NBA 2K25 Game Cover
NBA 2K25 has improved greatly on the court thanks to Pro Play and the new dribbling mechanics, with some nice tweaks to various modes.

NBA 2K25 Standard Edition invites you to immerse in the world of basketball, celebrating its past, present, and future. Experience authentic gameplay, featuring updated rosters, improved graphics, and innovative game modes. Dive into the rich hoops culture, with a variety of soundtracks, commentaries, and cinematic storylines, making NBA 2K25 a must-play for basketball fans.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox

Reviews

64%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,848 reviews
gameplay90 positive mentions
optimization70 negative mentions
  • gameplay248 mentions

    The gameplay in NBA 2K25 has received mixed reviews, with many praising its smooth mechanics and improved realism compared to previous iterations, particularly for offline modes. However, players have expressed frustration over persistent bugs, long loading times, and a lack of optimization for PC, which detracts from the overall experience. While the introduction of new shooting mechanics and animations has been well-received, issues with online play and microtransactions continue to be a point of contention among the community.

    • “The gameplay is the best it’s ever been, which should be the most important thing to 2K players.”
    • “The gameplay feels smoother than ever, allowing for more fluid ball movement and realistic player interactions.”
    • “Nba 2K25 brings a fresh wave of excitement to the franchise, combining stunning graphics, refined gameplay mechanics, and an expansive online experience.”
    • “It might just be because the devs don't care about PC at all, but this literally has the worst UI and mechanics I've seen in a 2K game.”
    • “The gameplay is not much better; in fact, it's just about as trash as recent NBA 2K games.”
    • “The game is filled with bugs and laggy gameplay.”
  • graphics172 mentions

    The graphics in NBA 2K25 have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and significant improvements over previous versions, particularly in player detail and animations. However, numerous users have reported severe optimization issues, leading to crashes and performance drops even on high-end systems, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the graphical fidelity, others find the game unplayable without extensive tweaking and lowering of settings.

    • “The graphics are stunning, capturing every detail of the players and arenas, which really brings the game to life.”
    • “Nba 2k25 brings a fresh wave of excitement to the franchise, combining stunning graphics, refined gameplay mechanics, and an expansive online experience.”
    • “The visuals are nothing but a sheer ball-tingling experience, and I give nothing but props to 2K Sports for not only crafting realistic visuals in an NBA experience, but also setting the industry bar for absolute photorealism.”
    • “We have games that have massive maps and graphics that are 1,000x better that don't take 10-20 minutes to compile shaders.”
    • “The graphics are horrible.”
    • “Awful game, the graphics just aren't optimized, so much so you have to downgrade them to a quality worse than the previous gen (and this is with a top-end system).”
  • optimization164 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe stuttering, lag, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some players have experienced decent performance, the majority highlight significant issues with graphical settings and overall stability, indicating that the game is poorly optimized for PC. Users recommend waiting for patches or improvements before purchasing, as the current state hampers the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The game runs perfectly for me personally; I see a lot of reviews talking about performance, and more complaining about load times/launching the game itself.”
    • “For me, I run with custom settings on an RTX 2060 Super and experience really good performance, which shocked me coming from EA Sports' Madden NFL 25 that was a fidelity disaster.”
    • “Finaly I can enjoy 2K after years of being last gen on PC; also, the game feels butter smooth on an RTX 3060, no complaints, it's optimized quite well.”
    • “Pretty much the only thing good about this game is its graphics, and even then you can't play it at the best settings since the developers don't consider PC optimization at all, which causes significant drops in gameplay.”
    • “Lagging and stuttering issues make it hard to enjoy.”
    • “The game is extremely poorly optimized and crashes regularly.”
  • story79 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of depth and originality in the MyCareer mode compared to previous installments. While some appreciate the engaging quests and customization options, others criticize the repetitive nature of the storyline and the overwhelming focus on microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players feel that the narrative elements are underwhelming and fail to capture the excitement of earlier versions.

    • “Nba 2k25 stands out as one of the best installments in the series, featuring a compelling storyline that differentiates it from previous versions.”
    • “I’ve been particularly impressed with the MyCareer mode, which offers an engaging storyline and a variety of customization options.”
    • “Love the backstory ❤️”
    • “The story is garbage and despite letting the shaders build, it's still dog crap!”
    • “MyCareer is still curated story monetized trash; if you're anything like me and prefer the old 2K11-2K13 era MyCareer, stay far away from this one.”
    • “The cheesers, the never-ending VC grind, the lack of a proper MyCareer storyline, and the constant push towards microtransactions make it hard to truly enjoy the game for what it should be.”
  • stability62 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and frequent crashes, particularly during gameplay and loading screens. Many players experience significant lag and freezing issues, making it difficult to progress in various modes. While some users note that the game runs well under certain conditions, the overall consensus is that it remains a buggy experience, detracting from its enjoyment and value.

