2KSports’ latest, and potentially final WWE game is a home run
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Managing Editor
“WWE 2K20” was just not good. The gameplay was clunky, the graphics regressed, and everything about the game itself felt stale and uninspired. It was exceptionally bad, and so poorly received that 2K took what ended up being an over two-year break to figure out its next step.
That next step was “WWE 2K22” which was released in early March after months of delays. And while the game doesn’t appear to play much different than its predecessor, it is a much needed improvement over it.
Despite the upgrades, there is still a lot of room for improvement. In particular, the MyGM mode, where you book and promote your own brand on a weekly basis, suffers from extreme limitations in both the matches you’re allowed to make and the amount of matches you’re allowed to make. The allure of the mode is essentially running the business side of things, and perhaps future games that have the mode will expand the mode to be a lot more inclusive. A recent “patch update” to the game somewhat rectified this by adding another championship to each roster and increasing the number of matches to make on a given show, but there is still a long way to go.
The game’s Universe mode is also a bit confusing and a bit of a waste of time, but it also is essentially MyGM without the limitations of financial aspect.
It’s also worth saying that the game’s “Showcase” mode, which this game centers on the legendary Rey Mysterio, is a letdown. Removing the commentary tracks and having Mysterio himself give commentary over the match at various points was actually an inspired choice, but the matches themselves were, for the most part, not the classics that the majority of fans remember. That probably boils down to the fact that so many of Mysterio’s rivals are currently under contract to other companies, so not much could’ve been done about that. Still, it makes for an underwhelming mode.
Where the “Showcase” mode falters, the “MyRise” mode thrives. That mode, where you take a superstar that you create and have them progress from the bottom to the top of the company, is a ton of fun, filled with fantastic and inspired storylines with a lot of variety. The modes’ many choices actually affect the stories that you’re playing through, and how your character is perceived. And the mode itself is extremely creative. This was also the case in 2K20, but this version of the mode is much better than that one.
As for the gameplay itself, the graphics don’t appear to have changed much on a surface level, but the game is a lot less glitchy than previous entries in the series. The game also institutes and introduces a brand new (and extensive) combo system that may be an adjustment for some players (especially during the Showcase mode), but also greatly enhances the experience of playing a match.
The game has a few inaccuracies when it comes to the talent and arenas that are featured, although the former isn’t really the fault of the game developers. That’s because the characters in the game change their personas rather frequently; because of this, the game feels a bit outdated in some ways. It’s not a massive issue. It’s also worth noting that an extended roster is on the way, with multiple groups of downloadable characters still to come.
This was reportedly the last game that 2K was currently contracted to make with WWE, and the relationship between the two organizations is very much up in the air. The game was reportedly seen as a make-or-break affair, and while there is still a lot of room for improvement, “WWE 2K22” does indeed hit differently. In a very good way.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Ring Bells
