NBA 2K22

What to Know

Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 58

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NBA 2K remains the best basketball simulation on the market, and there’s plenty here to satisfy NBA fans. But long loading screens, clunky transitions, and the constant nagging to spend money on microtransactions continue to weigh it down.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 58

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 58

NBA 2K remains the best basketball simulation on the market, and there's plenty here to satisfy NBA fans. But long loading screens, clunky transitions, and the constant nagging to spend money on microtransactions continue to weigh it down.

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Rate and Review

What did you think of NBA 2K22?

Player Reviews2 Votes

Critic Reviews for NBA 2K22

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

58

Reviews

Average Score - 76/100

76%

Ranges

7/10

Ricky Frech (IGN)

NBA 2K22 has the best offensive flow in years, matched by improvements to defense. Still, technical problems persist and microtransactions are hard to ignore in some modes.

September 14, 2021 |

Full Review

NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it’s simply not fun to play.

September 14, 2021 |

Full Review

40/100

David Flynn (GamingTrend)

8/10

Tomothy Nunes (PlayStation Universe)

NBA 2K22 does many things well, most of which has already been done well in the past. Exceptional, challenging gameplay keeps the strength of the game close to its chest, and NBA 2K22 offers an impressive spread of modes to complement that gameplay. Apart from a few misguided choices, the biggest crippling factor this year comes from how The City takes a good idea and stretches it way too thin. NBA 2K22 is great for hardcore fans of the franchise, but it doesn’t leave the door open for many others.

September 14, 2021 |

Full Review

Ricky Frech (IGN)

7/10 - (Read Review)

NBA 2K22 has the best offensive flow in years, matched by improvements to defense. Still, technical problems persist and microtransactions are hard to ignore in some modes.

David Flynn (GamingTrend)

40/100 - (Read Review)

NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it’s simply not fun to play.

Tomothy Nunes (PlayStation Universe)

8/10 - (Read Review)

