NBA 2K15

About

NBA 2K15 is a sports game that offers an immersive basketball experience with its new animations, defensive AI, and shooting systems. The game's visuals and broadcast presentation, hosted by Ernie Johnson and Shaq O'Neal, are impressive, but it falls short with optimization issues and bugs. Despite these drawbacks, players can enjoy new team-specific play sets and greater control over all aspects of the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,075 reviews

graphics122 positive mentions

stability59 negative mentions

The graphics are stunning and provide a realistic basketball experience.
MyCareer mode offers an engaging storyline and character development.
Gameplay is fluid and allows for a variety of strategies and plays.

The game suffers from frequent server issues, making online play frustrating.
AI teammates often make poor decisions, leading to unrealistic gameplay.
The microtransaction system for VC can feel exploitative and affects gameplay balance.

graphics
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The graphics in NBA 2K15 have received widespread acclaim for their realism and detail, with many users noting that they are among the best seen in sports games to date. However, some players have reported issues with graphical glitches and performance demands, requiring high-end hardware to fully enjoy the visuals. Overall, while the graphics are impressive, they can be hampered by optimization problems and hardware limitations.
- “If there were ever a year where you could legitimately confuse an NBA 2K game with a real televised match, this would be it, not only because of the visuals, but also the players' movement.”
- “The graphics are extremely lifelike.”
- “The graphics are incredible for PC!”
- “The graphics are bad.”
- “It's not the graphics card, it's the game.”
- “It's a shame the graphics were good but too bad it has a lot of graphic glitches and lags.”
gameplay
172 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
52%
9%
The gameplay in NBA 2K15 has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fluidity, realism, and improved mechanics compared to previous iterations, making it enjoyable for basketball fans. However, several players have criticized the shot mechanics as overly difficult and noted issues with AI behavior, bugs, and online performance, which detract from the overall experience. While the graphics and presentation are often highlighted as top-notch, the gameplay's inconsistencies and glitches have left some players feeling frustrated.
- “The gameplay is as satisfying and fun as ever, and when combined with the TV-style presentation, it is amazingly realistic.”
- “The gameplay of 2K15 is very good, of course - at least, as good as basketball gameplay can be at this point.”
- “The reworked movement system and the fluid shot mechanics make NBA 2K15 a massive leap in gaming.”
- “The gameplay is hideous.”
- “Improved graphics don't matter if gameplay is utter trash.”
- “One of the worst 2K games ever... great graphics, that's about it. Everything about this game is cheese, from the cheese/easy-exploited gameplay to the cheesy MyCareer cutscenes.”
story
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
54%
9%
The story aspect of NBA 2K16 has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improved narrative in the MyCareer mode, which offers a more immersive experience and engaging cutscenes. However, some critics find the storyline to be unrealistic, poorly written, and overly scripted, detracting from player choice and enjoyment. Overall, while the graphics and gameplay are praised, the story's execution varies significantly among players, leading to a divided reception.
- “The story is phenomenal this year.”
- “Great new mycareer mode with a story, breathtaking graphics, and much improved gameplay and physics.”
- “The graphics are incredible, the story is very well thought out and actually quite realistic, and a huge improvement from 2k14.”
- “Any story in this is terrible, but who cares?”
- “The character customization has been slightly stripped and all that 'story' that 2K promised is basically non-existent.”
- “The story is absolutely terrible and building a decent player takes way too long, so therefore most people will go ahead and buy some VC to speed up the progress.”
stability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of graphical glitches, freezing during gameplay and cutscenes, and overall poor optimization, particularly on PC. Many players have experienced crashes and bugs that significantly detract from the gaming experience, leading to frustration and calls for patches. While some users report that the game runs well without major issues, the prevalence of glitches and server problems has left a negative impression on the majority.
- “I'm playing the game on my first gaming PC that I put together, and it runs great.”
- “Currently playing on a 7850, and it runs great.”
- “Runs great, and the only issue is that no one really plays the PC version.”
- “However, the glitches and inexplicable crashes, canned commentary, levitating defenders that fly around shooters - it's all too much to excuse.”
- “This game is filled with bizarre and often creepy animation and texture glitches, for example, when my player is shown walking back to and sitting on the court side bench in first person view, I can often see his head model from the inside.”
- “Given the amount of frustrating glitches and general feeling of a game that is truly unplayable, I would of course like a refund.”
optimization
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
43%
41%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting severe stuttering, low frame rates, and input lag, even on capable systems. Many users describe it as poorly optimized for PC, often likening it to a lazy console port, leading to frustration and requests for refunds. While some players note that the game can run smoothly under certain conditions, the persistent performance issues significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “Good game, I think it's better than NBA 2K16 in terms of optimization on the PC.”
- “The game looks great (GTX 660ti @ 1440p) and runs smoothly.”
- “NBA 2K15 brings a milestone performance with enhanced presentation across the board.”
- “This game is an unoptimized, unplayable mess on PC, with persistent FPS crashes and lag.”
- “I've literally tried every solution, but I simply can't run this game above 20 FPS and without stuttering.”
- “First of all, the game is terribly optimized.”
music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
78%
8%
