NBA 2K25 review

It’s always a worry going into the latest iteration of 2K’s basketball series because you don’t always see the changes straight away. All the modes are back with tweaks and new features, but the most refreshing thing that NBA 2K25 does is improve the action on the court dramatically. It’s noticeable straight away, from the movement of play on the offence, to contesting the opposition’s shot and having more of an impact on the defence. There’s plenty to wax lyrical about when it comes to the games themselves, but what about everything else?

Thanks to Pro Play technology, the implementation of real-world movement makes players move, shoot, and defend like they do in the NBA. There are over 9,000 new animations that make the game’s feel fluid, but also make everything you see on the court a near identical reflection of tuning into your team on your television. Celebrating a bucket, pre-match build-ups, and a whole manner of player interactions look amazing, but that also bleeds into the authenticity of signature shots and handling from the league’s best performers. The speed and creativity of Kyrie Irving while dribbling or the grace of LeBron James’ stepback can all be performed.

Signature Go-To Shots are something that give every player a unique type of shot that replicates the way they shoot in real life. They all feed into the authenticity of NBA 2K25 and give you more control when playing the offence. With an overhaul of dribbling, pulling out a Go-To Shot at the end of a press will keep you in the highlight reels for hours. Moving with the ball is a dream, giving you better options in breaking away from a defender and cutting towards the hoop. Even without rushing, steady build-ups and one right crossover can leave your opponent in the dust.

Player AI has been improved significantly and it makes fast breaks on the offence so much smoother as you’ll see teammates break towards the basket and find space so you can dish the ball to them without hesitation. In modes like MyCAREER, you’ll find players will pass to you much more, but only when a good opportunity arises. It was something I had a problem with in previous years because I would constantly find space and be ignored only for them to miss their shot or turnover possession of the ball. Defending players keep tightly to the offence as much as they can.

Obviously, it doesn’t always work as they get broken away from, but it gives you confidence to know you don’t have to keep switching to control everyone all the time. Defending in general for the player you’re controlling is more commanding. Contested shots are more impactful and can be pulled off with the precision, and keeping up with the opposing ball handler is much easier to do. Gameplay in general is fantastic, and these changes have helped to make NBA 2K25 a pleasure to play. Something that might not be to everyone’s taste however, is the Pro Stick rhythm shooting, but I found it a great addition.

It offers greater precision when making a jump shot, but on higher difficulties like Hall of Fame you’re going to need to be some kind of basketball deity to ever score. Customisation in shot meters, sound effects, and visual cues are something that lets you see your attempts in style; switching between arrow or circle meters; flames or basketball light effects; and horns, tigers, and old-school hip-hop sound effects allow you to take full advantage of the hard work put into what Visual Concepts has done this year. Every addition and improvement makes playing the wealth of modes better, and boy, is there a lot to do.

MyCAREER feels relatively unchanged from last year, although having MyCOURT back is fantastic. Playing though ‘Heart of the Dynasty’ quests lets you take a look back into your player’s history, when MP was going through college and before he faced off against Doncic, Jokic, and Curry. The City is smaller than it was, but much more dense. It has a solid layout that makes travelling from A to B no chore at all, and it’s easier to find all the different balling opportunities of stores to buy your newest drip, get some ink, or find a new mode of transport to get around on.

MyTEAM has more of a focus on multiplayer than it has had before, with less options in the single player. As someone who doesn’t play online other than in MyCAREER, it would have been nice to have some single player content for when I just want to grind in some simple 3v3 games against the computer. Auction House returning is amazing because it’s always exciting trying to find the player you want specifically, then working out how you’re going to snipe them in the dying seconds. If you’re not bothered about playing online and want to get stuck into a season of NBA against the computer, MyNBA is the way to go.

MyGM is back and while it has some neat RPG elements, the presentation is a little lacklustre, with a severe lack of dialogue, and generic presentations. The different eras are exceptional, and allow me to dive back into every time period that provided the best moments of all time. Playing through seasons in five Eras is a must for basketball historians and those as old as me because you get to play against some of the greats. Magic vs Bird, LeBron, Jordan, and Kobe eras are all there for you to consume, but the new Steph Curry Era gives you the chance to dominate alongside Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green.

One of the weaker modes is The W as it doesn’t feel like it does anything different. It’s a shame really, as the WNBA has come on leaps and bounds in terms of its popularity in the last couple of years. Hopefully this is something that improves in the future, but for now it feels like more of an afterthought. I’ve done well in not mentioning one key element of NBA 2K25 because I don’t want to sound like a broken record. For years, Virtual Currency (VC for short) has always kept casual players from enjoying the series alongside veterans who pour in time and money into the game.

While VC still surrounds everything, from upgrading your player’s attributes to buying new gear or card packs, the grind does feel less steep. There are plenty of opportunities to earn, and while you’re going to need to put in the time to see any real improvement, having such a solid gameplay base, I lost hours in MyCAREER before realising I’d accrued thousands upon thousands of VC. It’s not going away, and there are players who do play every day for hours, so those rewards are going to become more obvious when sticking with it on a consistent trajectory.

NBA 2K25 is phenomenal when playing. From the Pro Play technology to the overhaul in its dribbling systems, I have had such a fun time on the court. I always get giddy playing alongside the cream of the league, and with better AI this year I’ve had some wonderful assists from Jrue Holiday as we lead the Celtics to another Championship. It looks gorgeous in every way, from player animations to the colourful and detailed streets of The City, and the variety of modes give players so much to do. While The W doesn’t feel improved much, and MyCAREER feeling relatively the same, it’s still a superb game.