WWE 2K22 Review – An Improvement or Failure?

WWE 2K22 has just released, and considering the absolute mess that was WWE 2K20 (the last game), I thought it would be quite fun to give the newest entry a review. And instantly, it is better than I thought. But I guess that wasn’t much of a challenge.

All-around I think this game has improved quite nicely. Graphics, gameplay, commentary are so much better than the previous entry. And I hate that I have to compare the two, but I think it’s definitely a point that needs to be made.

Vastly Improved Gameplay

Where better to start than the gameplay. If you are familiar with this game series, you know exactly what to expect here. You pick the wrestler you want to play as and fight a different one. It’s a simple premise that certainly has its good sides and bad sides.

Starting with the good parts, the controls to this game I found to be quite smooth and entertaining. Yes, there is a bit of a learning curve, but it isn’t much of an issue and does get quite simple the further you get into the game. It’s good getting to learn these controls and get used to them. Once you have them handled, you are good for the entire game.

And when combined with the variety of game modes available, like MyRise where you can make your own character and make your way up the ranks. Combined with classics like Royal Rumble. You certainly have quite a bit to play. My thoughts are a bit mixed on this. The gameplay component is good, but the story content included sucks. I will talk a bit more about this below.

Though this does draw in my first slight problem with the game. And this isn’t really a complaint I have with this game in particular, but rather most sports games. Like FIFA or Madden. And it’s that it doesn’t really do anything special or unique compared to previous entries. It still feels like the same game that has been made for years.

I also want to mention the return of the GM Mode. It’s just boring. I don’t have much to say about it. You just spend lots of time looking at menus and it just doesn’t do much to make you entertained. There is also a mode called MyFaction. Where you choose your team to oppose the nWo. And it’s just bad. It really drags on as a mode and is just a bit of a pain.

If you have played a WWE game before, don’t expect anything revolutionary. If you loved the previous games and enjoy the franchise, this game is definitely a must play for you. The gameplay is a huge improvement over previous entries, controls are smoother, modes are mostly entertaining and the action feels a lot faster and more intense.

Just a few more extra points that I want to make. The removal of the stamina meter and other life bars is a great change all around. This was one big issue in 2K20 as it made the combat feel slow, and seeing it gone here is just a great thing to see. And I want to mention the camera angles as well. They are very consistent and don’t cause any issues. It’s very easy to see what is happening around you and just makes the action feel complete.

Hit and Miss Story

There is a story present in the game as well, mostly through the MyRise mode. It’s just uninteresting all around. Most of the interaction you have with other characters will be through just pieces of texts and messages. Not going to bring up any spoilers so don’t worry about that. Just be warned that the story is just bad. It lacks action and flair, and you may as well just play the normal game modes.

The Showcase Mode does return too, and it focuses on the career of Rey Mysterio. I did find this more interesting than the content made in MyRise. But it wasn’t extraordinary. Mostly due to the fact it is quite short. You can probably get this done in just over an hour if you are good. I’d give it a go if you are a fan of WWE. But again, if you aren’t very familiar with this franchise, it probably won’t capture you at all.

Stable Performance

Performance was something that WWE 2K20 certainly lacked. The game was full of bugs and glitches, and it made the game a huge joke. How that game shipped out how it was I will never be able to figure out. Anyway, to the present. They have definitely learned from their mistakes here. Don’t get me wrong there are still a few bugs that you may run into, but it is an enormous improvement.

I played through the game on PS5 and it was quite consistent. Though there have been some server issues off launch, but I don’t expect this to last long. And the game looked very strong graphically as well. From what I have heard from others this is the same across multiple platforms as well. Including PS4 and Xbox One. Which is great to hear especially considering the last entry. (Sorry to keep bringing it up, it was just so bad).

All of the character models look great, the game consistently performs and I don’t have any complaints.

Verdict

I don’t have a whole lot to say about WWE 2K22, mostly because I don’t feel as though there is a lot of new additions that are worth bringing up. The gameplay does feel quite strong and the graphics are consistently strong. Making it instantly better than previous entries. But I feel like this game focused more on wanting to improve more on what failed last time, rather than trying something brand new.

Overall, I am going to give it a 6.5/10. It is certainly not a bad game, but not the best either. Though it is one of the better WWE games I have played, I am not a giant fan of the game series as a whole. And after 2 months of constant game releases, we can finally take a breather and catch up on some other games.