Mmoak2018: NBA 2K19 runs with it for the humor

Mmoak2018

The growth of microtransactions in the NBA 2K series parallels the increasing tumult of the real-life NBA offseason. This year, 2K Sports needed to alter NBA 2K19's cover following a blockbuster trade put its cover athlete in a different uniform. To better catch that growing disarray from the league's offices, NBA 2K19 presents a narrative to its franchise mode, MyGM. A participant -- your created MyPlayer, specifically -- suffers a career-ending knee accident and afterwards takes up the reins as overall manager. Trade Kyrie Irving away or place him at another place; that Buy NBA 2K MT is the crux of a team GM gig, with a hint of occasional inner team drama involved. It is a stretch to call it a narrative mode as the menu does, but small expansions to MyGM include dialogue exchanges and participant interactions new to NBA 2K19.

Not only is there a story in MyGM, there is still a bevy of MyPlayer options. Rather than invite Spike Lee to direct MyCareer (because he did back in NBA 2K16), NBA 2K19's approach settles down, focusing on the turbulent rookie year of prior street baller DJ. It's mostly satirical toward locker room culture, a reprieve from the thick play of Madden NFL 18's Longshot as well as past years old NBA 2K. For example, DJ's representative is not a lot of one, however, he does possess a catchphrase: "Eat what you kill." The characters don't seem to comprehend what that means (and they say so), but NBA 2K19 runs with it for the humor.

When playing as DJ, you'll encounter NBA 2K19's "The Neighborhood." Consider it a hub of activity for DJ's livelihood. At a MMO-lite twist, it's possible to walk around with multiple (hundreds, maybe, if servers fill up) of additional player-controlled DJs, playing pickup games, trading scores in minigames or interacting. The existence of different players is normally pointless outside of mild competition, however; I ended up just ignoring the crowd.

I shortly realized The Neighborhood simply replaces NBA 2K19's core menu. In that way, it's merely a clumsy method to navigate. Desire a haircut? Walk the block to the barbershop. Want to change clothing? Go home. Need new shoes? Jog down to Foot Locker. Looking to catch a fast pickup game? The court is down the street on the left.

Plodding because this navigation is, there is a touch of personality and culture inside. In the barbershop, DJ is served like a neighborhood celebrity while they talk about overall gossip. The friendly (if sleepy) attendant of a food cart contributes to some laughs. These spaces will also be nicely decorated, cramped and flush with older brick buildings circa 1930s New York. It is a strong representation of the impoverished to lower-middle-class upbringing of NBA stars who got their start in places like Harlem's Rucker Park.

On the other hand, The Neighborhood can be sullied by corporate patrons. A little gentrification from the old neighborhood? Maybe. But it is not just a Foot Locker place sitting on a corner or Gatorade-sponsored fitness center Twitter. The owners of the barbershop present DJ using a gift, JBL cans, of which DJ chimes in, "Are the newest JBLs?" Gatorade is a central part of the story, called out by the broadcast team during games as far as it is promoted during gym training sessions (buying virtual bottles of Gatorade for endurance includes a spiel about electrolytes).