A good base game but not a good finished product. Updates are desperately needed. You can see this hybrid wrestling/fighter gameplay they're trying to do but it needs lots of refining, especially when the online mode is the same experience as any other wrestling game (lots of cheesing, caws always suck, etc)
Have to imagine the feelings surrounding this game would be more positive if it was a 29.99 offering that made back the other 29.99 via DLC similar to Fire Pro Wrestling World.
A month into the release and the lack of communication from THQ Nordic/Yukes is doing further damage.
Have to imagine the feelings surrounding this game would be more positive if it was a 29.99 offering that made back the other 29.99 via DLC similar to Fire Pro Wrestling World.
A month into the release and the lack of communication from THQ Nordic/Yukes is doing further damage.
Severely, disappointingly lacking in content for a wrestling game and works as an example as to what bothers me about All Elite Wrestling 3 1/2 years or so into its existence. Don't want to turn this into a soapbox about what I don't like about AEW but hey if it fits.
For better or worse the game plays exactly like the N64 wrestling many kids (not me I played the PS1 games) grew up with. Holds up decently well but all the things that frustrated me back then still apply here, mainly the nonexistent health bars. The back and forth of matches is fun enough, I like making the people I watch on TV do the moves I see on TV. It's fun enough.
Problem is, Not enough of the people I like are in this. Specifically there's hardly any women. I'm a big fan of women's wrestling and Tony Khan acts like its a nuisance Much like their weekly programming AEW doesn't care about women and the game itself doesn't give a shit about women. There's 12 when you boot up the game, 13 after you unlock Aubrey Edwards, and there will be 14 once the Season Pass DLC gives The Bunny. compared to the 40+ Men, despite there being 30+ women signed to All Elite Wrestling. The game can't even pretend to try to care about women in Road to Elite mode either. Chapter 1 you win the Women's title, then immediately got asked to fill in for a Men's match since you're a badass #girlboss that's just as strong as the boys, then immediately my story went the same exact path that my Male wrestler went through except that I won the TBS title on a random Rampage without ever talking to anyone about setting it up. No mention of ever winning the titles after they happen in Road to Elite, really cheapens the feeling of becoming champion.
Wrestler customization is pathetically slim, moves are there but there's nothing there when it comes to appearances. I like making myself in these games and couldn't get anything to look near myself which is frustrating when there's a guy who looks like me on the roster.
In its current state I can't recommend paying $60+Applicable Tax. Worth it if you can catch it on sale.
For better or worse the game plays exactly like the N64 wrestling many kids (not me I played the PS1 games) grew up with. Holds up decently well but all the things that frustrated me back then still apply here, mainly the nonexistent health bars. The back and forth of matches is fun enough, I like making the people I watch on TV do the moves I see on TV. It's fun enough.
Problem is, Not enough of the people I like are in this. Specifically there's hardly any women. I'm a big fan of women's wrestling and Tony Khan acts like its a nuisance Much like their weekly programming AEW doesn't care about women and the game itself doesn't give a shit about women. There's 12 when you boot up the game, 13 after you unlock Aubrey Edwards, and there will be 14 once the Season Pass DLC gives The Bunny. compared to the 40+ Men, despite there being 30+ women signed to All Elite Wrestling. The game can't even pretend to try to care about women in Road to Elite mode either. Chapter 1 you win the Women's title, then immediately got asked to fill in for a Men's match since you're a badass #girlboss that's just as strong as the boys, then immediately my story went the same exact path that my Male wrestler went through except that I won the TBS title on a random Rampage without ever talking to anyone about setting it up. No mention of ever winning the titles after they happen in Road to Elite, really cheapens the feeling of becoming champion.
Wrestler customization is pathetically slim, moves are there but there's nothing there when it comes to appearances. I like making myself in these games and couldn't get anything to look near myself which is frustrating when there's a guy who looks like me on the roster.
In its current state I can't recommend paying $60+Applicable Tax. Worth it if you can catch it on sale.
Ok so after giving this a go, I can say that this game is actually pretty damn decent. Don't get me wrong, it has a few problems but it definitely has room to grow.
The matches are great, the gameplay is fun and the controls are quite simple once you get used to them. My only issue with the controls is the timing with reversals and the time it takes to master them.
The roster's pretty solid but they are missing a few stars. And 3v3 would have been nice too.
The matches are great but Casino Battle Royale is very disappointing due to the AI taking forever eliminating people and the match only allowing 4 people in the ring at a time. Shame. But Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch is so much fun I love it! (And it has better explosions than the actual fucking match!)
The creative suite however is the most disappointing aspect. It is so limited and CAW's are gonna look so bland due to the lack of parts. It's a big let down.
Road to Elite is quite fun. I love a good season mode in wrestling games and Road to Elite is a welcome mode for that.
Overall, this game is ok. With a bit of polishing and more matches, it can grow into a great game in time. Let's hope they do that because it has a lot of potential.
Welcome back, Yukes. We missed ya.
The matches are great, the gameplay is fun and the controls are quite simple once you get used to them. My only issue with the controls is the timing with reversals and the time it takes to master them.
The roster's pretty solid but they are missing a few stars. And 3v3 would have been nice too.
The matches are great but Casino Battle Royale is very disappointing due to the AI taking forever eliminating people and the match only allowing 4 people in the ring at a time. Shame. But Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch is so much fun I love it! (And it has better explosions than the actual fucking match!)
The creative suite however is the most disappointing aspect. It is so limited and CAW's are gonna look so bland due to the lack of parts. It's a big let down.
Road to Elite is quite fun. I love a good season mode in wrestling games and Road to Elite is a welcome mode for that.
