NBA 2K16 News Post

NBA 2K16: The Best Game in the Series' History?

06:24 PM - June 9, 2016 by RaychelSnr

With nearly 20 releases under its belt, NBA 2K has nestled into an elite category of game franchises. When the new Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, or Uncharted releases, fans automatically expect greatness. The same can be said of NBA 2K. For the folks over at 2K, it’s a wonderful problem to have -- a much better problem than the alternative.

But it still does present a problem, because once a franchise achieves greatness, each release can feel a bit stale. How do you improve a game many consider to be nearly flawless? Games with huge, glaring issues can at least point to the obvious of what didn’t work and what they are doing to fix the issues for the next release. But that wasn’t the case as we approached the NBA 2K16 release date.

So how did the game stack up against the usual weight of its expectations? How do I feel this season went as we now begin to look ahead to NBA 2K17? Well...

Read More - NBA 2K16: The Best Game in the Series' History?

Game: NBA 2K16Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 45 - View All

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# 21 prhiam @ 06/10/16 11:27 AM

NBA 2k11 is still the king. 2K13 was pretty good too. But this game...I played 2k15 and while I didn't pick up this years game because 15 was not my favorite, I didn't expect to struggle so hard with it. Isolation situations are a guaranteed fail you can't create space for some reason, players move even more like they are stuck in quick sand this year (that started in 2k14), and the playcalling still sucks. I just got it on the PS4 free games and I am playing on Rookie level and getting slaughtered by 20 or more when I play NBA games. It is a little bit better when playing on the summer league since I skipped the first season as it is pretty much over in real life. But even against scrubs my best player can't shake, there is no explosion or drive off of an iso move and they never get space with the moves either.

I have to say that I will not be buying 2k17 either. This series went from a must buy for me to an absolute pass in only 3 years. I can't stand the gameplay.

# 22 Sleepy59 @ 06/10/16 11:37 AM

Lol, best 2k? Unresponsive and delayed input on runs and broken directional passing. Magnets are everywhere. How can in possibly be the best?

# 23 Ownal0t @ 06/10/16 02:26 PM

as a ONLINE Gamer, i cant call this 2k the best 2k ever. it has a case to be the worse IMHO .

# 24 Turbojugend @ 06/10/16 02:35 PM

I'll go a step further and say that most of the "16" sports games have been the best ever in their respective series: NBA 2K16, The Show 16, Madden 16, FIFA 16. Sure there are certain things that earlier versions have done better, but of the games mentioned there isn't a single case where I think to myself "I'd rather be playing 'XX' version because that was the best game in the series."

And isn't that what it's all about?

# 25 bxphenom7 @ 06/10/16 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruben2424


	My favorite version of 2K will always be 2K11...but since it's outdated, I have to say that 2K16 is the best version yet in terms of gameplay, graphics, sound, etc. In my opinion, there's only 2 things I didn't like about 2K16... 1. MyCareer mode turning into "MyStory" mode. I want the career mode to go back to what it used to be in 2K11. Post game press conferences, shoe deals, endorsements, etc. I wanna define MY OWN career not play out someone else's life! I'm from Miami, FL not some kid from Harlem that goes by "Freq". Let's NEVER EVER do the whole Spike Lee thing again please!!!...We don't even get to play out our entire rookie season for crying out loud! Story elements should not be added to a career mode. Period. Career modes should be open-ended and WE should get to decide how OUR careers play out! I would like to see some situational cut-scenes where we actually get to make important decisions as in endorsement deals, hiring/firing agents, free agency, etc. 2. Although I love the idea of MyGM, I don't like that you don't start as a level 1 GM if you decide to start over. I don't like that autosave can't be turned off like you could in MyLeague. And I can't stand the training intensity issue that was also in 2K15...I honestly think this and the autosave pretty much ruin the entire mode. I only play MyLeague because of this. If these things can be resolved, it'd be the best franchise mode ever developed in a sports game! I honestly don't feel that 2K has to continue to raise the bar in terms of gameplay. At least not for a while. I think they should do what MLB The Show is doing...take an already excellent product and just polish it a bit further. If it ain't broken, don't fix it! They can add Charles Barkley to the rest of the pregame crew, they can continue adding small details like arena sounds and lighting, uniform and player details, live shots of city skylines and arenas to the presentation, even more TV style presentation, etc. I just don't feel that anything drastic should be done to the gameplay. It's already almost perfect. Add more realism to the career/franchise modes and cut out all the Spike Lee drama!

I also want the career mode to return to what it was, sole reason I didn't buy 2k16. Which ended up working out anyways because it's out now on PS Plus for free lol But you're spot on in getting at the point the one's career mode should essentially be their story! Not one written for them.

# 26 Turbojugend @ 06/10/16 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxphenom7


	But you're spot on in getting at the point the one's career mode should essentially be their story! Not one written for them.

Totally agreed on this point, 2K16's "Spike Lee Mode" was definitely a personal lowlight for me.

# 27 Graphik @ 06/10/16 05:23 PM

How often does a sports game include a story mode? Not often. While I wasn't all to impressed with the Spike Lee story I come from the days of Double Dribble and Tecmo Basketball and never in my life would I have imagined a mode like this in a sports game. So I can dig it. It didn't really kill the immersion by forcing you to have a pre-made nickname but for the most part, the mode was still interesting and I look forward to them fleshing it out some more.

From a overall standpoint, 2K16 is the most fun I've had with a sports game since NFL Nk5. I agree the gameplay can be worked on but it'll be real hard for them to top this game IMO.

