NBA 2K16

Year after year, NBA 2K Sports has continued to bring the fire that has created a realistic basketball experience. Outside the teams, you have next-generation graphics and a host of different modes. The basketball simulator could be noted for one other new feature: career mode. Spike Lee directs career mode, and you will find yourself thrown into a series of events that you could have never imagined. It's a story mode type of game that can be pretty interesting.

In career mode, you start the game as an African American boy who comes from a rundown neighborhood and has a twin sister who teaches you how to play basketball. You will see plenty of cinematic scenes where your parents talk about what a nice boy you have turned into, and they talk about everything that you sacrificed. You can choose a different ethnicity in the game, but some of the topics sound strange that way. Despite that, My Career delivers a lot of fresh ideas, and you get the chance to make professional decisions over the course of your story. Another advantage is that you experience cameos from the real players who decide to offer you actual assistance throughout the game. How cool would you feel if Stephen Curry became your mentor? That is what My Career mode does for you.

While career mode is great, you can rest assured that the game has more to offer. For example, you have My Team, which is similar to what you have in FIFA 16 with Ultimate Team. You play in regular matches and experiment with a variety of online modes. When it comes to teams, not only do you get the NBA teams, you also have the classic teams to choose from like the Dallas Mavericks or the Portland Trail Blazers. Along with American teams, European basketball also comes into play, and you will find over 25 different teams for the Euroleague. That is something that we saw in NBA 2K15, but it has changed even more with the latest installment.

NBA 2K16 has more intuitive controls, and the basketball symbols show you the passes you can make to specific players. It has been assigned by button, and that makes it easier to visualize your possible moves. The visuals are great, and it is something that 2K Sports has often been known for: their detailed facial animations and depth in the court. Everything looks realistic, but it should be pointed out that the graphics look twice as good on the PS4 and Xbox One. The PC platform did not do as well this year. Nevertheless, the high level of realism and modes has made it a tempting title.

Pros

• Marvelous graphics that pull you into the game
• Career mode takes the game in an interesting new direction
• European teams as well as American

Cons

• The PC version needs work because it does not compare with the Xbox One and PS4