**Read all 58 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (58 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
Areajugones	Federico Tozzo	9 / 10	09-16-2021	‎NBA 2K22 follows the triumphant path of its predecessors. A very fine gameplay and with corrections in defense to balance it as much as possible, a neighborhood rebuilt and adapted to the cruise of the “Cancha del Mar” that limits differences with the Next Gen and a MyTeam that increasingly enjoys more and better free content. The game shines with its own light and brings out all the juice to the current consoles with a great graphic section.‎	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	William Schwartz	4 / 5 stars	09-18-2021	2K Sports makes one hell of a basketball game and that’ll let you tolerate these scheme-based game modes IF you can actually get on to play them.	Read review
BaziCenter	Amin Bala Zadeh	8 / 10	09-21-2021	Still the best Basketball simulation game on the market, NBA 2K22 does good but not enough to break into the 9th generation of gaming hardwares as the PS5 version of the game is only superior to its PS4 counterpart in terms of visuals, and the RPG-like My Career mode and heavy reliance on microtransactions keep dragging it down.	Read review
Bazimag	Mohammadreza Zare Rafee	7 / 10	09-16-2021	If you are looking for the best version of NBA 2K22, the eighth generation release is probably not the best place to look because it lacks any truly new features compared to the last year’s outing and a yearly franchise with not many new ideas is always a disappointing product that you have think twice about buying.	Read review
Chalgyr’s Game Room	Nick Herber	8.3 / 10	09-20-2021	NBA 2K22 is a successful return to form for the series. An extra year on the hardware has certainly helped, and the developers continue to blend lightweight RPG elements with action-packed basketball for an end result that I have sunk a ton of time into already, and will no doubt continue to play throughout the rest of the year. The focus is still on the Career mode, with minor tweaks to Franchise, WNBA and MyTeam, but that’s okay by me – MyCareer is where I’m usually at. There’s still room to improve, but this year’s iteration of the series is worth playing for hoops fans.	Read review
COGconnected	Rhett Waselenchuk	75 / 100	09-17-2021	It’s time for Visual Concepts and 2K Games to go back to the drawing board with their microtransaction philosophy. At this point, it’s hard not to feel like they’re gouging the player. Especially given the exorbitant prices their premium edition versions cost. And it’s so damned frustrating to dislike as much of 2K22 as I did because behind every extra dollar asked of me was an excessively smooth compressed spin or step-back jumper to put a smile on my face.	Read review
Daily Mirror	Eugene Sowah	3 / 5 stars	09-27-2021	There is also a wide range of modes in NBA2K22 that will allow players to do more than just play basketball and experience the different aspects of the NBA. But the game is plagued with a lot of microtransactions that may not fully hinder your experience but should just be toned down and not shoved constantly in your face.	Read review
Digital Chumps	Alex Tudor	7.5 / 10	10-09-2019	NBA 2K22 features the best gameplay in the series to date, but also succumbs to the weight of its other feature sets. While a step in the right direction in terms of gameplay, its over-reliance on a player’s time or money (and sometimes both) continues to be the hurdle keeping the series from achieving new heights.	Read review
DualShockers	Dean James	8 / 10	10-01-2021	The good news though is that NBA 2K22 is a great game in pretty much every other facet, which helps to overshadow the VC issues that have been present for years now. Combining MyCareer with The City was a genius decision and the introduction of Seasons across multiple game modes will keep NBA 2K22 fresh moving forward throughout the next year while waiting on the next annual entry.	Read review
Echo Boomer	Diogo dos Santos	Recommended	09-26-2021	Year after year, like it or not, 2K has become the home for basketball. While it does not revolutionize the genre, it’s a great step in the right direction in the simulation department.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Giovanni Calgaro	8.5 / 10	09-20-2021	Visual Concepts and 2K renew the appointment with the franchise dedicated to basketball stars and stripes. NBA 2K22 is a very ambitious title, perhaps too much. Leaving aside the technical sector and the shooting system, further refined, the “next gen” edition suffers from some failures (and choices that are too ambitious and rather risky) that certainly do not make the gaming experience unforgettable.	Read review
Expansive	Jay Jones	Recommended	10-17-2021	NBA 2K22 remains an entertaining entry in this ever-growing franchise. There’s lots of smart changes and good adjustments that make this installment even more interesting to play, but there is also a lot of familiarity and unsettling extras which are starting to hold the entire property back with each passing year.	Read review
Game Informer	Kimberley Wallace	7.8 / 10	09-20-2021	NBA 2K22 makes some smart and interesting changes and refinements. Unfortunately, they aren’t a large enough leap to truly dazzle the audience	Read review