# 28 NoTiCe_O @ 06/11/16 12:30 AM

NBA 2k11 is still the best. Easily.

# 29 The 24th Letter @ 06/11/16 12:17 PM

Yes it is. Last patch put it over the top.

Looking forward to 2K17

# 30 ch46647 @ 06/11/16 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The 24th Letter


	Yes it is. Last patch put it over the top. Looking forward to 2K17

Agreed. I am extremely excited to see what's in store for 2k17. This is the one sports series that seems to make significant improvements on a yearly basis. They are sooo close to an absolute masterpiece from a gameplay perspective if they can just polish a few areas. Personally, I hope they really address the input responsiveness of the game. I'd also like to see them make it feel more organic and less like bumper cars between offense and defense players. I should be able to get to the basket at will with curry when a slow big man is on him. They currently have way to much bumping/warping programmed into the on-ball defense.

Can't wait for 2K17 news

# 31 VDusen04 @ 06/12/16 10:25 AM

I haven't played 2K since the most recent patch so I guess I'll have to qualify my statement.

However, pre-patch, I never, ever got to a point where the controls felt solid and responsive. And quite honestly, it took away from the entire game for me.

I would agree it's the deepest game ever. It seemed like there were cool and awesome things for everybody. Again, it's just... once I got to the court, the gameplay frequently felt like a letdown. It seemed like I often spent most of the game fighting my players, trying to get them to do what I was inputting them to do. But I always felt like they were one to three moves behind.

It's been a while since I've played a basketball game that felt less rewarding on the singular control front. As in, there were many times when I'd pull off something cool, but it felt more like luck or accident than pure stick skills. Oftentimes, my one-on-one defensive input didn't feel wonderful either, again, like my player was constantly two steps behind my input, almost like I was trying to control an old-school electric football player.

I've been playing 2K since 2001, but I fell out of the loop a little bit during the newest console transition. I figured that was a big reason everything felt so delayed and foreign, but with so many other people confirming such thoughts—and considering I'd have usually acclimated by now—I'm not so sure.

# 32 Jrocc23 @ 06/12/16 03:58 PM

2K11 is still the overall better game for me.

2K16 is a great game though. Maybe the 2nd best for me. But like a lot of people said, the controls need to be a lot more responsive and get rid of the magnetic pulls. And a lot of other modes could be improved upon like Pro-Am which felt very barebones to me.

Looking forward to 2K17.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 33 Pokes404 @ 06/12/16 04:08 PM

I would like to see shot blocking tuned down a bit (although if I had to pick one extreme or another I'd rather there be too many blocked shots than too few), and I'd like players to have a little bit more "explosiveness." The game feels a little too sluggish at times. It also wouldn't be bad if 2K could do something to curtail full-speed closeouts on outside shooters. If real life, you can't closeout full speed at someone, run into their legs while they're in the middle of their jumpshot, and not get a shooting foul called on you.

Other than that, the game is rock solid. It's obviously not perfect, but when you consider how complex the game of basketball is, 2K16 does an admirable job at recreating the game in a virtual form. Looking forward to what they do in 2K17.

# 34 Badasi12b @ 06/12/16 06:19 PM

So much overrating... for a game I see more negative than positive now.

# 35 WhiteBunny @ 06/13/16 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruben2424


	Let's NEVER EVER do the whole Spike Lee thing again please!!!...We don't even get to play out our entire rookie season for crying out loud! Story elements should not be added to a career mode. Period. Career modes should be open-ended and WE should get to decide how OUR careers play out! I would like to see some situational cut-scenes where we actually get to make important decisions as in endorsement deals, hiring/firing agents, free agency, etc.

This. It's not MyCareer anymore, it's the Freq one. Jesus, even when you finish this useless story, basically you're ****ed up with Freq for your ( his ) whole career.

# 36 Pokes404 @ 06/13/16 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbin


	The chase down blocks this year and how every person no matter what kind of defensive player they are can play dunks. I mean I guess I enjoy it more than every single person dunking on everyone in 2k14 but there's gotta be a median they can find. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can live with blocks from players who aren't known for blocking shots if they're at least on the shooting hand side. What really drives me crazy is when I shoot a right-hand layup, with a bad shot blocker trailing on my left side ... and he still somehow manages to swat me. It takes a pretty skilled shot blocker to be able to block someone in that situation and not foul the majority of the time. Chase down blocks are the same situation. I appreciate that you're actually able to defend the rim this year, but it's a bit overpowered and needs a little tuning for 2K17.

But like I said, if I had to pick one extreme or the other, I'd rather there be too many blocks than some years when you couldn't block anything and the game turned into NBA Jam.

# 37 cquigley @ 06/20/16 08:58 PM

I have loved 2K my player since they added the feature and this was the first year where I stopped playing soon after finishing that story.

I hated the story and the lack of choices. I've wanted to play 2K lately but traded it in and deleted my saves. I almost bought 16 again but the thought of doing that story again makes me cringe.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

# 38 jr86 @ 04/15/18 03:11 PM

So with 17 and 18 released since this thread was last posted in. Is 16 the best on this gen...?

# 39 Geolink @ 04/15/18 05:29 PM

2K16 was literally the last time I had fun playing the game offline and online with friends.

# 40 VAWereWolf65 @ 04/16/18 07:21 AM

Probably my favorite game ever other than GTA V.

2k17 killed me and really made me start to not like 2k anymore because of how horrible it was compared to 2k16. 2k18 is definitely a lot better, but not quite the same

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