"NBA arcade action is back with NBA Playgrounds 2 and it’s better than ever! This sequel to the original smash hit takes street balling to the next level with a host of new additions and improvements, including a new Season Mode and a new Playgrounds Championship ranked mode. This robust follow-up to last year’s high-flying arcade action also features a massive roster of over 200 current and retired NBA players with new player models and animations. There’s even improved online matchmaking with dedicated servers, four-player online matches, three-point contests, new playgrounds, custom matches, and more! Pick your team, get ready to jam, and up your game!"
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is an extremely fun and competitive game at its core, and with the publisher's history of terrible microtransactions, it's good to see a basketball game that's easy to pick up and enjoy without having to spend money. The game is generous with its in game currency which makes playing the game very rewarding, especially if you invest...
Despite the action on the court being fun, it's the looming frustrations of microtransactions that hinder player development and the overall appeal of the game.
This is a game that does absolutely not need to exist but does for the sheer fact that the original game had no way of raking in the dough. I don't expect this game to become a yearly title, because NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is now set up to appropriately gouge the players for money for years to come. Unless maybe that doesn't work, in which case you can...
While the introduction of microtransactions is hardly surprising considering the history of its new publisher, they don't hit NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 as hard as might expect. It will take you a while to grind out every player (unless you just buy them all from the off), but it helps that the core arcade gameplay remains as fun and enjoyable as ever. It...
There's fun to be had in 2K's arcade-style basketball game, but a lack of variety and flawed gameplay make for a missed opportunity.
