Minor tweaks and improvements are the usual selling points for annual sports titles. Yes teams and kits could be updated, player ratings could be tweaked, and 4K beard follicles could start showing up in replays, but that’s usually It’s your destiny. Not so with 2K’s WWE series. Standing on the shoulders of WWE 2K22’s solid effort, his WWE 2K23 hunk barely fits out the door. With so many playable modes, match types, and grapplers you’ll want to consume all your free time, but then drop your elbows for good measure.
Those who played WWE 2K22 last year will feel familiar with how the game is played. 2K stuck to the same control scheme for the first time in years. The accessible combo-based system starts off with a light attack, then combines light, heavy, and grab attacks to create a variety of violent attacks. More complex controls for experienced players are also in the mix, allowing for lifting/positioning the opponent, as well as attacking outside the ring, typically using the right stick or shoulder buttons.
Different maneuvers target different parts of the enemy’s body, and progress towards damage and powerful signatures and finishers can all be tracked via the Superstar HUD at the bottom of the screen. In our opinion, it’s already a polished and great system, and the fact that we didn’t have to relearn how to play the game this year was a blessing in itself. there is. He often inexplicably misses odd punches and grapples, opening up the potential for counterattacks.
Luckily, you can attempt reverses, dodges, and combo breakers to get you out of trouble. However, between flipping prompts appearing in various places and combo breakers trying to match which buttons your opponent presses, it’s complete guesswork, so you’ll find yourself met at the end of a frustratingly long time. was often series of crimes.
The overhauled lighting engine from last year’s game is working again, so the good news is that it at least looks good while getting kicked in the face. Better, but sure, the scans of the superstars are excellent, with entrances and motion captured to preserve this pristine presentation.There are also over 180 playable wrestlers to choose from. Many of them feature outdated entrance music and clothing, but they’re a much more up-to-date roster than 2K22.
This year’s flagship mode is John Cena Showcase. Here, Rey’s 20-year career with the WWE of the 16-time World Champion is spotlighted, much like his Mysterio run last year. He himself is on hand to talk you through his encounters with his greatest rivals, and you play these matches, as archive footage merges with in-game animations, so you’re in line with real events. In an interesting twist, instead of actually playing as Mr. Cena, you take on the role of the celebrity that has upset him over the years.
Having Cena take his biggest loss as he “trying to win back” is a fun way to freshen up the formula, but I wish it was a little more engaging. Players, like last year’s Ray, are left to themselves, with no commentary, pointers, or narration from the showcase subject matter, just the general soundtrack and crowd noise for company. We certainly understand that John Cena is a very busy man, but this year’s mode fell flat for us due to the extremely long silence between his appearances. There’s some loss of attention by their absence (CM Punk, anyone?) and some of the animation/actual footage combinations that separate the gameplay go on for a very long time. Actual footage of the final minutes of the match.
Thankfully, 2K23’s MyRise mode is much improved. It serves as a career mode for the title, playing as The Lock or The Legacy. In the men’s campaign, he laces up his boots as globe-trotting indie wrestling standout The Rock who fulfills his dream of joining WWE. Unfortunately, he is quickly plagued by a very crude gimmick (character) from management that he has to grow up and overcome. A similar tale of tenacity in the underdog can be found in women’s stories. There, cast as her fictional WWE Hall of Famer niece, trying to escape her shadow and forge her own path.
WWE 2K22’s previous MyRise service relied heavily on in-game social media feeds, with much of the game’s “story” with minimal fanfare and no real overarching narrative. The scary social feed is still present in 2K23, but I was thrilled to discover a return to a more focused, linear narrative. There are numerous playable moments named As you might guess, the optional stories and challenge matches are the filler content he experienced in 2K22, but they’re much more engaging because they’re placed at key moments in the must-play story. Rewards are earned from each of these, including attribute points that allow you to improve your custom performer.
