NBA 2K21
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
NBA 2K21 Media
NBA 2K21: Celebrating Kobe Bryant in the Mamba Forever Edition
NBA 2K21: Zion Next-Gen Coming (Next Gen Cover Athlete)
NBA 2K21: Everything is Dame (Current Gen Cover Athlete)
Critic Reviews for NBA 2K21
NBA 2K21 doesn't break the series' signature basketball gameplay, but its minor improvements and persistent addiction to obnoxious microtransactions mean more of the same isn't good enough anymore.
It would be one thing if this was just NBA 2K20 with some minor changes but this rips the heart out of last year's game solely to appeal to competitive online players, with many much-loved features stripped back or not included at all.
NBA 2K21 still delivers the thrill of being on the court and producing spectacular plays, but it lacks innovation and fresh ideas
NBA 2K21 still manages to capture the art of basketball, but it's largely the same dance as years past.
Coronavirus has extended the previous season of the NBA and next-gen is very close, so the timing is not the best for this entry in the franchise, which is very continuist. However, it is still a great basketball game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As it is, there are some strong components, but it doesn’t feel like a completely new game in as many aspects as usual.
NBA 2K21 suffers from the same issues that have held the series down for years. A poor MyCareer story, reused assets, shoddy servers, and an over-importance of VC/microtransactions. The one redeeming quality that NBA 2K21 can boast is its high-level gameplay. Luckily, that’s what you want most from a basketball sim.
NBA 2K21 is a solid update of NBA 2K20... but with a strange and unpredictable twist. The new shooting meter is made for online competition and, in the end, follows the metagame rather the basketball flow. Maybe it's good for the pro gamers, but it feels unbalanced and frustrating for the bastketball lovers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Industry Coverage
The PlayStation Store's Top Downloaded Games for July Have Been Revealed
The top downloaded games in July for the PlayStation Store have been announced
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This Week's Xbox Free Play Days Event Features NBA 2K21
The games that will be available for this weekend's Free Play Days event have been revealed
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NBA 2K21's Neighborhood Grows to Become The City on Next-Gen Consoles
When NBA 2K21 launches on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 next week, it will bring along many brand-new features, including one newly revealed today, The City.
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NBA 2K21 Fouls Out with New Unskippable In-Game Ads
NBA 2K21 doesn't have a sterling reputation among its players partly due to the way the series implements microtransactions. But new in-game advertisements which can't be skipped have really created an outcry.
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