NBA 2K26 Review - Sweat EquityIt's funny to see how much the topic of sweat has become a joke in the NBA 2K series. As far back as when the series first came to Xbox 360, I can recall players calling out the life-like perspiration seen on its in-game athletes. Today, that dedication to depicting authentic sweat is sometimes used to critique the game. Players will say--perhaps only half-jokingly--that Visual Concepts is too concerned with sweat and not focusing enough on other aspects of the annual basketball sim. In reality, I don't know of another sports gaming studio team that sweats the small stuff quite like the NBA 2K team. NBA 2K26 is another testament to that, with a lot of little improvements alongside a handful of big ones, collectively making this a game that can easily satisfy virtually any type of basketball fan there is. On the court, the best change is the game's new motion engine, which follows from last year's new dribble engine and 2K24's introduction of "ProPlay," a system NBA 2K uses that transposes real-life basketball footage into in-game animations. The changes to the motion engine this year are obvious if you're an annual player. Movements are smoother and more authentic to the real world, and thus look better on the screen and feel better in your hands. I'd expected this to be a minor change when I'd first heard about it, but in playing it side by side with last year's game, it's more than subtle. The transitions from one movement, like cutting through the paint, to something like stepping back and shooting a floater, are excellent. This change cuts way down on instances of players sort of floating to where they need to be, like they might in past games at times. Movement feels more physical and dynamic overall, and comfortably lends itself to the way Visual Concepts already mimics the unique play styles of its stars. Continue Reading at GameSpot
Popular Content
Explore Topic
