NBA 2K23 REVIEW: Here's what our critics PhilVillarreal and SeanNewgent have to say about the latest edition of the basketball sim.
TUCSON, Ariz. — It may be the start of football season, but Visual Concepts is tipping off the NBA season early with the latest edition of its sim series,"NBA 2K23." The game features Suns star Devin Booker on its cover.
Phil Villarreal: Like cover star Booker, this game is all about flash and productivity-minded performance. This is the Madden and FIFA of basketball sims, piling on features and modes for players of all stripes. It was pleasant to see Jordan Challenge come back. I am a big fan of single-player narratives in sports games that pay tribute to the game's history by introducing you to new control aspects.Sean Newgent: I enjoy a good character creator and while I've never been a sports fan, I like the chance to create some alien-like creature and watch him go through an underdog journey. The Jordan Challenge was another fun mode I found myself returning to.
There is a bit of an exaggerated flair with visuals. I think the plan is to channel some sort of"NBA Jam" style heightened reality. I didn't get a look at the game on PS4, but it looks slick and smooth on Xbox Series X. My eyes adapted to the visuals and animations pretty quickly, but it was a little jarring to see Brittney Griner suit up for the Phoenix Mercury.