NBA 2K19 The Prelude: 5 Ups & 3 Downs
3. A Strong Story Other Sports Games Could Learn From
Also, the story is bloody good.
There's nothing revolutionary here, granted. A.I is a college stand out who fails in the NBA Draft and has to try and make a name for himself overseas. It's another of those underdog tales, the kind sports titles have come to know and love this generation. What The Prelude lacks in originality however, it more than makes up for in pacing.
In this first preview chapter, players are introduced to a young American struggling to adapt to life in Shanghai or connect with his teammates. He's jealous of old friends who have snagged themselves a contract in the big leagues, and he desperately wants to make his mark in the NBA. Everything is centred around that goal.
That's something FIFA's The Journey could learn from. The unnecessary tedium of Alex Hunter's story (training, for example) is absent, and there are generally more options for customising how the coach communicates with A.I on the court.