Review: TopSpin 2K25

Like music, or smells, good and bad, videogames often transport you back to a certain time, phase, or moment.

Playing through TopSpin 2k25, I’m reminded of the hours and hours my brother-in-law and I spent 20 years ago playing the first game in his home in Aukland, New Zealand, instead of working on my postgrad research thesis.

A lot has changed since those epic rallies, with the franchise itself having a 13-year hiatus since TopSpin 4 wowed us on the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.

The latest entry brings a fresh wave of anticipation and excitement for tennis enthusiasts, developed by Hangar 13, known for their work on Mafia III, which I firmly believe had some of the best pistol headshots in any action game – this latest instalment aims to deliver a comprehensive tennis experience.

While TopSpin 2K25 boasts refined gameplay mechanics, offering players a variety of shot options and control over their gameplay, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to innovate. I had very high expectations, largely fuelled by nostalgia and the drought of proper contenders that I may have unfairly placed it on a pedestal.

For the first time while writing a review for Recharged, I reviewed a game by spending a fair amount of time playing other games in the genre, just to see how it compares. There have been some significant shifts in gaming since the last title.

Casual fans who just want to hit a ball over a net can scratch that itch with GTA 5, budget conscious gamers can get their fix from World Tennis Tour 2 which is currently available on PS Plus but not as good as TopSpin yet solid enough to enjoy. Those wanting a more creative/ arcade experience can play Mario Tennis Aces on the Nintendo Switch. I played all three over the last few weeks to inform this review.

The graphics shine in some areas but fall flat in others (spectator variety), and while it doesn’t affect the core gameplay, it does break the immersion a little. 2K have such a high pedigree when it comes to photorealistic graphics in other franchises, like NBA and WWE, especially when it comes to face scans that it feels disappointing that TopSpin 2K25 didn’t get the same treatment.

Same with ‘create a player’, which had very lean options, especially when it came to hair styles and facial hair; my virtual tennis player looks very little like me. I did appreciate the ability to choose prosthetics though.

There are a number of licensed courts and some great fictional ones, including a South African one, which is an automatic bonus point from me. All four Grand Slam Tournaments are included along with all nine ATP masters 1000 venues.

An unexpected area that really shines is the music selection. There are some bangers on the soundtrack, and I was constantly Shazaming the songs. Pity there isn’t a jukebox option in the settings like the old FIFA games. I also really enjoyed the audio from the dual sense speaker. Was very immersive. Would have been good if the licensed players ‘grunts’ were also captured to add to the immersion.

This was a common theme in my playthrough – solid game that flirts with greatness but never grabs it. Full points for getting ‘Never Have I Ever’ narrator and tennis legend John McEnroe to voice the TopSpin Academy training centre.

In terms of value for money, TopSpin 2K25 offers a decent amount of content but falls flat in terms of diversity and replayability. With a limited roster of players and uninspired game modes, such as the lacklustre MyCareer mode, the game struggled to hold my attention beyond the initial excitement.

The absence of meaningful progression systems and unlockable content further detracts from the overall value proposition, leaving me feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied, especially after 2K’s other big recent release, WWE 2K24 fed me so well. Check out my review on Recharged for more on that amazing game.

It’s important for me to disclose that I’m not a big fan of watching tennis and I must imagine that plays a large role in my enjoyment of the game. I’m familiar with the top stars and legends but I haven’t spent more than two minutes watching Wimbledon highlights and the most immersive piece of content I’ve consumed outside of gaming is watching King Richard, which I loved.

Accessibility is an area where TopSpin 2K25 slightly disappoints, with clunky controls and unintuitive mechanics, it isn’t as pick up and play like Virtua Tennis, one of my top three franchises on the Playstation Portable.

While the game attempts to cater to players of all skill levels, there is a steep learning curve and some frustrating gameplay elements. I struggled through parts of the tutorial, in spite having a considerable amount of experience playing tennis games.

Additionally, the forced progression mechanics, such as the energy system in MyCareer mode, feel arbitrary and out of place, further exacerbating the accessibility issues. I kept feeling like I was being punished in the career mode by being forced to rest. There is an argument for realism in simulation, but can’t it also be fun?

Microtransactions and virtual currency are very prevalent, including a season pass but I’m generally loathe to spend more money once I’ve already purchased a game which means unfortunately my created tennis player will have to make do with the late nineties SABC2 AM aerobics instructor inspired apparel.