In a lot of ways, NBA 2K21 MT demonstration feels like more of the same, compared to NBA 2K20. To my eye it appears almost identical to the past couple of decades, and seems to be running the clock out until next-generation consoles arrive before springing for a more substantial visual upgrade. Legacy issues, like the CPU mishandling clock players and management awkwardly dropping the ball as soon as the shot clock runs out, are definitely still present. Nonetheless, there are some noticeable positive tweakswith the help of a few smaller gameplay upgrades and a new shot-stick mechanic, NBA 2K21's gameplay seems just like a baby-step forward.

Try out NBA 2K21's new gameplay controls using its demo in two weeks

Seriously, if you place video of NBA 2K21 side by side with NBA 2K20 I'd challenge you to spot the difference in the graphics. This is not a horrible thing, because this franchise has a long history of being among those best-looking sports games out there, but it's a bit disappointing to see how little has changed year over year. That means last year's blemishes have carried over: gamers still look good, but outside of those superstars such as Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James there's something a little generic about the designs.

Some faces have too little detail and remarkably large players like Shaquille O'Neal (who is rostered on the"All-Time Lakers" squad readily available in the demonstration ) don't own the identical type of enormous existence they do in real life.

Thankfully, the longer I spent with all the new shot-stick mechanic, the more NBA 2K21 started to distinguish itself. The new shot meter, which requires preparing shots rather than just timing them, is utilized completely with the right analog stick. It needs a straight pull downward (or upward, when pushing toward the basket) and then centering the rod inside the sweet spot on the meter. Not only did I find this new shot meter vastly more challenging, in addition, it fixed a few of other issues I've had with NBA 2K for years.

First and foremost, I never need to worry about accidentally throwing a shot up when I'm attempting to generate a dribble move. Pulling back on the analog stick and holding it there'll result in a shot, while any flicks or alternative quicker motions will end in a dribbling move. The brand new shot meter opens up the right-stick to be used completely for dribbling moves, which contains the capacity to size-up or use escape transports. Everything feels a whole lot cleaner, which is a wonderful change to buy mt get a series where things were beginning to feel too cluttered to control.