Developer: Yuke’s Visual Concepts
Publisher: Take-Two
Release Date: November 18th, 2014 (Xbox one/PS4) / October 28th, 2014 (PS3/Xbox 360)
WWE is a mixed bag for me. I started watching it growing up in 1996, as it was something different than what I was used to seeing on TV at the time. Like many, it was Hulk Hogan who got me initially into watching wrestling. With his famous heel turn and the formation of the NWO, I became hooked and started watching every Monday night. Around a year or so later, I started hearing more about WWF (now WWE) from friends at school, and started watching that as well. I became one of “those” people who would constantly switch between the two programs if one got boring. After around 2003, I started losing interest and rarely watched. Now with the WWE Network which by the way is only $9.99 if you didn’t know, I have started watching some of the must see matches that I missed and have found a new appreciation for wrestling again. While I may have stopped watching the TV show, I have been and always did enjoy the wrestling games themselves. Just the idea of stomping a mud-hole in someone in a video game enticed me. So, how does WWE’s first next gen game fare? Well, kind of like a John Cena title reign.
Some of the wrestlers look extremely life like.
The main selling point of this years game is the mycareer mode in which you make your own superstar, and then work your way up the ladder from NXT to RAW. The mode itself is fairly decent. I was impressed that they included actual WWE trainers and included their voices in the story. May seem like a small touch, but it really goes a long way in making it a more in depth experience. It is not without it’s faults however, as the options you have in mycareer mode are very limited. If you are not in a storyline, you are forced to pick your own match out of 2 options if you are not a title holder, or 3 if you are holding a belt. This wouldn’t be too bad, however it is very rare that you are placed in a storyline which will have you seeing the same text window pop up over and over again. You are awarded SP and VC after each match depending on how you did, which can be spent in upgrading your attributes or learning new skills. Overall its a decent first attempt, but I felt it was lacking in many aspects.
As of this review there are only two scenarios in 2k showcase, which is the usual WWE story lines that you can play through. The two available are John Cena vs CM Punk and Triple H vs Shawn Michaels, with more on the way through the season pass that you can buy separate. While the scenarios are fun and in depth, I feel like we were ripped off here. Only two scenarios at launch, and I have to pay for more? That’s just a blatant cash grab, which sadly seems to be the norm for many game developers this generation. WWE Universe mode also makes its return, however it is stripped of many of last years features. You can no longer interfere in matches for example. Why would you take something like that out? It is pretty much a WWE standard to have someone come in and interfere in someones match, which then usually starts a rivalry. Other than the missing features, it is still the same WWE Universe mode you will find in last years title. No improvements of any kind were made.
Many match types are also absent in this years release, which baffles me. If you are working on more powerful hardware, you should be able to include more match types, not less. I feel that this game was rushed and sadly it shows.
Well that’s all fine and dandy, but how does the game look? It is next gen after all right? Well, on that front WWE 2k15 delivers for the most part. Most of the wrestlers look very life like. Triple H looks true to life, as does Randy Orton and John Cena. However, some like AJ Lee and Dean Ambrose look worse than last years game and leave you scratching your head. Speaking of your head, the hair in this game looks terrible. They really need to spend some time programming some better hair, as all the styles look like something from the PS2 era. The arena itself looks a little more detailed, but you would have to put the game side by side to WWE 2k14 to notice any real difference. Gameplay wise it is still the same WWE game with a rock paper scissors style grappling mini game and a stamina bar. The grappling mini game took a while to get the hang of, but I generally think its a nice improvement to the usual press R2/RT to win. Don’t get me wrong, you can still win doing this, but it is a lot harder to accomplish. The stamina bar I cannot stand. I understand that wrestlers do actually do this kind of thing in the ring, however it does not translate well in a video game. Thankfully, you can turn this feature off in most cases if you do not like it.
Don’t even get me started on the commentary. This has been the downfall of almost every WWE game ever made, and it continues here. While there are some minor improvements to actual commentary during the match, the post match commentary is just horrendous. If I have to hear Jerry Lawler talk about those highlights one more time I might punch a kitten in the face. The ring announcers also still have gaps between what they announce that just sound odd and throws any immersion out the window.
If you are a wrestling fan will you like this game? Most likely. Is it worth 60 dollars?
No chance in hell.
Not recommended (At least not for 60 dollars.)
