Review – WWE 2K24

It was only four years ago that the WWE 2K franchise had seemingly hit rock bottom, delivering one of the most disappointing, broken and buggy wrestling sim experiences of all time. Breaking the annual release cycle allowed Developer Visual Concepts to kick out and come back in 2022 with a reinvigorated experience that for the third consecutive year has refined all aspects of its predecessor.

Improving across the board on everything from 2K23, 2K24 is a grand slam of an experience that tightens the gameplay, delivers the series’ best visuals to date and has refined all of its modes; Showcase, MyRISE, MyGM and MyFACTION to be the leanest and meanest it can be.

Leaning into and embracing cover Superstar Cody Rhodes phrase of “finish the story”, WWE 2K24 presents multiple modes for players to create and finish their own stories and those laid out for them in the super sized Forty Years of WrestleMania Showcase mode. Launching just in time for WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, the spotlight couldn’t be brighter for the unrivalled wrestling sim.

As soon as the game is loaded for the first time the player is offered a tutorial, which can be accessed at any time if it is initially declined. Guided by WWE Superstar Drew Gulak, the mechanics of the simple yet layered gameplay are walked through and covered in a very accessible format. The snappy striking, heavy hitting grapples and various forms of traversal may seem daunting at first but this excellent Tutorial gets players up to speed to step into the ring with the everyone’s favourite superstars with ease.

The simplistic nature of the strike and grab-based combat keeps WWE 2K24 as an accessible pick up and play title. Command prompts appear on screen where additional gameplay applications can be used to further assist casual players, such as removing the cover from the ringside announcers table or positioning a ladder or table in the corner.

Light and heavy strikes and grabs comprise the core gameplay at its most simplest level, with aerial and running variants, coupled with unique Signature and Finisher moves for every Superstar, adding depth to it with friendly control inputs. Moves don’t require complex directional input chains and critical timing like fighters such as Mortal Kombat or Tekken, but rather one button and one direction at a time.

Every type of attack damages the recipient, whether it’s head, body, arm or leg damage will depend on the move or object used and also where the damage is being inflicted such as inside the ring or out of it. The damage is represented in the HUD at the bottom of the screen, along with the Signature and Finisher move bars. When the blue bar is full a Signature move can be performed and if successful, it will grant a Finisher move bar. Finisher moves can also be unlocked for use by simply attacking and reversing over time.

Most matches are won by pinfall or submission but depending on the match type there may be other criteria such as make the opponent bleed, retrieving the Championship or briefcase from a ladder or escaping the steel cage for instance. A few new match types have been added this year, including the fan favourite Casket match, Ambulance match and Special Referee types.

The roster features over 200 Superstars and Legends with many more coming via DLC and the Season Pass over the next few months, the first wave of which will feature the cult of personality himself, CM Punk.

WWE 2K24 boasts a variety of game modes that offer up a different range of experiences that will satisfy players of all types.

SHOWCASE

Showcase is a heavily cinematic game mode that intercuts actual footage of WWE matches with gameplay that follows the forty-year history of WrestleMania, highlighting the many iconic matches of Superstars that paved the way, those that are taking the company to new heights in the present and those who will carry the torch once our heroes of today finally hang up their boots.

To become a household name is no easy feat. Regardless of career path or associations, very few manage to establish themselves as a household name and those that do have often had their very own WrestleMania moment, a moment that lives on forever and immortalises their legacies for generations to come. Featuring 21 matches that span WrestleMania’s forty years of existence players step into the boots of legends and stand across the ring from a who’s who of WWE’s storied history. The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Bret Hart, The Rock and Roman Reigns are just handful of WWE’s upper echelon that are either playable or opponents in the Forty Years of WrestleMania Showcase.

Each match features commentary from Showcase host Corey Graves and is bookended by Graves talking about the match, sometimes with special guest appearances from the legendary match participants. Reliving these iconic matches is a treat for longtime WWE fans and thanks to informative video packages and commentary that explain the reasons for the matches taking place, even newcomers an enjoy the history behind the monumental annual event.

MyRISE

MyRISE lets players create their own Superstar and offers a male and female career path for them to follow that is packed with decisions to make and branching storylines that will shape the story differently for every Playthrough, MyRISE component of WWE 2K24 is broken down into two campaigns, the Undisputed and Unleashed campaigns for male and female Superstars respectively.

The player then creates their Superstar from the extensive creation suite, offering the depth the franchise is known for with a ridiculous amount of hair, skin, tattoo and clothing varieties pulled from generic in-house design and actual WWE Superstars. Deep moveset customisation and entrance creation suits let players create their own Superstar with diverse flexibility and personalisation.

Branching storylines present opportunities for the player to explore different angles, rivalries and matches, encouraging replayability for different experiences in additional playthroughs, especially with a plethora of unlockable content tied to specific paths.

