Anyone who has ever wondered what would happen if LeBron James faced Michael Jordan one-on-one does not need to wonder anymore. Anyone who ever dreamed about playing in the NBA themselves can make that dream come true. And all the arguments about which team was the greatest of all time can be answered.
“NBA 2K14” provides the answers and daydreams. “2K14” features 34 of the greatest teams in NBA history and more than 50 old school hall-of-fame players including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
Unlike sports games made by other game companies, the legends on “2K14” aren’t just there for show or advertising. You don’t have to download, unlock, buy or earn them. You can use those old players and teams in any of “2K14’s” game modes or take them off their old teams and put them on today’s teams to see how they would perform in today’s NBA.
In terms of gameplay, “2K14” is much the same as the previous three or four installments of the franchise. Unfortunately, not enough attention was paid by 2k Sports to updating several features such as the draft, My Career game mode and the All-Star weekend. In a horribly embarrassing turn of events the All-Star weekend logo still says 2013 and is held in Houston’s arena, where it was last year. Whoops!! The draft in the My Career mode also says 2013.
The only new game mode is the “Path to greatness” in which one takes over the career of LeBron James and decides where he plays when his contract is up as well as plays out the 2014 season. It is essentially the same as the My Career game mode. “2K14” also added FIBA rosters for the first time this year. Fiba basketball is the European version of the NBA and its’ teams and players are available to be used.
Overall, “2K14” is solid. The merging of the current NBA and the legends of the game continues to be a hit for 2K, as this is the third or fourth year in a row they have done that, though it may be time for 2K to re-conceptualize or revamp the franchise a little bit. With EA coming out with “NBA Live 2014” this year, 2K will have to tighten things up for “2K15.“