However, if there’s one big criticism of this mode, it’s loading times. Overall, I found WWE 2K23 to load up pretty fast with all the factors considered, but with MyRise constantly tweaking appearances, movesets, entrances, and entering and exiting matches, Players will notice that it takes a long time to load. frequently appear on the screen. Despite the robustness of these creation tools, staring at a blank screen for up to 45 seconds (by our calculations) isn’t the kind of experience you’d expect from the PS5.
Nevertheless, although it can take some time to load, the creation suite is a very impressive set of tools. Beyond custom superstars, admissions and movesets, players can also customize their own championships, match his type and create videos. With the return of support for custom his images,[コミュニティ クリエーション]Tub has once again become a must-see area, highlighting top-notch recreations of missing wrestlers, superheroes, and, of course, the Shrek community.
Again, kudos to 2K for not locking customization parts like hair, clothing, moves, and entrance music into loot packs. An idea and everything is available to create your dream superstar/monster. There are still a few items that unlock as you play through the different modes, but there’s more than enough to get you started, and the ability to import custom his wrestlers created outside of MyRise into his Career mode. With additions, 2K seems to have died to rationalization. The creative process of the player.
Universe, MyGM, and MyFaction are all returning again this year. The former still allows full creative freedom to oversee weekly programming as a superstar or an all-powerful wrestling god. You can even start rivalries, play or simulate matches, or create a whole new wrestling show with your own roster. Universe mode offers nearly endless playtime for those prone to it.
MyGM mode is for you if you want a more competitive and focused experience. With up to four General Managers now able to go head-to-head, players start by drafting their rosters while paying close attention to their budgets. Book a show with 3 games a week and superstars will come to you on request. Deployable power cards can disrupt others or empower yourself, changing the course of the week’s show. The ultimate goal is to earn the most money, win the rating wars, and be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
There is a virtually overwhelming amount to keep track of here. Each superstar on your payroll is good or bad and has popularity, star power, and stamina stats that require careful planning each week for performance ability. Budget matters when you do. Venues, crews, pyro/special effects, and advertising all need to be considered when competing for audience dominance. It’s clear that MyGM has received a lot of feedback this year, with the last time the tag team titles and the mid-card US and Intercontinental Championships being strangely absent. There’s still a lot to get your head around, so it can take all but the most seasoned players a while to get used to the action.
If managing your wrestling cards isn’t your thing, why not try playing with wrestling cards instead? 2K’s card-based MyFaction mode wants to take all the money again. After an endorphin rush opening the first giveaway card pack, joining a team requires him to select a team of four male wrestlers and his four female wrestlers, all led by a manager. Customize your faction’s name, nameplate, logo, wallpaper and play against other factions online or in numerous weekly and daily challenge matches to purchase additional cards or “evolve” existing ones Earn enough currency to
Like similar modes in other series, cards range in rarity from Bronze to the absurdly-sounding Pink Diamond, with daily login rewards, premium currency, and lifetime challenges hoping to keep you coming back for more. It’s fun to see your lineup standing shoulder to shoulder after a winning encounter, but it’s just another infinitely playable mode in a game already filled with infinitely playable modes. However, the difference here is that they are in a position to make a lot of money out of you.
In addition to the return of features, perhaps the most exciting addition to WWE 2K23 is the War Games match. Originally used in the late ’90s and recently featured on WWE TV, the match features his two rings surrounded by steel cages. Once the two contestants start the match, teams of up to three compatriots are locked in separate cages, with one member joining him every few minutes. So he has one team advantage until each team goes all out, at which point the match starts properly.
Once freed from the holding pen, competitors are given the opportunity to retrieve their weapons from under the ring and bring them into the match, so when all eight players are involved the result is absolute anarchy. With chairs shaking, wrestlers hitting finishers, and performers scaling and flying from the top of the cage, no one is safe. There were some issues with the AI refusing to separate and face the opponent. Instead, it insisted on aborting the selected encounter. That’s pretty amazing. Hell In a Cell may have been your go-to multiplayer car crash mode before, but it will almost certainly be War Games in the future.
