NBA 2K16 is a fantastic game, in fact I'd go as far as to say that is it the best basketball simulation on the market today. The graphics, the gameplay, the soundtrack, the online game modes all shine in my opinion on this years edition of the franchise we've all come to know and love, however the game is not without its flaw, the largest being MyCareer. Going into 2K16 I was very excitedNBA 2K16 is a fantastic game, in fact I'd go as far as to say that is it the best basketball simulation on the market today. The graphics, the gameplay, the soundtrack, the online game modes all shine in my opinion on this years edition of the franchise we've all come to know and love, however the game is not without its flaw, the largest being MyCareer. Going into 2K16 I was very excited with the idea of the Spike Lee Joints, having not played MyCareer in 2K15 instead favoring focusing on my player from 2K14. With all the hype around the new and improved story and the concept of being able to play College and High School basketball for the first time, there was no doubt in my mind that this was going to be the most realistic basketball experience for everyone who plays the game, emphasis on everyone. Starting fresh for the first time since 2K14 I spent around a half hour trying to create a reasonable portrayal of myself in game, which I've got to say was very much improved since 2K14, 2K did a very good job nailing down player creation and how in depth you can really go in order to create a replica of yourself in game, however this creation plays little into the Spike Lee Joint story "Livin Da Dream". A lot of the customization has been streamlined in order to create an experience that fits the storyline of "Livin Da Dream" rather than truly making "Livin Da Dream" a story of your own, which is understandable given the circumstances surrounding the story, however disappointing nonetheless. For starters, you are no longer able to pick a nickname for yourself, for story purposes your nickname both on and off the court has been designated as "Freq" short for "Frequency Vibrations" as your mother often refers to you as, not exactly the nickname I think a lot of fans had in mind but I think we can let it slide. The major gripes I have against MyCareer is the actual story itself and its ability, or lack thereof to make the story compelling and involving my player. The basis to the story revolves around "Freq" growing up alongside his hard working parents, twin sister and longtime friend Vic in the Harlem area, no major plot twists there coming from the man who is notorious for making films about basketball in the Harlem area. The immersion and interaction with my African American family is really what made me end up skipping the majority of the cutscenes. In no way shape or form was that comment meant to come across as racist, however the immersion is lost and just awkward when creating a player who doesn't fit this pre-determined role for myCareer, which is supposed to be a reflection of an individual's person. It may seem I'm getting rather in depth with the story aspect alone, however it was one of the major selling points of the game and should be discussed as such. The high school games are rather lack-luster lasting a whole 3 games lasting 8 minute against unchallenging opponents before declaring your college of choice between 10 colleges. The college aspect of the story was by far the most enjoyable aspect of MyCareer despite it short length of 4 games. Healthy amounts of playing time and the idea of playing for the college of my choice, one of the few choices you get to really make throughout the whopping 15 game story mode was a really refreshing change to the franchise that I hope returns in full force in the coming years. Your first season in the NBA can be summed up as disappointing, playing in only 8+ games including the playoffs, often receiving very little playing time. After being drafted by the Utah Jazz as the third string point guard behind 2 other point guards drafted within the last 3 years, I played very little throughout my 8 games and had very little of an effect on the season and the end of the "story" which concludes at the end of your first season before resuming the typical 2K myCareer formula during your 2nd season, which is a much welcomed sight in my eyes. Ultimately "Livin Da Dream" fell flat in the same vain as Frédéric Weis of Knicks infamy, a promising experiment ruined by a "dunk de la mort". However instead of Vince Carter delivering the final blow "Livin Da Dream" is put out of its misery by a lack of personalization the MyCareer game mode many of us have come to love as an expression of "our" fantasies of playing out or careers in the NBA. I understand the fact that given the format of MyCareer there would be limitations to the customization, however I was expecting some sort of rationale and was left disappointed mainly due to the lack of making the story of this Spike Lee Joint about "MyCareer" rather than an awkward Spike Lee cliche. Feel free to agree or disagree, like I said NBA 2K16 is the best basketball simulation on the market and absolutely worth a purchase if you love the game of basketball, however if you purchase 2K16 based solely for the purpose of MyCareer I recommend going in with no expectations and trying to make the best out of "Livin Da Dream".… Expand