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I'm probably one of 2K's more involved consumers. I check out the tweets, I follow the developer videos, I check out the YouTube commentators, the forums, the blogs (ie. Chris Smoove, Operation Shill, etc.). So I knew that 2K14's graphics would be relatively unchanged; I knew that the presentation was basically a blue version of 2K13; and that generally, PS3/360 would get the short end of the stick, with next-gen around the corner.
If you let the internet tell it, everybody should "just getz teh next-gen verzionz!!1!" (nevermind that $400-$500 device you need in order to play it). I'm not sure when I'll get a next-gen system, so for the foreseeable future, this was my only option for a 2014 basketball game.
I had been reluctant about purchasing this game at full price, but ultimately I decided to take a chance on the pre-release rumblings of how great 2K14 "feels". I'll admit that the defense has improved. So far, it seems both challenging and rewarding. You aren't helpless in the paint anymore, sticking to your man on drives seems to be easier, and the opponent's makes don't seem as cheap.
As for offense: having shooting/dribbling determined by stick pressure is pretty annoying. It's not impossible to get used to, but it makes dribbling less rewarding for me. I just want to break my man down, and not have to worry about whether I'll press too hard and launch a 30-footer. But on a positive note, I like that players seem to have a bit more "grip" to them. It doesn't feel as much like you're being yanked around by animations which, in turn, makes slashing more fun. Other than that, I really don't know what else to say about this game that hasn't been said about 2K13.
While it is an improvement, it's definitely not what I'd consider to be $60 worth of improvement. I understand now why 2K decided to not release a demo. And I'm sure they'll understand why I'm throwing this game on the used market in about 20 minutes. It feels more like a really good patch, than a fresh new product.
Unless you're a masochist, I recommend waiting on a 40% sale (at least), or just playing 2K13 with an updated roster. And this is coming from somebody who faithfully gets 2K on Day 1 and generally disagrees with people who say annual sports games "are the same every year."
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Immediately in the first minute of NBA 2K14 I noticed a huge difference, but not in graphics. I didn't expect to see big improvements in graphics but I expected the game to have improvements in look and feel through both the menu and the gameplay. I quickly found out that it wasn't the case. At least not for the menu. The gameplay had it's ups and downs that had me and my brother messing up on things we did with ease in 2K13. It was actually so bad that it took us a bit to get used to it. Funny how 8 games later we were still making dumb passes on the fast break after a steal because we are still very used to the 2K13 button layout.Graphics: 4/5 The graphics are good don't get me wrong, but they didn't really improve over 2K13.
Performance: 5/5 The game has improved performance over 2K13 although it's not much it is an improvement.
Look & Feel: 4/5 The menu wasn't improved much, but the gameplay was so I can say it's better then average.
Controls: 3/5 This was 2K14's biggest flop. The controls were changed a little to much. Although they do have that familiar feel they're very much changed and kinda hard the get used to them after have been so adapted to NBA 2K13.
Improvements & Downfalls vs. 2K13:
This is in my opinion the biggest improvements and downfalls verses it's predecessor. Very much like PRO's and CON's.
Improvements vs. 2K13:
+ The look and feel for the game is an improvement. Not a big one but an improvement none the less.
+ The defense in this game is much improved over 2K13. Some would say it's a little to perfect.
+ The details on some players. Some players in 2K13 looked odd and that's been fixed for at least the ones that I've used so far.
+ The game mechanisms are improved to give it a more realistic feel. (Example: If you try to block on a pump fake and the person starts to drive while you're in the air, there will be a collision and both of you will fall. Blocking foul will be called.) That's just one of the many improvements made to make the game more realistic.
Downfalls vs. 2K13:
Controls are a big downfall for this game. After getting used to playing the last one the game is kinda hard to get used to. 2K13 was such an easy transition from 2K12 when it came to controls (Mainly because they didn't really change much.). This was such a big challenge for both me and my brother. It was so bad that we were still trying to hold L2 while shooting and passing by mistake after a steal on the fast break 8 games later.
