Screenshots & trailers
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 87 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 85 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 71 | 266 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 72 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (48)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 94
“If we had to capture NBA 2K16 superiority over any other sports game, we would probably choose Pau Gasol's overwhelming power, shown in the latest Eurobasket. 2K Sports franchise's new entry has the best that basketball has to offer, with many modes to enjoy it as never before. NBA 2K16 just destroys any other challenger who dares to take a step forward. ”
read full review ↗ - 85
“As it stands 2K is still a definite buy for basketball fans in general and especially for would be GM’s or owners.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Visual Concepts improved even further the formula, but the MyCareer experiment worsens one of the better features of the series.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“NBA 2K16 draws you in with its welcoming personality and expanded game modes. But it still manages to push you away with unexplained intricacies. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you’re a basketball fan, then NBA 2K16 is definitely worth picking up. It has all the experiences you would want in a basketball game, and is easily one of the more entertaining sports games to pick up. ”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Perfected gameplay and an abundance of addicting modes make NBA 2K16 a heavyweight contender for the greatest sports game ever made.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“NBA 2K16 is still best basketball game in the market. But this time, MyCareer mode is very nicely prepared with a little help (Spike Lee). If you're a personal fan of basketball games, don't miss it. But remember that: NBA 2K16 is very hard for newcomers.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Spike Lee’s nuanced plotting and oftentimes poetic phrasing yield a promising beginning for sports game narrative, a beginning so affecting that Lee’s last scenes left me staggered.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“One more time, the new game on the NBA 2K series becomes the best sports game of the year. NBA 2K16 is a complete package with tons of contents that will make happy all NBA fans and it has positive changes on its gameplay that makes it more intelligent, challenging and maybe the best basketball game so far. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Marvel at NBA 2K16’s drive for excellence and all they’ve put into making this year’s sim incredible. Year by year 2K has learned to make a more solid sports title, and now it’s not just a highlight-reel player, but an accomplished All-Star video game.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“NBA 2K16 is one of the most complete packages I’ve ever seen. Developer Visual Concepts continues to raise the sports simulation bar by completely retooling its silky-smooth gameplay, adding brand-new physics systems, and refining its traditional game modes.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“NBA 2K16 has raised the bar not just for future iterations of the series but for every sports game developed beyond this point.”
read full review ↗
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
We Got This Covered
Washington Post
Atomix
EGM
IGN
Sporting News…and 36 more tracked reviews.