Tuesday, November 18, 2014

WWE 2K15 Review


World Wrestling Entertainment is arguably one of the most successful corporations in entertainment. It's grown from being a wrestling promotion to being a mega power in mainstream media ranging from wrestling, movies, and recently their own streaming service. One of their most profitable sources of income comes from video games, that's what this is about. WWE 2K15 was recently released today for all next generation consoles, Playstation 4 and Xbox One. It came out earlier for the older generation but I can't judge that so this critique is for the new generation. This is the first game for the new generation of wrestling games by prestige game developer 2K and I have to say that it could've been better.

I've been playing WWE Games back when it was called World Wrestling Federation, my favorite was No Mercy on the Nintendo 64. For decades WWE had their games made by game developer THQ but unfortunately went bankrupt two years ago and the license to the WWE franchise was bought by 2K industries. This was the first one for the new generation and like all firsts, mistakes were made and it ruins the replay value of this popular franchise. While it's not a complete disaster, there are some good features. The roster is updated so-what and has plenty of selections and there is a new mode I suggest all gamers try.

The main draw in for this game and what 2K is well known for is it's visual graphic designs and this did not disappoint. From the entrance of the wrestlers to the ring and even the sight of the audience cheering as you walk, never have the wrestlers look so real. Unfortunately all the eye candy doesn't cover up the sour taste of the gameplay when you're participating in a match. One of the new additions to this game that will give players a lot of difficulty and confusion in the grappling system. There are different types of grapples (chain, mild, and strong) and it's hard to understand how to use each one.

The flow of the match is also lacking, I played several matches and at times I wanted to initiate a move, the wrestlers would freeze for a minute, allowing my opponent to get back up. The movements also seem slow in certain moments and targeting the opponent is also off when trying to hit him with a weapon. Another problem which isn't anything new with WWE games is the outdated roster. Yes there is a variety of awesome, talented wrestlers but often, the gimmick are old and have already changed in the present. For example, Cody Rhodes in the game is no longer Cody Rhodes in present time, he's known as Star Dust and has a completely new entrance and certain teams don't exist anymore like The Shield.

Hopefully they'll find a way to update their roster like the NFL franchise Madden does or put in the DLC packs. The types of matches aren't anything to mention, they're all the same. One difference is the addition of the MyCareer mode which allows you to create a superstar and build him to the ground up, this introduces gamers to the new gameplay style and I highly recommend it. You're also introduce to the developmental level of the WWE being NXT. Through NXT you train with known wrestlers such as Bo Dallas, Sami Zayn and Adriane Neville.

Another new addition is a 2K showcase which shines the light on famous rivalries that help build the WWE into the giant industry it is today. This is a replacement from the famous WrestleMania moments that was popular during the THQ games. Good times are remembered but difficulty playing the matches sucked in and almost ruins the moment. On a rate of 1 to 10 and 10 being the best, this game is a 7 because of the slow gameplay and complex controls. The roster is something fans can deal with because they can just create the wrestlers they want but the controls is something different.

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