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wrestlegameslegacy · 7 months

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WWE 2K24 Review: Few Steps Forward In A Thousand Mile Walk

WWE 2K24 marks the latest installment in the annual WWE video game franchise, bringing forth a fresh array of changes and features that the marketing team eagerly showcases with pride. The standout feature in this year's release is the "2K Showcase Of The Immortals," a celebration of 40 years of WrestleMania events. Fans may recall a similar endeavor in WWE 2K14 with the "30 Years of WrestleMania" Showcase mode.

Adding to the excitement, WWE 2K24 introduces new match types, including Special Guest Referee, Ambulance Match, Casket Match, and various Gauntlet Matches. The game proudly presents two fresh MyRise stories: "Undisputed" for the Men and "Unleashed" for the Women. Additionally, MyFaction has seen a complete redesign for Faction Wars as well as the addition of “Persona Cards”, which unlock throughout the entire game. My long-time followers know that I was not very fond of WWE 2K23 and didn’t play beyond 40 hours, so how does WWE 2K24 stack up to it?

Let's delve into the presentation and graphic fidelity first. I'll admit, there's a noticeable enhancement in all shaders across the board, delivering a sharper and more vibrant aesthetic. Notably, wrestler skin textures exhibit increased grain and sharpness, lending them a realistic appearance under diverse lighting conditions. The hair alpha rendering shader has significantly expanded, moving away from the plastic look of previous years, with tweaks to the opacity layer ensuring individual strands stand out prominently. From a technological standpoint, WWE 2K24 marks a substantial improvement over the past two years of WWE2K.

Gameplay showcases WWE arenas with an improved depth of field, creating the illusion of a vast sea of enthusiastic WWE fans, regardless of the venue's size. The refined camera enhancements even elevate seemingly mundane elements like the Los Angeles Wrestlings' band kit in the background, making them visually appealing.

The attires and gear textures on the wrestlers are nothing short of incredible. Changes to the PBR rendering system introduce more variation in shine and detail across the board. Wrestler tights no longer appear eerily similar in material in-game, bringing them more in line with their real-life counterparts. These improvements let the light engine truly highlight the extravagant, over-the-top outfits seen in WWE programming, from Axiom to Xavier Woods. However, when it comes to graphics, technological fidelity marks the endpoint of WWE 2K24's positive strides.

It appears the franchise has enlisted a new Art Director, instigating significant changes that have caught the attention of eagle-eyed veterans like myself. Unfortunately, a notable drawback in this year's installment is the widespread adoption of 2K's "MetLife Stadium" proxy template for the surrounding stadiums of almost every large interior arena, including WrestleMania 39, Backlash 2023, and Clash at the Castle. This uniformity contrasts with previous years, where even WWE 2K23 displayed more diversity in venue stadiums.

This becomes glaringly obvious in "2K Showcase of The Immortals," where almost every match unfolds against the exact same background. Whether it's Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania 6, Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21, or Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 39, the background stadium remains identical. No effort was invested in recreating even a visually similar proxy of these iconic WrestleMania venues.

To exacerbate the situation, some attempts *actually* were made to recreate iconic WrestleMania shots, but they missed the mark. Take, for instance, the Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon Ladder Match at WrestleMania X, which is disappointing for multiple reasons. The surrounding venue still relies on the MetLife template, but they added a second entrance ramp blocked off to showcase the WrestleMania X logo during the match, mimicking the broadcast. Unfortunately, due to the use of the MetLife template instead of the available Madison Square Garden template in Create-An-Arena, the entrance ramp appears disproportionately long compared to WWE 2K14's similar workaround. Wrestlemania XX, featuring Kurt Angle vs Eddie Guerrero, employs their "Fleet Center" template with the Madison Square Garden roof awkwardly placed on top. Yet, they did not put the MSG roof on the Wrestlemania X venue.

