The biggest graphical sin is when something goes visually awry in a game that looks so amazing - for instance, one of the infrequent but far-from-rare clipping bugs - because it really, really stands out, like a glitch in The Matrix. Rounding out the impeccable broadcast-style presentation, the usual Kevin Harlan-led commentary crew is as on-point as ever, but the addition of sideline reporter Doris Burke’s interviews with a player or coach at halftime and the end of the game - where you hear a contextually accurate real-life voice clip, lip-synched and all - is something I can’t help but be impressed by. The players look alive - it’s not quite a T-1000 level of convincing, but it’s damn impressive. Animations both big and small - everything from myriad dunks to Ray Allen’s smirk when he nails a big three-pointer - sell the realism, as does 2K14’s array of lifelike facial animations. More importantly, they move that way too. The players - and for the first time, coaches - look convincingly realistic. But why? Running 1080p resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second on both consoles establishes a gorgeous foundation, but it’s the attention to detail - always a calling card of this series but dialed up an extra notch here - that guarantees you rubbernecking roommates anytime you play it. Also, though the players look and feel noticeably more planted to the court and less floaty than we’re used to, I still occasionally caught someone magnetizing over to his nearby assignment.Īnd then there’s the obvious: NBA 2K14 is sexy. First, the ball behaves like its own physics object now, and seemingly because of that it ends up loose or bouncing off a guy’s back more often than it should in a game about pro ball players.

That’s a disappointment to anyone hoping for a whole new experience from the new generation of consoles, but it’s hard to complain that it plays like one of the best basketball games ever. Laudably, the new 2K14 and its smart AI and NBA-accurate pacing plays almost exactly like the excellent 360 and PS3 version - complete with this year’s new Assist Pass and improved dribbling controls. Only the new set of modes unique to this version of the game, which differ but don’t quite deliver on their full potential, keep next-gen 2K14 from dethroning its cousin. Not since Fight Night Round 3 in 2006 has a sports game lured me in with its stunning graphics and kept me hooked with rock-solid gameplay the way NBA 2K14 is capable of doing. Here is a game whose visuals are so beautifully realistic that you almost have to stop and try it, regardless of how much you like basketball. NBA 2K14 on PS4 and Xbox One practically sells itself.

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