It is way to fake i thought they would fix it after 2k11 but they havent its fun but they better start being more like basketball than a 3 point contest every game u play in My Team and online or i will stop buying the nba games.
NBA 2K13 Review
Enhanced realism and a great new control setup make NBA 2K13 a fantastic recreation of pro hoops.
The Good
- Excellent game flow emulates the real thing
- New right-stick controls make slick moves easy to pull off
- Signature skills enhance player depth
- TV-realistic graphics and animations
- Lively, varied play-by-play.
The Bad
- Confusing interface
- Overblown Jay-Z production.
Hardcore hoops fans, lapsed b-ball followers, and anyone else who even casually picks up the odd sports game should play NBA 2K13. Developer Visual Concepts continues to keep the bar high, enhancing the realism of and adding a superb new control scheme to this excellent recreation of pro basketball. Pace, graphics, animations, sound effects, and commentary are all so dead on that you feel like you've walked onto the court at Staples Center or Madison Square Garden. Only a few issues with the interface and the absence of controller tutorials, along with ridiculously overblown production values courtesy of guest executive producer Jay Z, get between you and the full appreciation of what looks, sounds, and feels like the real thing.
That said, this isn't a revolutionary upgrade on NBA 2K12. Last year's game is the foundation for this successor, which bases everything on what has gone before. Gameplay on the court is still incredibly true to real life. The pace, plays, artificial intelligence, and, well, everything else, mimic real pro basketball. Players move like they should, shoot like they should, and even position themselves smartly so you can make plays. Even playing solo, it feels like you're working as part of a real team due to the stellar AI. You can play selfishly and always look for the shot, but that tends to hurt your team more than passing and trying to develop plays. Same goes on defense, where you contribute by covering your man or providing timely help. Do that well and you feel like you're a part of the team even if you never touch the ball.
All of the offline and online modes of play are back for another season, so you can practice plays, run franchises, play one-off matches or the playoffs, hit the schoolyard for three-on-three blacktop action, mess around with legendary clubs, and so on. You can even make your own kicks now, through a 2K Shoes creator module. Most of the core options have been glitzed up. MyPlayer has been dramatically expanded and renamed MyCareer. You now not only create an NBA wannabe, you role-play him through all sorts of off-court situations. You can be a good guy or a heel, a Steve Nash or a Kobe Bryant. This means you get to dress up in flashy clothes and accoutrements for arriving at games, sign shoe endorsements, play egotistical brat when meeting with GMs before the draft, try to get your coach fired, and stir up fans on social media.
It's all faintly ridiculous, especially the scripted comments you make in meetings, and it adds up to a cartoon view of what the NBA is in real life. But it's also very compelling. These options let you personalize your career, and the whole me-first concept plays into the fantasy sports ideal that makes player-oriented modes of play in sports sims so appealing in the first place. Most goodies are bought with the VC coins awarded for accomplishments in-game, as well, so you at least have to do something on the hardwood (or spend your own cash by buying the things with real-world money) before you earn the right to detonate any ego explosions.
More historical greats have been included among the roster of teams. The headline is the inclusion of the full 1992 Olympic Dream Team, with even Charles Barkley finally letting his likeness be added to a game for the first time since 1994's Shut Up and Jam! So old-timers who want to see Jordan, Magic, Bird, Sir Charles, and pals on the court together again can finally do so. You can also pit this club against the most recent version of the dreamy Olympic roster from earlier this year to see what roster is really the best of all time.
Other iconic teams from the NBA's past are included, as well, like the Showtime Lakers and the Bad Boys with top thugs Laimbeer and Rodman. The game even has an absurd celebrity team starring the likes of Justin Bieber and various B-listers such as JB Smoove and Jersey Shore's Pauly D. Even a little guy like the Beeb comes in with sky-high ratings, too, so you can actually pit this team (the overall rating is a formidable 97) against any and all comers with a good shot at emerging victorious.
