REVIEW - NBA 2K21 Is A Feast For The Eyes
Next gen hath… arriveth?
By Jonathan Garrett
16/12/20
Reviewed on Xbox Series X.
Review copy provided by 2K Games.
NBA 2K21 is the latest in an esteemed line of feature rich basketball titles that have rightfully held their place in pole position, especially since EA have apparently done a swift hard brexit on the license. What we have is an iterative experience that continues to layer in improvements where necessary, but on next gen (current gen?) platforms, there is a tangible, profound visual quality bump that makes the upgrade totally worthwhile.
You can’t deny that next gen sweat, baby! These games have straddled hardware jumps before, and perspiration is [weirdly] an easily quantifiable metric that helps generate those delightful clickbait comparison videos. Thankfully, 2K21 has the resolution and detail to back up claims of advanced diaphoresis (you try thinking of non repetitive ways to talk about swe… hard working athletes).
Having had a chance to check out both versions, character models are noticeably improved, but it’s the load times that are truly sensational. Booting in takes seconds, and before I knew it, I was on court for a much needed training refresher. Menu’s are also extremely responsive, with toned down transitions ensuring that you’re thrust into action without needing to bide your time doom scrolling about Cyberpunk on Twitter. Turns out, SSD’s are really quite good.
The wealth of options, between player customisation, league simulation, the expanded social hub, and good ol’ fashioned quick matches is quite overwhelming, but as a bang for your buck proposition, 2K21 is a winner. Authenticity seeps from every next gen pore, and while there’s still the occasionally uncanny valley moment during replay’s where player animation doesn’t quite land, it remains a resounding visual treat.
It’s a testament to 2K’s approach here that this next gen upgrade feels like a step up, and sets an extremely high bar as we look ahead to the inevitable next instalment. Given the lack of Smart Delivery / free upgrade path support (something which has been widely, but not universally, adopted), it’s great to see such a crowd pleasing and hard working attempt to justify the increased RRP.
Whether you’re going it alone or hopping on with friends, NBA 2K21, on next gen platforms, is a definitive release.
My dunk is louder than my scream!
WORTH IT?
At the bottom of every game review, we ask the question: Worth it? And the answer is either “Yeah!” or “Nah”, followed by a comment that sums up how we feel. In order to provide more information, we also have “And” or “But”, which follows up our rating with further clarification, additional context for a game we love, or perhaps a redeeming quality for a game we didn’t like.
YEAH!
NBA 2K21 on next (current?) gen consoles is a shining showcase and franchise highpoint.
AND
You’ll notice the improvements to load times and graphical fidelity almost immediately. It’s purty.
TARPS?
At the bottom of some of our articles, you’ll see a series of absurd looking images (with equally stupid, in joke laden names). These are the TARP badges, which represent our ‘Totally Accurate Rating Platform’. They allow us to identify specific things, recognise positive or negative aspects of a games design, and generally indulge our consistent silliness with some visual tomfoolery.
