If you’re even a casual fan of sports entertainment, you’ve gotta be pumped about the latest entry in the flagship WWE video game series. I’m talking about none other than WWE 2K24!
For those not familiar with these games, they’ve been around for years capturing all the body-slamming, trash-talking action that makes wrestling so entertaining. The series had some ups and downs, but developer Visual Concepts really turned things around with 2022’s WWE 2K22 after taking a little time off to fine-tune their approach. Fans and critics alike agreed it was a knockout return to form.
They built on that momentum with last year’s 2K23, which offered some sweet new modes and fine-tuned the already solid gameplay. Nice little one-two combo there. And now we’ve got 2K24 climbing up to the top rope looking to stick the landing with a big high-flying elbow drop!
This latest entry likely won’t revolutionize the way you play these games. You’re still gonna be pulling off wicked chair shots, talking smack online against your buddies, and creating your own outrageous wrestling personas. But 2K24 polishes everything to a shine and adds just enough new bells and whistles to keep it feeling fresh. We’re talking new match types like Ambulance Matches, some extra customization options, improved visuals, and little touches of added realism across the board.
So while this might not be a total game-changer, it’s looking like the best entry in recent memory for this series. If you want to layeth the virtual smacketh down in over-the-top WWE action, this one’s looking primed to let you do it in style!
Laying the Smackdown in the Ring
When it comes to gameplay, the WWE 2K series has always prioritized delivering an experience that makes you feel like you’re truly controlling these larger-than-life wrestlers. I’m thrilled to say 2K24 carries on that tradition splendidly. Sure, at its core not a ton has changed – the moment-to-moment action still has that finely-tuned balance between slick arcade action and simulation-style mechanics. But that deep and responsive combat system first introduced in 2K22 remains best-in-class. All the punches, grapples, submissions, and other moves have just the right amount of weight and impact.
And on top of that already rock-solid foundation, the developers sprinkled in some awesome extras to liven things up. Signature moves now have “super” versions that do bonus damage at the cost of multiple finisher slots. Sporadic quick-time events add suspense with timed button presses. And my personal favorite – straight up throwing weapons at your opponent’s face with ragdoll physics in full effect. The over-the-top hilarity never gets old.
The roster of match types has expanded too. Wanna beat someone senseless then chuck ’em in an ambulance? Go for it. Feel like donning the black-and-white shirt yourself and officiating as a crooked ref? Have at it. Or take part in a good ol’ fashion Gauntlet with a series of opponents. Plenty of ways to customize the beatdowns to your liking.
Make no mistake though – for all the new toys, this ain’t a totally flawless experience. You might occasionally see some odd glitches or awkward moves from the AI. But take it from a longtime fan – stuff like that has always been part of these games’ goofy charm. And it’s kept well in check here. I never ran into anything that ruined all the rowdy fun.
So if you couldn’t tell already, I’m clearly still very stoked and having a blast with all the action. It’s yet another lay-up for 2K in smoothly expanding the stellar foundation they’ve built over the last couple years. Can’t wait to put even more hours into mastering the rampaging wrestling mayhem!
Entrances to Die For
I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say the graphics and presentation in the WWE 2K series just keep getting better and better. The visual bar was already set real high following the major engine overhaul in 2K22. Characters finally looked true-to-life with beautifully captured facial textures, body sculpts, gear details and more. And the slick new lighting tricks and camera work made everything feel broadcast quality. WWE 2K24 keeps that momentum rolling with further polish and next level flair.
Right from the hop, those wrestler entrances hit hard – always a big part of the appeal for fans. Everyone from Roman Reigns to breakout stars like Liv Morgan have their signature walks, poses, pyrotechnics and big screen videos down pat thanks to phenomenal mocap and attention to detail.
And it’s all framed with clever dynamic camera work that makes it feel like you’re watching a live event. Once the match gets underway, you’ll notice all kinds of little visual touches breathing new life into the action too – shadows shift realistically as superstars move around the ring, sweat glistens off flexing muscles, and gear shows battle damage. It takes the immersion up a big notch.
And that high level of authenticity extends to the whopping 240+ fighters themselves. All modeled to startling accuracy right down to their tattoos and crazy hairstyles, with smoothed out facial animations to boot. Obscure longtime refs have been faithfully recreated along with signature announcers like Samantha Irvin. About the only thing missing at launch was CM Punk due to some contract kerfuffle, but no major omissions otherwise.
