NBA 2K19 Review

The problem annual sports games face is how to get players to buy another installment year after year. You don’t want to risk alienating longtime fans by changing too much. But you also have to improve upon the overall experience enough to justify the purchase. The developers of NBA 2K19 have taken the approach of subtly fine-tuning the gameplay.

Gameplay

Visual Concepts has produced the best and most realistic basketball games over the last few years. With NBA 2K19, the developers have balanced the attacking and defensive side of the game almost perfectly.

Defending is no longer as easy as just jockeying an opposing player. You now have to carefully manage your stamina and choose when to strike so that you have the best opportunity to regain the ball. The players all have a weight to them that makes them feel all that more authentic. This ensures that when jostling and stealing, collisions have genuine impact.

Takeover Meter

One of the new additions is a Takeover meter. This adds a new dynamic to gameplay by changing the morale and form of a player. Those who are playing well and scoring all of their shots will get some extra boosts.

However, if you are blowing cold you might be affected by a Takeover type that lowers your chances of hitting the net or performing that block properly. Get into the flow of a game and big name players can suddenly become far more potent, replicating the real-world moments when players can grab hold of a game and single-handedly change the momentum.