It took me around five minutes of playing NBA 2K27 to notice the changes to gameplay. In the past, there’s been a reluctance to shake things up too much, but 2K has gone all in on improving on authenticity while at the same time contextualising every element of playing the game. Different factors such as player rating, fatigue, and contesting make every shot tougher. It forces you to think more about every play, whether you’re taking the ball down the court, dishing off to a nearby player, or taking the ball to the rim.
Dynamic layups are a big part of NBA 2K27. Whether you manage to break away from defence or struggle against someone who’s stuck to you like glue, layups are different every time. I found it so satisfying watching Jason Tatum step through the Spurs defence and drop the ball through the hoop. On the flipside, defence has been vastly improved, leading to some genuinely intense moments that feel unique. The green bar dictates every shot, and depending on certain factors points aren’t guaranteed. Dunks are tougher to land, especially with a big man in your face.
In those first five minutes of NBA 2K27, I was chasing back Cade Cunningham of the Pistons as he went for a layup, only to swat it out of his hands with force. This led to Payton Pritchard scramble for the ball and send it to Derrick White who then missed a dunk because he was facing down two players at the rim. This sequence of events highlighted how every single factor can affect games. NBA 2K27 has retained the quality of last year but tweaked shooting to make it less easy to score regardless of shot contest, as well as giving more tools to your bigger players in the D.
NBA 2K27 has a story for the modern era that follows a high school prospect after being involved in a car accident that threatens everything. It’s a bigger story than last year, following you from Rucker Park to the NBA. It’s one of the better stories in recent years, but doesn’t particularly break any boundaries. What I did love about MyCAREER is how you can now play through historic eras in basketball with your created player. As someone who got into basketball in the mid-90s, being able to play alongside Shaun Kemp and Gary Payton was awesome.
There are also specific era goals as well as presentation settings that feel as though you’re watching basketball thirty-plus years ago. This is something I didn’t expect to get but I’m so glad 2K added it. The Bulls era was the one that got me into the sport, and getting to see icons of the sport from game-to-game was amazing. The City hasn’t seen any huge changes as such, but one thing they have done is add something for players who don’t have a lot of money to level up their players via the usual VC method.
Casual Corner allows both newcomers to the series and those without the better stats to compete against one another in either 3v3 or 5v5. One thing The City does well is give you plenty of options to play basketball with or without friends. Street Kings sees you take to the streets with two other players against AI opponents; Starting 5 lets you play alongside four AI teammates and play against someone else and four AI opponents; and the familiar modes like The Rec and Ante Up have received some great-looking environments.
With the growth of the WNBA every year, players can create a female basketball player and take them into The City. It’s genuinely cool to go into a match online and play against women as well. It gives more incentive for all kinds of people to enjoy the many modes within The City. Despite that grind being ever present, the online mode will be where most people spend their time. The amount of stores to find some fancy threads to personalise your look while you explore and play is great.
Visual Concepts has got the NBA 2K series to a point where presentation is consistently stunning across all areas. Playing a game and pulling off a smooth shot or great dunk gives you a dynamic replay; player animation looks fantastic and likenesses are incredible; and the crowds, arenas, and courts feel alive and dripping in realism. To say it’s worth grabbing over last year is a tough sell because it doesn’t feel revolutionary to the series, but if you’re wanting to dive into the series for the first time, it’s one of the less intimidating entries in a while.
NBA 2K27 pushes you to take into every factor on the court before making your tactical decisions. When games are fast-paced, this helps to stop players online for running rings around you. It’s a visual treat and there’re many different modes to jump into. While VC is a necessity online, there are plenty of ways to earn it, and if you’re going to spend hours dedicating your time to playing, that grind might not feel to bad. It’s not a giant step up from last year, but it’s still an enjoyable entry into the long-standing franchise.