I could go on and on marveling over all the remarkable visual details injected into virtually every corner of this entry. But I don’t want to ramble on forever when I could be back perfecting Randy Orton’s creepy, slow ring entrance instead! So in summary – whether watching these larger than life personalities own the ramp, or sweating it out mano y mano in the ring, WWE 2K24 continues to set a new high watermark for wrestling game presentation. Drink it in, man!
Wrestling Your Way
If you couldn’t already tell, WWE 2K24 is packing a ton of hard-hitting content to enjoy. From story-driven career modes to managing leagues of superstars to good old fashion exhibition brawls, there should be something for fans of all stripes. Let’s dig into the key modes worth your time both inside and outside the ring!
MyCareer aka MyRISE
This popular career-based campaign mode made its return last year letting you guide an up-and-coming created wrestler through the ranks trying to become a WWE Icon. I always saw it as kind of the wrestling RPG equivalent – level up your grappler while making storyline decisions backstage, interacting with other personalities, and balancing friendships/rivalries.
WWE 2K24 keeps that main framework but provides not just one, but two new narrative paths to follow dubbed “Undisputed” for the men and “Unleashed” on the women’s side. Without getting too spoilery, the available arcs feature cameos from big main event names, customizable progression, shocking plot twists, and branching events that change based on your decisions. And best of all, the writing and voice acting has never been wittier. I couldn’t help but feel invested guiding my eccentric luchador towards championship glory! The only downsides are the storylines maybe get a tad formulaic in parts and some weird difficulty spikes. But minor gripes for what otherwise feels like a beefed up season of wrestling television tailored just for me!
Universe and GM Modes
On top of living out wrestling dreams in MyRise, players have always been able to craft their own vision booking cards, managing rosters, scheduling promos/matches and more in the ever-deep Universe and GM modes. Universe gives you macro control over multiple shows writing the storylines match-by-match, while GM offers a more business sim-like experience with contracts, budgets and keeping the crowds happy.
Once again, strong customization remains the real star here from drafting free agents to running your own brand split between RAW and Smackdown. But notable new enhancements like mid-season roster trading in GM, more cutscene options for storylines in Universe, and better tools for tracking feuds/partnerships make realizing your ultimate wrestling promotion better than ever. Just be warned – you WILL lose hours of your life fine tuning everything to perfection!
MyFACTION and Creation Suite
I’ll wrap up quickly highlighting two other beloved staples fans always gravitate towards – building custom stars/arenas and collecting cards in MyFACTION. The card-based mode itself plays as great as last year letting you assemble dream teams, take on challenges and boost your abilities RPG-style. And now the rewards feed back into regular play too in the form of unlockable personas.
Yet again, the sheer depth of customization possible with all the available wrestler parts, moves, logos and such is staggeringly deep for letting creativity run wild. Want to build a hardcore grandma with a barbwire baseball bat? Go to town!
So those are the big tentpoles worth knowing about headed into launch. But trust me, they’re just the tip of the iceberg of the massive amount of modes, options and overall content stuffed into this game. Time to get that controller back in my hands so I can continue Crusading for Championships!
Pumping Up the Volume
I gotta take a moment to spotlight WWE 2K24’s on point audio package because it often gets overlooked. But the sound design plays a massive part in making these games such immersive showpieces.
Where to even start? Let’s kick things off with the stellar play-by-play commentary. Michael Cole and Corey Graves returned to record a mind-boggling amount of relevant lines that intelligently react to context. They’ll put over storylines, reference wrestler history, or comment on specific match stipulations.
And that commentary gets seamlessly woven into all the boisterous crowd noise and bone-crunching effects amplifying every blow in and around the ring. Speaking of crowds, they also chant along to entrance themes, rain down boos and cheers, and even revival old classics like “You Suck!” at Kurt Angle’s appearance.
Top tier audio work brings so much life and energyacross the board. Between the OST tunes handpicked by Post Malone leading to some hilarious dance break spots, to hearing Daniel Bryan bellow out crowd-rallying “Yes!” chants in unison, it’s clear no detail was overlooked. Everything melds together into a glorious symphony of wrestling spectacle.
