Tag Archives: Impressions

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with my initial impressions of NBA 2K20.

If you’re an avid basketball gamer, then you know that NBA 2K20 was released last week, and have probably been playing it over the weekend. That’s what I spent quite a few hours doing, on both PC and PlayStation 4. I must admit that while I did remain optimistic throughout the preview season, I wasn’t all that hyped for NBA 2K20. It may be that I’m getting old and have gone through too many preview seasons and launches, but for all the hoopla on social media about 2K Day, I wasn’t that pumped. Looking forward to checking out the new game, sure, but as I said, not overly hyped.

With this seemingly being the last release before a new generation launches, I’d say that my expectations were quite low. I expected some news bells and whistles, and I liked a few of the things I read during the preview season, but I’ve grown a tad cynical when it comes to developer blogs. As such, I wasn’t expecting a huge jump from NBA 2K19. After a weekend with NBA 2K20, my impressions are that it was wise to set the bar at that level. I’d like to spend more time with the game and see what happens as far as any early updates before I deliver a full review, but to tip this week off, I will share my impressions of NBA 2K20 so far.

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Episode #296 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! With the release of the NBA 2K20 Demo, I have some impressions to share, as well as some thoughts on the MyCAREER trailer, Game Informer preview, and other news from the past week.

The countdown to NBA 2K20 is entering its final two weeks, and we’re getting a better picture of what to expect. The MyCAREER trailer provided a glimpse of this year’s story, and while it promises great things, it also feels like more of the same. Meanwhile, the NBA 2K20 Demo’s hands-on preview of what to expect on the sticks has indicated that it’s not quite the same game this year. It’s not a deep demo, but it showcases aspects that are good, bad, promising, and concerning ahead of the full release. In other news, a Game Informer article suggests a much less grindy approach this year, and some preview videos confirm that some key players are missing from classic teams.

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 51:06 — 35.2MB)

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What are your thoughts on the MyCAREER trailer and NBA 2K20 Demo? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Episode #263 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! With no connection issues this week – well, fewer connection issues, anyway – Kenny and I are back on the air to provide our initial impressions of NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. We also discuss the latest trailer and news for NBA 2K Playgrounds 2.

On this week’s show…

• We tip off this week’s show with our thoughts on NBA Live 19, covering everything from gameplay and game modes to face scanning and commentary. There are definitely positives, though naturally we do have a few criticisms, too.
• IGN awarded NBA Live 19 a score of 7.9, their best score for an NBA Live title this generation. We discuss the significance of the score, the progress NBA Live has made, and the direction the game is heading in.
• NBA 2K19 has been described as the game we should’ve received last year. We discuss whether that’s a fair assessment, and offer up our own impressions. Suffice to say we have our gripes, but there are also aspects of the game we really like. We even have some nice things to say about the MyCAREER story!
• We wrap up Episode #263 of the NLSC Podcast with our thoughts on the latest NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 trailer, and some news about the forthcoming release.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:33:23 — 64.2MB)

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Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

It seems that a few people already have their hands on the full version of NBA 2K19, but for most of us, we’ve still got a short wait. The 20th Anniversary Edition will be out on September 7th while the Standard Edition drops next week on the 11th, but in the meantime, we’ve been able to get a taste of this year’s game from Visual Concepts via NBA 2K19 The Prelude. I’ve already shared some impressions of The Prelude in Episode #261 of the NLSC Podcast, but for those who prefer text to audio content, I thought that I’d offer a write-up as I did for the NBA Live 19 demo.

As in previous years, the latest version of The Prelude is exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It offers a chance for us to make a head start on MyCAREER by creating a player and playing through the preliminary stages of the mode, as well as sample some 5v5 gameplay through a ten minute game in 2KU. To that end, it’s a very brief glimpse of what’s on offer in NBA 2K19, but it’s enough to give us some insight into what to expect in terms of MyPLAYER Archetypes, the tone of the story, and the gameplay in general. Read on for my impressions!

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Although I’ve given my impressions of the NBA Live 19 demo in Episode #260 of the NLSC Podcast, I wanted to provide a write-up as I know not everyone enjoys audio content. With all of my other original features and the podcast providing a platform to share my opinions, I’ve neglected to provide comprehensive reviews and impressions in written format in recent years. That’s something I’d like to change, starting with NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19!

That begins with the NBA Live 19 demo, which was released last week. I spent a lot of time with it over the weekend, experiencing everything it had to offer. As with the NBA Live 18 demo, it’s quite a comprehensive look at the upcoming game, providing us with a decent idea of what to expect this year. Overall, I came away with a positive impression of the forthcoming release from EA Sports. There are definitely areas that still have ample room for improvement – this year and next – but it does feel like NBA Live 19 has taken further steps in the right direction.

I’ve broken my impressions of the NBA Live 19 demo down into three categories: positives, negatives, and thoughts as I look ahead to the release of the full version. Let’s tip things off with the positives!

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Episode #260 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we recap a busy week in basketball gaming news and previews, which included the release of the NBA Live 19 demo. We have our detailed impressions to share with the community, as well as our thoughts on everything that we learned about NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 over the past seven days.