    • “The game runs great online and off. Most negativity in the reviews will be about monetization.”
    • “Runs great, plays great, and looks great!”
    • “Looks great, runs great, and is 21:9 ultrawide supported.”
    • “Game is full of bugs and glitches.”
    • “Every game I tried was riddled with game-breaking glitches, the worst of which made it impossible to pass the ball.”
    • “The game is trash on Steam because the loading time is like 2 and a half minutes whenever you press something, when simulating to the next playtime in my career NBA it glitches, the game is constantly freezing/crashing.”
  • monetization55 mentions

    The monetization in NBA 2K25 has been widely criticized for its predatory microtransactions and intrusive advertisements, which many players feel detract from the overall gaming experience. Despite the game's solid gameplay, the excessive focus on in-game purchases and a convoluted progression system has led to frustration among users, with some labeling it a cash grab. While some players manage to enjoy the game without spending additional money, the overwhelming sentiment is that the monetization strategies are overly aggressive and diminish the enjoyment of what could be a great basketball simulation.

    • “The game's microtransactions remain a controversial topic, but they do not detract from the core gameplay experience.”
    • “Microtransactions are hard to avoid, but overall, NBA 2K25 feels like the best version in years.”
    • “The fact the microtransactions are still in the game all these years later sucks, but at least I don't feel like I have to spend more money to enjoy the game.”
    • “Do not buy NBA 2K25 – an absolute nightmare and pure cash grab.”
    • “Still just a cash grabbing microtransactional bullshit game after years of failing sales and negative reviews.”
    • “The monetization strategy employed within this mode feels particularly intrusive, overshadowing the enjoyment of the core gameplay.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players expressing frustration over the excessive time required to progress without spending money on microtransactions. Many reviews highlight that leveling up characters and acquiring in-game currency (VC) can take hundreds of hours, making the experience feel tedious and repetitive, especially for those who prefer not to spend real money. While some players find enjoyment in the grind, the consensus is that the system is designed to push players towards purchasing VC, detracting from the overall fun of the game.

    • “It feels like 2K is getting more grindy and expensive with every release.”
    • “If you don't want to spend dozens of hours grinding, it will cost you $100 to make your MyPlayer viable for online play.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and the graphics are impressive, but the progression system and microtransactions feel overly grindy.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the ability to select and mute tracks, while others find the overall library lacking and repetitive. Although there are standout songs, many users express disappointment with the absence of nostalgic tracks from previous versions and a preference for different genres. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a missed opportunity, with a desire for more variety and classic hits.

    • “You can choose what songs play and can mute the music overall, which is good.”
    • “Good music, graphics.”
    • “Too many to list, but they finally changed the half-time shows and music.”
    • “I also did not much care for the music library as a whole.”
    • “I only have selected like 15-20 songs that I am willing to listen to, and after hearing them 3-4 times in a play session, I am done with all of them.”
    • “Then the music ... not going to get into that, but let's just say Latin-rap isn't my go-to.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its engaging multiplayer interactions and absurd scenarios, such as the disparity in player attributes leading to comical moments. Players find amusement in the chaotic environment filled with exaggerated visuals and humorous voice chat exchanges, although some critiques point out that the overall experience can be marred by technical issues. The WNBA career mode is noted for its ironic humor, as it contrasts the game's monetization strategies with the perceived lack of excitement in gameplay.

    • “So funny, engaging, good graphics and it's lots of fun multiplayer.”
    • “Your physical attributes matter too; I've seen a 5'9" guard with 70 strength body and a 6'5" guard that clearly had no strength while dribbling, and it was hilarious.”
    • “Let's be real, having the voice chat enabled in this game is funny as hell.”
    • “I had a positive review for the game until I played a bit more. Don't buy this game; the servers are so awful it's not funny. If you like the thought of every single one of your jump shots having a different green window and dealing with the lag from the server, by all means, buy this $70 dumpster fire of a game.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat; it feels forced and unoriginal, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
    • “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized for its lack of engaging narratives and character development, leaving players feeling disconnected from the experience. While some appreciate the personal involvement in their NBA career, the absence of meaningful storylines or emotional depth detracts from the overall impact.

    • “It made me feel personally involved.”
    • “There will be no rookie showcase, no extending the contracts for multiple years scenario/cutscene; there will be no heartwarming or heart-wrenching stories, it's basically just you and your NBA career.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is described as electric, particularly during intense moments, with the sounds of crowds and sneakers enhancing the experience. However, a significant drawback is the lack of crowd presence, as arenas often appear empty for most of the game, detracting from the overall immersion.

    • “The courtside atmosphere is electric, with roaring crowds and the familiar sounds of sneakers squeaking on the hardwood.”
    • “Coming from 22 is a massive leap in gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is immersive, but it would be even better if the arenas were filled with viewers during crucial moments.”
    • “All that said though, coming from 22 is a massive leap in gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “A major thing that messes up the atmosphere is that for some reason all the arenas are pretty much empty for three quarters and not filled with viewers even in clutch situations. It's weird as heck; hope we will get a fix for this...”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players note that while certain additions enhance the game's depth and replayability, there are concerns about the quality of generated draft classes, which are crucial for maintaining replay value in offline modes beyond the first season.

    • “These additions add depth and replayability to the game.”
    • “They really need to fix generated draft classes if half of the offline modes rely on them to have any replay value beyond season 1.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy NBA 2K25

Play time

6hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
5-18hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 19 analyzed playthroughs

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