I’d be remiss not to shoutout the menu audio too – because of course WWE went all out with wrestler theme snippet stings for every little selection. Gotta have that rugged guitar riff when toggling Sami Zayn’s stats!
Bottom line – crank up those speakers or slip on some headphones, because WWE 2K24 sounds as good as it looks. The audiopalooza draws you into playing virtual Vinnie Mac masterfully. Now if you’ll excuse me, I feel a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match coming on just so I can hear every violent crash in ear-pleasing surround sound!
Bang for Your Buck
Given the amount of modes, customization options, and expanded features stuffed into WWE 2K24, I’d say the $70 asking price is plenty fair. There’s no shortage of content here to keep players happily body slamming for dozens upon dozens of hours.
While a full single playthrough of the new MyRISE campaigns will take 15-20 hours, that ALONE is pretty reasonable dollar-to-entertainment time. Nevermind Universe, Creation Suite, online antics and the sheer freedom of exhibition matches with friends. Speaking from experience with these games, that all ads up to nearly endless replayability if you get into the creative flow.
I clocked a staggering 200 hours in 2K19 Universe fine tuning matches, rivalries and ppv cards until my fingers went numb on the controller. Some reviews cited WWE 2K24 as more iterative sequel rather than reinvention too. But frankly, the template was already so feature rich and fundamentally enjoyable that some smart refinements are very welcome.
Let’s put it this way – it’s not hard to have a total cost per hour wind up being less than a dollar when all is said and done. Add in post-launch DLC plans and roster updates down the road, and the long tail value goes up even more. So if you’re a fan of sports entertainment with sticking power, few games offer up a better overall package than this. Time to shoulder block that purchase button and dive in!
Signing Off
As this whole review has hopefully made clear, WWE 2K24 represents the biggest, baddest, and best wrestling video game package money can buy. It confidently builds on the rock-solid fundamentals established by 2K22 and 2K23, smoothing out lingering rough edges without losing what made those games so gosh darn fun.
At its core, fans are getting arguably the greatest creation suite ever seen, flexible tools to stage their ultimate dream matches, and the same addictive gameplay loop that brilliantly balances wrestling chaos. The smart new enhancements like thrown weapons, more match types, extra creation parts only add to an already stacked buffet of modes and options.
That’s not to say it’s a flawless victory of course. A few legacy issues like occasional janky animations still rear their head, and some modes clearly show more refinement than others. But even after dozens of hours picking apart everything (and running my own post-apocalyptic wrestling league in Universe), I never stopped having an absolute blast.
WWE 2K24 confidently retains the title belt for best modern wrestling game. I’ll admit some skepticism that the magic formula bringing the franchise back from the brink could feel fresh after two iterations. Yet once again, the team stuck the landing. This marks three fantastic wrestling games in a row thanks to meaningful progress rather than overambitious new features that lose sight of the core appeal.
So for any gamers with an itch to embrace their inner superstar – from casual fans to diehard smarks – grab your folding chairs and get ready to layeth the virtual smacketh down with the biggest spectacle WWE 2K24 has to offer. I’ll see you in the ring, friends! Now let’s start building that fantasy match card already!
The Review
WWE 2K24
WWE 2K24 delivers the most robust and refined wrestling video game experience to date. With excellent gameplay, huge customization, stunning presentation, and meaningful additions across the board, it's easy to recommend for casual and hardcore wrestling fans alike. Some lingering issues hold it back from absolute greatness, but the total package shows why this franchise is back on top. The in-ring action and responsive controls are best-in-class, creating a thrilling simulation of WWE programming. Visually it looks nearly indistinguishable from real broadcasts as well. Modes like MyGM and MyRISE provide tremendous value too. Only a few lingering glitches and the outdated Showcase hold it back from a higher score. But overall WWE 2K24 marks a worthy step forward for this rejuvenated series.
PROS
- Smooth, responsive gameplay with new mechanics like super finishers
- Tons of customization and creation tools
- Excellent visuals and presentation with details like real referees
- Big roster and new match types add variety
- MyGM and MyRISE provide great single-player value
CONS
- Occasional minor glitches and awkward animations
- Showcase mode formula is getting repetitive
- Commentary still has some repetitiveness
- MyFACTION push feels forced and pandering
