Whaaaaat a rush!
Wrestling fans will get that. And this game is very much for wrestling fans, as it’s easily the most fully fleshed-out wrestling game I’ve ever played in terms of features, and it’s probably not even close.
It’s tough to know where to start to describe what WWE 2K25 offers as there are so many modes and ways to play.
The 2K Showcase mode, titled “The Bloodline’s Dynasty,” focuses on Roman Reigns and his faction, The Bloodline. Narrated by Paul Heyman, it offers a documentary-style presentation with playable matches that relive key moments. I really enjoyed Paul Heyman’s presentation – he is a fantastic showman, and without spoiling it too much, he really adds his own spin to the presentation. Some matches are fantasy matchups, pitting classic tag teams against modern-day ones which I didn’t care for too much, but otherwise, it’s good. Unlike previous years’ entries, cutscenes are played out in-engine rather than switching to actual footage. This has the benefit of not being too disjointed but sadly the crowd audio doesn’t carry over so can sound a bit flat as the simulated game sound isn’t as good as the real crowd reaction or commentary.
MyGM mode sees significant improvements, including online multiplayer for up to four players, allowing for competitive brand management against others worldwide. The mode offers flexibility with new match types and expanded rivalries, and should add a lot of excitement for players who have a regular squad they like to battle with.
A new addition, “The Island,” provides an open-world environment where players can create a star, complete quests, and participate in live events to gain favour with Roman Reigns. This is a foray into open-world gameplay, but a few problems hamper the experience. For a start, there are a lot of loading screens and fairly large load times, and it ultimately feels a bit like a janky RPG lacking polish – an issue that is persistent across the game (more on this later).
The game introduces intergender matches, allowing male and female superstars to compete against each other, adding diversity to matchups. I wasn’t crying out for this but it’s nice to have the limitation removed (even if it’s being a bitabused on social media, perhaps why they locked it away for so many years). The reintroduction of a chain wrestling mechanic offers strategic depth, appealing to players who enjoy the technical aspects of wrestling. But a special mention has to go to the roster which is seriously expansive, featuring over 300 superstars from various WWE eras. It’s easily the most complete roster I’ve ever seen.
Visually, WWE 2K25 impresses with detailed character models and enhanced lighting effects that make arenas more dynamic. However, some wrestlers still exhibit awkward movements or outdated models, and the crowd animations can be repetitive. This is perhaps the downside of having such a big roster – some character models look absolutelyamazing, and some look…. Well not good. It’s jarring really, and a shame. Even wrestling animations and moves can look a bit odd – the newer ones that have been motion-captured look superb, but some of the older ones look like they need fine-tuning, or some moves require pacing adjustments as they are executed too quickly or slowly. In addition, the age-old problem of wrestlers being assigned moves that they never have or would do persists from previous entries. You can change movesets at least, but as a fan seeing your favourite do something they physically could not is also a bit jarring.
The growing emphasis on microtransactions, particularly in modes like MyFACTION, may frustrate due to the grind required to unlock content without additional spending. It’s extremely slow and feels like a dirty cash grab. Additionally, accessibility features are lacking, with small on-screen prompts that can be easily missed which is a bit of an oversight in this day and age.
Nonetheless, a huge list of match types, areas to fight in, different modes, and an enormous suite of customisation options mean that this is easily the most complete wrestling game around. It’s not definitive – I’d like to see more attention paid to the in-ring action, but the 2K series has carved out its own style quite clearly at this point. Without much by way of any serious competition, it’s fortunate that this is probably the most comprehensive wrestling game available.
Reviewed on PS5