Gameblog	Alix Dulac	7 / 10	09-20-2021	A good vintage that this NBA 2K22, this is undeniable. On current-gen, the game does the job and follows in broad strokes what the next-gen version offers, the power and graphic quality less. The latter enjoys an arduous gameplay for novices but oh so much more balanced for purists, with the dose of challenge that goes well. In the end, there are only the VCs, untimely loading times (again) and a technical quality not always irreproachable in certain areas (facial expressions) to cast a little shadow on this new component, which can only end up elsewhere than at home if you like basketball… failing to revolutionize the genre and the license in the great widths.	Read review
Gamefa	Mehdi Reazaei	8 / 10	09-21-2021	NBA 2K22 is not very different compared to previous instalments in the series. However The game still delivers one of the best sports game experience of new generation courtesy of Improved graphics. That being said, The amount of In app purchases and microtransactions is Unacceptable for a game which already costs $70	Read review
Gamersky	阿塔诺	7.2 / 10	09-18-2021	Overall, “NBA 2K22” is a qualified basketball game, its core play is still outstanding, more smooth ball movement, but some of its innovations are hard to satisfy fans, and the presence of some old problems can affect the gaming experience. If you’re a series player, NBA 2k22 may lack surprises.	Read review
GamingBolt	Matt Bianucci	7 / 10	09-14-2021	NBA 2K22 makes some appreciated improvements to on-the-court gameplay and tries some refreshing, if not entirely successful innovations in MyCareer that make this year’s version feel like a bit more than just a roster update.	Read review
GamingTrend	David Flynn	40 / 100	09-14-2021	NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it’s simply not fun to play.	Read review
Generación Xbox	Javier Gutierrez Bassols	8.5 / 10	09-20-2021	‎NBA 2K22 once again demonstrates why it is the king of sports simulators. A graphic section of aupa, a perfect recreation of the NBA atmosphere in each game and a game system that evolves with each delivery. On this occasion, with a renewed shooting system, which returns to a more classic system in the franchise, and various improvements in defenses, such as contact physics or blocks, make its gameplay something very close to what is seen today in the NBA.‎	Read review
God is a Geek	Chris White	8.5 / 10	09-28-2021	NBA 2K22 requires a more tactical approach, making on-court play the best it has been, but VC still stalls enjoyment.	Read review
GotGame	Paul Jennette	7 / 10	09-18-2021	Overall, NBA 2K22 is serviceable, if not slightly better than average. The game functions as it should, but it’s clear where the focus is. The graphics become more impressive each year, especially for the newer platforms. Gameplay isn’t very different, but it definitely has a level of polish that I didn’t see in previous years. It’s just too bad that the fun of the game is bogged down by the clunky transitions and the constant nagging to spend real money on in-game items. NBA 2K22 is exactly what the franchise has been; a fun, familiar, and accessible competitive sports title.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Cory Wells	4 / 5 stars	09-20-2021	The changes that were implemented for NBA 2K22 are for the better.	Read review
Heavy	Brian Mazique	8 / 10	09-14-2021	Game development is hard and a year after being the only major sports video game franchise to produce a full-on next-gen experience, they followed up with the most polished and still feature-rich game they have produced, maybe ever. NBA 2K22 is a must have for anyone who has remotely enjoyed the series in the past or who has a taste for basketball and the culture it powers. Still, there is room for improvement on multiple fronts. It’s the gift and the curse of producing a game with so many layers.	Read review
Hey Poor Player	Andrew Thornton	3.5 / 5 stars	09-13-2021	NBA 2K22 offers the best on-court experience in the history of the series. That’s no small thing for a franchise long known for rock-solid gameplay. The problem is that so much around that experience feels incomplete or messy. NBA 2K22 provides such a wide range of experiences that many players will get what they need from it. The overall package, however, is a lot more uneven.	Read review
Hobby Consolas	Rafael Aznar	88 / 100	09-17-2021	Microtransactions are a trouble one more time, but, despite them, NBA 2K22 is one of the best sport videogames in history, because of its playable class on the court, its graphic muscles and its bench full of options. Visual Concepts wants to win the ring one more season.	Read review
IGN	Ricky Frech	7 / 10	09-14-2021	NBA 2K22 has the best offensive flow in years, matched by improvements to defense. Still, technical problems persist and microtransactions are hard to ignore in some modes.	Read review
IGN Italy	Davide Mancini	8.2 / 10	09-21-2021	NBA 2K22 shines on the court, while struggles in the city. Visual Concepts did a great job getting back on the right steps its basket simulation, and the new shooting system feels good, the new defensive AI is tough and, overall, everything is in the right spot. The new MMORPG-like MyCareer is an ambitious and enormous attempt to maximize the retention of the players. Well, it tries hard, but it doesn’t succeeds.	Read review
IGN Middle East	Mohamed Shorby	8 / 10	09-21-2021	NBA 2K22 has provided a unique experience and wholesale changes to many phases of the game, including a style of play that has become more challenging and difficult than ever and mimics real NBA players.	Read review
IGN Spain	Álex Pareja	7 / 10	09-16-2021	NBA 2K22 continues to set the standard for gameplay, with changes this year that ensure a much more realistic and satisfying pace of play. But it’s the same old story: it’s one of the most aggressive games in the industry when it comes to micropayments, and its star modes can’t be enjoyed unless you’re willing to pay.	Read review
