NBA 2K18 Demo Hands-On: 4 Things We Learned

A very limited demo, which doesn't answer any questions.

By Lukasz Muniowski /

The demo to one of the most anticipated sports games of the year has finally dropped, and it seemed that the competition facing NBA 2K18 this year would prompt 2K to step up their game on all fronts, even with this preliminary offering. Indeed, NBA Live 18 seems to still be a couple of steps away, but that doesn't mean that in two-three years it won't catch up to its (much) more esteemed peer.

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Speaking of which, a chunk of 2K18 is available now, and besides letting you improve your player across a basketball park-themed practice mode, also features a recreation of the finals; a Game Seven-mode between the Warriors and the Cavaliers.

Finally having some competition, 2K Sports could feel at least threatened to the point to give the gamer something extra. Following the great additions to this year's edition, the hunger is bigger than ever. This is however a double-edged sword, because an unfulfilling demo could slow down the momentum 2K has otherwise built up through numerous announcements.

Unfortunately, this is partially the case with this year's The Prelude, even though such esteemed creators are allowed to get a free pass from time to time - especially since the final product will have the biggest roster in basketball video games history.

4. MyCareer May Be A Frustrating Experience...

Basketball is a team sport, and no man can elevate his team to unexpected heights alone.

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Despite the popular narrative, the saying is true - there's no "I" in team. This could get frustrating in previous editions, as teammate's boneheaded decisions or shots that would go in in any other situation, sometimes prevented you from winning.

In this aspect it seems that the game didn't progress properly. Also, be prepared to play against a much taller or much faster opponent, as some mismatches are inevitable, since this is just a demo and a lot of things will be fixed once the game drops.

The other issue is the narrative itself, which is often out of place. You can lose the first game on The Proving Ground, yet your team leaves the court as if you won. Also, no matter how bad you play, you still get picked to the best squad of the tournament and participate in the final game.

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