I have to be honest: I felt the hype in the few months leading up to NBA 2K20’s release. I felt the changes coming; from the updates to popular game modes to the arrival of the WNBA. I even went on ahead and pre-ordered the Legend Edition — mostly because of the cover.

But I guess even the hype dies little by little. As I loaded the game into my PS4, I was just as excited as I was when I first got my expensive console. Give it an hour or two to download content, and I finally got a chance to see whether that hype was real. But unlike all the previous NBA 2K games, this one literally just takes you to the main menu.

No demo game of the NBA Finals the previous year. No scrimmage between the two finalists — in this case the Golden State Warriors sans Kevin Durant and the Toronto Raptors sans Kawhi Leonard. I can already tell that we’re in for some real big things ahead.

It’s the same modes, the same interface, the SAME gameplay

Every NBA 2K game comes with the same set of game modes to choose from. Nothing much changed through the years, with the exception of the “Play WNBA” mode. I felt that it was only right to separate the NBA from the WNBA teams, unless you’re interested enough to make the Lakers and Sparks face each other. Other than that, no other feature was ground-breaking.

Another staple with the NBA 2K franchise is its gameplay, which I believe to be a great representation of NBA basketball. I will admit that getting used to a slightly improved shot meter takes a little bit of time. If this is the first ever NBA 2K game that you will play, the learning curve is decent. However, throughout the weeks that I’ve been playing the game, I did notice a bit of input lag — especially when jump ball starts.

One change I had mixed reactions for were the changes made to the all-time and historic teams. I do like that the 2K design team stepped up from just the team logos to now the actual players or superstars per team. But do we really need to keep switching historic teams every year?

You get to set your potential as an NBA superstar

One of the game’s biggest upgrades from last year is an improved MyPlayer. The pre-release feature allows you to build your own player from scratch, allowing you to set his stat limits and physical build. Every possible setting available is adjustable to fit your ideal player for the position you want to play in the lineup. And perhaps the most important choice you will make involves your Takeover ability.

Not only that, but you also get to test your build when fully maxed out. You can play for your favorite team and see how your player fits within that lineup. I personally found this a great feature to have, especially if it’s your first time playing. Although I do recommend that you walk through MyPlayer with a friend of yours who plays NBA 2K a lot. Oh, also you can use your phone to scan your face for your MyPlayer. That’s great for people like me who don’t own a PlayStation Camera.

But your career starts out a little too shallow than before

Don’t get me wrong: when it comes to career modes in sports games over the last few years, NBA 2K kills it with their storylines. Apart from having control of your own NBA career, past NBA 2K games touched on the story behind your legend. Basically, you get to follow your path from unheralded prospect to NBA champion.

NBA 2K19 saw you go from an undrafted prospect making waves in China, chasing an NBA dream that seemed miles away. You take a literal full route towards your dream of making it to any NBA team, instead of just being drafted outright. From the streets of Shanghai to the farms in Indianapolis, your story takes every twist and turn. But it all pays off in the end.

Meanwhile, in NBA 2K20 you go the usual route most NBA talents go through. You get through your senior year in college, build on your stock, and take a few invites and an NBA Combine. All of that will happen before you get drafted by an NBA team of your choosing (technically). And the only life obstacle you ever come across with is your former college coach who cut one of your buddies in the team. 

The storyline feels a little shallow compared to the previous iteration of the game. Sure, I still put in the same work I did in terms of upgrading my stats and notching triple-doubles whenever possible. And sure, the end goal is still the same — play for an NBA team. But in NBA 2K20, it doesn’t even feel like the journey was truly worth it when it’s all said and done.

The final verdict

I know I said earlier that we were in for some big things from NBA 2K20, and honestly the upgrades were big. I welcomed the MyPlayer upgrade with open arms and pretty much had fun with it in the process. Adding in the WNBA rosters gave more variety for old and new players alike — and it’s also a sign that maybe we shouldn’t just focus on the NBA too much.

But it is an NBA 2K game after all. It’s still the same game of basketball, the same approach to creating your own career. Even with all the big changes, gameplay remains the same even with minor adjustments. MyCareer still rocks a great storyline, but feels less fulfilling than before.

Overall, NBA 2K20 still peaks as an overall great basketball video game. But honestly, it felt like the game welcomed me to the next big NBA 2K upgrade — and that worries me.