Let’s begin with introductions. As a huge NBA fan since my early childhood, I can honestly say I’ve played a wide array of basketball games. From old-school titles such as Arch Rivals, Jordan vs. Bird: One on One, and Barkley Shut Up and Jam! to newer titles that include NBA Street Homecourt and the dearly beloved NBA 2K series, I’ve nearly played them all. This is why I must report, with a word of warning, that NBA 2K10 has fallen from its former glory and is a mess.

Plagued by framerate issues, NBA 2K10 chugs along slowly. The gameplay is fast-paced and upbeat for the most part, but long-time fans will find it too easy on the lower difficulties. Gamers can simply throw it into the paint and score at will against the AI. The problem with trying to throw it into the paint is that the title slows down as if someone was showing the gamer snapshots of the action.

The framerate issues aren’t even the half of it. The dynasty mode boasts that it’s deeper with the inclusion of the NBADL (Development League). The D-League is supposed to be a huge addition for fanatics of basketball as this is the first appearance of the league in the NBA 2K series. The general rule of the D-League is that teams can send down a maximum of two players to get more playing time and develop skills. A problem arises when gamers call up their developing players to join their team. First off, at times, the title won’t allow gamers to call up their players due to the D-League team needing 12 players for a full roster.

Secondly, if gamers are successful with calling up their players and then decide to send them back to the D-League, they should be prepared to receive the notice that they already have two players on the team -- even if they don’t. This glitch carries over from year to year, so gamers will never be able to utilize the D-League to its full potential. It’s an unfortunate glitch that takes away any excitement from the Association Mode.

This is only one of the problems that take away from the entertainment value of NBA 2K10 – there are so many issues that drags the title down that it’s utterly frustrating to be a fan of the series. That isn’t to say there isn’t fun to be had with NBA 2K10 because the addition of My Player mode does a fantastic job at setting up the expectations from future iterations.

My Player mode lets gamers create their own NBA avatar. The creation process is in-depth to the point that players will choosing between tattoos, what their jumper looks like, facial hair, and much more. After they finish up with the appearances, gamers will advance to taking their player through the NBA Summer League, then the NBADL and finally making it to the massive crowds of Madison Square Garden (home of the New York Knicks) and other large arenas for an official NBA team.

Gamers are only allowed to control their created player, so it’s entirely up to them to make it to the big leagues. This can be done by performing well in games by showing off great basketball-related skills. Beautiful passes like Chris Paul or crazy passes like Jason Williams are beneficial – so too are blocking shots as if the gamer was Dikembe Mutumbo or, of course, scoring a lot of points similar to Allen Iverson. My Player mode has a large arrangement of goals that the gamer needs to accomplish, so 2K Sports did an excellent job with putting together a mode that will have gamers coming back for more.

Still, the fact remains, the glitches hold back NBA 2K10 from being a superb basketball title. The coaches found themselves on the courts a few times while game was occurring and were a hindrance to get past. Often times, in the Association Mode, gamers won’t be allowed to sign free agents due to it not recognizing that it’s the off season. On top of that, it will often freeze up in the later years of the Association Mode and the crowds sometimes went invisible. NBA 2K10 is a title that needs a patch, and it needs one quickly!

If players can get past the glitches, the frame rate problems, and the slowdowns, they might – and I stress might – have a good time playing NBA 2K10. All of my multiplayer sessions – whether offline or online – have had my opponents complaining about the title and the issues at hand. Overall, NBA 2K10 doesn’t offer the incredibly engaging experience that 2K Sports normally puts together for their basketball games.

Gameplay: 6.5
The bugs within NBA 2K10 hold it back from excelling in the areas it normally does.

Graphics: 8.8
As usual, NBA 2K10 looks beautiful – although, many of the players look lifeless with droning expressions. 

Sound: 7.0
The commentary repeats itself after a  few played games.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.0
If you overlook the bugs, the My Player mode is excellent.

Multiplayer: 6.5
Good luck finding a game where the opposition isn’t either complaining about the glitches or how the game isn’t fair.

Overall: 6.9
NBA 2K10 is disappointing, to say the least.