Best NBA 2K15 - PlayStation 4
CUSTOMER REVIEW
NBA 2K15 is an impressive all-around product. There is a ton of content within, a lot of work has been done to the various modes, and gameplay and presentation remain strong. It's unfortunate then that once again 2K is plagued by server-related issues and with them having created what is largely an "always-online" game it's continued reason for concern.
MyCareer - Still my personal favorite mode in the game, it's compelling even though the story is silly, you're forced to be a guy who's a jackass, and the voice acting is atrocious. I still keep going back to it regardless. This time around the story is based on being an undrafted free agent fighting for a spot on the rosters and working your way up in the league. Conceptually it's strong but also makes you think they went this way because your player starts lower rated and with less playing time so you'll want to spend money on VC to compensate. Having a practice gym to shoot in and the new way of upgrading attributes are positive changes.
Face Scan - This is the most infuriating feature I've ever attempted to use in a sports game and after nearly an hour of trying to complete it I've just given up. It has worked for some people, so it's not "broken" necessarily, but it hasn't worked well (see all the alien looking scans out there) or at all for many others. Considering some bought a camera just for this purpose or had it as their most anticipated feature of the game this year, that's a huge problem.
MyPark - This is a great concept for online but the servers and other issues (like standing around in "Got Next" and even getting stuck there and having to restart the game completely) makes it a rough experience for now. It has a lot of potential though.
MyGM and MyLeague - Good options for fans of franchise modes. MyLeague is all offline so the servers can't impact it. MyGM like MyCareer has the VC ties to the server so a connection is required to make any progress.
MyTeam - The servers for MyTeam have been down almost completely since release. Some have squeezed in at times but also found their progress completely wiped out after server crashes.
Gameplay/Presentation - Nothing too dramatic in limited standard games so far different from last year. It's still top of its class in both regards in the genre, though commentary has lagged a bit and isn't improved over last year (especially since Steve Kerr is still in the booth). A new shot meter has gotten mostly positive response from the community.
Reduction of VC - One of the big takeaways from NBA 2K14 for 2K was they had to draw back on their invasive implementation of VC. So there's now the MyLeague mode which doesn't involve it and the pressure in other areas to spend money just to play the way you want has been reduced. Still VC is the majority of the game is "always-online" and may be the culprit behind much of the server issues. Consider just how often the servers are pinged by millions of people earning and spending VC constantly.
Right now though it would be difficult to give a flat out recommendation for this game. Until the server situation clears up, which with 2K14 never completely happened so it's not something that should just be assumed will take place soon or guaranteed to happen at all, it's a great game that isn't always available for you to play when and how you want - and that's what makes it most frustrating. That great game is just out of reach.
*Should the server situation improve I'll update the review with details and a new rating. It's a 4-5 star game if it would be working properly.