NBA 2k13 debuted Tuesday for all major gaming systems, and with a few new wrinkles combined with a lot of the same successful ingredients, this game is a worthwile addition to the series.
For Raptors’ fans, the team has an 82 out of a 100 rating on offence but dips to 67 on defence. The latter rating is surprising considering the Raptors’ improvement last season.
Point guard and new addition Kyle Lowry has the best rating on the team with an 82, while the second-highest rated player are Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani at 75.
Despite his hype, rookie Jonas Valanciunas received one of the lowest ratings at 59.
Overall the game is similar to the 2k12 version with the difference in actual in-game experience barely noticeable. The player’s moves are a little more realistic, making their contact and interaction more believable.
The executive producer of the game is rapper and part owner of the Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, who supplies most of the music.
The first task when the game begins is to customize a MyPlayer character. Instead of the 6-2 point guard I created in 2k12, I post together a 6-8 athletic small forward.
Rather than launching into the MyPlayer mode, or testing out any of the past or present clubs accessible from the quick play mode, I launched right into the much-awaited Dream Team vs USA 2012 London Olympic Team – a fantasy rivalry started when Kobe Bryant said this year’s squad would beat the Michael Jordan-led team of 20 years ago.
As the Dream team, my game went to overtime. Leading by one point with 12 seconds left I threw an interception to Kevin Durant, who dunked for the win with 0.3 seconds remaining.
Charles Barkley was probably the most enjoyable player to control. NBA 2k13 is the first video game that Barkley has allowed himself to appear in since the Sega Genesis era. Each of the historic teams are instantly available as well, unlike in 2k12 where they had to be unlocked.
Another welcome face is Allen Iverson, along with the rest of his teammates from the 2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers. He’s perfect for the improved Blacktop streetball mode 2k13 offers.
There’s also an all-celebrity team with Canadian pop artist Justin Bieber among others.
Another key addition to the game is freestyle superstar types that give players abilities in certain situations. For example if a player is deemed a ‘Finisher’ he’ll have a better chance of making shots after drawing contact from a defender. These superstar attributes can also be earned and applied to your created MyPlayer.
Rosters and trades are also updated throughout the season.