Impulsegamer	Paul Stuart	4 / 5 stars	09-13-2021	Despite all of its gains…and perhaps I’m being over-critical…but NBA 2K22 remains a gorgeous but ultimately non-fun experience unless for those who spend lot of money on VC. Yes, you can grind, but this alternative would take dozens of hours and hundreds of painful losses online/offline. Also, the solid improvements to the shot meter, off ball defense and overall AI cannot overcome the lack of on-ball spacing, right stick spamming requirements, and/or omnipresent sensation of being stuck to a defender indefinitely.	Read review
LevelUp	Víctor Rosas	8 / 10	09-23-2021	NBA 2K22 exceeds what was achieved in the previous year, and although it does not represent a radical change for the franchise, it has everything necessary to satisfy NBA fans. For better and for worse, the game has everything players love about NBA 2K, but also everything they hate.	Read review
Merlin’in Kazanı	Samet Basri Taşlı	73 / 100	10-19-2021	Although NBA 2K22 is the best and only new generation basketball game on the market, it is far from being a perfect game and continues to annoy with its microtransaction-oriented structure.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	Jay Jaffa	Recommended	09-21-2021	Fundamentally you’re paying £60 for a very good game, perhaps the best in the history of the 2K series, but for all the commendable work on gameplay, production and new features, 2K22 should be considered one of the most egregious exploitations of a player base in the history of gaming.	Read review
New Game Network	Eric Hall	74 / 100	09-19-2021	NBA 2K22 continues to assert the series’ reputation as one of the best sports sims in the business. It’s an incredibly enjoyable game to play, even if the options surrounding the on-court action continue to be maddeningly inconsistent.	Read review
Nintendo Life	PJ O’Reilly	8 / 10	09-15-2021	NBA 2K22 is another fine entry in the franchise that continues the developer’s habit of delivering satisfyingly solid ports of their basketball sims on Nintendo Switch. Yes, most of the modes don’t try anything massively new	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Neal Ronaghan	7 / 10	09-20-2021	The shooting and dribbling are both reworked in positive ways and games are more realistic and approachable than ever. Outside of regular seasons, though, the modes you play that basketball in are trending downward in quality. Unless you’re ready to live your life one pack of virtual cards at a time, there isn’t much of value in MyCareer, MyGM, or MyLeague. Here’s hoping NBA 2K23 takes the refined gameplay and brings about more exciting variation in the modes.	Read review
NoobFeed	Sarwar Ron	78 / 100	09-20-2021	NBA 2K22 is a nice addition to the franchise even though PlayStation 4 players get the shorter straw in terms of content.	Read review
Operation Sports	Joel Smith	Recommended	09-21-2021	If the devs can stabilize the servers, give us back our cameras in MyNBA, and just make some general tweaks around the edges, I would suggest without hesitation that NBA 2K22 is worth scoping out.	Read review
Oyungezer Online	Engin Vural	7.5 / 10	09-25-2021	It is amazing how a publisher can make a game with content and game modes this enticing then bury all it under a pile of microtransaction rubble. This franchise deserves better yet despite everything, NBA 2K22 is a rich and enjoyable game you can play for a long long time…	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Timothy Nunes	8 / 10	09-14-2021	NBA 2K22 does many things well, most of which has already been done well in the past. Exceptional, challenging gameplay keeps the strength of the game close to its chest, and NBA 2K22 offers an impressive spread of modes to complement that gameplay. Apart from a few misguided choices, the biggest crippling factor this year comes from how The City takes a good idea and stretches it way too thin. NBA 2K22 is great for hardcore fans of the franchise, but it doesn’t leave the door open for many others.	Read review
Press Start	Toby Berger	7.5 / 10	09-20-2021	NBA 2K22 is a sound step forward for the series. While it doesn’t always hit the mark thanks to the grindy MyCAREER mode and microtransaction-heavy MyTEAM, the gameplay and presentation is still second to none.	Read review
PSX Brasil	Thiago de Alencar Moura	80 / 100	09-19-2021	The on-court experience created by NBA 2K22 continues to be unparalleled, delivering a basketball simulator ever closer to reality. There is a lot to enjoy in the various game modes present, but unfortunately, the game is quite hampered by the excess of microtransactions and the bad decisions of MyCareer that leave any player worried about what the future holds.	Read review
Push Square	Sammy Barker	8 / 10	09-19-2021	NBA 2K22 spreads itself a little too thin off the court, but it genuinely takes strides on it. The game’s rewritten defensive system makes for a much more enjoyable experience across all modes, where you feel rewarded for using the ball effectively and engineering open looks. MyCareer’s first foray into non-NBA activities could do with fleshing out, and there’s still an overreliance on advertising and microtransactions. But with one of the most complete Franchise modes on the market, and with exceptional presentation across the board, this is a series at the top of its game again.	Read review
Rectify Gaming	Dave Rodriguez	8.6 / 10	10-12-2021	NBA 2K22’s much improved career mode and vastly improved defensive options provide a deep, satisfying game of basketball for new and old fans alike.	Read review
