WWE 2K25 Review – New World Order

by

Pro wrestling isn’t just about physical combat; it’s more like a versatile stage show that caters to various tastes. If you spend time with WWE, you’ll notice that their content spans a wide range of genres, such as drama, action, comedy, and even the thrilling realm of horror. The matches are designed to encompass diverse styles too – from agile Luchadors executing breathtaking moves, to intense submission bouts, to heartwarming title matches that culminate after years of planning. In essence, they aim to provide a variety of flavors and experiences for different sections of the audience. The WWE 2K25 video game manages to capture this diversity well, offering numerous game modes, most of which are engaging and cater to distinct types of gamers. There might be some misfires in the lineup, but overall, it maintains a high-quality main event standard.

2025’s WWE 2K edition stands as a remarkable achievement within the series, appearing to be the culmination of diligent work spanning multiple years by the Visual Concepts team. The previous release, WWE 2K20, was marred by significant issues and garnered widespread criticism, becoming a topic of viral discussion. Surprisingly, there was no new version launched in the following year, an unusual occurrence in the realm of annualized sports (and entertainment) games. This apparent pause seems to have paid off, as the series has been gradually refining and enhancing with each passing year, resulting in WWE 2K25 being hailed as the best game in the series so far.

In the wrestling ring, a notable shift is the introduction of matches featuring both men and women. In independent circuits, it’s quite usual for males and females to compete against each other, without any unnecessary fanfare or emphasis on gender differences. The performances simply portray them as equals, with exceptions being characters playing a villain who might highlight this difference. However, WWE has traditionally shied away from such matches. This year, the studio obtained permission from WWE to incorporate these matchups, making it possible for players to control Rhea Ripley and repeatedly defeat Dominik Mysterio, among others. It’s heartening to see WWE embracing this concept and breaking down the unnecessary gender barrier in its video game.

2K25 has retained similar mechanics from last year’s game, but it also revives the chain wrestling feature that mirrors its use in actual wrestling matches. The core fighting style within the series was significantly revamped post-2K20, and while 2K25 doesn’t introduce many new elements to this overhaul, the improved chain wrestling enhances the game’s strongest aspect: creating realistic match dynamics. Starting with some chain wrestling, gradually progressing to more complex moves, and building your character’s momentum for signature moves and finishers, all before a series of false finishes enables you to recreate the weekly drama of professional wrestling on TV.

One minor yet entertaining adjustment in 2K25 is the introduction of the Giant character type, sharing the arena with established ones like High Flyers and Strikers. These Giants boast an extra health pool, much like heavily armored enemies in Destiny or The Division, requiring players to gradually deplete it before smaller opponents can execute most of their moves on a Giant. Unlike conventional fighting games such as Street Fighter or Tekken, pro wrestling video games have unique mechanics, and Visual Concepts consistently captures this essence. The introduction of the Giant character type, which might appear overpowered in traditional fighting games, serves to enhance the narrative and psychological aspect–a common term in the gaming industry–of a match in this game.

WWE 2K25 isn’t primarily a fighting game; instead, it strives to embody the essence of the scripted drama that professional wrestling is known for. It does this exceptionally well by frequently highlighting the unique aspects of pro wrestling, such as the mini-games where players exchange moves using quick-time events or the animated sequences following a broken submission, which allow both wrestlers to regain their composure. Essentially, it’s part sport, part stage play, and its creators consistently value these distinct elements equally.

This year, the novel match types introduced are Bloodline Rules and Underground matches, inspired by MMA. These additions are enjoyable, especially in extended modes such as Universe and GM, where diverse matches are crucial for maintaining top-tier shows over extended periods. While I didn’t find last year’s Ambulance match type indispensable, it’s essential that the match selection expands annually. Therefore, adding two new match types to 2K25 is a positive change, regardless of minor details.

Every year, some sports games only provide one or two engaging gameplay modes. However, WWE 2K stands out with an impressive array of worthwhile options in the sports gaming realm. For instance, WWE 2K25 introduced Showcase mode, which is like a documentary and this year it focuses on The Bloodline, a Samoan wrestling dynasty that has been part of WWE history for several decades. Although the term “The Bloodline” is relatively new, there’s much talk about its impressive lineage, some of whom are actually related by blood. This year, Paul Heyman hosts Showcase, doing an excellent job of building anticipation for each family member, from legendary figures like Yokozuna and The Wild Samoans to contemporary stars such as Roman Reigns and The Usos.

This year’s presentation often disregards the sequence of events, which can feel unexpected at times. However, its standout quality is providing historical context that some viewers might be unaware of. Personally, I, for instance, took a break from wrestling around 15 years after the Attitude Era, and rekindled my interest only recently. Consequently, shows like Showcase have been particularly valuable to me, as they introduced characters like Tamina or showcased Rikishi’s work under the name Fatu, which dates back even before my earliest years of watching wrestling.