The Realism some can say is a bit over the top, and can make it actually feel a bit more fake then real sometimes. Some of the things like the example I mentioned in the improvements for the game mechanisms can happen way to often which don't really happen that often in real life.
Defense is one of those things that is both an improvement and a downfall. How? "You ask." The defense can sometimes be argued to be way to perfect. In the first game I played with Brooklyn Nets vs Houston Rockets (against my brother). Blocks and steals were happening way to often. We ended up 69 to 71 as the final score with a combined total of 28 blocks and 32 steals. That's big numbers for blocks and steals.
Conclusion:
Overall: 4/5 I think the game is worth buying. For those of you that would rather wait and get it when the price drops I would say, SMART CHOICE. I say if you already have 2K13 and are thinking about it but don't really know, wait for the price drop is my best advice. For those of you that are still rocking 2K12 or lower then this will be a good improvement that's well worth getting. I hope you guys enjoy and thanks for reading.This game is a HUGE improvement over NBA 2K13. The GAMEPLAY has been vastly improved. Contact in the paint is now incredibly realistic, defense is now just as important and effective as offense is, and most importantly there is no "cheesing"! No euro step cheese, no flying through people for dunks, no leaning layup animations that caused you to brick layups whenever you got contact in the paint, and no getting bailed out when making stupid passes. It's a strategic game now that is incredibly balanced. If you're a gameplay guy and recognize the importance of true simulation basketball then this is a must-buy.
As for the modes, I hear that they are mostly the same as 2K13, but I haven't played any modes myself. I have played a few quick games and games online and I can tell you that the gameplay is the best it's been on current gen.
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This game is awesome, music is great, gameplay is great, just an overall great game by 2k. I love itLets get it out of the way, NBA 2k14 is basically a patched NBA 2k13 updated for the 2013-14 season. If you are just a casual basketball fan that just wants to play a quick game you are probably best served staying or buying 2k13( or if you're into the classic teams 2k11 for Jordan challenge, or 2k12 for the legends challenge).With that out of the way, this is the best pure basketball simulation that has been released to date. In every sense it feels like the culmination of the 2k series on the court for this generation of consoles. Defense has been improved, especially inside. Contact in the paint feels a lot better than last year, and the new shot blocking system implemented feels great. There is no better feeling than chasing down a player on the fast break for a highlight block, 2k14 delivers this in spades. Controls have been changed for what feels like the 3rd or 4th year in a row. The right stick is now used for both dribble moves and shooting, with the L2 trigger being a new modifier for flashy passes. It takes a few games to get used to, especially if you played a lot of 2k13, but once you do you'll be pulling of crossovers, eurosteps, fadeaways and floaters in no time.
Graphically this is the same game we have gotten for the last few years, the presentation is essentially the same as last year as well. The only new mode is the Lebron challenge where you can play through the rest of Lebron's career, either staying with the Heat or taking your talents out of South Beach. I haven't put much time into this, but I imagine its a nice little alternate reality mode, and Lebron fans will love it.
So should you buy 2k14? I would say yes if you are a huge NBA fan and aren't planning on getting a next gen system at launch. This is the best pure basketball game made to date. If you haven't played a 2k game in years, by all means get this game. If you are planning on getting a PS4/XBox One you would probably be better off waiting for the next gen version(which by the recent trailer looks incredible). If you fall into the casual basketball fan category, you are probably better off saving some money and getting either last years version, or 2k11 or 2k12 for the legend modes(Only hardcore players will notice any substantial differences on the court, but they are there for those that are in the know). So with this release it is clear 2k's main focus was the next gen version, this is a "playing it safe" release in every sense, but honestly it was to be expected, this is the eighth 2k game on this generation of consoles and quite frankly we have seen worse thing from yearly sports titles, the fact that this is one of the best sports games on the market on old hardware gives them a pass imo.
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