Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher:
2K Games
Developer:
Visual Concepts
Release:
March 8, 2024
Rating:
Teen
WWE 2K24 leverages WrestleMania’s impending 40-year milestone to celebrate the event, and it proves to be a party worth attending. Enjoyable additions and smart improvements bolster its steadily improving formula, making it the strongest in-ring outing since the series’ return.
2K24’s control scheme remains largely unchanged from 2K23 but boasts neat new mechanics, such as the trading blows mini-game. This gamification of the back-and-forth “boo/yay” punch trope adds a fun wrinkle to combat. Other well-worn in-ring moments to receive attention include setting up big dives onto a mob of opponents; I rarely use it, but it’s nice to have. That sentiment applies to the game’s new match types: Casket, Ambulance, and Special Guest Referee. I’m generally lukewarm on these stipulations in real life and I won’t be rushing to play them often here, but they’re replicated well. I especially like how Special Referee sports a meter that limits ref shenanigans to keep it from being totally one-sided should you face a crooked official. It also fosters strategic cheating for the player in stripes.
A staggering roster of over 200 Superstars out of the box varies from pretty good to spot-on in the looker department. I also appreciate smaller presentational touches, such as having real-life referees like Charles Robinson and Jessika Carr appear for the first time. Regardless of whose boots you wear, playing 2K24 remains a largely good hands-on experience, even if some moves could stand to be less mechanically dense. Forgetting all of the offensive options at your disposal is easy, but a robust tutorial helps simplify this learning curve. Existing match stipulations remain entertaining whether playing alone or online, though the latter destination is, at publishing, a tricky proposition thanks to spotty connections.
Showcase mode allows players to relive iconic bouts throughout the first 39 WrestleManias. Taking into account wrestlers who can’t appear due to current employment in rival organizations or for being generally problematic, it’s a strong curation of matches. Corey Graves’ commentary during transitions to real footage adds a nice touch compared to last year’s silent cutscenes. I also love that button prompts for objectives now appear on-screen, reducing trips to the menu screen to figure out how to execute a specific maneuver. Showcases’ wacky finale isn’t quite as memorable as last year’s big twist, but the mode is an overall improvement over 2K23’s rendition and a great celebration of WrestleMania that inspires me to rewatch my favorite matches from the event.
The dual story-driven journeys of MyRise present more narrative forks stemming from pivotal decision-making moments. Whether you play an indie legend navigating the mainstream waters of WWE or build the credibility of a low-card act chaotically thrust into the World Title picture, I like how choices pack more meaningful engagement to their overall enjoyable tales. It’s delightfully silly at points, and I also like seeing characters and plot points from last year’s MyRise reappear here, adding a welcomed continuity to 2K’s alternate WWE universe. Thankfully, created characters and unlockables finally carry over into more modes, adding deeper returns to my investment in MyRise.
MyGM, a personal favorite destination, remains a good time bolstered by expanded match types, GMs, talent interactions, and other options. It also feels more strategic now that you can level up individual talent by placing them in certain matches and negotiate Superstar trades between brands each season. Although Universe mode is less my jam, I’m happy to see the giant sandbox sim get options such as Money in the Bank cash-ins and run-ins, plus more cutscenes that add to its TV-like presentation. The card-collecting-themed MyFaction has never been my cup of tea, and 2K24 doesn’t change this, but it’s nice to see it receive more depth in match types and competitive multiplayer options. The already stellar creation suite sports additional items to build the coolest – or silliest – Superstars, arenas, entrances, or championships you can concoct, but don’t expect any major changes to its reliable template. That last point applies to nearly all of 2K24’s offerings: good iterations of an established formula.
2K24 sees Visual Concepts layer on quality new bricks to WWE 2K’s strong foundation while sanding away some rough edges. The series has settled into an exceptional, if very familiar, blueprint, and I would love to see a bigger shake-up in the future, but the result offers the best package since the franchise returned in 2022. If you’re a curious fan who’s held off on jumping back into the digital ring, 2K24 is as good an argument as any to shake off the ring rust. For diehard enthusiasts, this year’s entry won’t bowl you over in the broad sense, but its incremental updates and continued polish make it a worthy contender for another year.
