WWE 2K24 Review (PS5) – A Polished Sequel

Following an exciting year of WWE, 2K has attempted to capture the over-the-top thrilling action with its brand-new release, WWE 2K24. The previous instalment was a solid title that was well-rounded for the most part. With some new features and game modes, WWE 2K24 already seems to be taking steps in the right direction. While innovation might be bit of a stretch when describing this game, it is still polished and extremely addicting to play. That being said, this is our review of WWE 2K24.

WWE 2K24 is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox for $59.99 USD.

The deluxe edition costs $99.99 USD and the Forty Years of WrestleMania version costs $119.99 USD. You can find each edition’s bonus contents below.

40 Years of WrestleMania Edition

3-Day Early Access, starting March 5th, 2024.

Nightmare Family Pack:

• Dusty Rhodes (’76) + MyFACTION Card
• Stardust
• Undashing Cody Rhodes
• “Superstar” Billy Graham
• Mattel Cody Rhodes (Bruised) Playable Character and MyFACTION Card
• Pharaoh Manager MyFACTION Card

Forty Years of WrestleMania Pack:

• Showcase Superstars Roster Unlock
• WrestleMania 40 Arena
• “Macho King” Randy Savage – WrestleMania 6
• Rey Mysterio – WrestleMania 22
• Triple H – WrestleMania 30
• Charlotte Flair – WrestleMania 33
• Rhea Ripley – WrestleMania 36
• Gold MyFACTION for ALL cards of the above

Deluxe Edition

• Season Pass (5 DLC Packs)
• MyRISE Mega-Boost
• SuperCharger
• Rhea Ripley MyFACTION Gold Card
• Bianca Belair MyFACTION Gold Card
• Rhea Ripley Alt Attire
• Bianca Belair Alt Attire

40 Years of WrestleMania Edition

Gameplay

This year, there are a plethora of new features and game modes that make this title an extremely fun pick-up. While there is still a bit to be desired, the gameplay is overall smooth, responsive, and realistic, making for some nice immersive wrestling. It seems they’ve taken the previous year’s gameplay and animation, and then simply polished it. While there is nothing wrong with that – after all, if it is not broken, do not fix it – yet, we felt as though maybe they could have further explored some new mechanics.

New Game Modes

Special guest referee. Finally, The Rock this game mode has come back! You’ve got to give 2K their flowers because they listened to the fans and boy did they deliver. The special guest referee game mode is not only nostalgic but also extremely fun, especially with friends!

Special Guest Referee HBK

The new modes do not stop here as next up, we’ve got The Undertaker’s playground in the new Casket Match. The gameplay is fairly straightforward with the goal being whipping or throwing your opponent into a casket and winning a small mini-game. Unfortunately, this same mechanic is also used in the new Ambulance Matches, removing some of the uniqueness and personality of each mode. Despite this, Ambulance Matches have a plethora of features such as; throwing your opponent off of the top of the ambulance and using the ambulance doors as weapons.

RKO on top of the ambulance!

Gauntlet Matches

Finally, there is the Gauntlet Match. There are three types to choose from:

• Gauntlet Match – A normal gauntlet match, in which, two superstars face off 1v1 until one person gets pinned or submits. Afterwards, another enters and the cycle repeats until one man is standing at the end. Similar to a Royal Rumble but much more brutal.
• Gauntlet Turmoil Match – This version pins a superstar against a specific faction, allowing them to enter one by one following a member’s elimination. This tests the superstar’s durability and can make for some amazing heel manager work in Universe Mode.
• Gauntlet Eliminator Match – This version is essentially exactly like a Royal Rumble but instead of trying to throw your opponents over the top rope, you simply have to pin them or make them tap out via submission.

This game mode is definitely one of the most interesting and versatile, allowing for some mega-action to take place. The gameplay seems fluid so far and these new game modes help keep things fresh. We would have liked there to be a bit more details when it came to the creativity of the Casket and Ambulance matches. However, they did a decent job all things considered.

Additionally, backstage brawls have been overhauled with new features such as; taking the elevator and throwing your opponent off of high ledges. It is reassuring the 2K are not completely ignoring backstage brawls as they had done previously in the past, sprinkling in a few new features here and there to keep us satisfied for the time being.

