With NBA 2K25, developer Visual Concepts is relying on its familiar strengths and turning many of the right screws. But unfortunately not one: microtransactions with pay-to-win
It’s the decisive seventh game of the NBA Finals 2025, an evenly matched game with an electrifying atmosphere in the arena. Shortly before overtime, the head coach plans a move: he brings in “MP”. He immediately puts his stamp on the game and leads his team to a great triumph. Immediately after the final buzzer, the jubilation knows no bounds, but the picture becomes blurred before you wake up in a huge apartment.
Experienced NBA 2K players will know that this is the player’s career – newcomers to the franchise, on the other hand, may be surprised by this intro. Either way, it was a success. Does NBA 2K25 confirm this start to the game or are appearances deceptive?
Gameplay: Same feeling, but clearly better
It’s clear from the first few moves of the intro game that the gameplay is not very different from its predecessor. Last year, developer Visual Concepts ProPLAY laid the foundation and has now expanded it by eliminating bugs. Basically, it can be said that the animations are even smoother and the adapted movements, such as signature throws, provide even more realism – but without having a major impact on the feel of the game.
This is different for one of the new features, the cut-off system. According to the developers, this is primarily aimed at defensive players. By moving the right stick, you can quickly slide your own player sideways into position. If you anticipate your opponent’s offensive movement, you can block attacks or force a turnover with a successfully executed cut-off. The feature is particularly useful against pick-and-roll plays and brings more depth to defensive work.
Once this has been successfully executed, the spectacle can begin. Either spectacular dunks or dribbles. In this respect, Visual Concepts is relying on a new system – for the first time in 15 years. This is also more than overdue, as the transitions between several movements were usually unclean before. The result: unnecessary mistakes and turnovers. This is exactly what should no longer happen. In the test, it was at least visually noticeable that the transitions are now much smoother.
Community request is heard – more rhythm in the throw
The feature seems to be particularly useful in combination with the new Shot Canceling function. You can now use the right stick to break out of animations and switch to a new movement. It quickly becomes clear why the community has been asking for this for a long time: there is more room for creativity in offensive play.
If the dribble is successful and the shot is open, it’s all about the right timing, as in previous years. Shooting in particular is more a matter of feel, which is why the shot indicator is more of a hindrance – even though it is supposed to help. This is exactly where Pro-Stick Rhythm Shooting comes in. As soon as the player’s jump throw animation has reached its set point, you push the throwing stick upwards and try to imitate the timing and speed of the player’s push movement. This feature kills two birds with one stone: it brings more challenge to the game, but also more authenticity.
Simple story that lacks pizzazz
Back to the player’s career and its history. NBA 2K25 picks up where its predecessor left off. Put simply, it’s about establishing yourself in the starting five and celebrating success. The focus on sport is good, but it lacks something special. The stories from NBA 2K24 or 2K23, even if they had other weaknesses, clearly stand out from the current one. However, the mode could not be tested more intensively, as it has only been playable since Thursday
However, this brief look is enough to identify the biggest point of criticism: The pay-to-win. As in previous years, the attributes of the digital avatar can only be increased using an in-game currency. Although the coins can also be earned, it takes some time to make real progress. As there are also online games in MyCITY, the open world, some users can gain a clear advantage. Limiting the potential depending on the game status in the story doesn’t help.
The microtransactions are maximized in MyTEAM’s trading card mode. Certainly a mode with a lot of potential, as the match modes are fun. However, the flood of packs and items is overwhelming
