Attributes

When looking at the attribute allocation screen you will see what begins as a blank area to the right. This is the most important part of the screen. It will show how the particulars of an attribute skill set will be affected, the effect on the overall rating, and the cost of each attribute in VC.

The left hand side is an identical setup used in previous versions of 2K’s NBA franchise’s MyPlayer position-based skills. The most important area on the left hand side is the very top line of text that will inform you of just how many points you have available to allocate. Remember, you can only equip them by paying VC, so spend wisely.

Abilities

They are exactly the same returning list of abilities from last year’s game. But for the newcomers gracing the mats of the 2K series for the first time this year I will give a quick once over.

There are a total of 16 possible selections, each with three different levels. Be careful with your selections, as sometimes it may actually be of benefit to leave an ability at a lower level to allow you to use your currency in another area such as stamina drain or times it can be used. The most notable is resiliency, which has varying degrees of the cost and uses available to a player, personally, I like the second level. Just like last year, there is also only the possibility of slotting 10 abilities at a time. In MyCareer you have to pay to unlock more slots, starting at 500VC and going up from there based on how many slots you wish to buy.

Skills

This year the list of skills has actually grown thanks to the increase in size and functionality of the backstage area. For 2K18 they have added truss and semi-trailer daredevil as well as semi-trailer and car finishers. Also due to another innovation in game development, the carry system, we are graced with a running corner attack and ring toss out special action. Don’t worry: they did not remove any of the previous skills, which can be a common occurrence in video games when new skills are added, so this is nice to see. “Replace and repeal” is definitely something that has plagued the yearly sports titles as well as the political landscape for the last few years. Anyway, the best thing to do here is spend your virtual currency where it is most likely to give you the most bang for your buck. Gone are the days of having a super saiyan wrestling god of a CAW in a career mode.