I bought the game on the first day of its release, so I have spent several hours to have a safe personal opinion. First of all, let me clarify that I spend 90% of my time in the title with MyNBA and the remaining 10% with MyCareer, so I don't have and never had an opinion about the online aspect of the series.
Positive aspects:
Very well-designed in terms of graphics, sound, and presentation, with increased difficulty levels for challenge lovers.
Neutral aspects:
Modes like MyNBA have become more complex with greater depth, which may be good for some (especially those who have been involved with MyGM in previous titles), but confusing for others.
MyCareer with MyCity is now a game on its own. It may be chaotic for many, but there are definitely plenty of options to spend hours in the game for those who have the patience.
Negative aspects:
After so many hours of gameplay, I can say that the gameplay itself is a negative aspect. It doesn't seem like something is wrong with it at first glance, but after several seasons in MyNBA on HOF difficulty and 12-minute quarters, I have been disappointed. Initially, the cuts are now very easy to make and accept. Also, the center of the team grabs rebounds like a magnet. To support this, I will simply give the statistics for these two aspects of my team's starting center, Myles Turner, who has 18.7 rebounds per game and 6.7 blocks in 27.8 minutes of play. In his real-life career, the highest numbers he had were 7.3 rebounds in 31.4 minutes and 3.4 blocks in 31 minutes of play. Another thing I don't like is the scripted scenario that always happens when a team humiliates me in the first half and then starts missing shots in the third quarter as if it wants me to catch up. The same applies in the opposite case when I have a very good first half.
Many may disagree with the above, but I happen to be a fan of simulation, and overall, the feeling that NBA 2K22 gives me reminds me more of an arcade experience than what I have been accustomed to since NBA 2K6, which I have been continuously involved with in the series.
The day before yesterday, I downloaded NBA 2K20 again to remember it because it was the last NBA 2K game that I truly enjoyed. And indeed, after three matches, I am now certain of how much more enjoyable the experience of NBA 2K20 is compared to the next-gen NBA 2K22.
I will buy NBA 2K23 and try it as well, but this time I will wait to find it on sale for 20 euros because I no longer have any trust in 2K. Since it now plays alone in the basketball titles, it is evident that it has put the basketball simulation mentality in terms of gameplay in second place. It may shine in terms of graphics, but not everything that shines is gold.