NBA 2K19

But Why ThoRashaad Johnson

70/10

I don’t see myself ever really going hard for that 99, because the ability to do that requires the use of my wallet just to get started, because grinding for VC for free is insanely slow and I think they made it that way on purpose to push microtransactions.

Game RantGR Staff

9/10

In short, save for the ever-encroaching reach for players' wallets with the Virtual Currency system, the sheer breadth of content alone in NBA 2K19 will be plenty to satisfy newbies and long-time fans of the franchise looking for a complete basketball sim experience. And fortunately enough, Visual Concepts' dedication to nailing practically every important detail related to gameplay and presentation shows that the developer went the extra mile to make worthwhile improvements where it could. All told, despite the loot box backlash the game incurred prior to launch, NBA 2K19 will undoubtedly go ...

Impulse GamerRiley McArthur

NBA 2K19 has officially been released, and this year it’s the 20th Anniversary of NBA2K’s inception. There are quite a few changes, whether it be the new

Worth PlayingMichael Keener

8.5/10

NBA 2K19 continues the franchise's tradition as the gold standard of basketball simulation across all platforms with unrivaled realism and true NBA gameplay.

VG247Kat Bailey

Is NBA 2K19 more than the sum of its microtransactions? Our full review.

MonsterVineMonsterVine Staff

As you can imagine, it’s really easy to run low on the in-game currency, and that’s where microtransactions take shape in 2K19. If you want to stay on top of every mode in the game, it starts to feel over reliant on spending real money for the in-game currency. To be fair, there’s plenty of ways to earn currency in the game, but that means having to play a lot of basketball to be able to incur enough digital money to stay afloat. It’s up to every individual how much they want to buy in to 2K19’s microtransactions. But it starts to feel grimy to me when not spending a single dollar means I coul...

Xbox AchievementsRichard Walker

80/100

Another superlative iteration of video game basketball with very few flaws, NBA 2K19's biggest problem remains in its implementation of those pesky microtransactions that threaten to eclipse everything the game does right. Look past that, and NBA 2K19 is still unsurpassed.

GamingBoltBilly Givens

8/10

A few hiccups along the way, especially in relation to some pretty serious online multiplayer instabilities, definitely bring down the experience in 2K19. Thankfully though, these quibbles don't tarnish what is definitely the best option for your basketball fix this year.

DualShockersLogan Moore

7/10

Purchasing NBA 2K19 for yourself just depends on what you plan to play within its larger package. If you were already put off by MyCareer last year, then not much has changed to win you over this season. If you're looking for the best basketball sim on the market though to just play with friends or play by yourself in some of the more team-based game modes, you cannot do better than NBA 2K19. Despite there being so many fundamental changes that I want to see from this series moving forward in regards to many of its abrasive practices, at least the actual basketball has continued to be phenomen...

GamingTrendAustin Fern

65/100

NBA 2K19 is a fun basketball game held back by unnecessary bells and whistles alongside intrusive microtransactions. The basketball is second-to-none and the players feel and look incredible. It is a true shame the game is shackled by microtransactions which make progression a grind both for MyTeam and your player.

Capsule ComputersJamie Laike Tsui

6.5/10

A decent basketball game marred by high learning curve, lousy tutorials, and poor microtransaction implementation leading to excessive grinding.

TheSixthAxisAran Suddi

Unscored

Whatever viewpoint you’re coming from, NBA 2K19 is both slightly better and a bit more competent than its predecessor, but there are still issues that need to be addressed. It is still clearly designed so there is an underlying temptation to invest in some VC just to get to the good bits, instead of spending days, weeks, months slowly building up your player or your team. That said, whatever score it’s given really won’t matter since the NBA 2K series will remain dominant when the competition isn’t as strong as it could be. While NBA 2K19 is competent it has also, for me at least, continued do...