The music in the game, curated by Pharrell Williams, has received mixed reviews, with some praising the selection for its standout tracks while others criticize it for lacking the appeal of previous editions, particularly 2K14. Many players express frustration over certain songs that persistently play despite attempts to disable them, leading to a less enjoyable experience. Overall, while there are some decent tracks, the soundtrack is generally viewed as underwhelming compared to past installments.
- “Pharrell Williams has done a great job on the soundtrack selection.”
- “The way the music plays while I am in a stadium makes me feel like I am really there.”
- “Pharrell set up the soundtrack and he hit the nail on the head with this one.”
- “I prefer the soundtrack from 2K14 a lot more than this year's edition. At least there's 'Personal Jesus' from Depeche Mode and 'River Styx' from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. But even if you disable songs in the playlist, you sometimes hear the songs you hate in MyCareer (during the scrimmage) and other modes, and I got near to punch my speakers after having to endure that horrible, abysmal 'Drop It Like It's Hot' song.”
- “However, I have to say that the music in this game falls short of its predecessors.”
- “Although some decent songs can be found in the soundtrack, most are either not well known or are songs that have already fallen out of the mainstream scope in music.”
monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The monetization strategy in NBA 2K has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that the game prioritizes microtransactions over gameplay quality. Users express frustration over the high cost of the game combined with additional charges for virtual currency (VC), which they believe detracts from the overall experience and fairness. While some acknowledge that in-game purchases are stable, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game feels like a cash grab, especially given the presence of bugs and unfinished features.
- “I've not spent any on microtransactions to get better skill points in MyCareer, earned them all, and it doesn't seem to be rigged.”
- “Edit: it should be noted that this game is very fair with in-game purchases and should be praised for it.”
- “Except the microtransactions, those are always stable.”
- “Microtransactions in a game that cost me 50 €?”
- “In my opinion this is just a cash grab from 2K Sports, I do not recommend this game for anyone, unless it is on sale for ten dollars or lower.”
- “It seems like 2K removed a lot of ways that you could earn VC points and they added microtransactions so that they can milk gamers even more.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the extensive options available through modes like MyLeague and MyGM, as well as the potential for modding and historical play, others criticize the lack of updates and limited replayability in certain aspects. However, many users highlight the depth of gameplay and various modes that cater to both hardcore and casual fans, suggesting a strong replay value for those who engage with the game's features.
- “Such as MyLeague and MyGM, which give the game tons of replayability with all the teams in the league.”
- “With mods that include the ability to play through historic seasons, as European teams (in-game feature), or future stars (with or without the help of mods), the amount of replayability has simulation fans like me drooling.”
- “I had hoped I could make a positive review for this game, but the lack of updates and lack of replayability make this game the last 2K game I will ever buy.”
- “- Limited replayability”
- “The replayability is huge, making this title a safe bet if you are either a hardcore or casual basketball fan.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its realism and immersive experience, particularly in myplayer mode, where the crowd's reactions enhance the excitement of pivotal moments, such as game-winning shots. Reviewers note that the atmosphere significantly contributes to the overall enjoyment and intensity of gameplay, making it a standout feature.
- “One of the biggest improvements is just how realistic the crowd and atmosphere feel.”
- “The atmosphere is just as impressive, and scoring a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in front of a home crowd results in the loudest eruption I have ever seen in a sports game.”
- “-can be really fun when you're down to the last shot since the presentation pushes the atmosphere really well.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the off-court cut scenes and story mode amusing, others feel that the humor can be annoying, especially during multiplayer sessions. Many users appreciate the comedic elements despite not being basketball fans, highlighting the game's ability to entertain even those unfamiliar with the sport. However, some frustrations with gameplay mechanics detract from the overall comedic experience.
- “The funny thing about this franchise is: I don't really care about basketball, I don't even understand the rules, and here in Germany, basketball was popular in the 90s mostly because of the Chicago Bulls domination and players like Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone appearing in WCW (wrestling).”
- “I cannot get enough of this game, it rocks...and I am not even an NBA fan...funny, huh!”
- “The story mode is somewhat funny but it's well thought out.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in MyCareer mode, where repetitive gameplay can become monotonous. While the long loading screens are somewhat alleviated by entertaining pre-match analysis, the overall experience can be marred by connectivity issues and the need to farm virtual currency, which adds to the grind.
- “I have always found the MyCareer mode to be very tedious, playing game after game.”
- “Which is pretty tedious to say the least.”
- “Online experience gets tedious; I got disconnected several times and sometimes servers go down (in this case you can't even play MyCareer).”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely negative, as players express feelings of frustration and alienation due to its punishing mechanics and complex rules. Many users feel that the experience can be overwhelming, detracting from the enjoyment and making them feel like outsiders rather than engaged participants.
- “This game evokes a deep emotional response, making you feel connected to the characters and their struggles.”
- “The story is so beautifully crafted that it left me in tears, truly a testament to the emotional depth of the game.”
- “I felt a profound sense of loss and joy throughout my journey, which is rare in gaming and made the experience unforgettable.”