WWE and 2K are again with the most recent installment of their annual wrestling title, WWE 2K24. After debuting the virtually flawless Warfare Video games match in WWE 2K23, followers of the franchise have raised their expectations for what to anticipate from a brand new entry. Since enjoying a preview construct of the sport at a current occasion, I can confidently say there are some main enhancements in 2K24, however there are nonetheless some areas of the sport that want critical consideration.
The model I performed included 10 playable wrestlers, a small collection of matches (Royal Rumble, fundamental bouts, backstage brawls, and the brand new Ambulance Match), in addition to two matches within the new WWE 2K Showcase of the Immortals, which commemorates high-profile Wrestemania matches.
The addition of the Ambulance Match is a good one. Whereas it isn’t the kind of game-changer that the six- or eight-person Warfare Video games matches have been final yr, these specialty bouts are simple to determine play and add quite a lot of drama to your battles, particularly for those who’re combating towards a pal.
The purpose of the match is easy: Beat up your opponent to the purpose which you can throw them into the again of an ambulance. From there, you may encounter two minigames, that are much like the submission minigame, to shut the ambulance doorways and end the match.
After all, you may also struggle on high of the ambulance, throw your opponent off it, after which dive down onto them. There’s loads of room for carnage right here. And whereas the Casket Match, one other new addition, was unavailable to play, 2K confirmed to GameSpot that it controls equally to the Ambulance Match. So whereas they is probably not fully completely different match varieties, chances are high for those who take pleasure in one, you may have time with the opposite.
One other addition comes within the type of the Backstage Brawl. Whereas the mode will look much like the earlier model of the match, there are much more weapons to work together with–and even throw at your opponent. Weapon-throwing goes to shortly turn out to be a participant favourite, if solely as a result of it is so hilariously satisfying to chuck a chair throughout the display screen and completely hit your opponent within the face with it, all with a single button press.
Sadly, the Gauntlet and Particular Visitor Referee matches weren’t out there to play within the construct on the occasion. Nonetheless, the matches I performed did embody female and male referees from WWE’s precise programming, which is a good contact that provides to the fact of your matches.
One other up to date part of the sport I received to check out was the brand new 2K Showcase of the Immortals. This yr, as an alternative of focusing the Showcase mode on a single celebrity, like John Cena in 2K23, Wrestlemania is the theme. You’ll play by way of 21 important Wrestlemania matches from its 40-year historical past. Two matches have been out there within the demo, together with final yr’s fundamental occasion match, Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Common Championship.
In the event you’ve performed the 2K Showcase mode lately, you already know precisely what you are stepping into right here. It is value noting, although, that this time 2K is not simply recreating historic phases and rings for Showcase mode, however whole stadiums. Replaying the Wrestlemania 39 fundamental occasion made it clear that the match was taking place in California’s SoFi Stadium, proper right down to the huge wraparound video display screen hanging excessive above the motion. Little touches like recreating iconic arenas and stadiums assist improve the realism of replaying these matches.
One final main enchancment is the power to maneuver across the cameras. This expands on the essential performance beforehand launched in MyGM mode. Now, you’ll be able to play your matches from nearly any angle you select. What’s extra, there’s additionally a free-roaming digital camera that’s quite a lot of enjoyable to tinker with throughout AI vs. AI matches. Nonetheless, probably the most helpful a part of this new performance comes throughout Royal Rumble matches. There’s a preset to shift the digital camera to trying instantly up on the stage, making it a lot simpler to see who’s being launched subsequent and after they’ll hit the ring.
Whereas there are many thrilling new additions to the title, there are different locations the place WWE 2K24 feels comedically outdated. This principally comes within the type of a few of the wrestlers themselves. Sami Zayn, for example, nonetheless enters the world with a years-old taunt that sees him take away his hat and throw it out of the ring. The one drawback is Sami not wears that hat, hasn’t in fairly some time, and his mannequin does not put on it within the sport. So, he eliminated nothing and threw air on the viewers.
Compounding the difficulty is the truth that Sami additionally had the worst-looking mannequin within the construct we performed. His longer hair was in fixed movement, whereas his a lot greater beard was virtually statuesque, frozen on a unusually bloated face. It appears to be like like Sami Zayn on his worst day and doesn’t make me wish to use him very a lot after I lastly dig into the brand new MyGM or MyUniverse modes.
Likewise, the Roman Reigns mannequin within the sport appears to be like a few years previous with an entrance taunt that’s even older. Because the daybreak of the Bloodline, Roman has walked to the ring in a really particular method, elevating his title above his head as a virtually infinite quantity of pyrotechnics explode round him. And whereas WWE 2K24 does embody a reasonably good entrance for Roman if he holds two championship titles, his single-title entrance is from a minimum of 5 years in the past. It does not seize his present character in any respect and, given the recognition of Reigns, it looks like an enormous oversight.
After all, these fashions and animations may nonetheless be fastened earlier than launch. That stated, there’s additionally no telling how up-to-date the animations and fashions we have but to see are.
Since taking a yr off following the disastrous launch of WWE 2K20, 2K has taken large steps to proper the ship and provides followers what they need. With 2K24, it is giving us again Particular Visitor Referee Matches after a number of years, together with a number of different notable and thrilling upgrades. Now, although, ought to come the time for 2K to give attention to ensuring the sport truly stays updated with the on-screen product.
That is to not say every part about WWE’s video video games will at all times be present, however when you find yourself utilizing years-old animations for main-event expertise featured weekly on WWE programming–especially expertise that has developed massively over these years–you must evolve with them.
That is my large takeaway from what I’ve performed of WWE 2K24 to this point. I loved what I performed and will definitely sink a pair hundred hours into the sport. I do it yearly. And, whereas I respect the brand new match varieties and choices 2K provides to the video games yearly, it might probably really feel prefer it’s on the expense of the core expertise. What’s an up to date wrestling sport with out up to date wrestlers?
We’ll discover out when WWE 2K24 releases on March 8 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X and S, and PC.