NBA 2K25 stands out in a year of great sports video games

The NBA 2K series has become so many things to so many players that it’s near-impossible to do it all justice in one review. The most feature and mode-packed annual sports title, in past years development has focused less on reinventing the wheel, and more on refining its formula — but this year is a little different. Wholesale changes to dribbling, pacing, and expansion of the ProPlay system results in a game that’s second-to-none in terms of capturing NBA basketball and translating it to a controller.

In broad strokes there are fundamentally two different ways people engage with NBA 2K each year, and that hasn’t changed. Thousands of players will flock to MyCareer, refining their created players, sharing their builds online, and grinding to reach 99. The competitive form of MyCareer is so different to the rest of the game, and requires such specialized knowledge that it won’t be the focus here. There’s no shortage of outlets, YouTubers, and content creators who focus on MyCareer, and frankly know more about the micro-adjustments made to the formula that frankly I just don’t have knowledge of.

Instead think of this like an old-head review. As someone who has played almost every iteration since Allen Iverson graced the cover on the Dreamcast in 1999, my joy from the game comes from the simulation element of the franchise. How well does NBA 2K deliver on replicating the NBA itself, making the on-court game of basketball feel, as well as differentiate between players? In a word: Incredible. In two words: Mind blowing.

NBA 2K25 is on the precipice of the uncanny valley in the second year of its “ProPlay” system. Introduced in NBA 2K24, this new method of animation moved away from motion capping individuals in a studio, instead using film analysis of players in real NBA games and translating them to the game’s animation system. Last year was primarily focused on shots and dunks, which has now been expanded in 2K25 to include dribbling, off-ball animation, and specific handles. The result is a game that feels staggering lifelike. Every player behaves and looks like their real-world counterpart, and rewards you for playing like they do.

This might not seem groundbreaking, but it’s difficult to quantify exactly how unique everyone feels. In past games this idea was painted with broad strokes, sure you wouldn’t try to slash a contested lane with Steph Curry or have Kawhi Leonard create a three off the dribble — but the granularity in NBA 2K5 is down to a micro level. Joel Embiid can freeze defenders with his signature hang dribble before dropping his high-release pull up, LaMelo Ball thrives at slicing into the lane from bizarre angles using his hesitation dribble, before lofting up a scoop or teardrop.

By taking the concept of ProPlay and extending it into ball handling everything feels bespoke. Of course, none of this would work without a branching animation system that’s buttery smooth — and at no point during my time with the game did I see the engine totally break as I was transitioning from dribble to shot. This includes really putting it through its paces by trying as many off-balance passes and weird angles with Nikola Jokic, and every time the game responded in a way that felt appropriate.

Smaller changes really improve the feel of NBA 2K25. If a player is a 42-minute guy in the NBA they will no longer be subbed out randomly for long stretches in the second or third quarters. It’s common to see a star play an entire game without substitution, which in turn allows game statistics to be more representative even with five minute quarters.

The shot meter has changed in this year’s game too, moving to a less obtrusive arrow system, located next to the player during a jump shot. This takes some time to get used to, as timing changes mean you’ll need to relearn your muscle memory a little — but the reward is worth it. In a similar vein contested shots now have a much greater chance of going in depending on player skill, meaning confident shooters with good timing can still drain a spot-up three with someone in their face, rather than always needing to move the ball to find an open man.

More time an attention has been paid to the WNBA side of the game this year too. Make no mistake: It’s still lacking some of the polish of the NBA side, including a far more condensed version of MyCareer — but the WNBA no longer feels like an afterthought. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon is in full effect, with commentary routinely mentioning her impact on the WNBA and your created star being asked immediately in an interview about what it’s like to share a draft class with Clark.

The Eras mode is back, allowing you to play with presentation from the 80s, 90s, 00s and 2010s — this time with the “Curry Era” of 2016 in the game, which I mostly mention for making me feel old as hell. These older eras of NBA play are complete with unique sliders, which better replicates how basketball has evolved. Three point shooting is more of a luxury in the Bird/Magic and Jordan era, with strong defense and physicality being the name of the game, for instance.

To briefly touch on the story elements of MyCareer in the NBA it’s, well, it’s funny. The gameplay itself is brilliant, and building a player archetype is a lot of fun. The writing of the story at times is facepalm-inducing. Most notable is a moment from my point guard’s backstory in which the motivation for my team to win the state championship in high school was because the biggest donor to our rival school closed the garment factory where my grandfather worked for 37 years. I get that they’re trying to weave messages about privilege and wealth into the NBA journey, but it reads like something written in a made-for-Disney movie.

NBA 2K25 is a standout title in a year with absolutely stellar sports games. With incomparable presentation, graphics, animation and commentary it truly stands alone among pro sports games. This year’s iteration is a basketball lover’s dream, particularly if you’re an old head just wanting to play as your favorite team — and even more-so if you’ve lapsed for a few years. A title brimming with features, modes and things to do, there’s never a shortage of ways to enjoy NBA 2K25. This is a must-play, must-experience game that every sports title should aspire to be.