NBA 2K23 Critic Reviews

Developing a new title in the sports genre every year and improving at the same time is a real challenge for any company, but Visual Concepts managed to create a true 9th generation experience with NBA 2K23, offering solid visuals, stunning animations and tons of content while staying loyal to simulation gameplay. It is safe to say that the king is back.

NBA 2K23 does a killer job of opening the floor to those that are new to the franchise, or those returning for their umpteenth time. With gorgeous visuals that help solidify this as one of the best-looking games of the generation so far, to controls that let you feel like a pro, there's very little to complain about here.

Undoubtedly the best opus of the license released to date. In addition to the already gargantuan lifespan, further improved in solo and multiplayer thanks to a My NBA mode boosted by the choice of 4 eras, the return of the Jordan Challenge, the co-op mode in My Team and the Career Theater, the gameplay in will delight some. The former crazy dribblers are now limited online and must think collectively, the shooting timing is more demanding, but much fairer and a lot of new animations come to shake up the regulars. Graphically impeccable, taking in immersion with old-school skins for period matches, the title enters the Hall of Fame. Only gray areas, the usual desire (or even need) to take out the credit card to get more VC and advance your player, a matchmaking that is still quite unbalanced and some crashes on certain career quests. Even MJ can have flaws.

NBA 2K23 is one of the best games that has ever stepped onto a sports court. Its gameplay and technical fundamentals are without doubt, but the addition of historic modes to its roster is a better move than the one the Chicago Bulls made when they selected Michael Jordan with the third pick in the 1984 Draft.

NBA 2K23 is the game the community has been wanting, but that hardcore community is far more advanced than any casual player looking to just play a basketball game. It’s the little things that help to make NBA 2K23 the best sports representation to date, and the legacy content now puts the series far ahead of any other sports series out there. It’s not without its fault, beginning with the difficulty and learning curve of the game. Every bit of content in this year’s game is fresh and useful and you’ll find yourself playing every mode. If you purchased the version that offers 100K virtual currency, you have to choose if that’s going to MyPLAYER or to MyTEAM. The modes remain a grind to keep the player on the game, but the Jordan Challenge is worth the price of admission to begin with. This is better than the 2K Showcases in the WWE series due to the presentation aspect. It’ll be difficult for 2K to one-up NBA 2K23, one of the best video game sports adaptions of all time.

NBA 2K23 builds on last year’s rock-solid entry with some well-considered on-court changes, a deeper, more satisfying career mode, and an array of accessible nostalgia-tweaking content. Most refreshingly, almost none of these additions are designed to push extra spending. If Visual Concepts stays hungry, NBA 2K23 could be the beginning of a new dynasty that would do its cover star proud.

Visual Concepts once again gives us the definitive basketball experience in the world of videogames. Coinciding with the twenty-third anniversary of the numbering of their games, they could only point to excellence. The gameplay looks sharper and more precise than ever, the vintage game modes take us back to incredible times and MyTEAM and MyCareer remain a safe bet. Without a doubt, essential for lovers of sports games.

An abundance of various modes and improvements to the on-court action, NBA 2K23 is an astonishing amount of fun for any basketball fan. Even the microtransactions in some modes weren’t enough to dampen the pure fun that the rest of the game had to offer.

NBA 2K23 is the Michael Jordan of the basketball games. Stunning visuals, improved gameplay and the additions of Eras to the MyNBA mode and the Jordan Challenges make it a must-have for basketball fans. The only issue with NBA 2K23 is an old one: microtransactions. But, if you're a 2K fan, you already know that.

Once again, Visual Concepts shows that they deserve all the credit, with solid gameplay and an absolutely huge amount of content. Special mention to Eras, a new addition that sets an inflection point in sports videogames.

Visual Concepts has finally created a beautiful chapter of NBA 2K, balanced, rich in content, aesthetically true next gen.

NBA 2K23 is a massive step forward for the series in nearly every fashion. Gameplay, presentation and experience upgrades make this the best 2K in years.

NBA 2K23 is worth the price of admission almost entirely because of how good the new MyNBA Eras mode is. What makes NBA 2K23 the best installment in years is the well-needed gameplay changes, as well as the return of the enthralling Jordan Challenge mode. Sadly, 2K keeps much of the fun locked behind an expensive paywall that simply cannot be justified.

The NBA 2K franchise is back and moving in the right direction. After years of stagnant gameplay mechanics and subtle improvements to its franchise mode, this year’s game has taken huge, direction-defining steps. NBA 2K23 offers an amazingly customizable experience. With the exception of a few perhaps philosophical issues and some lingering old assets still in use, this year’s version registers as an All-NBA first team selection within the series’ storied history.

NBA 2K23 shines this year on next-gen and positions itself as one of the best episodes of the license released so far. A gargantuan content, a neat technique, a gameplay much more faithful to the real thing, winks every 5 minutes for NBA fans, a less fraudulent My Team mode and a very positive NBA League Pass offer for the players. However, we can't ignore the differences between the current-gen and next-gen versions given the prices displayed... It is urgent that 2K wakes up and stops this unequal practice towards the players by proposing similar versions or at adequate prices according to what is offered to the players. This 2023 vintage is back on the throne of sports simulations by advocating excellence in the image of an ever more legendary Michael Jordan.

NBA 2K23 is one of the best entry in the series so far, thanks to its devout tribute to the story of the sport and a few gameplay innovations. ERA MyNBA e the Jordan Challanges represent the best example of sport digital storyitelling in the world of videogames, while MyTeam and MyCareer suffer from the usual monetization policy, even if The City is far more engaging than the last year. On the court NBA 2K23 is a solid basketball experience, with a new shooting system that feels simple and consistent.

NBA 2K23 at its core is the same great experience that players enjoy each and every year, while also still mired by the unpleasant microtransactions for your MyPlayer. This year's return of the Jordan Challenge, however, takes the game to new heights that it has not felt for a number of years now thanks to the level of authenticity found in the presentation and gameplay surrounding the GOAT Michael Jordan.

NBA 2K23 offers fun content by adding new modes to the series. In addition to the 10+ hour Jordan Challenge mode, it is also a pleasure to play NBA seasons in different eras.

NBA 2K23 is a solid step forward pretty much in every aspect, apart from the visuals and MyCareer, that are not as surprising or attractive as they were before.

Although it has room for improvement, the truth is that it is a pleasant surprise after last year's title. 2K pays tribute to the NBA and recovers the value of the great moments that defined its rise to the Olympus of video games.