Screen Rant	Rion Duncan	4 / 5 stars	09-18-2021	Aside from the unfortunate microtransactions and bloated hubs, the only fundamental low points are lackluster developments for MyLeague, MyGM, and The W. Each of these modes still plays well, but it’s clear they aren’t a prime focus. 2K22 doesn’t offer much over last year’s game for players who enjoy these modes aside from improved gameplay should they hit the court. Despite its flaws, NBA 2K22 still lands as a success for its on-court display, if nothing else. The game feels smoother, more intuitive, and really shines with the haptic feedback on PS5, which makes every move feel engaging. There may still be wrinkles to iron out, but the NBA 2K ship is heading full-steam ahead in the right direction with the release of NBA 2K22.	Read review
Shacknews	Donovan Erskine	6 / 10	09-17-2021	MyNBA is the only aspect of NBA 2K22 that provided a thoroughly enjoyable experience with practically nothing to complain about. NBA 2K22 gets in its own way, but there’s some genuinely great things there if you’re willing to endure it.	Read review
Softpedia	Bogdan Popa	7 / 10	10-16-2021	So at the end of the day, NBA 2K22 feels like it comes with two separate modes: offline for those who just want to have fun and aren’t necessarily NBA superstars and multiplayer for people willing to spend real money and get their high-rated players overnight.	Read review
SpazioGames	Unknown	8.5 / 10	09-17-2021	NBA 2K22 does what it takes to make fans fall in love with the franchise again.	Read review
Sports Gamers Online	Michael Straw	9 / 10	09-17-2021	NBA 2K22 is a game that has something for everyone to enjoy, and brings back memories of the game’s glory years. It’s a shining example of how sports games on the PS5 and Xbox Series X should be.	Read review
TrueGaming	Unknown	8 / 10	09-20-2021	NBA 2K22 once again proves to be the best in its field and offers an extremely enjoyable basketball simulation experience on the field.	Read review
Unboxholics	Γιώργος Πρίτσκας	Not Recommended	09-18-2021	For another year, NBA 2K is a good basketball game that is surrounded by many problematic aspects, that mainly stem from its extreme monetization.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Leonardo Faria	7.5 / 10	09-14-2021	At this point, I don’t even know what else to say. NBA 2K22 is gorgeous and plays better than its predecessors. Visual Concepts does improve upon its predecessors with each new installment, but the cringeworthy story mode, obscene usage of product placement, and the abusive microtransactions are just too much to handle.	Read review
Wccftech	Unknown	8.5 / 10	09-18-2021	NBA 2K22 is the franchise’s best entry in years, offering well-balanced changes on the court and a bold, yet welcome, revamp of MyCareer and The City hub. Microtransactions still frustrate at times, but they’re not as aggressive or tasteless as they’ve been in the past. For the first time in a while, it feels like the NBA 2K dev team is hungry, and they’ve cooked up a real championship contender this year.	Read review
We Got This Covered	Jon Hueber	3.5 / 5 stars	09-27-2021	NBA 2K22 is the best-looking sports game of this generation, but flashy looks and incredibly deep game modes can’t mask the on-court issues that plague this year’s offering.	Read review
Worth Playing	Redmond Carolipio	6.8 / 10	09-30-2021	NBA 2K22 is generally a beautiful representation of next-generation console hoops, but it’s a little disturbing that many of the newest things I noticed didn’t have a whole lot to do with basketball. The on-court product is good, but it’s not perfect. Basketball is still my favorite sport to watch, and I love the game, so I’ll keep playing, but I can probably put the music and fashion career on hold	Read review
Xbox Achievements	Richard Walker	70 / 100	09-21-2021	As solid as it’s ever been on the court, NBA 2K22 is still an astonishingly good sports game, but its continued reliance on cynical microtransactions in MyCareer and MyTeam leave a sour taste.	Read review
Zoomg	محمد صادق تواضعی	7 / 10	09-19-2021	While NBA 2K22 has made positive changes in terms of gameplay that may have simplified the game in some respects, other changes such as more natural defense in the game have made it easier to see a more balanced gameplay. However, in-app payments and various technical problems such as long loading screens along with frame drops and bugs have made NBA 2K22 not fully able to entertain its audience.	Read review
ZTGD	Ken McKown	7.5 / 10	10-05-2021	NBA 2K22 has a few things that make this upgrade feel worthy. The new play mechanics are excellent, and it continues to excel on the presentation front. The microtransactions are still super gross and I wish some of the other modes such as Blacktop would get a proper overhaul as they are starting to feel dated. Still being the only NBA game in town it does upgrade nicely. I found myself deleting the old version to play this one, and not being a huge NBA fan that is saying something.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

NBA 2K22 puts the entire basketball universe in your hands. Play now in real NBA and WNBA environments against authentic teams and players. Build your own dream team in MyTEAM with today’s stars and yesterday’s legends. Live out your own pro journey in MyCAREER and experience your personal rise to the NBA. Flex your management skills as a powerful Executive in MyGM and MyLEAGUE. Anyone, anywhere can hoop in NBA 2K22.

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