It is September, and we all know what that means. New games galore! There are a lot of titles to look forward to as the month of September arrives. We will be looking at one of the most anticipated games in the sporting genre. A game that is not FIFA.

NBA 2K19 released on 11th of September 2018 on all the major consoles and the PC. 2K sports celebrates 20 years of the gaming franchise’s success in the Basketball arena. With it’s 20th installment fans are eagerly awaiting to show off their skills on the virtual court.

Gameplay

The game play has become more authentic than ever before. You can feel that every player moves exactly like their real version would on the court. With the new and improved 2K engine at the helm, the game runs smooth in 4K at 60 fps and every swish and dunk feels as fulfilling as doing one for reals.

With new stadiums and expanded team rosters, there is more authenticity to the game. Even just in the prelude you can get the sense of how Lebron is going to showcase his talent with the Lakers. That is just one of many such examples.

Graphics

It has been a real evolution. From the 2D graphics of the game’s flagship to the new 4K enhanced graphic design. NBA 2K19 really deserves credit for all the pre launch hype it is getting. Basing on the intense graphics alone. The player’s have had their face scans and the licensed teams and stadiums creates a new found edge in the game, that had been missing in previous versions. The shadows are more realistic and not some slender man version of big tall silhouettes following the players around.

Apart from that, the court vibe and the crowd faces have also been made more open worldly, in a game that usually used stick figures instead of supporters on the sideline.

New Skills

In order for the game to feel real, the developers have assigned every star player with some unique set of dribbles and skills. This really makes you want to give the ball to the main man as you try to break the other teams defense. Running around the players, and fake shooting your way to glory is all the more fun with these new intricate moves.

The Neighborhood and MY Career

This new game mode follows along the lines of EA Sports FIFA’s Journey. It is 2K19’s way to create an open world, which is more immersive for the players and they can be close to the real life action. The MY Career mode will be a lot of fun to play once the game is released.

The story is inciting and it feel very similar to that of Journey, with a more real feel to it.

The redesigned Neighborhood in NBA 2K19 offers ever-changing mini games, like dodge-ball and trivia, that hand out VC on a daily basis. Plus, there’s “trampoline ball” at the Cages, which are presented by Under Armour (yes, sponsors still have a heavy presence here). The idea, according to Bishop, is to give players an option to play something fun and earn rewards even if they just have a few minutes to kill.

More importantly, some of Visual Concepts’ changes to the Neighborhood are intended to make it more user-friendly. Getting a haircut is now completely free, and you can preview a new ’do right from the barber’s chair. A store called Wheels sells transportation like skateboards and bicycles, so you can navigate the Neighborhood more quickly. Plus, there’s now an online ranking system, on a per-activity basis, that’s separate from your MyPlayer’s overall rating. You’ll see both ratings beneath each person’s feet.

Audio and Soundtrack

This year’s game is pretty awesome when it comes to depicting real sounds in and around the court, every thing from the net’s swish to the crowds chanting feels authentic. The game’s sound quality has improved a lot.

NBA 2k19s soundtrack was curated by rapper Travis Scott who has three songs featured in the game. Apart from that there are tracks from Bruno Mars, Three Days Grace and Dua Lipa.

Should I Buy It?

If you love balls and throwing them into hoops then by all means this game is a must buy. We also recommend this to someone who isn’t a fan of the sport. The game is really that good.

For someone who isn’t a fan of Basketball the game helps develop a nice understanding of the sport and also really enables to familiarise with the teams and the players.

It sure is a must have, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it’s one of the games on every gamers shopping list this fall.

Final Verdict:

NBA 2K celebrates 20 years of redefining what sports gaming can be, from best in class graphics & gameplay to groundbreaking game modes and an immersive open-world “Neighborhood.” NBA 2K19 continues to push limits as it brings gaming one step closer to real-life basketball excitement and culture.

Rating : 4/5