40 Years of WrestleMania Gameplay

While the concept on paper is great, having a WrestleMania showcase was bound to make a few fans unhappy due to the lack of inclusion of what they perceive as iconic matches. Regardless, the matches they did include such as; Hogan v Andre, Undertaker v Shawn Michaels, and Roman v Cody are all legendary.

Will Cody finish the story?

The main criticism of this mode is the same as last year’s John Cena showcase. Mixing in-game moments with real-life footage is interesting but it usually happens at key moments or match finishes, revoking some of the immersion and the point of it being a video game where you replay all of these iconic matches. It is a fun way for wrestling enthusiasts to relive some of the greatest matches of all time but we can’t help but feel as though the innovation could have been pushed further.

Trading Blows & Super Finishers

By far one of the most exciting arrivals is being able to save up all 3 finisher bars in order to perform a ‘super finisher.’ This can range from Cody Rhodes’s triple Crossroads to an RKO from the top rope. A feature like this is amazing because it allows matches that drag on longer to be more spontaneous and have a proper build. Momentum has more meaning and purpose now as you begin to focus on trying to perform your super finisher which your opponent cannot use Resiliency to kick out of.

Finally, trading blows is a new mechanic that attempts to mimic the real-life pacing of wrestling matches. However, we believe that it feels a bit clunky and slows things down a bit. You need to hold down Square (PS) or X (Xbox) in a specific highlighted area in a circle that appears on top of the superstars’ heads. The more you fail to do so correctly, the more your stamina fades and thus leading to you receiving a brutal rush of attacks from your opponent. When playing a video game, it is encouraged to remove some realism in favour of fun mechanics. This is why the Smackdown vs Raw games were very successful – they had an arcade feel whilst still sticking true to what wrestling is at its core.

Roster & Ratings

With over 250+ wrestlers including legends, it seems as though the immense roster size was trying to make up for a very questionable rating system. The superstar ratings are abysmal and do not make a shred of sense. Logan Paul was given a 90 overall rating which is higher than Batista, Shawn Michaels ’05, Sheamus, Kevin Owens, and AJ Styles. This is one of the many extremely odd rating choices that 2K has opted to go for but thankfully you can edit them in-game.

Graphics & Audio – Remarkable

As always, 2K blows it out of the water with the visuals and commentary. Both blend together to create a truly immersive atmosphere, allowing you to genuinely feel like you’re on Monday Night Raw. 

The Rock in WWE2K24

Although the trailers all look way better than the actual graphics on display in-game, they still look fantastic and pretty accurate. Even if 2K messed up a superstar’s look or forgot to include someone, you can simply access Community Creations and find a plethora of creators looking to enhance the attires and appearances of the superstars. However, it should be noted that on launch, accessing Community Creations would result in the game crashing for some.

MyRISE & MyFACTION

The My Rise stories are interesting and definitely better than last year’s sort of cliche and boring ‘The Lock’ gimmick. This year, they blend the ‘finish-the-story’ storyline with an attitude-era feeling, capturing the essence of an entertaining story with a lot of heel potential. Roman Reigns voices lines which is rare to see making it a nice treat for fans of the business. There are lots of twists and turns but we do not want to spoil too much. Instead, watch the trailer below for a feel for what to expect.

With a heavy emphasis on Persona Cards, MyFaction is the exact same game mode at heart with just a few changes here and there. Persona Cards are alternate attire for your superstars, allowing you to customize your collection accordingly. Paybacks, Side Plates, and Manager Cards improve your faction’s performance and Faction Wars tickets allow you to participate in Faction Wars. The tickets can be earned via daily log-ins and other challenges. This mode is solid but is often overlooked due to its unique nature.

Universe Mode

Arguably one of the most integral pieces of a successful WWE game, Universe Mode is back but unfortunately with minimal changes. The ‘no-holds-barred’ box has been improved upon with a lot of new cutscenes, rivalry actions, and even double-title matches. However, most of the features that made Universe Mode so great back in WWE 12 are still yet to be re-added in this instalment. More spontaneous cutscenes, more drama, more stakes. Something is still missing to truly reach that prime version of Universe Mode due to its almost unlimited potential as a game mode.

WWE 2K24 was reviewed on PS5.