Microtransactions and loot boxes are still there, but it is fair to say that they are not so invasive this time. Despite that, this is a sport simulator that has no rival in its genre: because of WNBA, gameplay improvements, audiovisual quality, cinematic style, depth of the modes… One more time, Visual Concepts keeps enlarging the dynasty.

NBA 2K20 is pure magic on the playground. The new physical model, the impact of the new defensive system and the fine tuning of the gameplay is something valuable which give to basketball lovers endless possibilities. On the other side, the new GM mode is very disappointing and 2K business model for MyTeam is still questionable. The good news is that microtransations are quite useless in MyCareer mode, which thanks to King James work shines again to its original beauty.

Facial animations are still odd, and monetization rears its head in practically every mode. But the core ball play, plethora of gameplay modes, and a great presentation all combine to make NBA 2K20 the basketball game to beat this year.

NBA 2K20 offers again what we saw last year and the year before that, which is a solid Basketball experience. Some minor technical issues are still here and there, which suggests that the developers are using the same core mechanics as they did previously. Maybe we need to wait for next generation of gaming devices for a completely new and fresh NBA experience.

NBA 2K20 remains a beautiful and satisfying title, but this time the loot box case heavily influences the final vote.

Overall, NBA 2K20 is still one of the best basketball games out there, but future iterations should either ease up greatly on the VC spend or drop the price significantly, so players won't have to spend extra money.

It’s a shame that the surrounding structures don’t hold up, because the in-game experience of NBA 2K20 remains top-class. Another year of refinements has smoothed out some rough edges of the basketball gameplay that was already worth seeking out. The level of control you have over shot types is both useful and entertaining. Defensive assignments feel like they work more consistently. The commentary repeats itself less. They’re great moves forward. But if you engage with the modes 2K seems to want to push most, you’ll have to deal with baggage that weighs down the experience.