Players themselves have had their ratings revised in a key area, as well. All of the top stars in the NBA, and even a number of role players and sixth men, are now given signature skills that better reflect their real-life traits. So you have the floor general, who makes everyone on the floor play better offense. There's the closer, who raises his game in clutch moments. The eraser sends shots off with emphasis. The finisher can blast into the paint to slam layups and dunks no matter what traffic may be clogging the key.
78 comments
Amateur Fantasy League
ID: 837400
Password: qwerty
Difficulty: Superstar
Draft Date: April 2nd, 2013 9:00 p.m ET
Host: LizzleNizzle (Excuse the name)
Additional Info: Post-season is Best of 3; this league is for active members looking for good competition; If you have a headset LET'S USE IT, add me on xbox live and I'll set up a party for members to chat; Once Again this league is for ACTIVE MEMBERS don't join unless you plan on being there after the draft.
I love these games but they are so hard!!! i watch basketball but i dont play it and i wish i knew how to manage a team better and call plays but i guess i just have to keep playing to get the hang of it
Stop hating Jay Z he is the one who produced the game so he can do whatever he wants.I agree this game deserves a 9.
@PCanton i agree i honestly dont mind jay-z as a rapper but as an icon i wouldnt look up to him and i think his music goes good with the game. And besides this game is about BASKETBALL not whether or not jay-z is a good executive producer or not...
1 Like Just because he threw a little money and time into the game doesn't mean he can do whatever he wants. He has an overblown image of himself, and the review points out that it shows in this game. There were other people who actually created the game and the series from day one who have no mention on the cover, so why should Jay-Z get the recognition there and not them? Strange
finally a patch almost 2months in....now at least the game is playable and has a feel of realism. The adjusted three point accuracy and shot blocking are glaring improvements. Before this patch a rating of 9 was highly suspect!
2 Like great game but couldn't agree more, way too much Jay Z stuff in it, horrible music, one of the worst ever in any game. but still a great game
1 Like I agree, some very strange song choices in there. Never played 2k12, but I liked the 2k11 soundtrack much more. I do like the work he did putting together the interface and intro movies; those were very well done and looked great
2 Like I liked your review, it's really detailed. But I have to call you on this.. The guy posting up isn't lebron, it's patrick ewing..
Here's a good VID review from IGN for all looking for onehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFwLZ8jVkd0
It's okay if gamespot does not want to do a video review. I'll just go find another review site to rely on for producing vid's for good games.
@killdot1335 They'll make one eventually. As it says, this isn't that different from last year's, just go and watch last years.
2 Like @AudioKill I'm glad they pointed it out as well, I ended putting my own music on my xbox cause I got sick of hearing Jay-z and kanye over and over again...I was screaming mercy when they kept playing mercy!
Please guys, Do a Video review. I think NBA 2k 13 deserves it more than Fable: the journey.
2 Like Ok, I had to login to get this to say.
Ok first off, This guy is MOSTLY mad, NOT because there is a lot of Jay-Z (that's just a small front), but because it is basically all rap. Saying he wanted more stuff like Coldplay and U2 on the game. Listen here hypocrites, From the Gamespot posters to the Gamespot Executives EVERY DAMN GAME has Overblown Rock and Alternative on it. Yet, I don't see you saying ANYTHING about that crap! Here's a game that puts more emphasis on hip-hop and what do you do? criticize it! Brett Todd and all the others, keep your ignorant mouth's shut!
1 Like @lorider25 It is overblown with Jay-Z...ridiculously overblown and if it's not Jay it's Kanye.
1 Like Just play the game and enjoy it. If you really know basketball and not just a video game nerd than you know this is a great game. Stop bitching about the small stuff (Jay-Z, soundtrack, menus) like women. Appreciate a great game of basketball and ignore the petty stuff.
@Kinglas2466 thats whats sup
I\ like the soundtrack and think you saved me some time telling them fulls
I was a fan of NBA2K12 so whatever NBA Live was trying to be it certainly cannot match up to what this game offers for controls, graphics, sounds, presentation and so on.
IMO this game series is the best basketball series to ever come out. Can anyone confirm if the new controls are an improvement?
