NBA 2K23 was released to the world on Sept. 9, 2022, and general feedback on it so far has been mixed. On one hand, when you’re one of the better sports simulation games out there, it comes with an extremely high bar that is going to be difficult to clear every year. On the other hand, the ways 2K23 struggles this year is the same issues that have been plaguing the series for some time now. The MyCareer plot has once again failed to meet expectations, virtual currency still runs everything, and online play is still inconsistent.
Rather than spend an entire piece explaining all the reasons 2K23 is frustrating, a thing we have done before, we’d rather focus on what we did enjoy from this year’s game, because while it’s far from a perfect game, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things in here to enjoy.
The Jordan Challenges
The big addition to 2K23 was the return of the Jordan challenges. Originally a part of 2K11, the Jordan challenges came back with more to do, more to experience, and modern gameplay on top of it. The final result is honestly one of the better experiences of the entire game. Not only does each challenge feature video interviews with people who lived these experiences in person, but they adapt to the modern time they were played.
The very first challenge the game throws you into is the 1982 national championship game between the North Carolina Tarheels and Georgetown Hoyas. Since this was a college basketball game in the early ’80s, it did not feature the 3-point line, because it had not yet been fully adopted by the NCAA. It even uses a classic broadcast style, scoreboard and all, to really emphasize the period this game was played. Touches like these are throughout the challenges and it makes it a great way to experience Jordan’s career from beginning to end.
Movement
The movement in 2K23 is really good. As someone who preferred the faster more arcade-style games from the early 2010s, it’s odd to play a game that is against me using the sprint button and actually enjoying it, but that is what 2K23 has accomplished. Momentum feels good, players don’t get stuck on each other, and passes feel like they’re actually being thrown between outstretched arms instead of just floating to their target. It feels good to move around even if the defense is simultaneously amazing at preventing 3-point shots and awful at stopping dribble drives.
Balance aside, having a game that feels good to move around in will go a long way in keeping players engaged while playing. Patches are more than likely on the way to work on some of the balance issues, but that’s typical of most modern games these days. It’s important that the core game is fun, and when players start up a match so they can play with their friends on the couch, they should have a fun time.
General Presentation
This is something that is actually great in every single NBA 2K game, but it honestly doesn’t get praised enough. The presentation experience while playing is maybe the best in all of sports gaming between commentators, sideline reporting, and how players are represented on screen. A huge part of why people continue to come back to NBA 2K every year, despite all the genuine complaints about it, is that it nails the experience of what watching a basketball game on TV should feel like.
For years, NBA 2K was praised as being a game where someone could walk by the room and think an actual basketball game was being played on TV, not a video game. That experience has been replicated over the years, and while it’s not a perfect experience — it’s probably never going to be one — it’s nice that there is still something about this franchise that continues to be great year in and out. Even this year, there are still moments where you fall into the experience and forget about everything because the polish is still there.