NBA 2K14 Next-Gen First Impressions

Feature Article

Submitted on: 11/17/2013 by Dustin Toms

Ever since Hypegate, the NBA community has been dying to get their hands on the next-gen NBA 2K14. Well, we're finally here on Opening Weekend and know for an absolute fact: those graphics are worth every minute of the hype. And not it's not just the graphics; NBA 2K14 plays as good, if not better, than the current gen game.

Before we get into all of the grits and detail in our review coming out this week, here are a few quick-hitting points that I saw with my first few hours of playing NBA 2K14.

What we like:

Graphics - This isn't just a nod at what the PS4 can accomplish, this is a nod at the 2K team for showing off the best graphics of all PS4 launch titles. Madden, Need for Speed, Knack and Battlefield 4 all look gorgeous, but they're not 2K. To be blunt, NBA 2K14 looks real.

My Career- Graphics have improved the immersion of My Player. The game's most popular mode feels real thanks to storylines, rivals, agents, etc. I've never been this excited to see progression.

Eco-Motion - I don't see the players' emotions tip the scales too often, but when it does happen it's pretty entertaining. LeBron's frustration is much different than Boogie Cousins, which is yet another nod to the realism.

Audio - Every single noise you hear inside the gym, or on a TV broadcast, is in this game. From Steph Curry's sneakers squeaking after a quick change of direction, to the crowd roaring after Michael Carter-Williams crossed over Ben McLemore in the rookie showcase.

What we didn't like:

Trade Logic - When Sacramento trades away Boogie and McLemore, and all they have to show for it is Goran Dragic, something is wrong. Offers like Dirk for Love, Rubio and a first-round pick shouldn't even be allowed.

Minor Glitches - I've experienced the CPU team to "forget" to have an inbounder, resulting in me taking a timeout. Also: A few bad canned animations, rebounding out of bounds, pace of game slowed down due to refs.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth look coming tomorrow, and the full review later this week.

NBA 2K14 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 GUDAURA @ 11/18/13 01:27 AM

only one real next gen game!!
no comments

# 2 GUDAURA @ 11/18/13 01:28 AM

I can not believe I am playing this game

# 3 JHUNT3 @ 11/18/13 01:33 AM

Gameplay is by far the best ever. Easily the best NG title out. I'm just having trouble finding how to player edit accessories .. I originally did it in roster creator but now it's only allowing me to download other ppl rosters. Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated

# 4 Rockie_Fresh88 @ 11/18/13 06:58 AM

Agreed with everything. Hopefully the review will clear up a lot of stuff

# 5 Rattyskydiver @ 11/18/13 07:12 AM

Is there a shoe endorsement for next gen my career?

# 6 cornille @ 11/18/13 12:59 PM

omg the myplayer is perfect only thing missing is a trophy room with all my accolade , well I haven't gotten that far so maybe it does im just assuming, and last but not least the ablity to change jerseys...

# 7 cornille @ 11/18/13 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattyskydiver


	Is there a shoe endorsement for next gen my career?

yes yes it is

# 8 emelki1968 @ 11/18/13 02:02 PM

I just played one game last night for the first time and I don't have words to describe how amazing I think this game is. I was shocked of how good the graphics and some of the details in the movement, court, players, etc. Yes, like all games it has some issues but who cares when the experience is so close to real basketball. If this game add "The Greatest, then it would become the best sport videogame ever.

# 9 Rattyskydiver @ 11/18/13 02:14 PM

How many games do you have to complete to get a shoe endorsement for next gen

# 10 MB1229 @ 11/18/13 02:26 PM

Pros -
- The game looks and plays great, which may be an understatement.
- I enjoy some aspects of the new MyGM mode such as phone calls to other GMs and the ability to get the cold shoulder from them if you air out frustrations from trade talks becoming public knowledge.

Cons -
- VC. 2K has decided that they want you to know and care about earning VC to do many things, or gain the ability to do many things, in their career modes, which is fine, but having to earn and spend VC to be able to hire and fire staff as a GM is unrealistic. 2K's MyGM mode reminds me of what Madden '13's problem was with connected careers, unfinished, or if it is finished, it's broken.
- Saving everything and anything to the 2K servers which includes your own edited rosters and any draft class you create. I cannot wait until the first time that I want to play MyGM and I cannot because 2Ks servers are down, I will be glad that I have 2 controllers the first time this happens.
- Editing inside of MyGM is restricted, but at least we are allowed to edit a few things about our players, but these do not include contract, ratings, or tendencies.
- Ability to start MyGM as of "today", must start from the beginning of the season every time you start anew.
- No Create-a-player or Create-a-team.
- 2K Servers, they didn't really just sell me a game that is dependent upon their servers to play this game who aren't the most reliable did they?