Also, I like how lifelike the players are and I feel NHL13 needs to take some notes on how to make players look real haha. :)
you are right lol but 2k sports had no choice. Jay-Z was needed to bring scottie pippen and charles barkley aboard. I'm not a jay-z fan but I'm glad he was able to get some of my favorite players into this game.
2 Like I thought the soundtrack was great. Old school Nas, Mobb Deep, Rakim, etc and some decent Jay-Z tracks.
I'm liking this game ALOT! My Nba 2K11 & 12 games have both been retired until further notice.
1 Like one thing i've always liked about the nba 2k series is the soundtrack, they have great soundtrack year in and year out. but that's not the case this year, i just turned off all the music in the game...
1 Like lol weird that everyone likes this review..it's a freelancer that wrote it as opposed to a regular gamespot employee right? i am happy that the GS guys are harsh on scoring games, otherwise i'd probably pick up a bunch of mediocore games that got decent scores and that's a waste of money especially when these games are 60 fuckin dollars now!
5 Like I'm a Jay-Z fan and even I have to say that 2K dropped the ball with the interface, presentation, and soundtrack this year. The soundtrack isn't varied enough. And the whole Jay-Z aspect is just taken WAY too far. Gold over every damn thing. It's like 2K was so interested in having Jay's name on the box, that they just let dude run wild. Hopefully they will never do anything like this again.
At least the gameplay aspect is still good though...after a patch gets done. >_>
@SavoyPrime good to see I'm not the only one thinking on these lines, not overrating the game and calling out it's flaws.
I didn't like the gold splashed everywhere either, but over time I suppose that can be overlooked. But the soundtrack is repetitive, and gameplay aspect is good but I've found a couple faults here and there that need to be fixed in my short time renting it.
Sorry it's just hard for me to accept, especially in a close game with friends, him catching the ball then taking 5 steps from the top of the key to dunk it without the ball even once. And then when I dunk it at the other end it is called out of bounds, even tho when I watch the replay it clearly shows the ball going thru the hoop, then bouncing twice below in front of players ignoring the ball before it goes across the line.
@PayneKiller It's gotten to the point that I don't even play NBA 2K games until a patch hits. In fact, I've made my mind up that I'm just gonna start buying the NBA 2K games when the playoffs hit. That way all patches and roster updates will have made the game worth me buying by then. Cause as of now, I feel the game isn't worth the $60 price of admission and that the game being on the shelf until November or December (usually when the first patch hits) is just a waste of money right now.
@mwalk77 @PayneKiller Yeah, Ronnie2K said that they were shooting for a late November release for the patch. So I guess we will see. Frankly, I'm not holding my breath.
I agree with you..I'm the most disappointed I've been in a while because the game has alot of potential. But until they patch up the gameplay I'm done.
1 Like wish they would of had Dr J in the game.maybe there will be a roster patch later.
Thanks for getting around to the review Gamespot. You're only like 3 weeks late. Better late than never I guess.
And I thought I was the only one thinking this...how the hell does this game deserve a 9 with the gameplay bugs???
thank you gamespot for a fair and honest review of 2k13. gave it the exact same score i gave it
2 Like I don't own it, only rented it since redbox had a couple free days this week. But really I'm already bored of the soundtrack. there's only like 20 songs in the game, if that many. I'm used to sports games having 40+, or at least thats what FIFA gives me. Ya a lot of the songs I may not like, but at least there's some variety.
I'm really disappointed that Jay-Z's name is plastered all over this and all we get is 19 tracks most of which I'm already hearing on the damn radio every day, and the rest I've heard on the radio every damn day in the past. When I actually do get the game I hope there's a way to put my own music into the menus cause it's actually gotten annoying hearing the same songs over and over.
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Game Emblems
The Good
NBA 2K13 is the new shining jewel of NBA 2K series, and has left the future of the series as bright as ever.
NBA 2K13
Not Following
- Publisher(s): 2K Sports
- Developer(s): Visual Concepts
- Genre: Sports
- Release:
- ESRB: E
NBA 2K13 Navigation
