Mediocre (6-7) ✪✪✪ Good (8) ✪✪✪✪ Great (9) ✪✪✪✪✪ Must-play! (10)
