WWE 2K24 review - layeth the smackdown

WWE 2K23 was the best entry in the series in years. It’s fair to say that WWE 2K24 has big shoes to fill. So how can developers Visual Concepts improve on its predecessor to warrant fans coughing up the cash to purchase yet another yearly release?

Visually, WWE 2K24 is stunning. Each Superstar has been created with an unparalleled likeness to a level that you’d struggle to find in any other sports game. What’s more, even subtle mannerisms such as a head movement or how a Superstar reacts to pain make all the difference in player immersion when it comes to role-playing as their favourite Superstars and recreating some of the most iconic moments in WWE history. Visual Concepts deserves a ton of credit for the level of detail that has gone into creating each Superstar supported by an all-important and extravagant ring entrance, in-depth move-sets, arenas and much more.

Check out what games WWE Superstars would love to replay below!

WWE 2K24 mostly plays the same as WWE 2K23. After all, Visual Concepts has pretty much nailed the gameplay of the previous entry. So it would make little sense to throw its formula out of the window and alienate returning fans. Moreover, WWE 2K24 is a simple game to play, making it a perfect entry for newcomers. However, it’s also very deep with hundreds of moves to master, so there’s plenty of challenge for veteran fans.

Subtle improvements have been made to the gameplay of WWE 2K24 which can make all the difference in keeping returning players engaged. For starters, by storing three Finishers, you can perform a Super Finisher. Performing a Super Finisher will all but confirm your victory with added oomph. An example of what a Super Finisher is: when triggering John Cena’s ‘Attitude Adjustment’ he will perform his Finisher and then roll into a second ‘Attitude Adjustment’ which should be more than enough to defeat even the likes of the Undertaker and Roman Reigns on higher difficulties.

Holding out for a Super Finisher does have its risks, because during that time, it may grant your opponent time to trigger just a standard single Finisher snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. On the topic of Finishers in WWE 2K24, you can now store up to five which is increased from three in WWE 2K23, which also applies to your prelude Signature move too.

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Other improvements to the gameplay include the Trading Blows minigame, which can be triggered at any point during a match by briefly holding down the light attack button. This will trigger a QTE segment between you and your opponent as you trade blows with each other. With each blow that you land, the QTE window decreases into there is a victor of this mini battle granting the last man or woman standing a brief upper hand.

You can now dive over the top rope into a group of Superstars at ringside, rather than the previous one in WWE 2K23. Furthermore, similar to AEW Fight Forever, you can throw weapons such as steel chairs, baseball bats, trash cans and more. A timely throw can often bust your opponent open with blood, but it's also comical to launch a barrage of objects at your fellow combatant. WWE 2K24 also has real referees and ring announcers from the WWE shows. Again, this is a subtle change but it adds to the authenticity of the game, especially when you hear ring announcer Samathan Irvine say the names of Chelsea Green and Gunther with her signature introduction.

WWE 2K24 also brings new and returning modes from previous games such as a variety of Gauntlet survival match types, as well as Ambulance and Casket matches and Special Guest Referee. Ambulance and Casket matches play quite similarly. You beat your opponent as much as possible until they’re weak enough to throw into the ambulance or casket, triggering a QTE battle to win the match. The concept is simple but no less fun.

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Speaking of fun, the Special Guest Referee is a mode of laughs and betrayal. There’s no way that any friend or family member controlling the ref would call it straight down the middle. Where would the fun be in that? Yet, the player controlling the ref can't just betray you, because their performance will be evaluated and if they underperform, a replacement AI ref will be sent to the ring. But that’s not to say that at the right moment, the player-controlled ref can't perform an unjustly fast count or an untimely submission or DQ that never was.

Before its release, 2K and Visual Concepts spoke a lot of the Backstage Brawl, which are matches that essentially take place everywhere in the arena other than just the wrestling ring. I was never much of a fan of these match types, as they lacked the atmosphere and tension of other match types with the support of the surrounding crowd in attendance

Backstage Brawls have added more interactive objects such as vending machines, more breakable glass and a working elevator. If you already enjoyed this mode, then you will probably appreciate the improvements more than I have, but if this mode was never your cup of tea to begin with then I doubt you’d have much reason to check it out more than once or twice. In addition, online Royal Rumble now supports up to eight players in the 30-Superstar match, and many of the other match types can be played online.

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As with just about any WWE 2K game in recent years, it’s stacked with not only tons of match types but also campaign modes, and you can expect the same with this year's entry. The modes are so generous in this game, that you could easily make WWE 2K24 last a couple of years at least, especially if you invest in the Universe and MyGM modes. But first, let’s begin with WWE 2K24’s main campaign, ‘2K Showcase of the Immortals’.

