NBA 2K27 lets you explore the length and breadth of basketball history, with enough detail to satisfy all types of fans. Any annual sports game release is under pressure to deliver a new experience while retaining the familiarity of the previous version. As Visual Concepts' newest entry in the NBA 2K series hits digital store shelves, it's a reminder that the NBA season is nearly upon us.

This year's My Player mode is called "Fire & Concrete," and is the story of a former high school star whose path to college basketball was upended by an early twist. Your player's journey will take you from streetball tournaments to the G-League and up to the NBA. The animations have taken a step forward in improving the fluidity of layups. The ability to create a woman player underwent significant improvements, built on the same engine as NBA players.

You can play through different eras of NBA history: The Magic vs. Bird Era (1983), Jordan Era (1991), Kobe Era (2003), LeBron Era (2010) and Steph Era (2016). Games are complete with period-appropriate rosters, TV graphics and jerseys. My Team mode allows you to build your team by completing challenges and acquiring player cards. My GM is the game mode for RPG lovers, where you take over as the GM of an NBA franchise.

The City is a returning feature, in which you inhabit a mini-city devoted to basketball, competing online against worldwide opponents. The City is still one of the most robust offerings in the NBA 2K series, with many different angles to interact with the game of basketball.