WWE 2K24

3.75

Overall

3.8/5

The Good Stuff

Refined gameplay
MyRise story mode
Special guest referee mode
Graphical improvements

The Bad Stuff

Repetitive MyRise Pacing
Occasional online instability
Lingering bugs
Showcase mode stumbles

WWE 2K24 Review

WWE 2K24

“WWE 2K24 delivers a refined experience, building on the successes of the past three years”

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Lace up your virtual boots and step into the squared circle because WWE 2K24 is here! After a two-year hiatus to regroup, the latest edition in the franchise throws its hat into the wrestling game ring. But is it a champion or a contender merely warming the bench? Let’s break it down into a WWE 2K24 Review.

Table of Contents

Looking Sharper Than Ever

One thing’s for sure – WWE 2K24 is a looker. Wrestlers boast detailed character models that capture their real-life counterparts with impressive accuracy. From signature hairstyles to intricate tattoos, the attention to detail is fantastic. Even the referees get a makeover, ditching the generic stand-in look for faces you might actually recognize from Monday Night Raw. It might seem like a minor detail, but these touches add to the overall immersion.

Gameplay: Small Tweaks, Big Impact (Maybe)

Don’t expect a complete overhaul of the core mechanics. This year’s edition focuses on refining the existing formula. The biggest addition is the Super Finisher, a devastating move requiring three finisher stocks to execute. It’s undeniably powerful, but filling those stocks takes time, leaving you vulnerable. Another new wrinkle is the random trading blows minigame that pops up during matches. While it adds a touch of variety, it disrupts the flow and feels more like an annoyance than a strategic element.

The good news: some nagging issues have been addressed. Non-legal tag team partners can only interfere once before getting ejected, preventing the cheese-fest of past iterations. New paybacks like the Iron Jaw add strategic depth, and the overall AI feels improved, with managers now actively helping their clients secure victories.

Match Mania: A Mixed Bag of Brawls

This year brings back some fan-favorite match types, including the special guest referee match. Imagine the chaos of one player controlling the ref, enforcing the rules or throwing the whole match into disarray! It’s a blast, especially with a group of friends.

The ambulance and casket matches return, each with their own quirks. The ambulance match offers more environmental interaction, while the casket match feels like a regular bout with a different win condition. A missed opportunity? Not being able to recreate iconic moments like HBK dancing on the coffin. Gauntlet matches add another layer of challenge, letting you test your endurance against a series of opponents. However, the limited pool of four wrestlers feels restrictive.

MyRise: Living the Dream (or Nightmare)

WWE 2K24’s story mode, MyRise, returns with two compelling narratives. “Unleashed” mirrors the struggles of an indie darling adjusting to the WWE machine, while “Undisputed” throws you into the power vacuum left by a retiring Roman Reigns. Both stories are packed with content, humor, and even some truly bizarre moments that capitalize on the absurdity of professional wrestling. However, they can feel bogged down by filler matches that detract from the main events.

Showcase Mode: Fumbled History

The Showcase mode aims to recreate iconic WrestleMania moments, but it stumbles this year. The match selection, spanning 40 years of the event, feels underwhelming. While some early matches benefit from the added context, others simply don’t hold up as historical landmarks. Even worse, the mode still struggles to capture the magic of those legendary battles. Completing objectives often feels like checking boxes rather than truly reliving those moments. The transitions between gameplay and real footage are jarring and frequent, further disrupting the flow.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect is the game’s seeming fear of its own history. Edited crowd noise and blurred faces sanitize the experience, removing some of the grit and realness that made those matches so memorable. Key moments and wrestlers are missing, likely due to licensing issues. This sanitization and incompleteness feel like a disservice to the fans.

Universe and MyGM: Familiar Faces, New Toys

For those who like to craft their own wrestling stories, Universe Mode and MyGM offer familiar territory with some interesting tweaks. MyGM gets the most attention with new features like post-PLE trades and individual wrestler ring levels that influence their performance. These additions make for the most strategic MyGM experience yet.

Universe Mode feels more like a minor update, offering new rivalry options but lacking significant changes. While still robust, it misses some features like superstar promos that were present in older iterations.

Verdict

WWE 2K24 delivers a refined experience, building on the successes of the past three years. While it doesn’t overhaul everything, it introduces enough fresh features across the board to make it a worthwhile upgrade.

However, some longstanding issues persist. The Showcase mode docuseries format still struggles to translate into engaging gameplay, MyRise’s story pacing remains inconsistent, and some wrestlers outside the top tier lack the same level of visual detail. Despite these shortcomings, WWE 2K24 stands as a strong conclusion to a trilogy of excellent wrestling games.

Thanks for checking out my WWE 2K24 review. Be sure to click on the button above to buy the game. And don’t forget to leave your comments below. Stay safe until next time 😀