2K tweeted some first-look screenshots of NBA 2K18 on Monday, and they show what Paul George, DeMar DeRozan and Isaiah Thomas’ player models look like in-game. There isn’t a substantial improvement over last year’s engine, but Visual Concepts has certainly refined its attention to detail.
While Isaiah and George look fairly similar to their 2016 counterparts, quite possibly the biggest improvement is with DeRozan’s facial scan. Comparing the two models, there’s most definitely an upgrade to see here. Take a look at the NBA 2K18 representation, particularly the lines of definition on his cheeks and forehead. There’s a lot more nuance and detail on show, and that’s good news for a game that pushes so hard in the simulation direction.
Unfortunately, at least from this particular view, there’s not much of a reason to post a comparison for George or Thomas. We’ve looked at the models ourselves, and there’s almost no visible changes to be had. It’s possible that because DeRozan is the cover athlete for NBA 2K18 in Canada, his facial scan received a bit more attention this time around. After all, 2K would want to make sure one of its poster boys looks as accurate as possible.
If the emphasis for NBA 2K18 isn’t necessarily on graphical enhancements, one would hope there’s a lot more to be said about gameplay tweaks. Despite being one of the best selling games of the year, NBA 2K17 seemed like it was in a constant state of flux since the moment it launched. Shortly after release, players struggled with a glitched shot meter, and as recently as this April, shooting tweaks intended to make stats more meaningful just made players angry. With these stories in mind, we imagine there’s lots of hope to strike a more perfect balance closer to the one fans experienced in 2K16.
It’s taken a while for 2K to start heavily marketing this year’s game, but, it appears promotion has finally picked up. In addition to these screenshots, we know that Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O’Neal will be 2K18’s cover stars in most territories. Its full soundtrack was also revealed via a Spotify playlist last week.
NBA 2K18 is slated for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch and PC Sept. 19.
What are your thoughts on these screenshots? Do NBA 2K18’s player models look better or worse compared to last year? Tell us in the comments section!
