NBA 2K25

A handful of improvements mean NBA 2K25 has a few tricks up its sleeve to be pleasantly surprised by this year, even as many long-term issues continue.

At the same time, everything else it does is so impressive, both as a basketball sim and when stacked next to any other sports game, that it's a delicate balance to find with words. It does so much so well, and much of it is done uniquely. But its refusal to decouple its marquee features from its virtual currency keeps this championship contender from reaching its full potential.

Despite the persistent pressure to spend on microtransactions, NBA 2K25 shows the long-reigning dynasty might still have some gas left in the tank. Each mode delivers a different experience, truly delivering a targeted mode for nearly every basketball fan. Though some modes are bogged down and bloated, once the team steps on the court, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that does it better.

It’s a huge enough game that you’ll have more than enough to do if even if you just stick to one or two modes you prefer, but if 2K’s strength is in the entire humongous package, it’s setting itself the goal of being King in every area, and I don’t think NBA 2K25 quite achieves that.

By daring to downscale some of the fluff, NBA 2K25 brings its focus back to basketball in a positive way. Improvements to the series' dribbling system and ProPLAY make this the best feeling hoops sim Visual Concepts has made, while the sheer density of different modes and features means you could play nothing else all year – and still never get bored. But the borderline insulting emphasis on microtransactions remain a thorn in this series' side, and something you simply have to accept if you want to enjoy everything else on offer here.

Pared-back gameplay options, outdated visuals, and lengthy loads are par for the course for 2K on Switch, but the fact that NBA 2K25 feels like a lessened experience on even last year's disappointing entry is a real turnover for the series. Sound the buzzer and call for a substitution, it’s time we brought ‘Switch 2’ on.

NBA 2K25 is still geared more towards its community but the devs have made it more approachable for casual players than in recent years.

It's hard to get upset at NBA 2K25. The recurring issues are still there, but the game can also give you a truly fantastic experience, and it's hard to imagine that any competitor could beat it. However, at the same time, the game doesn't really make an effort to come up with anything new, which is a shame.

As always 2K Games have created an incredible homage to basketball. If you are a fan of the series then you will no doubt be picking this one up to add to your collection and I don’t blame you for doing so. With so many modes to get stuck into you will likely focus on one or two for the entirety of your gaming sessions. Again, I don’t blame you for doing so. My only concern for newcomers to the series is that there is too much to do. Too much that may cause a bit of gaming paralysis for some and they may turn off and go back to another game.

The gameplay is much more fluid and the visuals are much closer to reality. Visual Concepts has done a great job in terms of presentation and once again declared that NBA 2K25 is the only address for a satisfying and long-lasting basketball experience.