NBA 2K21 Review: 4 Ups & 4 Downs

2. Pure Authenticity

Kobe Bryant NBA 2K21
2K/NBA

NBA 2K remains a first-class basketball experience. Though often hindered by its gaming aspects, this is still the most faithful replication of the great sport on the digital market, and it isn't even close.

Again, elite authenticity isn't anything new for the franchise, though it's still worth giving them credit for. From the slick character and arena designs to the pitch-perfect gameday feel, this is as pure as basketball is ever going to get in videogame form, and it sacrifices none of its fun factor in the pursuit of realism.

One of this year's most welcome tweaks is the developers taking extra steps to ensure that players play like their real-life equivalents. 2K has been working towards this level for a while and it's most gratifying to see it pulled-off with this much success, as you can't just grab Nikola Vucevic and start putting up threes like Steph Curry anymore. Individual attributes, signature animations, and real-world tendencies are replicated more accurately than ever before, and 2K21 is stronger for it.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.