This year we will celebrate WrestleMania 40. The first Wrestlemania took place at Madison Square Garden, New York in 1985. So what better way to celebrate the “Grandest Stage of the All” than with forty years of WrestleMania mode in WWE 2K24? In total, this mode features 21 of the best matches throughout the history of WrestleMania from Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. Roddy Piper, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock to Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair and more.

Each match will come with optional requirements that reenact moments from real-life WrestleMania matches and by completing them, you will unlock extra Superstars and arenas, so those are worth doing. Before, during and after each match you can also enjoy achieved footage narrated by WWE commentator Cory Graves as well as added insights of the WWE Superstars and legends that were involved in these epic matches. As a pro wrestling nerd, it’s always a joy taking a trip down memory lane and I enjoyed reliving these moments so much that I wish the subscription service WWE Network would create a playlist inspired by the Showcase mode of WWE 2K24.

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Other modes to enjoy in WWE 2K24 include MyGM playable for up to four players to battle it out by choosing any of these brands, Raw, Smackdown, NXT, WCW or ECW. You will then choose your general manager from Stephanie McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Adam Pearce, Sonya Deville, Xavier Woods, Tyler Breeze or Mick Foley all returning. You can even select the new GM additions, Paul Hayman, Theodore Long, William Regal, Ted DiBiase or a created character. Each GM will come with unique perks. Once selected, rosters, Superstar morale, finances, match booking and more will be in your hands. This mode is surprisingly more fun than you might expect, even though the AI-controlled GMs do come out on top at times with some of the lower card Superstars often stealing the show, which can feel unjust at times.

Elsewhere, we have the MyRISE mode which has two campaigns for each male or female-created Superstar. I don't want to give anything away because each campaign has an original story with branching paths that add replayability. You can interact with Superstars such as Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Bianca Belair. The choices you make will not only impact your story but can also determine whether or not you become a fan-favourite or booed out of the building. You can even unlock new Superstars and arenas that crossover into other modes.

We can’t talk about MyRISE without WWE 2K24’s extensive creation suite for characters, moves, entrances, and so forth. Sometimes I feel that this series creation suite doesn't get the credit it deserves and anyone familiar with this series will know that it offers some of the best tools to create just about any kind of playable character you want, and WWE 2K24 is no exception. Of course, you can also download thousands of community creations including Superstars, arenas and championship titles to name a few.

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Then we have MyFACTION and a heads up, it does try to tempt you with in-game purchases, which I’ve always avoided. In this mode, you will open packs which feature Superstars of today and yesteryear. You pick your squad to take on the daily or weekly challenges to unlock new rewards. Unlike previous MyFACTION modes, character cards that unlock here can also carry over into other modes. The best way that I can describe MyFACTION is that it’s kind of like EAs Ultimate Team meets the Tower modes of Mortal Kombat 1. MyFACTION is fun in short bursts and is often worth revisiting now and again.

Universe mode also returns and with it comes two choices. Option one, Superstar requires you to pick your playable Superstar and events are curated for you as you play in WWE’s real-life TV shows and premium live events feuding with other Superstars and battling it out for titles. Option two is Sandbox which gives you full control of the shows, so if you wanted to give Xavier Woods the push for a single title that he’s long overdue, you can make that happen. A couple of new additions to the Universe mode worth mentioning are now being able to book double title matches and the ‘Loser Leaves Town’ stipulation. The latter of which is basically, the loser gets thrown out of the company.

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Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the stacked playable roster that WWE 2K24 brings in the base game with over 200 Superstars to choose from. Sure, a lot of the Superstars are different versions, but you’d be hard-pressed to find other games that offer this kind of value from the get-go. Every year it seems that 2K and Visual Concepts say that the latest WWE 2K is the biggest and best yet. Well, guess what, WWE 2K24 is the biggest and best yet (again). Some notable exclusions from the roster are CM Punk and Jade Cargill who likely arrived too late in the company to be included in the base game at launch. They are however included in post-launch DLC along with many other playable Superstars. Vince McMahon and Brock Lesnar have been removed from the game due to recent allegations.

I'm intrigued to see how or if Visual Concepts attempts to top WWE 2K24 next year because what we have here is essentially a near-perfect pro wrestling game. It looks gorgeous, has a stacked roster, tons of fun modes and so much replay value that it might not even warrant purchasing next year's game. If Visual Concepts somehow achieves that, I would be mightily impressed, to say the least. For now, fans of this Shakespearian sport can rest assured that WWE 2K24 is the most fun and deep pro wrestling game there has ever been.

Pros: Looks gorgeous, incredible attention to detail, tons of replayability, welcoming to veteran and new fans, in-depth creation suite

Cons: Not a massive improvement over WWE 2K23

For fans of: Pro Wrestling, fighting games

9/10: Exceptional

WWE 2K24 releases on 5 and 8 March 2024 (depending on version), for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (version tested). Read a guide to our review scores here.