How To Play 2k19 Prelude

NBA 2K19: The Prelude offers a new look at an evolving game

NBA 2K19 is quickly approaching, as the 20th-anniversary edition looks to reach a new level of basketball gaming. Here are some thoughts on The Prelude.

The one game I always look forward to every year is NBA 2K, and with NBA 2K19 being a special, anniversary edition, there are extra reasons to be excited. The Prelude, which has become a yearly tradition, was released a couple of days ago, and it gave us a taste of the new MyCAREER mode.

As you may have seen in the trailer, you start your journey in China, as you try to make your way back to the NBA Draft in hopes of actually getting drafted. You also will play in the G-League for the first time before making it in the NBA.

In the very beginning, you create your MyPLAYER, and it's pretty neat how it works. Your player, who goes by the name "A.I." in this year's game (a nod to the great Allen Iverson, the first cover athlete of anNBA 2Kgame), starts in a photoshoot type of setting.

You select from your usual options such as your vitals, position, archetype and more while your PR man walks you through each one. It's a unique way to get your baller created for the start of your career, just be ready to hear the same lines over again if you go back change something.

I would end up creating a 7'2″ post-scoring, three-point shooting center, as this brought me back to familiar stretch five territory from NBA 2K17. Your journey officially begins when you're in a situational moment, as your team, the Bears have a chance to win the game.

Your coach tells you to pass the ball to one of your key teammates in the corner for the game-winning three-pointer. Your player, slightly reluctant, agrees and dishes it off to the teammate as a cutscene ensues when he hits the shot, and everybody celebrates. A few cutscenes later, and you're playing your first full game.

There's a cool feature in NBA 2K19called Takeover which works kind of as a Gamebreaker, in that, you'll instantly be hot, and will barely miss shots. When your Takeover meter is filled, it will boost your attributes dramatically, and this can be especially dangerous if you're a sharpshooter, draining threes.

Filling up the meter is pretty simple. Make several highlight plays in a row, and you'll be able to activate it, and put on a show. However, it does slightly take the simulation aspects out of what is suppose to be a basketball simulation. It works like the Microwave badge from a few years ago, which you can earn by consistently filling up your Takeover gauge.

NBA 2K19animations for running, shooting, passing and more all feel smoother and more realistic than we've seen before. That said, I did notice that it seems to be difficult to take a hook shot when backing down your man. Any time I would hit the square button or shot stick, my guy would just try to push his way through and put up a layup and hope it drops, or he gets fouled, or both.

I just found this bizarre, but keep in mind, it's only a demo. This is similar to EA Sports' NCAA Basketball 09, where players would always attempt to drive to the hoop instead of shooting a mid-range shot when open. I do not doubt that it will improve with post-release patches.

Another thing I found interesting was how the attributes have changed (particularly for the center, since this was the position I chose). In last year's game, when you made a rebounding stretch five, your player's three-point rating would max out at 84. When you create a pure stretch five, your long-range shot would max out at 99; the holy grail of ratings.

In NBA 2K19, with a post-scoring, stretch big, I noticed that the three-point rating only goes up to 70 at the start, and likely will go up to around just 75 at the max. Awkwardly enough, the post-scoring attribute, which is my secondary skill, seems like it could go up to 80, higher than my shooting attribute.

I tested a pure stretch five on another account, and the highest rating the three-point shot seems to go is around 80. This is a dramatic drop-off from last year, where pure shooters get a beefy 99. Keep in mind that, although the rating may seem relatively low, you can still get some great shooting badges which will boost your skills from beyond the downtown (or the suburbs). I guess NBA 2K19 wants to tell folks you can make a stretch five, but do so at your own risk.

Centers are tied to non-stat attributes and balanced in their size, as it becomes easier to grab rebounds the taller you are (7'3″ is the max height). This will easily boost your teammate grade and also add some fire sauce to that stat stuffer supreme burrito. Grabbing boards also lead to easy assists as well. It's a win-win situation.

If you want to be able to drill shots more consistently, the power forward position may be better for this iteration of the game. Their shot selection across the floor is almost as beautiful as The Prelude's cutscenes, including a couple of spots that give you a lovely view of Shanghai China at night.

The Prelude is an enjoyable look atNBA 2K19 at large. Though there are balance changes that need some time to adjust to, this preview offers a fair look at what is shaping up to be an enticing game.