WWE 2K24 Review (PS5) – Visual Concepts and 2K games briefly moved away from the annualized released schedule with 2K22, but in Stone Cold Steve Austin like fashion, returned, flipped the bird, delivered a stunner on their competition in the simulation market, and positioned themselves back at the very top of the roster with WWE 2K23.
So with WWE’s wrestling sim very much on the treadmill of releasing their titles yearly once more, is there enough differences to make upgrading to this year’s iteration worthwhile? Well, Let me talk to ya!
WWE 2K24 Review (PS5) – The Best There Is
It’s Clobberin’ Time
Continuing the tradition of perfecting their formula, Visual Concepts has once again added some more fine touches, a few extra gameplay additions, and some fun new match stipulations. Even now, I’m still discovering new details that ensure WWE 2K24’s position as the best wrestling sim on the market.
The studio has continued to improve on the animations as with the previous instalment, which I think is most notable in how superstars will interact with the environment, especially when running the ropes, which seems more personalized to specific wrestlers.
I also love how going for moves that hurt yourself almost as much as your opponent, will see you lay on the mat for a while to recover, especially when stamina is low. It makes for an interesting dynamic, and makes you consider your next move, which also rewards knowing a wrestlers move set.
Visual concepts has also brought back the “trading blows” mechanic, where in one on one exhibitions strictly, you can exchanges punches. Anyone who’s watched wrestling will have seen two wrestlers will take turns hitting each other in almost rhythmic fashion. Trying to time the release of a button prompt in one of two zones on a wheel, to get the upper hand, is a great way to bring this staple to their wrestling simulator.
The blood effects seem to have improved as well. When you or your opponent have been bust open, you will see blood stains all over the squared circle, and that accumulates the longer the match goes on. Blood is entirely optional as always of course, but it really does elevate the stakes in some bouts where you would expect to see a crimson mask.
When it comes to character models, most are notably improved, especially when you see them side by side with the efforts in the previous iteration. However, there are a few I’ve noticed that whose faces appear more bloated than they should. Usually these wrestlers tend to look far better in game than they do in entrance cutscenes for example.
Before diving into the more noticeable changes, I strongly feel its the amalgamation of these smaller details that make a collective difference, and make it worth upgrading regardless, especially if you, like myself, appreciate the continued fine tuning of realism in your wrestling games.
Somebody Call An Ambulance
There are a few new match stipulations in WWE 2K24, and I think fans will appreciate them as much as I do. With visual concepts adding special guest referee matches, and casket and ambulance matches, it definitely allowed me to play out some fantasy matchups that I’ve come to appreciate more this time around.
Special guest referee matches let you to be on your absolute worst behavior, which is a lot of fun. Needless to say I promptly saw the end to Cody‘s story by performing a fast count against Roman Reigns whilst playing as the Wiseman himself, Paul Heyman. There’s some cool details, where the guest referee will throw a title at a rival, if they win the fight despite your best menacing efforts. Also, interestingly enough, you can also just play as actual referees that you see in the weekly product.
The ambulance match has you and your opponent brutally beat each other until one of you is so incapacitated, you can throw them in the back of an ambulance and close both doors. I particularly enjoy interacting with the ambulance itself, and using the doors as weapons. Naturally I played as ECW, hardcore wrestling legend, Rob Van Dam, and dispatched of Ken Shamrock in a match that really felt like a throwback in a King of the Ring arena.
Undertaker’s casket match is the same in principle, but perhaps a bit more cinematic. Beat your opponent to a pulp and throw them in the ringside casket, and close it. When I first played this stipulation, I took control of the late great Bray Wyatt, as The Fiend persona, taking on The Undertaker of 1993. It was this match that really made me appreciate these fantasy fights, that we can’t experience otherwise.
Speaking of Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker, Visual Concepts included a freeze mechanic, that allows you to stun your opponents in shock, by sitting up as the legendary Undertaker would do, or Bray arching his back upside down on all fours, striking terror into their rivals, is yet another awesome detail, that captures a staple of wrestling incredibly well.
Showcase Of The Immortals
As always, there is the expected selection of modes to choose from, which has something for everyone. The most notable being the showcase mode, which this year focuses on some of the legendary bouts throughout Wrestlemania history.
