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

The NBA2K The series has become so many things to so many players that it's almost impossible to do it justice in one review. The most feature- and mode-packed annual sports title, the focus in years past has been less on reinventing the wheel and more on refining its formula – but this year is a little different. Sweeping changes to dribbling, pacing, and the expansion of the ProPlay system result in a game that's unmatched in terms of capturing NBA basketball and translating it to a controller.

By and large, there are basically two different ways in which people deal with NBA2K every year, and that hasn't changed. Thousands of players flock to MyCareer, honing their created players, sharing their builds online, and working their way to 99. The competitive form of MyCareer is so different from the rest of the game and requires so much expertise that it's not the focus here. There's no shortage of outlets, YouTubers, and content creators focused on MyCareer who honestly know more about the micro-adjustments made to the formula than I, frankly, know.

Instead, consider this a review for old hands. As someone who has played almost every iteration since Allen Iverson graced the cover of the Dreamcast in 1999, my enjoyment of the game comes from the simulation element of the franchise. How well does NBA2K To recreate the NBA itself, to convey the feeling of playing basketball on the court and to differentiate between players? In one word: unbelievable. In two words: mind-blowing.

NBA2K25 is on the edge of the uncanny valley in the second year of its “ProPlay” system. Introduced in NBA2K24This new method of animation moved away from motion capture of individuals in a studio and instead used film analysis of players in real NBA games and applied it to the game's animation system. Last year the focus was mainly on shots and dunks, which has now been expanded into 2K25 These include dribbling, ball-free animations, and special holds. The result is a game that feels incredibly lifelike. Each player acts and looks like their real-world counterpart, rewarding you for playing like them.

This may not seem groundbreaking, but it's difficult to quantify exactly how unique each feels. In previous games, this idea was painted with broad brushstrokes—sure, you wouldn't try to split a contested zone with Steph Curry or have Kawhi Leonard shoot a three-pointer off the dribble—but the granularity in NBA2K5 is on a micro level. Joel Embiid can freeze defenders with his signature hang dribble before dropping his high-release pull-up, LaMelo Ball is a master at cutting into the zone from bizarre angles with his hesitation dribble before hoisting up a scoop or teardrop.

By extending the concept of ProPlay to ball handling, everything feels bespoke. Of course, none of this would work without a buttery smooth, branching animation system – and at no point during my time with the game did I see the engine completely break when transitioning from dribbling to shooting. This includes really putting it through its paces by trying so many unbalanced passes and weird angles with Nikola Jokic, and every time the game responded in a way that felt appropriate.

Smaller changes improve the feeling of NBA2K25. In the NBA, when a player plays 42 minutes, he is no longer randomly substituted for long periods of time in the second or third quarter. It is common for a star to play an entire game without being substituted, which in turn means that game statistics are more representative even in five-minute quarters.

The shot indicator has also changed this year, switching to a less intrusive arrow system that sits next to the player when taking a jump shot. It takes a little time to get used to, as the timing changes mean you have to retrain your muscle memory a little – but the reward is worth it. Similarly, contested shots now have a much greater chance of going in depending on the player's skill. This means confident shooters with good timing can still sink a three-pointer with someone in the face, rather than always having to move the ball to find an open man.

This year, more time and attention has been devoted to the WNBA side of the game. Make no mistake: It is still missing some the gloss of the NBA team, including a much more condensed version of MyCareer – but the WNBA no longer feels like an afterthought. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon is in full swing, commentary regularly mentions her impact on the WNBA, and your created star is immediately asked in an interview what it's like to be in a draft class with Clark.

Eras mode is back, allowing you to play with presentations from the '80s, '90s, '00s, and 2010s – this time with the 2016 “Curry Era” in the game, which I mention mainly because it makes me feel awfully old. These older eras of NBA play come with unique sliders that better reflect the evolution of basketball. Three-point shots are more of a luxury in the Bird/Magic and Jordan eras, where strong defense and physicality are king, for example.

To briefly touch on the story elements of MyCareer in the NBA: It's, well, it's fun. The gameplay itself is brilliant and it's a lot of fun to develop a player archetype. The way the story is written is so head-shaking at times. Most notable is a moment from my point guard's backstory where the motivation for my team to win the state championship in high school was that our rival school's biggest donor closed the clothing factory where my grandfather had worked for 37 years. I understand they're trying to weave messages about privilege and wealth into the NBA journey, but it reads like something written in a movie made for Disney.

NBA2K25 is a standout title in a year of absolutely standout sports games. With unparalleled presentation, graphics, animation and commentary, it is truly one of a kind among professional sports games. This year's edition is every basketball fan's dream, especially if you're an old hand who just wants to play with your favorite team – and even more so if you've been away for a few years. A title packed with features, modes and things to do, there's never a shortage of ways to have fun NBA2K25This is a game that needs to be played and experienced, and that should be the goal of every sports title.