Matching up for games in The Neighborhood stays the same--it could be a slog, awaiting players to NBA 2K21 MT queue up along with the match to cycle through all of the pre- and - post-game animations. I find the The Rec's 5-on-5 games a whole lot more satisfying with appropriate matchmaking (given that clubs are balanced in skill and positions), and you can take this basketball ethos a step further in the organized Pro-Am league. But enjoyment from such competitive outlets relies on the players you get paired with, and also how much your participant has improved in order to maintain up.

This is where virtual currency (VC) comes into play, however again. It's not surprising that microtransactions mess every corner of NBA 2K21--and for me, I've moved on from being outraged to sense despondent. The game boundaries on a pay-to-win version, with progress tracks which are paced in methods to nudge you towards paying for VC instead of earning it. Improving your stats still relies on spending VC, and the prices increase exponentially the further you update a certain skill. There are plenty of nice cosmetics to earn, and it is true a whole lot of fun dressing up your participant in fresh kicks as well as the flyest Nike and Adidas apparel, but their steep VC prices suck the life out of their experience.

VC permeates the MyTeam way again, also. This mode functions as a fantasy-esque build-your-own-team endeavor in which you make card packs to unlock players among a roster that spans multiple NBA eras. MyTeam can be captivating for long-time basketball lovers such as myself who have Allen Iverson teamed up with Anthony Davis and can take this dream team roster into single-player or multiplayer games. However, the loot-box character of earning card packs--which can be acquired by gradually earning MT points via new avenues like challenges, seasonal events, and turning in cards that are useless, or even by purchasing them together with VC--makes the reliance on VC unsurprisingly egregious.

MyGM, which places you into the shoes of a group's General Manager, is a mode worth mentioning. It is a sports management simulation fantasy, but changes here are just skin deep. You'll go through awkwardly written and animated dialogue situations to handle relationships in your organization--such as the way I chatted to RJ Barrett about how he had to play clarinet in order to boost his morale stats, or became the yes-man of head coach Tom Thibodeau to Buy 2K21 MT keep him happy. MyGM's menus are also flooded in a means that makes it difficult to navigate and get a grasp of how to spend your limited resources and time through the season. I have enjoyed this mode in the past using its RPG-like sensibilities, but it is one that needs a serious revamp.