NBA 2K16 is one of the most-versatile sports simulations to hit the games market in years. It’s got a collection of game modes that let you approach the game of basketball in just about any way you could imagine, but the ongoing network issues make NBA 2K16 a must-pass for certain fans. And the dry wall near my television will attest to the incredibly frustrating nature of both the difficult game and the confusing digital download installation process. With a steep learning curve, not to mention a complete lack of meaningful tutorial or practice modes, NBA 2K16 isn't the most beginner-friendly entry in 2K Sports' basketball franchise. No one (and I mean no one) should be forced to get their teeth kicked in by Miami's "Big Three" -- the demo game at the beginning of NBA 2K16 is based on Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals -- over and over again without any explanation for putting them in such a predicament.
 
The soundtrack is the cherry on top of what is a wonderfully presented sports game that looks and sounds excellent. But make no mistake, NBA 2K16 is much more than just a good-looking game. It's another deep and technically proficient sports sim from the masters of the court. Small upgrades, like the new shot meter at your player's feet, make a huge difference to the in-game action, giving users a clear indication about when to shoot. Removing any guesswork, it's something that makes the game more accessible to rookie players, without dumbing anything down for hardcore fans. As a mobile game, NBA 2K16 utilizes a virtual controller located on the bottom two corners of the iPhone's screen. Not only does this mean the user's thumb is covering part of the scene, it is also causes a bit of a lag between. The lag is most noticeable when twitch-type controls are employed -- something that happens a number of times during pretty much every game played.
 
One of the most anticipated features of NBA 2K16 is the ability to scan your own face to make yourself an in-game character. You scan your face using any camera accessory for PS4 or Xbox One, and hundreds of data points are used to render your face quite realistically and accurately. According to Matt Whitaker of Hardcore gamer, this feature is tedious and could get frustrating with all the required head-turning and keeping within the sensor's scanning zone, however, the end result is worth the effort. So I still had no idea what I was doing. I grasped the very basics such as how to pass a ball and how to make a shot, but all of the other things such as blocking, attacking, doing special shots and so forth were completely unknown to me. I would like to once again reiterate that it is my fault and not the game’s, but the blatant disregard for beginners shouldn’t have happened.
 
The game should have catered to both the hardcore fanbase and people just getting into it, but they chose to go with assuming that players will be returning players and can understand all of the concepts given to them. Creating a player who goes undrafted and has to fight his way into the league is absolutely a compelling new angle to play. But right from the start, the trend of things only half working becomes evident with the facial capture feature. Those who are able to actually complete the scan will be treated to The Elephant Man version of themselves created on screen. Getting into their career, players are given a ten-day contract to prove their worth to an interested team. Between-game cutscenes feature voiceovers from real NBA stars, which seems like a great idea. But the reality is that many of these “performances”are cringeworthy at best.
 
Additionally some of these scripted events don’t seem to correlate logically to the on-court play. For example, veteran AI may admonish players for selfish play even though the previous game’s stats show anything but. The quirks go on and on, but it all boils down to 2K’s otherwise stellar level of polish being compromised by numerous areas of poor execution. There is no escaping the fact though that as an offline experience NBA 2K16 plays sublimely. An extremely tight control scheme is coupled with slight tinkering to the shooting and movement mechanics. Alongside the unrivalled presentation –a wonderful blend of contextual commentary and lifelike graphics –it creates the best sporting reproduction in videogames.