Other random thoughts -
I haven't yet made it into MyPlayer mode so that is why that gets no attention from me here.
I am sure there are more pros and cons, but I have yet to give the game the attention to really go in-depth, but some of the cons I have listed for MyGM annoy me the most about this game.

# 11 sbitar @ 11/18/13 03:06 PM

In my career, can u be drafted to the team u want? Or be traded at draft night to the team you want? Can u chose the jerseys before the game starts.? Was vc transfered from your previous account?

# 12 sbitar @ 11/18/13 03:10 PM

How is the accessories in creating myplayer? Can u have eyeglasses?

# 13 Rattyskydiver @ 11/18/13 03:16 PM

How is the accessories in creating myplayer? Can u have eyeglasses?
yes

# 14 fierzer @ 11/18/13 03:25 PM

I love the game so far, I own both the current-gen and next-gen versions, and next-gen is simply above and beyond anything else we've gotten.

I even tried playing MyCareer for the first time ever. How do you simulate games btw? I don't see any option

# 15 jukeum445 @ 11/18/13 03:34 PM

This game is by far the best title in the series and more than likley the best sports title ever made, point blank!...

# 16 DubTrey1 @ 11/18/13 04:55 PM

i am pleased so far with the gameplay - my biggest gripe here is already listed above:
Saving everything and anything to the 2K servers which includes your own edited rosters and any draft class you create -

This portion is a horrible mistake by 2K. I am hoping they patch this if possible to allow you to save rosters etc locally - because this is a cumbersome mess similar to the menu navigation. I cannot stress enough how horrible it is to have to rely on 2K servers for my roster.

# 17 WTFdude @ 11/18/13 05:03 PM

Are they ever ganna patch the fact that there is no multi team player in the mygm?

# 18 Lovesports @ 11/18/13 05:21 PM

Still have sim issue where if you sim the remaining of the game stats aren't based on 12 minute quarters like they should be. Anyone notice that?

# 19 JayAtkHar @ 11/18/13 05:42 PM

Ps4 and 2k having service issues with my career. It keeps crashing after you back out and go back

# 20 LReidT38 @ 11/18/13 06:42 PM

Man, I've been picking up 2K every year on release since 2K10, until this year. Rented CG 2K14 on PS3, and after playing through half an association season and my take aways were:
-It was weird adapting to the L2 Button modifying passes instead of switching the dribble stick to the shot stick, but it was something to adapt to and was fun to use after.
-There is something seriously wrong with the offensive rebounding in this game. I had too many instances of boxing out an opposing point guard with a PF (Derrick Favors, averaging 10.6 a game, top 10) only to have them warp through me and grab an offensive rebound. And it wasn't just the computer getting them, my teammates would grab offensive rebounds that they wouldn't get close to grabbing in real life. It was a minor problem in 2K13 that got WORSE in 14. It is like the regression of the passing system from 2K11 to 12. Speaking of...
-The trick passing system would be cool, if the passing system wasn't broken.
-Other minor gripes with things that mainly pertain to the portrayal of the Utah Jazz (My favorite team), such as the roster, player numbers, and court and area details. For example, the
Jazz Bear and LHM court naming details are both missing (which doesn't make sense to me, because they were both in the PS2 version of 2K11). I don't see why things in a PS2 version are not in the PS3 version.

So, i was disappointed with 2K14 CG, disappointed in the direction gameplay-wise that 2K has been going for the last 3 years.

Then I saw the NG trailers.... And I was blown away! It looked soooooooooo good, hands down the best looking Next-Gen game out there. And the in-game and post-game interviews? Woooooooooo!! I was excited to get my hands on the game, but that nagging worry of gameplay was still there. I had hope that it would be improved.
Got my hands on it, and 3 games in.... It's the same gameplay, I noticed no difference between this and CG, which killed it for me. And those team details? Even worse. Still missing area details, and somehow the art designers forgot between the CG and NG that Derrick Favors has a big tattoo on his left arm (again, you shouldn't be LOSING things between generations, especially not graphical detail.)
And what happened to the "Live Rosters" that were supposed to update after every game? Was that just lip service like they have given in that regard for the last 2 years? 12 games in, and the Jazz are a mess (not ratings wise, they are bad in real life too) with player personal. Burke is in, Jefferson isn't starting, and where is Ian Clark? Tinsley is still on the team, even though he got cut almost a week ago IRL.

2K14 NG is still a fun game, and if you liked it on CG you'll love it on NG, but I've just come to expect more from the series. I want improvement from a series that I love. I hope with the upcoming competition that 2K will step it up

« Previous12 Next »

More Links