Shoot some hoops with NBA 2K17, out today

The leading basketball franchise is now in its latest iteration with NBA 2K17, available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Visual Concepts have crafted an all-new MyCareer storyline featuring actor Michael B. Jordan and Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, as well as updating its gameplay and presentation.

Gone is the controversial story and direction that Spike Lee brought to the table last year. This time, we have “Creed” screenwriter Aaron Covington as well as one of its stars, Micahel B. Jordan.

Players take on the role of a customizable high-school player named President as he works his way up to college basketball and then the national team. The famous Mike Krzyzewski, otherwise known as Coach K, appears in-game as himself in a coaching capacity, teaching the basics in an all-new tutorial. Meanwhile, Jordan plays the fictional teammate Jordan Young, accompanying you through the drafts.

Notably, what happens on the court actually affects the story in some measure, so there shouldn’t be too much of a rift between gameplay and narrative. And if players want a break from the rigors of NBA, they can freely hit up some street basketball in MyPark, dabble in the online 2K Pro-Am league, or build their own fantasy line-up with MyTeam, among other modes.

Expect to see some small gameplay and AI updates though not sweeping changes – the NBA 2K series has refined itself over the years, and its Advanced Skill Shooting mechanics grant plenty of control over your shots.

Instead, they’ve focused on authenticity in a few ways. Dynamic in-game commentary has gotten a huge boost by having more broadcast personalities, using their actual voices and scanned faces – in fact, they have enough to actually rotate the commentary crew from game to game. Visual Concepts have also made a point to make live recordings of the different NBA arenas.

NBA 2K17 is available in both physical and digital formats as standard and premium editions.