Optional singular match opportunities present themselves from time to time within the hub, a portal between matches that allows for character, move-set, entrance and victory customisation as well as upgrading attributes and checking in on the overall story progression. Additionally, there is a social media component that shows posts from superstars and DMs that often also have story ramifications.

MyGM

As fans do with any form of sports, entertainment or in this case – sports entertainment, we like to think we can plan things better than what we experience live or on TV. WWE 2K24’s MyGM mode is the perfect place for us to step into the role as General Manager and try to put on the most entertaining and engaging shows as possible.

An excellent tutorial is interwoven through the beginning of MyGM which explains in the simplest of terms how to draft a roster, hire free agents, set up matches, establish rivalries and everything else the player needs to know to book the best show they can. It can be overwhelming at a glance but it really is very simple to create matches, book promos and segments to sway the audience, popularity of Superstars and generate income to spend on a number of things that can enhance the overall experience and long term profitability of the show.

Much like the real world the shows are restricted by a budget, Superstars can be injured and fans will tune out if they aren’t interested in your storylines. Maintaining the morale of the roster is managed via DMs where they may request specific matches, opponents, partners or championship matches for instance, where delivering upon promises will keep them happy and failing to do so may see them even quit altogether.

Assembling the show is just one part of it, the matches themselves can actually be played or simulated. There is a lot of fun to be had alone or with friends in playing through the WWE calendar and putting on great shows, completing challenges and just generally channeling the combined joys of competitive spirit and fantasy booking in the most simplest of ways.

MyFACTION

The card-based action of MyFACTION returns, allowing players to unlock new Superstars and managers to create the most dominant faction in sports entertainment, featuring Superstars from past and present. New cards can be unlocked or purchased with in-game currency that include new Superstars, higher-tier variants of Superstars and managers. There are multiple game modes to play within MyFACTION that include online and offline play, with multiple challenges to complete. MyFACTION adds the card-based incentives to reward players for returning beyond the other modes on offer, giving die hard fans fresh opportunities to unlock new cards regularly through various means.

PLAY MODE

Play mode allows players to choose any match type and Superstar they desire to recreate their favourite matches, live out the fantasy matches they have always wanted to see and just generally have fun in whatever way they want. Any match can be turned into a championship match, have the rules customised and generally tailor the matches to fulfil our wildest dreams.

Playing alone versus AI is always fun, especially on Legend difficulty with the added challenge that provides but the local multiplayer options are just exciting to share with friends and family on the same console. As always, Online mode returns that lets players step in the ring with players across the globe to see who is the very best.

UNIVERSE

Universe mode has two options to play; Superstar Mode lets the player take control of a single Superstar and play through their journey, and Classic Mode offers that original sandbox mode that can be fully customised where every match can be played with whatever Superstar and stipulations the player desires.

In Universe mode there are two sub modes to choose from, Superstar and Classic. Superstar mode puts players in the role of a single Superstar of their choosing to compete in RAW, SmackDown or NXT. With freedom to customise their style and select rivalries, players can rise through the ranks to content for championships while balancing injuries, rankings and momentum to tailor their experience to be one of a kind.

WWE has never been better represented than it has with WWE 2K24. The Superstars look incredible, some certainly have received more attention to detail than others but overall the blood, sweat and action in general provide an authentic WWE visual experience. Unfortunately the crowd still looks incredibly dated and their stiff animations fail to have them feel as pivotal to the WWE experience as they do in real life. Crowd reactions and chants don’t feel as connected to the action as they should either which further removes a layer from the vital part of a WWE performance that they provide.

Commentary continues to be hit and miss, with dialogue often repeated within short time frames and incorrect move calls and even Superstars that aren’t in the match will be talked about as though they have just hit their finishing move which is definitely jarring. There is an option to remove commentary and it’s sad to say that this actually leads to a more enjoyable experience.

WWE 2K24 continues to build on the foundations of what made 2K22 feel like a breath of fresh air by skipping a 2021 edition. The action has never felt better, the presentation has never been more authentic and the depth of the roster, match types and game modes cater to fans of all generations.

The Forty Years of WrestleMania Showcase mode offers a fun venture down memory lane that highlights some of the biggest matches to ever take place on ‘the Grandest Stage of Them All’, MyGM has never felt more personalised and MyFACTION offers a ton of rewards and challenges for players looking to get the most out of their experience. The excellent MyRISE campaigns also provide interesting storylines that are long overdue and feel genuinely more exciting than it’s been in years.

The freedom and customisation on offer are the true highlights of WWE 2K24 and combined with the impressive amount of game modes and authentic presentation, WWE has never looked or felt as good to play.

Review by Games of DAYNE

Games of DAYNE’s written works can also be found at his website HERE.

* A digital code for WWE 2K24 was kindly provided for the purpose of this review. *