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Examining what the subtle NBA 2K17 changes mean for gamers

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? NBA 2K17 hit store shelves Sept. 16, and as with most yearly sports games, the million-dollar question is whether or not it sets itself apart from NBA 2K16 to the degree that it's worth a purchase. And while many changes were made to the newest installment in the NBA 2K franchise, the majority of them lurk under the surface, not easily noticed by gamers who aren't devoted fans of the franchise.

MyCareer Mode

Perhaps the biggest change is to the MyCareer mode. Last year's MyCareer mode was a Spike Lee Joint, and though it was well-written and told an engaging story, it seemed fatally caught between trying to tell a linear story and giving the player the kind of freedom that previous MyCareer modes enjoyed.

This time around, 2K Sports has gone back to basics and created a more free-form MyCareer mode that focuses on the player character and another player named Justice Young (voiced by Michael B. Jordan). The storyline largely focuses on the relationship between your character and Young, with the bits in between filled in by player decisions. It may be a disappointment for players who loved the more linear story that NBA 2K16 offered, but it seems like a necessary decision to give the player more control.

Shooting and Ball Mechanics

The most drastic changes to the game, however, can be found when you jump into a game and start trying to move the ball around. The basketball's physics have been revamped, and tipped passes and rebounds are much more common, which is a big deal as the developers have added tap-ins. Passes are no longer sure things, and turnovers happen fairly often, either due to errant passes or passes that are tipped.

Shooting has been tweaked a bit as well, with more accuracy required while setting up the shot. This makes shots on the move a lot harder but also removes an element of chance from the shooting process, since the player has more direct control over whether or not a shot is on target. This extends to layups as well. No longer confined to just a button press, a layup is now performed like any other shot.

A Newly Physical Game

Another change that ends up affecting pretty much every aspect of gameplay is a tweak to the way players' bodies interact. Basketball is a physical game, especially in the post, and NBA 2K17 has sought to capture that quality. Boxing out to position yourself for a rebound is now of utmost importance, making crashing the boards a much less fluky affair. This also extends to lane play — crowded areas of the court are a lot harder to knife through, necessitating either precision dribbling or expert passing to create a shooting opportunity before the ball is swiped away.

Presentation

Although the presentation of the game is ancillary to the gameplay experience, it is absolutely essential to focus on in order to create an engaging sports simulation. 2K Sports has gone all out on this aspect of the game.

One of the most impressive changes in the presentation is the fact that the designers recorded authentic stadium sounds from all 30 NBA arenas so playing a Bulls game at the United Center sounds true to life, down to the occasional belch of a fan who has just polished off his third Italian beef sandwich. Speaking of authenticity, that attention to detail extends to the players as well. Advanced motion capture and gesture modeling for NBA stars promise to make NBA superstars less interchangeable, with players behaving the way they actually do in real life from their tendencies, from their signature passes and shots to the way in which they dribble.

The focus on presentation doesn't stop there — 2K Sports has assembled a, frankly, ludicrous amount of broadcasting talent to call and commentate on games. There are 11 total sportscasters in the game, and talent rotates in and out of the booth depending on the game. Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith provide post-game and halftime interviews. The team has even added hundreds of clips of coach-player interactions to provide more in-game authenticity.

None of these changes, with the possible exception of a small change to the shooting mechanics, is absolutely earth-shattering. There are no sexy, huge, new features in NBA 2K17 designed to make the game a must-buy. 2K Sports is hoping that each of these tweaks and changes, all together, refine the game into something that is truly special. Look out for our review to find out whether or not the game designers were successful.

Can you name every player to appear on the cover of NBA 2K?
SCORE:
0/32
TIME:
6:00
NBA 2K
Allen Iverson
NBA 2K1
Allen Iverson
NBA 2K2
Allen Iverson
NBA 2K3
Allen Iverson
NBA 2K4
Allen Iverson
NBA 2K5
Ben Wallace
NBA 2K6
Shaquille O'Neal
NBA 2K7
Shaquille O'Neal
NBA 2K8
Chris Paul
NBA 2K9
Kevin Garnett
NBA 2K10
Kobe Bryant
NBA 2K11
Michael Jordan
NBA 2K12
Larry Bird
NBA 2K12
Magic Johnson
NBA 2K12
Michael Jordan
NBA 2K13
Kevin Durant
NBA 2K13
Blake Griffin
NBA 2K13
Derrick Rose
NBA 2K14
LeBron James
NBA 2K15
Kevin Durant
NBA 2K16
Stephen Curry
NBA 2K16
Anthony Davis
NBA 2K16
Marc Gasol
NBA 2K16
Pau Gasol
NBA 2K16
James Harden
NBA 2K16
Michael Jordan
NBA 2K16
Tony Parker
NBA 2K16
Dennis Schroder
NBA 2K17
Kobe Bryant
NBA 2K17
Danilo Gallinari
NBA 2K17
Pau Gasol
NBA 2K17
Paul George

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