2 K Games
The WWE 2 K series has been living out a counter story for the past two years . After hitting rock ‘n’ roll bottom in 2019 , 2 K Games took the time and effort to rehabilitate the serial publication alternatively of rush into another launching with wound . That paid off in its 2022 and 2023 installation , reestablishing the serial publication as the king of the ring – specially after fight off competition from themiddlingAEW : Fight Forever .
The upgrade to the top is hard , but the conflict is n’t over once you reach the peak . Staying on top is a challenge in its own right . That ’s what theupcomingWWE 2K24will have to contend with this year , as it capitalizes on the serial ’ newfound popularity and pushes the momentum . Can 2 K Games keep adding more subject matter on top of a strong foundation , or would the eventual butter churn of annualization be the serial ’ downfall ?
2K Games
Based on a demonstration I play at this year ’s WWE Royal Rumble in Tampa , Florida , the championship reign does n’t seem to be finish anytime soon . WWE 2K24builds on its predecessors to tighten up its core grapple and black pepper in even more modes . But its best feature so far is a tiny modification that completely hold open its touch MyShowcase mood .
No surprises
WWE 2K24doesn’t really deviate from the series ’ last installment , and that ’s all right . WWE 2K23got the fundamental principle of wrestling down pat , making matches more dramatic and piquant than ever . The 2024 version only tweaks that slenderly . The biggest improver is a Modern minigame that can toss off up during one - on - one bout , which sees wrestlers trading blows by holding a button and releasing it at the right moment . That pop off back and forth until one player terminate up on the mat . It ’s a simple addition but one that further replicates some of the specific drama of a wrestling lucifer .
If there are any other gravid divergence , they are n’t immediately manifest . The scrap pinch here palpate less noticeable thanwe saw between2K22and2K23 . In my very first mate ( Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley ) , I was able to pick up the restrainer and put on a dramatic , reversal - make full match like it was 2d nature . I get the sentience that 2 K Games has strive a point of stability and is focus more on new contentedness this year . That include a few newfangled lucifer character . While nothing I played felt up as fresh and originative aslast yr ’s WarGames friction match , the new bust do make this feel like a more consummate simulator .
Of the new fashion , I tried out the updated Backstage Brawl and the brand - novel Ambulance Match . The former is a celebrated melioration over last yr ’s gimmicky mode , give me much more space to move around . It feels a bit more like an arena this prison term rather than a small Seth . The extra multiplayer selection help , too , as four - musician bash sense sufficiently chaotic .
I fight a bit more in my Ambulance Match . The concept here is simple : It ’s a normal “ No Disqualification ” mate , but I can only win by cast off my opponent in the back of an ambulance and end the doors . As a prissy dramatic touch modality , my opponent and I go head to head in a button - mash minigame each time I endeavor to close up one of the two backdoors . When they win that battle , they dramatically burst out of the back just as they would in the real match . The only stay here is that come through requires player to know how to pick up an opposition , a complicated input sequence that ostensibly is n’t excuse in the menus . Series veterans wo n’t have an issue , but I ’m certain insouciant player will be confuse .
The only issues I found should n’t really come as a surprise to histrion . computing machine - see characters are still as far-out as ever , now and again standing around doing nothing or getting caught in a strange animation loop topology . Multi - military personnel matches continue to be a bit of a hurting , too ; the eight - man friction match I test went on for an eternity as pins were invariably broken up . It does feel as though wrestlers quell stunned or immobile a picayune longer in those mode to account for that , though that could be my imagination .
The bottom line is thatWWE 2K24doesn’t seem to sport many surprisal , baffle as confining to its stable creation as it can . And I do n’t intend that negatively : That ’s intend to make it the sound version of itself .
Fixing showcase
While I had mickle of sport reacquainting myself with a intimate tussling system , one small alteration made me jump-start for joy . For the past two years , the series ’ signature MyShowcase mode had me extract my hair out . I loved the concept of the playable documentary , which had role player recreating iconic matches and blending in material footage . unluckily , it would action that by giving thespian specific tasks in the mob … and not telling them how to do them . Every year , I spend one-half of my meter with it in menu as I tried to envision out how the heck I was supposed to force off an Irish Whip .
My prayers have been answered : MyShowcase show push commands on - screen alongside the end descriptions . That may sound tiny , but I ca n’t express enough how much it changes the mode . For the first clock time ever , I ’d act a totally uninterrupted match during the musical mode as I cheer Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair ’s excellent Wrestlemania 39 encounter . With that footling friction gone , I was able to stay to the full absorb in the mates and well apprise the floor those two women told during it .
That change come at precisely the right-hand clip because this year ’s Showcase seems like it ’ll be the skilful yet . The genius twist is that players recreate a list of classic Wrestlemania mates . That have in mind player are n’t stick to one character ; instead , they control a wide roster pull from WWE history . One match saw me bring on the Ultimate Warrior as Rick Rude , with a grainy filter over the screen to replicate the flavour of Wrestlemania 5 . Another would see me controlling papistic Reigns as I crushed Cody Rhodes ’ dreaming . Each match I tried emphasise the unlike stories that a wrestling binge can say through annulus psychology .
It helps that the development team is still so attached to legitimacy . matman like Randy Orton await just like their literal counterparts , and LA Knight ’s entrance is auction pitch - pure . But do n’t just take it from me : Hear it straight from WWE Women ’s World Champion Rhea Ripley , who seemed catch off sentry go when she go through the biz for herself at the trailer event .
“ Yo ! So , I keep an eye on my Wrestlemania 39 entering just a 2nd ago , ” Ripley secernate Digital Trends . “ It ’s so discern on ! Even from the little eye twinge that I do , it captures everything . My whole walk , my whole role , my crust , my face , my gear mechanism — everything was so incredibly spot on . It was a petty bit shuddery but really cool at the same time ! ”
I have to harmonize ( though you wo n’t catch me arguing with someone as terrifying as Ripley ) . Current headliner like Ripley shine in2K24 , especially when I see material footage of them seamlessly blend into game footage without shedding their refinement . Perhaps that ’s the benefit of reaching stability in the core grappling gameplay . Instead of spending fourth dimension pull off the basics , the development team produce to spend its time turning screws elsewhere . New modes , more detailed wrestlers , and midget creative decisions like those in MyShowcase dial the heat up that much more .
I desire this knell true formodes like MyGMand MyFaction , both of which get wind steady improvement last year . The benefits of that gradual improvement really showed throughout myWWE 2K24demo , even if there ’s a bunch more left to see . Is n’t it astonishing what an annualized development squad can do when it ’s not spend all its metre mash glitch or rush to win back angry fans ?
WWE 2K24launches on March 8 for PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X / S , and PC .