All these issues strongly indicate that Visual Concepts brought in an art director who seemingly lacks any genuine interest in pro-wrestling or the historical significance of the venues hosting these iconic moments. We're not asking for licensed stadiums akin to NBA2K; we're simply pleading not to be greeted by Raymond James Stadium when entering WrestleMania 31, especially considering a past WWE 2K entry accurately used Levi's Stadium. The entire situation feels like an elaborate practical joke, particularly with the once beloved "Japan Dome" arena, a decade-long fan favorite for mirroring the real Tokyo Dome, now bizarrely transformed into MetLife Stadium by this peculiar art team. Should this not see improvement in the next entry, it forebodes a grim future for the artistic integrity of the franchise.

Now, turning our attention to Showcase, this mode makes a grand return, larger than the past two years but unfortunately, just as disappointing, if not worse. While I hold immense respect for the Showcase director as both a person and a wrestling enthusiast, I understand that the decisions concerning this mode aren't entirely within his control. Regrettably, Showcase has evolved into something almost unplayable, generating genuine animosity from the majority of the WWE 2K fanbase. This isn't an exaggeration; it's a fact. The discontent with Showcase spreads like wildfire on Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, yet remarkably, little is done to address the inherent problems in this mode.

For years, concerns have been raised about the oddly specific move objectives that are neither fun nor enjoyable. Cutscenes in the Slingshot Tech are largely overlooked, as they fail to spark excitement or pleasure; instead, they become a tedious slog to endure. The only reason anyone engages with it now is out of sheer necessity for unlocks and nothing more. Specific matches aren't worth delving into in this review because they all unfold in a similar fashion: spam damage objectives, attempt oddly specific moves the AI will likely reverse, spam moves to build a finisher for a cutscene, repeat about three more times, and then the match concludes. It's utterly absurd, and in the interest of full disclosure, I admit I couldn't bear to complete Showcase for this review, stopping after Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25.

The concept of a historical showcase celebrating WWE's past is not inherently flawed. We embraced it when it was introduced, enjoying it for several years before it morphed into its current state. Even Showdown: Legends of Wrestling incorporates a similar feature. The key difference? WWE 2K24 presents the worst possible iteration of it. Allow us to "rewrite" history and play our own matches, following the model set by WWE 2K14. Set the scene for The Rock vs Stone Cold, specify the winner, and provide one historical objective, like "Put The Rock through the announce table." We genuinely don't need anything else. Abandon the Slingshot Tech buzz, discard the real-life footage, and bring back entrances! That essentially sums up Showcase because, truthfully, it's just that uninspiring.

MyRise returns with two gender-specific stories. The Men's Division tale, "Undisputed," unfolds as Roman Reigns retires from WWE to pursue Hollywood, while a "Dark Horse" endeavors to break his record. On the Women's Division side, the "Unleashed" storyline follows the journey of "The Captain" from an indie promotion, TBD, as she gets signed to WWE, aiming to prove herself in the big leagues. In terms of writing, MyRise exhibits a notable improvement and overall enjoyment this year. The dialogue steers clear of the cringey moments of previous years, and the satire resonates more realistically, aligning with real-world elements.

The "Undisputed" MyRise story had me captivated from start to finish. While it has its occasional moments of tedium, the overarching backdrop story and the challenges your character faces immerse you in the role-playing experience, ready to confront any challenger for the Undisputed Championship. This includes a prolonged feud with Cody Rhodes, stretching from the story's inception to practically its conclusion. Roman Reigns plays the overarching villain, consistently engaging with your character through tweets or video messages from a movie set that oddly always looks the same. Nonetheless, "Undisputed" keeps the plot in constant motion, introducing supporting characters with their own mini-arcs, like The Miz, who persistently poses challenges as the Smackdown GM. As well as Gigi Dolin, who plays the part of your wife in an arranged marriage. Gigi does pretty good in her voice role, too.

Regrettably, I cannot express the same sentiment for "Unleashed," which fails to deliver the same sense of progression and evolving plot with supporting characters beyond its initial chapter. As "The Captain," leader of the indie promotion TBD, you escort one of your pupils to a WWE Audition in Las Vegas, eventually securing WWE contracts for both of you. Initially, the story paints a compelling narrative, immersing you in the struggles within WWE's corporate confines. However, this promising setup takes an abrupt turn for an experimental storytelling device labeled "Explore Stories." These side-stories bring the game to a grinding halt, feeling like narratives either scrapped from another year or hastily concocted. The Movie-Star subplot, with its seemingly endless monotone matches and lackluster humor, led me to the decision to preserve my sanity and leave the Women's MyRise unfinished for the time being.