Early on, you will experience a lot of fights that feature Hulk Hogan, which on one hand is understandable, given he was a long serving champion, and featured in many of the most iconic matches of all time. It’s just there is definitely others that could have been included, but understandably so, as licensing issues do also get in the way of that.
I will say that it felt like the superstars took way more to pin them for a three count in this mode. I delivered four finishers, and three signature moves to Hogan as The Ultimate Warrior, and maybe he really is just impervious to damage when he is hulking up. FOUR running splashes though? That’s not gonna work for me, brother.
There have been changes made to My Faction, specifically taking into account the issues players had with the game mode in WWE 2K23, when it comes to interferences. Gone are the days of constant 4v4’s, as they’ve brought in more match variety. For me, it is still, hands down, the weakest mode in their suite.
I particularly dislike how the calibre of wrestler means very little in regards to their card rating. At least you can select specific cards that you actually want from packs this time around. Like its card game counterparts in other sports simulations, it is very egregious with microtransactions, that really don’t have a place in full priced annual releases, in that manner.
Forge Your Story
As with a lot of WWE 2K24, the MyRise story based mode is very much based on The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes. Unleashed sees a female superstar, who is responsible for the creation of the most successful independent wrestling company, depart their position, and take a shot at a career in WWE. Sounds quite familiar doesn’t it?
Undisputed on the other hand; very much takes the current “Finish The Story” narrative, and uses it in an interesting way. Roman Reigns voluntarily drops the belt, leaves for Hollywood, but returns to ensure that during the fight for the vacated title that Cody still doesn’t finish the story, that you win, and have to ultimately prove yourself as a worthy champion despite The Miz‘s best efforts to take it from you, who is now operating as a general manager.
I really appreciate that these stories are very current, and it shows that the developers are aware of the wider landscape of wrestling beyond the WWE. Keeping things current also helps keep things fresh, especially when you’re on an annualized release schedule.
Every year, I get hopelessly addicted to the MyGM mode, which sees you take on role of a general manager, where you book your matches, and attempt to beat your opposition in ratings and profits. The continued improvements are very welcomed. The inclusion of trades between brands after each PPV, or PLE as they’re now known, is especially appreciated.
With more general managers and brands available on top of that, such as ECW, they have also introduced a scouting system, which has you select the parameters of your search for a cost, before choosing a superstar from those found by the scout. It’s a more detailed version of what we had before, but it being more involved is certainly welcomed.
Unfortunately, there still isn’t an online component to this mode, which would really elevate it, and take it to the next level. I hope this is something they’re looking to include in the future, because I would love to see my ECW or Smackdown roster compete against my friend’s brands.
The King Of Kings
Once again, Visual Concepts has bolstered there creation suite, which is always guaranteed to take hours of my life. There is so much you can do when creating your own wrestlers, and with notable animations in there of wrestlers in other promotions, the CAW community is going to have their hands full.
Sound design in WWE 2K24 is as detailed as you might suspect, the slams onto the mat, and the crashing of weapons against your opponents are as accurate and visceral as they make them sound on TV. I took a power bomb to the apron, and the impact, delivered mostly from the sound, made my eyes widen, letting out an audible, “ouch.”
Inversely, the voice work is hit and miss. The commentators and the detail in their voice lines is just excellent. For example; you can select action figure versions of Cody Rhodes or John Cena, and the commentators will make very specific references to them, and their features, which fans will definitely enjoy.
However, the voice over from some wrestlers in MyRise is very phoned in, literally, that’s how it sounds at times. Although some, like Kevin Owens, do a much better job than others. I only experienced one technical issue since I got the game, and that was that the menu never loaded in, so I had to reset. A completely isolated incident, however.
WWE 2K24 once again proves why it is the king of kings when it comes to sports simulation games. With their continued commitments to fine tuning the details, and delivering a very satisfying and realistic wrestling game, that allows you live out your wrestling fantasies, and sink hours upon hours into its various game modes, Visual Concepts delivers a successor that wrestling fans should experience.
WWE 2K24 is out now on PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.