On this week’s show…

• We have our first hands-on experience with NBA Live 19 following the release of the game’s demo! In our impressions, we break down what we liked and disliked, as well as what’s improved and what still needs improvement.
• Trailers and developer blogs have given us an insight into what to expect from the extended experience in The One. It’s not the traditional experience we’re still wanting the game to provide, but the additions do look and sound good.
• The NBA Live 19 soundtrack has been revealed. We’ve given it a listen, and have a couple of thoughts to share.
• Judging by the NBA 2K19 MyCAREER trailer, this year’s story is going to be a lot better. The ability to skip cutscenes and The Prelude is appealing too, though we still have some concerns.
• Private matchmaking has been added to Pro-Am in NBA 2K19. We absolutely approve, even if we are a little burned out on the mode.
• A few snippets about gameplay are being released ahead of the developer blogs, and they do sound quite promising.
• We wrap up Episode #260 of the NLSC Podcast with our reactions to the impact of Belgian law on MyTEAM, and wonder whether we’ll continue to see changes worldwide.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:32:31 — 63.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

Over the past week, several NBA Live 19 gameplay videos have been posted in the wake of EA Play 2018. The footage comes courtesy of various influencers and content creators who were present at the event, and was recorded directly; no shaky over the shoulder leaked footage! Check out the videos embedded below for a first look at the gameplay, and commentary from EA Play attendees.

The prevailing attitude from gamers who got their hands on NBA Live 19 at EA Play is that it feels and plays a lot better than NBA Live 18. Improvements to transitional animations, as well as dunks and layups, are evident in the footage that’s been posted. However, it is also very encouraging to hear from dedicated basketball gamers that the experience on the sticks is greatly improved.

Attendees also had a chance to speak with various members of the development team, who passed along some additional information. As per Shopmaster’s chat with Connor Dougan, The Streets/LIVE Pro-Am will consist of the Pro-Am Tour, 3v3, and 5v5. There’ll be options to play with squads, as well as games with halves and four quarters. More information should be released in due course, but be sure to check out the interviews below for some extra tidbits.

Finally, a few work-in-progress screenshots featuring various players, among them Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons, have been released. Check them out below along with all of the aforementioned videos. What are your thoughts on the latest previews and information about NBA Live 19? Have your say in the comments section below, and of course, feel free to join in the discussion taking place here in the NLSC Forum. Hats off to all of the EA Play 2018 attendees for representing the NBA Live community so well, and providing us with their previews and insight coming out of the event!

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Episode #217 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we provide our impressions of the NBA Live 18 Demo and Companion App, share our thoughts on some other NBA Live 18 and NBA 2K18 news items from the past week, and talk about our recent activities on the virtual hardwood.

On this week’s show…

• Shortly after we finished recording last week’s NLSC Podcast, the Companion App for NBA Live 18 was released. How does it compare to the NBA Live 16 app, and how did our face scans turn out?
• The NBA Live 18 Demo is out now. In one of our longest segments to date, we provide some in-depth initial impressions of our first hands-on look at this year’s game from EA Sports.
• NBA Live 18 is now available to pre-order, with a 33% discount on offer. There also appears to be a Deluxe edition of the game, though no further details are available at this time.
• Wrapping up the NBA Live 18 news, the full soundtrack has been released. Notably, some big names have contributed tracks this year.
• The second Developer Diary for NBA 2K18 provided us with a look at the gameplay, as well as an insight into the aesthetic improvements in this year’s game. We also have some hands-on impressions from the community, more screenshots, and mention of amiibo compatibility.
• We’ll be getting another edition of The Prelude before the release of NBA 2K18, but it’s reportedly different to last year’s demo. Naturally, that news invites speculation.
• Episode #217 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with Our Week in Basketball Gaming, which included a troubleshooting fail (albeit with a happy ending), a brewing rivalry for NLSC THRILLHO, and an elusive PlayStation Trophy.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:45:32 — 72.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

Following an NBA 2K18 event last week, the community has been getting some hands-on impressions from the attendees. Some of the commonly mentioned improvements include enhancements to AI, defensive logic, control responsiveness, and player physics. Notably, shot feedback has been expanded with more information about the attempt, pick and roll defense has been smartened up, and player speed is better handled. Interestingly, there’s also a reference to “MyDynasty”, though there’s no further information on what that entails as yet.

A round-up of the reports is a follows:

• Game Informer (Matt Bertz)
• DManUnt2014
• Forbes (Brian Mazique)
• Operation Sports (Mike Lowe)

Check them out for the full scoop, and feel to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion here in our Forum.

In other news, it appears as though the Nintendo Switch version of NBA 2K18 will feature amiibo compatibility. The news comes via DualSHOCKERS, who gleaned the information from the game’s Japanese Nintendo Store page. At this time, it isn’t clear what this will entail, though they speculate it may mean Nintendo-themed apparel and costumes, or some kind of presence for Nintendo’s characters in NBA 2K18. Obviously, if you’re playing on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or one of the prior gen consoles, this particular tidbit is neither here nor there.

In any event, it seems that the steady stream of information is going to continue up until the game’s release. In the meantime, if you haven’t seen the latest NBA 2K18 screenshots, be sure to check them out in our gallery.

UPROXX’s Spencer Lund recently had a chance to talk to senior developer Rob Jones, as well as get his hands on NBA 2K17. You can check out his hands-on impressions of this year’s game from Visual Concepts here.

The article doesn’t provide much in the way of brand new information. It covers the goal of capturing Stephen Curry’s ability to knock down really long threes with regularity and the changes to the shooting mechanics, while emphasising the developer’s goal of giving gamers more control over the action. However, it does offer up some positive impressions of the controls in action, and seems to suggest that we won’t be getting stuck in animations as much in NBA 2K17. Additionally, the tweaked controls apparently aren’t as complex as they might seem:

This is all very smooth, though. Throughout Rob’s entire explanation, I kept mentioning how complicated this all sounded. Just playing basketball in real life, players are inundated with a multitude of variables they have to take into account before making their next decision with the ball or where they want to stand, even. But, even for a relative (at least to our readers) plebe at 2K, this increased player agency all fit into the flow of the game. You’re not second-guessing your on-court decisions as much as you might think. Even those who are new to the game.

Check out the article for more impressions, and feel free to have your say in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the NBA 2K17 section of the NLSC Forum!