A significant flaw in the MyRise system, in general, is its User Experience (UX) and the incessant loading screens that disrupt the flow. Moving from one match to the next feels like wading through virtual molasses, especially with the added dialogue options. Moreover, the game heavily relies on the Social Media feature, and disappointingly, developers do not offer the option to skip text message conversations. Consequently, a substantial amount of time in MyRise is squandered waiting for virtual characters to finish typing their virtual messages. If these stories were solely matches, completion time would range from 4-6 hours. However, the snail-paced progression of this mode extends the experience, making it feel like a daunting 24-48 hours. While MyRise is a robust mode worthy of retention, much like Showcase, a comprehensive rethinking of its format is imperative.

The final aspect I'd like to delve into in this review is the gameplay mechanics of WWE 2K24. As someone who quickly grew weary of 23, I can confidently say that 24 exhibits a significant improvement in general fluidity and balance changes. A persistent issue in the past two years was the monotonous cycle of "build to Signature, do Signature, do Finisher, waste their Resiliency, repeat if the AI allows." I'm pleased to report that this cycle is mostly shattered, thanks to substantial gameplay changes that inject much-needed variety into matches. The Resiliency Payback can now only be assigned to wrestlers with an 85 or higher, and the AI tends to use it less frequently, deviating from the previous 100% chance. Moves transition more seamlessly, and Irish Whip rebounds are notably enhanced with the new move queue system. The introduction of new vocality in referees and superstars contributes to a more realistic presentation. Additionally, new Paybacks and tweaks to existing ones provide increased gameplay variety among different wrestlers. However, the persistent issues that have plagued the franchise since Patrick Epilog was the producer persistently undermine the core gameplay mechanics.

The Stun Meter remains a critical point of contention, requiring either a complete philosophical rewrite or elimination altogether. It's inconsistent and seemingly serves no purpose. It adds zero value to the game's mechanics in any way, shape, or form. Notably, it doesn't adjust its Stun Length based on damage, merely existing in the game without contributing meaningfully. While the concept of a stun meter is not inherently flawed, its execution in WWE 2K24 falls short. Showcase: Legends of Wrestling incorporates a stun meter as well, but theirs is an active mechanic, allowing players to mash out of the stun with agency. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for WWE 2K, where being stunned feels like a forced interruption, prompting me to put down my controller and check my phone notifications. It appears to serve no valid purpose other than to literally penalize the player, disrupting the game experience for no apparent reason.

On a positive note, AEW: Fight Forever seems to have spurred the developers into action, prompting substantial improvements to tag team match gameplay in WWE 2K24. A host of mechanics and balance changes have rejuvenated the Tag Team experience, making it a more enjoyable aspect of the game. A crucial addition is the new rule dictating that an illegal partner may only interfere once before being tagged again. This change streamlines 6 and 8-Man Tag matches, making them more stress-free by allowing players to isolate a single opponent and bait interferences with pins. The strategic shift then centers around denying the opponent the tag until you can execute your finisher. Moreover, the game introduces new commands on the left bumper button, enabling players to instruct their illegal partners to attack the opponent partners or retrieve weapons from under the ring. While it may not reach the fluidity of tag matches in AEW Fight Forever, these improvements render MyFaction worthwhile and enjoyable to play.

However, a bothersome addition is the new "Trading Blows" feature, which can be triggered at any time by holding the strike button. This essentially forces the player into a somewhat silly mini-game where they need to stop the strike button within a small zone. The visibility of this zone is further hampered by a random shake of the widget, making it challenging to view. This Trading Blows mini-game brings a complete halt to what could be a momentum-filled matchup, reminiscent of WWE Television. On television, "Trading Blows" is only seen when two wrestlers are incredibly tired and attempting to recover from an offense. It's peculiar that for a game emphasizing realism and simulation, the AI can employ this mechanic to turn the tide at any time, regardless of our health bars. While this feature can be turned off for Offline Play, it can't be for MyFaction -- which I spend most of my time in.