The game requires several hours to complete and primarily presents manageable difficulties that grant you new characters, arenas, championship belts, and other items as rewards. Even though some matches or situations became a bit frustrating, such as Tamina’s Money in the Bank match where numerous CPU opponents tended to complicate your task list, I still found it satisfying to finish every level, claim each reward, and live through the entire story personally.

it can be as involved or hands-off as you wish. The story engine offers a decent number of key plot points if you simply respond to what it presents, but if you ever want to intervene and alter a promo, match, or entire show, you’re more than welcome to do so.

This year, the game is reintroducing promotions, which have been missing for some time now. As in the past, their execution feels a bit clumsy. Since voice acting doesn’t seem to work well in another mode, characters are limited to expressing themselves with a microphone, but text options let you steer the outcomes of the promotions so you can maintain control over the storyline. It’s nice that the game has brought back promos, but it’s not particularly thrilling when an annual game reintroduces something that was previously removed.

In GM Mode, the objectives are comparable to those in Universe, but while Universe leans more towards storytelling simulation, GM focuses on competition. You function as a fantasy booker, selecting wrestlers, organizing match cards, and enhancing your production value over time, aiming to surpass either the computer or friends, judged by milestones and earnings. A feature I’ve longed for in GM Mode is finally included in 2K25: online multiplayer. Regrettably, it doesn’t meet its full potential, feeling like a partial implementation instead.

The online General Manager (GM) mode restricts users from playing or observing matches, limiting action to simulating them. Although some players might not find this a problem since they already simulate their matches in solo mode, the lack of play/spectate options is noticeably missing. As a result, our anticipation for next year’s game update, which includes this essential feature, remains high. Despite this shortcoming, I continue to appreciate GM mode and its added features such as additional GM character choices and cross-brand events, which significantly improve the user experience. However, the main attraction of this mode seems incomplete at present.

In contrast to Showcase appealing to historians and Universe and GM being for those diving deep into fantasy, MyRise mode stands out as a story-driven experience filled with occasional humor, though not all of it is planned. Each year, this cutscene-rich mode offers an entertaining tale, albeit with rough voice acting. It’s not the first choice I’d suggest for newcomers to pro wrestling or WWE 2K due to its narrative sometimes straddling the line between reality and scripted events, creating a story that might seem confusing if you scrutinize it too closely. However, it’s intended to be light-hearted, and as an alternative way to unlock various cool items such as characters, outfits, and customization options, it’s worth investing the time to complete.

2K25’s narrative revolves around NXT stars executing a surprise takeover of Raw and Smackdown, which are WWE’s main brands. In the context of the story, it implies that Paul “Triple H” Levesque, leader of the creative team at WWE, was unaware of this takeover, but allows it to proceed to observe how events unfold. The characters sometimes speak in character and out of character, which can make it confusing as to whether we’re supposed to perceive it as a representation of real-life experiences as a professional wrestler or their on-screen persona. However, this blend of realities is not entirely unusual for the series, and while it might be puzzling at times, it doesn’t significantly detract from the overall experience.

I didn’t anticipate a compelling narrative from this game mode, but I still find it enjoyable because it offers a whimsical side mode filled with entertaining challenges, numerous rewards to collect, and a unique perspective on professional wrestling fans. My children also appreciate this mode, and the storyline featuring custom characters of Batman and Billie Eilish this year made me understand that, despite the occasionally ridiculous plot, MyRise is primarily designed for younger players. This realization helped me accept its occasional absurdity.

The wrestlers you see are created using the game’s toolkit, often referred to as “the best” by CM Punk. This toolkit, found in WWE games, offers a wide range of customization options for characters, signs, movesets, and more. It’s designed to let fans create their favorite characters from other games, like Alan Wake, Joel from The Last of Us, and Leon from Resident Evil. There are countless possibilities, including the ability to make stars from outside companies like Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay. Essentially, if you can think of a character, you can probably create them in WWE 2K25.

The sculpting tools for faces and bodies are incredibly deep yet simple to handle, and when paired with the game’s extensive wardrobe collection, it means virtually anyone will find themselves in the game. A vast amount of user-generated content, numbering in the thousands, is already accessible, even though the base edition isn’t on sale at this moment. This toolkit offers an abundance of features that make it challenging to highlight individual items or tools, but each new year this remarkable toolbox introduces to the game brings fresh excitement as it adds so much more. It essentially redefines fantasy booking by allowing me to set up battles between iconic characters from horror slashers and the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants, determining who emerges victorious.

After considering various fan groups of the WWE, we’re left with one more: those who enjoy competitive multiplayer games. However, this particular group might find themselves most displeased. The game once again features MyFaction, a card-collecting mode similar to Ultimate Team in EA’s games, which is often criticized for its pay-to-win aspects. This issue lies in the fact that the game doesn’t separate its highest spending players from those who don’t spend anything. It’s not enjoyable to engage in a multiplayer game with your Faction when you’re up against someone who has paid their way to the top. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t exclusive to WWE 2K; it’s disappointing to see it recur every year in major sports games.

