Review: TopSpin 2K25 makes a double mistake

In a way, TopSpin 2K25 is a child of its time. In addition to the online-only mentality, the game immediately forces you to create a 2K account. You then get a handful of pop-ups on your screen, with all kinds of offers, information about the season pass and a few pay-to-win-like strategies. This even applies to the Grand Slam edition, which can be purchased for around 120 euros.

This problematic structure is a legitimate reason to ignore the game: 2K combines a free-to-play tactic with a regular sales model. In few other games is it so obvious that you are renting a temporary license, instead of a product that is and remains yours. By marketing the game as 2K25 (and not Top Spin 5), it is also obvious that we can expect a sequel within twelve months. In other words, what’s the point of investing time (and possibly money) in those season passes? And how long will the servers – a necessary evil of an offline career – remain available?

From cynicism to hope

I am aware of my cynicism. But 2K’s recent portfolio justifies this critical look. NBA 2K has been struggling with these kinds of problems for years, resulting in a torn community. The basketball games are among the top of the sports genre, as long as you can look past the devious sales models. Not everyone wants that or can afford it. NBA 2K22, for example, can no longer be played online about two years after its original release.

TopSpin 2K25 finds itself in a similar split. The concerns surrounding the servers and season passes are in stark contrast to the action on the tennis court. All peripheral issues are disappointing, while the gameplay stands out in a positive way. The controls are sharp and precise, the AI ​​quite intelligent and the tennis action spectacular. Developer Hangar 13 succeeds in finding an excellent balance between accessible and layered gameplay. Anyone can hit a well-executed forehand within a few minutes, while technical skills and complex strategies require a lot of patience and skill.

This results in good games of tennis, especially at higher difficulty levels, or in online multiplayer. In competitive titles like Tennis World Tour and AO Tennis, there is a winning strategy: putting balls into the corners of the court as hard as possible. In TopSpin 2K25 it’s all about the timing of your shots and the positioning of your player. Once you have mastered that principle, you have an arsenal of options to knock your opponent off the track. This is mainly reflected in the diversity of playing styles and strategies – each of which has their pros and cons. With a defensive approach you have more time and space to execute your shots properly, while the timing of volleys and drop shots requires enormous precision.

By recognizing the patterns of your opponents and responding to them, you can use these styles to decide the match in your favor. Take an offensive player who relies on powerful shots. Its fitness is not infinite and every stroke costs energy. By hitting all those balls back neatly with slice, you ensure a longer rally that is ultimately decided on endurance – often to the advantage of the defending party. A defensive player can be surprised by alternating drop shots, lobs and balls with a lot of topspin: this way he cannot simply anticipate your next shot.

From hope to disappointment

On the field, TopSpin 2K25 does a lot of good. It is easily the most fun and interesting tennis game of recent years. Yet too many missteps are being made – even in addition to the revenue model. For example, the career mode is completely out of balance. As in just about every tennis game, you start with your self-made player at the bottom of the rankings. Through training, special events and tournaments you will gain new skills, unlock new clothing and slowly climb the rankings.

This principle is hardly original, but there is little wrong with it either. At least, on paper. In practice it results in a dull affair. You’ll have seen the training and special events after an hour or two. In principle, the tournaments are worth it, especially because of the quantity and variety. There are only two major caveats. Firstly, there is a lack of licensed players: 25, some of whom have already retired. In both the men’s and women’s tours you therefore play against a small number of existing players; the rest is all fictional.

In addition, it takes a disproportionately long time before your player reaches a comparable level to your opponents. After about four hours I was allowed to participate in the 500 tournaments. I played against tennis players with a level around 15 (out of 30); I was only level 5. Now it is quite realistic that you do not immediately move on to the Grand Slams and lose a pot here and there. But in TopSpin 2K25 this mainly means that you have to play unnecessary games to collect enough experience points. I did that by playing online and replaying 250 tournaments – instead of actually progressing in my career or getting better at the game. So it’s less about your own skills than about the artificial levels of the tennis players.

Perhaps not surprisingly: there is a “Rookie Rise Pack” in which your self-made tennis player immediately starts at level 10. But this package is only included in the Deluxe Edition (€99.99) and higher, or can be purchased separately (€12.99). That is actually the crux of TopSpin 2K25: there is an abundance of potential, but as a player you still feel taken aback.

TopSpin 2K25 is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One and PC. For this review, the game was played on Xbox Series X.