The reality is that losing against the AI in WWE 2K is not an enjoyable experience because the core gameplay is not designed with the player's enjoyment in mind. It feels like a poorly executed attempt to turn something that should be pleasurable and fun into a burdensome competitive chore. The Counter/Reversal system consistently begs for a ground-up rewrite, as prompts and windows are unreliable, often failing to appear. Certain running moves can be easily missed if the button is pressed a millisecond too early, without any queuing for when the player is close enough. Strike distance feels unusually low, resulting in simple actions like a kick missing when it logically shouldn't. The WWE 2K series is hindered by overly complex controls, with many mechanics layered onto the same button, leading to instances where the player's attempts just won't work at all. Returning to the AI comment, they frequently pull off miraculous comebacks that the player struggles to counter, exacerbated by failing prompts and a lack of defensive variety, such as rolls and kneeling grabs, which are available in AEW: Fight Forever.

In games like Elden Ring, losing to the AI is still seen as enjoyable. Players accept their defeat with sentiments like "fair play" and acknowledgment of the AI's well-programmed tactics. The experience is shaped by knowing it was their own fault, as the Boss AI expertly combats the player while maintaining its own strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for losing in WWE 2K. Losses often result from the AI executing a miraculous beatdown out of nowhere, with defense options failing or being unavailable due to the problematic stun meter. It's challenging to express this sentiment adequately in text, but the feeling is that losses seldom occur due to a fair competition of technical wrestling. Instead, they usually stem from the AI exploiting situations that shouldn't have happened, leaving the player unable to recover and leading to defeat. The fact that countering moves is bound to four different buttons, including combo breakers, highlights the need for serious streamlining and simplification of controls and associated commands in the game. The pursuit of realistic situations and attacks is draining the fun from the franchise.

I’m not much of a creator on these games so the Creation Suite isn’t going to get talked about much from me. They are generally identical to previous years, aside from newly added clothes to Create-A-Wrestler and props to Create-An-Arena. There have been no significant changes to any of the creation modes. However, 2K did implement a new “Create A Sign” feature, allowing players to create custom crowd signs for their created wrestlers. This feature is very fun and adds a dimension of comedy to the game, as one of my first orders of business with it was importing Dakota Johnson’s face as a poster for my Madame Webb “CAS” in MyRise. Overall, if you were happy with the creation suites, you’ll be happy again.

As for MyFaction, it undergoes significant improvements across the board. Addressing criticism of MyFaction exclusivity for certain characters, some MyFaction cards now feature a "Persona Badge," allowing their use across all game modes. However, there are still numerous cards without the Persona Badge that should have one, such as the MyRise Original Characters. Faction Wars undergoes a complete revamp, shifting from a tower of 4 versus 4 matches to a rogue-lite style node-travel run that requires tickets for entry. This version of Faction Wars rewards credits, which can be used to purchase the Boss Cards defeated in Faction Wars runs. It proves addictive and serves as a refreshing change of pace from previous iterations.

Truth be told simply; WWE 2K24 stands as the Head of the Table of the 2K Franchise. But in reality, that doesn’t mean much. It’s only real competition is itself. WWE 2K24 is not a bad game; it stands as a commendable entry into the franchise, with some players likely forming fond memories due to new additions like the Ambulance Match. However, the new match types feel somewhat like novelties, possibly meant to divert attention from the gameplay weaknesses. The graphic fidelity sees a notable upgrade in this entry. Despite its flaws, Showcase still offers an array of fantastic attires and unlockable models for Exhibition and Universe. MyRise is worthwhile for the unlockables and experiencing at least one of the stories to obtain quality MyFaction cards. The gameplay brings fantastic balance changes, even though the core foundation still needs work. If you enjoyed WWE 2K22 or 2K23, you will likely find enjoyment in 2K24. However, if you were hoping for a substantial overhaul, it's time to acknowledge that these games may no longer cater to your preferences. While the game's presentation is finally on par with its sister, NBA 2K, the engine and foundational gameplay have a way to go before being considered as culturally significant to WWE as it is to NBA.

Note: A free review copy of WWE 2K24: Forty Years of Wrestlemania Edition on Xbox One X was provided by 2K.

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