WWE 2K24 [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

The WWE is in a really strong position right now, with creative better than ever, some brilliant new talent coming through in NXT, and the Netflix deal setting a strong foundation for it to grow even more over the coming years. The less said about CERTAIN individuals the better, but there’s no doubting that this is the hottest that the company has been in a long, long, time. It’s only fitting then that it has an excellent video game in WWE 2K24 to go along with it.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The core wrestling experience in WWE 2K24 feels better than ever, with it taking the improvements introduced across the past couple of entries in the series and refining them further with more fluid animations, a stronger selection of moves that flow intuitively between grapples, and new mechanics that play into the theatrics of wrestling perfectly. Those new mechanics include Trading Blows that see players inputting quick QTE actions as they trade blows in the ring and the Super Finishers that see you execute a more devastating finisher (but come at the cost of three stored finishers to perform), though there are plenty of other refinements made across the board to make each match feel more authentic and varied than previously possible. It ensures that the wrestling in WWE 2K24 feels superb, whilst it still brings with it a satisfying sense of accessibility that makes it easy for just about anybody to pick up and play.

The roster is equally impressive, with WWE 2K24 bringing with it over two hundred superstars made up of current megastars, upcoming talents, and iconic legends. Some current stars that weren’t present last year include the likes of Chelsea Green, Bronson Reed, and Tegan Nox (other favourites such as CM Punk, Kairi Sane, Carlito, and Jade Cargill are coming as DLC), whilst there are some fresh legends to play as too, including Dusty Rhodes, Mankind, Ricky Steamboat, and more. It is worth noting that some favourites that were in WWE 2K23 aren’t in this time around due to them leaving the WWE, though that’s to be expected – it is a shame that I won’t get to hear ‘You think you know me’ boom through arenas in the game though.

Thankfully, the creative options are more robust than ever, with players able to authentically re-create and share the superstars that are missing. There are some absolutely wonderfully creative folks filling in gaps in the roster, with a ton of missing superstars already available for you to download. You’re still able to create arenas, entrances, move sets, and championship belts too, whilst new additions such as ‘Create a Sign’ or ‘Create a Referee’ allow you to fine-tune the customisation of your experience even further.

“And hey, you might not be able to play as Edge anymore, but you’ve got Mankind, Dude Love AND Cactus Jack all together here… what more could you want?”

Players have new match types to play through too, with the Casket and Ambulance matches allowing you to re-create some iconic showdowns in WWE history. If I’m being honest, I’m not really a big fan of either of these modes, but they work well in-game and bring back that unique brand of WWE zaniness that fans adore. I DID love the Gauntlet mode that allows you to battle through a string of superstars in a survival-like experience though, whilst the Special Guest Referee matches make for some chaotic moments – ESPECIALLY if you’re playing with friends. All match types from last year make a return and some have even seen improvements, with the Backstage Brawl allowing up to four wrestlers to duke it out and online Royal Rumble supporting eight players at a time. That last one might not seem like a big deal, but with Royal Rumble standing out as my favourite game mode across the series, it’s nice to experience it with even more players. And hey, it’s a step closer to that dream of having thirty real-life players, so who knows what the future will hold…

There are plenty of different game modes to play through too, with the annual showcase mode focusing on forty years of WrestleMania and seeing players re-create some of the most iconic matches from the showcase of immortals. It’s the same sort of deal as in previous years, with the gameplay seamlessly blending with the real-life video of the match as you complete objectives, but it’s still a ton of fun to play through. It offers plenty of cool unlockables too, whilst playing through memorable matches such as Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock at WrestleMania X-7, or Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair vs Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35 really highlights the brilliance of the mode.

MyGM has been expanded with additional match types, GMs, and superstar trading, MyRISE features two excellent stories to play through with your created superstars, Universe still lets you sculpt your own WWE universe with expanded storytelling and rivalries, whilst MyFACTION still thrills with its deck-building gameplay and abundance of events to play through. MyFACTION has always been the mode I’ve been a bit hit-and-miss on, especially when it comes to grinding to unlock additional card packs, but there’s a greater incentive to invest in it this year – the Personas. Certain cards have a Persona bonus, which grants you an additional appearance for superstars from when they might have had a different gimmick years earlier. There’s NOTHING better than getting a new Persona card, and it goes a long way in making MyFACTION stand out as one of the highlights of this year’s release.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Everything looks better than ever too, with the superstars’ appearances more realistic and detailed… well… for the most part. For every perfect re-creation of a superstar, you’ll get one where it’s a bit of a stretch to see the similarities with their real-life counterpart. There are a few superstars that already feel out of date appearance-wise too, which is a bit of a shame for the fans who follow the action week in, week out. They’re minor complaints though, with the visual presentation otherwise to a very high standard across the board.

Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://wwe.2k.com/2k24/