NBA 2K19 Review: 6 Ups & 2 Downs

2. MyCareer

MyCareer remains NBA 2K's biggest single-player selling point, and with this year's 'The Way Back' eschewing much of the cheesy dialogue and cringe-worthy characters that plagued the past few editions, 2K19's offering is strong, though it brings no real innovations to the table.

This year's tale starts with your MyPlayer avatar, 'A.I.', getting overlooked in the NBA draft. From there, he has no choice but to head to Shanghai, China, to hone his game in the CBA, and force his way back onto American scouts' radars. Though the story itself offers nothing that'll surprise 2K loyalists, this different pathway to NBA glory is a fresh take on the old format, and soon, players will find themselves carving out the kind of careers LaVar Ball likely thought his Lithuanian vanity project would yield for LaMelo and LiAngelo.

Microtransactions remain an issue, but they're at least tempered by a faster progression system. This year's Neighbourhood is a lot more enjoyable than last year's sparse collection of functions, too. Navigating it is no longer the chore it became after a few hours in 2K18, it's crammed with mini-games, and you no longer have to fork out VC for a haircut (shoutouts to the developers' self-awareness on that one).

If you buy this series for MyCareer, you won't be disappointed with 2K19. Marvel's Anthony Mackie even shows up for a chinwag along the way...