Wrestling is going through a bit of a golden era at the moment in the real world, so it’s only fitting and timely that the video games follow.
Last year saw the release of the first AEW game which was a good basis but needed some work. It also saw the return of WWE’s 2K series after taking a few years off from a disastrous run. 2K24 is the sequel to the well-received return, and it’s better in every way.
Rosters make or break wrestling games and 2K24 is stacked. All of the ones you enjoy each week are here (and a lot I’ve never heard of thanks to not watching weekly) and a vast number of legends make their way onto the roster too. Huge improvements on character faces and animations are made too, as well as lots of unique signature moves and taunts to a number. This alone would be enough for the price for some.
Thankfully, the gameplay is really good and most of the kinks from last year’s game have been ironed out. Customisation is still deep enough to get the exact experience you want too, with match options a-plenty, even down to the camera angle when you compete. It goes further than just the presentation though – you can create a character, an arena, a ring, a moveset, a video for your wrestler, a belt… there is the groundwork here for enough to keep you going for a very long time. You can also download the creations of others, so even if the muscle monster you want isn’t available, chances are someone will have created them, along with the appropriate moveset and entrance video. Impressive.
Gameplay mode wise there is also a lot of options here. The classic matches all return, alongside some new entrants – Casket Match, Ambulance Match and new backstage combat are all here and whilst mechanically don’t add too much, the spectacle is welcomed. One-off matches, a full-on season mode, and the ability to be a General Manager all provide huge depth too on their own. But then you have the Showcase mode.
Celebrating 40 years of Wrestlemania, Showcase goes back with interviews and a video package to celebrate and reflect on some of the most memorable matches. There’s a fair bit of blurring in places, and some missing content presumably due to the recent scandals (which have led to Vince McMahon and Brock Lesnar being removed as playable characters) but it’s nice to see some classic moments celebrated. Sadly, there’s music playing over the top of this mode with no commentary which badly (in my opinion) stifles a lot of the excitement and almost succeeds in downgrading it to a basic generic feature.
Still, between the ropes remains excellent and there are too many nuances to mention without going into heavy detail. But reversals, counters, special moves, super special moves, combo breakers, loads of environmental interaction, and blood effects – all contribute to a full experience. As a lifelong wrestling game fan, I am amazed and surprised at how much is stuffed into this package and can see myself playing it for quite some time.
Reviewed on Xbox Series X
