Cena himself also provides some moments of reflection on the ones that made it in, but they are oddly sterile and surface level considering he is known for being a deep thinker when it comes to pro wrestling. A few omissions are understandable, as some of the major names involved are currently contracted outside of the WWE and not willing or able to play ball, but it was strange not to see folks like JBL and The Miz. I enjoyed the winding trip down memory lane, though there were a few notable bumps in the road. Cena’s spent so much of his 20-plus-year career winning that it’s refreshing to see him run down the monumental Ls he’s occasionally taken from greats like Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, and Triple H. This year’s 2K Showcase focuses on John Cena’s biggest losses, which is an interesting take on the marquee game mode. This is the kind of resource management usually only seen in traditional fighting games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, but it fits like the perfect pair of boots in 2K23. The risk-reward relationship of the special bar makes you think as well: these defenses can be used to great effect to stop taking damage during vital moments, but if you fill that bar completely, either by dealing or receiving damage, the Signature move you unleash could do more to turn the tide in your favor. Being able to instantly recover from attacks or play possum for a quick hit or surprise roll-up pin helps keep you in the match even when you're on the wrong end of a mud-hole stomping. Some old payback options that were missing last year are back as general defensive options that you can spend a portion of your special bar to use. It’s the rare case of a marketing slogan that actually rings true: WWE 2K22 hits different. All this on top of an impressive visual overhaul that makes all 160+ superstars look the best they’ve ever looked in a video game. The year off has clearly paid dividends: Virtually all of the major bugs I experienced in WWE 2K20 have been squashed the revamped combat is faster, leaner, and full of smart tweaks that make it approachable for newcomers and rewarding for veterans MyRise takes the M圜areer mode into a bold new direction and MyGM offers a very niche, but nonetheless well put together management sim that’s sure to be a blast if you can find a like-minded wrestling fan to play it with. It's crisp, clean and fun.Īs they celebrate their hard work and what is sure to be a considerable success, it will be on the developers to build on this while introducing new and exciting innovations to keep fans coming back.2K Games and Visual Concepts needed a win with WWE 2K22, and while it’s far from a complete ground-up rebuild, it’s quite possibly the biggest leap forward the series has ever seen. The roster is better, the graphics are GOAT status and the gameplay is solid. Yes, it offers better, more complete modes than before. Yes, this year's addition to the franchise is better than the 2022 version. One of the biggest complaints about the popular Madden NFL game is that every year the same game is repackaged with new rosters and a flashy new cover, but people still flock to buy it despite the minimal changes or upgrades.Ĭolantonio warns that WWE could find itself in the same boat if it does not constantly work to fix bugs, maintain modes, evolve them and introduce new elements to keep gamers from fatigue.Īnd that is where developers and WWE must work to ensure they do not fall into the same traps that the game did during the mid-to-late 2010s, where complacency bred a weaker annual offering before the crushing disappointment of 2020. "WWE 2K23 is another successful chapter in the wrestling series' comeback story, but the red flags of annualization are starting to appear already," he said. This is something that drastically enhanced a mode that had plenty of potential a season ago and simply needed more attention during the development of this year's release. Ditto MyFranchise, which now includes multiplayer online options. We see that in the improved MyGM mode, which features more match types, multiplayer options and fresh general manager choices. There is such a thing as too much, too soon, and 2KSports and Visual Concepts have avoided that trap by resisting the urge to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks by focusing first on what they knew to be successful from last year's offering and doing what they could to improve upon it. WWE 2K23 takes the solid foundations of last year's game, picks at every detail of every game mode, and finds ways to make it better." 2K22 saw such a huge overhaul to the series, and there's no point in throwing that all away just for the sake of novelty. He added: "It's understandable and what we expected. Ryan Woodrow of Sports Illustrated echoed that sentiment, stating, "small but meaningful improvements are the name of the game this year."
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