NBA 2K14 was released just in time for the start of the NBA season. The latest version of the popular series hit stores today to the delight of many eager fans.

At the moment, 2K14 is only available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 gaming consoles. The Xbox One and PS4 are set to release this November and both systems will carry a compatible version of the game.

So far the reviews have been very positive for this video game. Many critics are giving high reviews equal to or better than that of the previous version.

One item of the video game that is sure to cause heated debate amongst game fans, is the player’s overall rating. The game’s developers invented a scoring system measured from 0-100 to rate the players on-court abilities. Jason Collins ranks as the game’s worst player (hmm, no surprise there) with a 50 point rating, while the super human (and arguably the best real-life player in the NBA) Lebron James, is a near-perfect, 99.

The most heated arguments will likely be over the ratings given to the mid tier players. For instance, Marc Gasol gets a lower overall rating than Andrew Bynum and Al Jefferson in this video game reality, but is that really accurate? While assessing player skill level is somewhat subjective, the developers did an excellent job of re-creating the playing style and mannerisms of the real-life players featured in the game (funny how they do that).

Game fans will also be very happy with the level of realism in other aspects of the game including graphics, gameplay, star power – even the announcers feel super real. The timing and movement of the characters is noticeably more precise than in previous versions as well. One drawback, is that you will have to re-learn how to use the controls. You won’t be able to use your finely-honed skills of yesteryear, and the new control functions are a bit tricky to get used to.

NBA 2K14 does, however, feature the new Path to Greatness mode. This mode allows you to create your own narrative using the game’s star player, Lebron James.  Lebron starts out as a rookie and works his way up through a league that is created by you, the player.

Overall this game does not disappoint. In fact,  2K Sports improved upon the high standards of the game’s previous iterations by making it realer and even more fun to play.

(video via youtube)