Jay’s Review: NBA 2K21’s MyCareer Mode

I must be honest, this review might get heated, so you've been warned.

Before I begin, I want to be clear that I'm only going to break down the MyCareer mode within NBA 2k21. I haven't played any other modes, but if any other mode is as good as this MyCareer mode, this would be the worst video game on the planet.

I have so many issues with the MyCareer mode that I honestly don't know where to start. There are no redeeming qualities about this mode. I honestly feel for anyone out there who plays the MyCareer mode primarily because for them, it has to feel as though they lit $60 on fire.

This career mode is done to lazily, you would assume it was put together by a small studio working on their very first game. You'd have no idea the game was being made by a studio worth $3.2 Billion. I can't possibly fathom how a studio like 2K could put out such a horrible game mode and be proud of it.

Let's start with one reason this company is worth so much money. Micro-transactions. This is, without question, the worst part of this game. It's absolutely insulting that not only must you pay $60 to own the game, but if you want to level-up your player, you must literally pay more money. Sure you could grind your days away to make your player competitive, but without buying the game's virtual currency to level-up your player, doing it organically would take months of real-life playtime.

The fact that so much revolves around this game's micro-transactions is infuriating to me. Every aspect of your player is controlled by micro-transactions. If you want your player to wear a headband, that will cost you money. If you want your player to have quicker movement on the court, that will cost you money. If you want your player to mimic Ray Allen's legendary jump shot, that will cost you money. Micro-transactions will eventually be this game's ultimate downfall, as I can't imagine players are thrilled of spending hundreds of dollars just play a regurgitated annually-released game.

The MyCareer mode itself outside of micro-transactions, is a complete joke. As a rookie, your player begins his basketball career, under a name that you cannot pick or change. For your first three hours of game time, you will be called, "Junior" and there's nothing you can do about it. You're talent-level will be that of a player that in no way, shape, or form could make a varsity roster, much less to the NBA. Of course, the game has to make sure you're player is this bad to encourage you to pay them actual mopney to improve your player. What a joke.

Maybe if they didn't hire 20 C-List celebrities to appear in the career mode's cringey storyline, the folks at 2K could actually develop a career mode that doesn't feel like a corny and cheesy cash-grab.

0.5/10