I’m pleased to say that WWE 2K’s World Tour mode offers enough single-player content for me to enjoy the game without feeling compelled to dive into multiplayer or spend money. The game has a way of nudging me back into MyFaction’s solo modes periodically, allowing me to improve my roster and tackle its bosses. This year, I had more fun with MyFaction than ever before. However, it’s important to note that the pay-to-win design is still evident, which I strongly dislike, but fortunately, I was able to avoid those problematic aspects in favor of a more engaging experience.

In the final part of my review, let me discuss a feature introduced in 2K25 that was designed for competitive gamers but deserves a separate mention due to its underwhelming performance. This feature, known as ‘The Island’, borrows heavily from NBA 2K’s ‘The City’ and in principle, I am a fan of this concept. In fact, I anticipate many other sports games will follow suit soon. Regrettably, WWE 2K’s initial implementation of this idea falls significantly short of expectations.

One issue is that it carries out a move I was hoping it wouldn’t, but expected it would: Just like MyFaction and NBA 2K’s The City, it includes pay-to-win elements, and just as those games do, it places free players against high spenders in a manner designed to cause ongoing annoyance throughout the year. This communal space allows users to introduce custom characters into a common world and compete in events to gain badges, experience points (XP), and Virtual Currency (VC) which can be used to enhance your player. However, similar to what I discussed about NBA 2K last autumn, the game is more than willing to sell you the VC instead, enabling you to bypass the gradual development of your character.

Newcomers to the wrestling game on The Island start at a rating (OVR) of 75 out of 100. In my initial days on the Island, I often encountered players with OVR scores of 90 and above, some even reaching 100. These high-rated players had invested a significant amount of money to boost their ratings, similar to what’s seen in the NBA 2K community each year. However, unlike NBA 2K, The City is less engaging and entertaining, whereas The Island lacks attractive features, especially considering the game offers numerous enjoyable activities for players. The Island can be described as a desolate, nearly empty, and occasionally faulty place. Despite its intended connection to The Bloodline and visual references to Samoa, it bears a closer resemblance to the location of the infamous Fyre Festival.

Occasionally, the screen before matches, where both players’ characters were visible during load-in, would show the correct rating for my character at times, but other times it would display a shared or incorrect rating. It didn’t make sense, and I initially thought the game might be adjusting my character to match my opponent, but they never felt that way. After some consideration, I realized this was likely just a visual glitch – my lowly 76 OVR Larry David found himself in the midst of powerful opponents who seemed invincible, spamming moves until my health bar was practically meaningless.

In essence, playing WWE 2K online can be challenging due to slight input lag, which makes it tough to counter attacks effectively and often leaves you at a disadvantage in ‘squash’ matches. Interestingly, online play tends to worsen my skills in single-player mode because it necessitates me to coordinate my moves on two different timelines – one for solo play and another for competitive multiplayer. This issue is deeply ingrained in WWE 2K, so creating an entire PvP (Player versus Player) mode before addressing this problem might have hindered the potential of an exceptional version of The Island.

Navigating space can feel oddly unfamiliar, indeed. There seems to be no guide for an open-world layout, whether this is due to a time crunch or if adding such a feature would merely highlight the scarcity of interactive spaces on The Island; it appears there are more cosmetic outlets than actual play areas. Unlike watching live matches in NBA’s social hub, you can’t observe games unfolding here. Instead, the world is populated with NPCs and other players moving from one lifeless section to another. The narrative is primarily delivered through static images and text boxes, giving this new mode a rather outdated aesthetic. Roman Reigns’ presence is undeniably strong, his character is indelible. However, the close association of The Island with him as the game’s cover star and leader of The Bloodline evokes memories of his early promotions where he didn’t seem invincible.

For quite some time now, I’ve yearned for WWE 2K’s unique interpretation of “The City,” and despite this year’s lackluster presentation, my enthusiasm remains unwavering. If they decide to revisit this mode next year, I sincerely hope they eradicate the pay-to-win issues that could mar what has the potential to be a vibrant wrestling social hub. At present, it’s an unnecessary gloom-filled void with limited activities. It’s like the dilapidated shopping mall from your childhood memories, “The Island” is currently a dismal eyesore emanating unpleasant vibes and pushy vendors eager for your custom. I can’t help but feel sorry for those who hastily invested in enhancing their character for The Island without realizing how superficial it truly is.

Without a doubt, wrapping up with this may seem disappointing, but it doesn’t taint my overall experience. WWE 2K25 stands out as an exceptional game, boasting remarkable mechanics that offer a vast range to craft matches mirroring real-life action in thrilling ways. Its array of game modes provides numerous engaging experiences and intriguing novel elements, catering to various wrestling enthusiasts. The creation suite is in a league of its own and should be the envy of all games incorporating user-generated content. While online multiplayer challenges do resurface in familiar and fresh formats this year, there’s an abundance here that deserves recognition. Just as I wouldn’t let a subpar WrestleMania match spoil the event, I don’t feel a few flaws in the PvP features diminish WWE 2K25’s position as a strong contender for sports game of the year.

Read More

2025-03-13 02:11