Matching up for matches in The Neighborhood stays the same--it could be a slog, waiting for 2K22 MT gamers to queue up and the match to cycle through all 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 teams are balanced in skill and rankings ), and you are able to take this basketball ethos a step farther in the organized Pro-Am league. But enjoyment from such competitive outlets relies on the players that you get matched with, and how much your player has improved as a way to keep up.

That is where virtual currency (VC) comes into play, yet again. It's not surprising the microtransactions litter every corner of NBA 2K21--and for me personally, I have moved on from being outraged to sense despondent. The game boundaries on a pay-to-win version, with progress tracks which are paced in ways to nudge you towards paying for VC rather than making it.

Improving your stats nevertheless relies on paying VC, and the prices increase exponentially the farther you update a particular ability. There are loads of nice cosmetics to earn, and it is true a ton of fun dressing up your participant in new kicks as well as the flyest Nike and Adidas apparel, but their steep VC prices suck the life from their experience.

VC permeates the MyTeam mode again, too. This mode functions as a fantasy-esque build-your-own-team endeavor in which you earn card packs to unlock players among a roster which spans multiple NBA eras. MyTeam can be captivating for long-time basketball lovers such as myself who've Allen Iverson teamed up with Anthony Davis and may take this fantasy team roster into single-player or multiplayer games.

However, the loot-box character of making card packs--which can be obtained by slowly earning MT points via fresh avenues like challenges, seasonal events, and turning into cards that are useless, or even by purchasing them with VC--leaves the reliance on Buy MT 2K22 VC unsurprisingly egregious.