05 October,2019 07:11 AM IST | | Jaison Lewis
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NBA 2K20 is a visually impressive game, and is as close as you are going to get to a TV-type experience that you can control. The players look like the real players, they feel distinct in their gait, game-play and gear. There is a lot of attention to detail and it is a massive thing to get right. The roster is also great with players and past teams that are all playable from the get-go. It is good fun to recreate some historical match-ups, and even see young versions of legendary players in action.
The game, this time, includes WNBA and they have done a good job with it. Black Top mode is also excellent, serving some street style basketball matches with pro players. What the game achieves in terms of play is beyond good, making it a decent upgrade from last year's installment. Even the 'My Career' mode comes with a compelling story that is as good to watch as playing, with major actors like Idris Elba, Rosario Dawson and Thomas Middleditch thrown in. The story has a lot of interesting takes on the students who train for the NBA draft and there is a lot of drama and humour.
Sadly, the face scan option did not work for us despite multiple attempts. The option uses an app on your phone to scan your face, but it kept asking to scan the face over and over again. The app needs to be improved significantly before it can be usable.
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Visual Concepts have also done a great job at the controls: it is super simple to master. The tutorials are also bang on. But, for all that the game does right, a few things drag it through the mud.
The micro-transactions is one such. Everything from gear to stats can be purchased - remember this is a game you have already paid money for. The worst offender though is the 'My Team' mode, which is meant to open up your purse strings, else grind it out until the flesh falls off your fingers. My Team has you playing matches against other players with a team that is essentially a dud and you have to unlock more and more stuff and players to get anywhere. Playing with others online is overall fun and a worthy challenge. Finding players takes a while, but the gameplay is mostly lag-free.
While it's not a bad game, this mode really takes it down. The only things worth playing are the games in the Play Now section, which hosts a bunch of options that include the Quick Play, Black Top, WNBA and play with friends online. The story mode is the actual hero in the game. With a few tweaks and less greed, this game could have really stood out. For now, it is not there yet.
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