Overall, this game is ok. With a bit of polishing and more matches, it can grow into a great game in time. Let's hope they do that because it has a lot of potential.
Welcome back, Yukes. We missed ya.
Was perusing my Steam Deck storage today, looking to do a bit of a clean up. And after giving it a pass for a few weeks -- with no playtime -- I finally accepted that Fight Forever had outstayed its welcome, and simply has not grabbed my attention sufficiently. I have played more Here Comes The Pain in the last fortnight.
The very core of this game is good. They made a fun, accessible wrestling engine. But the embarrassing lack of features beyond that is inexcusable -- and in a roundabout way, that lack of features exposes that the core I mentioned is just that; good... but not great. Before release, I was adamant that a good enough gameplay experience would excuse a lack of other features, and I still believe that. But when a push comes to shove, there simply isn't anything bringing me back to Fight Forever on a regular basis.
The lack of a roadmap EVEN JUST FOR THE CONTENT THEY'VE ALREADY SOLD IN A SEASON PASS - is insane. This is not some plucky start-up company. This is Yukes and (Zombie) THQ. They've been to this dance dozens of times in their respective histories. The marketing and post-release communication for this game has been amateur hour.
The very core of this game is good. They made a fun, accessible wrestling engine. But the embarrassing lack of features beyond that is inexcusable -- and in a roundabout way, that lack of features exposes that the core I mentioned is just that; good... but not great. Before release, I was adamant that a good enough gameplay experience would excuse a lack of other features, and I still believe that. But when a push comes to shove, there simply isn't anything bringing me back to Fight Forever on a regular basis.
The lack of a roadmap EVEN JUST FOR THE CONTENT THEY'VE ALREADY SOLD IN A SEASON PASS - is insane. This is not some plucky start-up company. This is Yukes and (Zombie) THQ. They've been to this dance dozens of times in their respective histories. The marketing and post-release communication for this game has been amateur hour.
Eh
AEW came out of the gate swinging with a massive amount of support from professional wrestling fans. The company’s aim to be a competitor/an alternative to WWE has been viewed as a victory for the business. So naturally they set their sights on the lucrative world of video games. After several delays Fight Forever finally arrived in June and unfortunately the delays were foreshadowing for a disappointing experience. WWE 2K23 released stuffed with content in a mostly successful effort to cover its technical shortcomings. Fight Forever doesn’t do nearly enough to distract from its much worse limitations.
Simplified controls and a story mode that can branch off in several directions attempt to harken back to the glory days of games like WWF No Mercy or SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Being able to switch camera angles and activate pyro at any point during a wrestler’s entrance is pretty neat, even if the entrances themselves are puzzlingly short clips that only last a few seconds. The variety of match types with additions such as the ridiculous Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch (based on the very awful one between Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega) is surprising. On the surface it all seems like a wrestling game that’s trying to be just that: a straightforward, old-fashioned pro wrestling video game.
Yet it all has a very “one step forward, two steps back” feel to it. The aforementioned story mode, called Road to Elite, changes based on what the player does, but it’s very quickly obvious how limited and poorly written it is (some of the cutscenes are agonizingly cringy). It’s short, which in turn means the replay value is low because of how little it actually offers. The creation modes are very sparse, offering less customization than games from the 90s did. The roster is a headscratcher, lacking several AEW stars who would seem like shoo-ins but featuring the likes of Cody Rhodes who hadn’t been in AEW for over a year at the time of the game’s release. The plethora of mini games are bad across the board, not to mention a confusing thing for Yuke’s to have spent time and resources on.
Perhaps some or all of that could be excused or at least taken in stride if the gameplay wasn’t smothered by unresponsiveness. The controls are sluggish and the collision detection is poor. Hits or grapples often simply don’t connect, which makes playing the game on a harder difficulty a nightmare. Also, a thing that isn’t unique to this game (it has plagued WWE games for a little while now) but still annoyed me is the amount of rope breaks registered to the point where it seems as if you have to pin or submit an opponent in the dead center of the ring. If a body part isn’t under or touching a rope it shouldn’t count as a rope break!!!
It’s a shame to see AEW’s first swing at a major wrestling game fall short because the good ideas are frustratingly noticeable. I believe they can and will improve upon what Fight Forever attempts with future iterations. But when stacked up against their major rival in the year of Luigi 2023, AEW has lost the gaming battle to WWE. Tony Khan would probably say they aren’t competing, but this is my review dammit.
———
Note: I haven’t played the Stadium Stampede mode and probably won’t get a chance to anytime soon.
Simplified controls and a story mode that can branch off in several directions attempt to harken back to the glory days of games like WWF No Mercy or SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Being able to switch camera angles and activate pyro at any point during a wrestler’s entrance is pretty neat, even if the entrances themselves are puzzlingly short clips that only last a few seconds. The variety of match types with additions such as the ridiculous Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch (based on the very awful one between Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega) is surprising. On the surface it all seems like a wrestling game that’s trying to be just that: a straightforward, old-fashioned pro wrestling video game.
Yet it all has a very “one step forward, two steps back” feel to it. The aforementioned story mode, called Road to Elite, changes based on what the player does, but it’s very quickly obvious how limited and poorly written it is (some of the cutscenes are agonizingly cringy). It’s short, which in turn means the replay value is low because of how little it actually offers. The creation modes are very sparse, offering less customization than games from the 90s did. The roster is a headscratcher, lacking several AEW stars who would seem like shoo-ins but featuring the likes of Cody Rhodes who hadn’t been in AEW for over a year at the time of the game’s release. The plethora of mini games are bad across the board, not to mention a confusing thing for Yuke’s to have spent time and resources on.
Perhaps some or all of that could be excused or at least taken in stride if the gameplay wasn’t smothered by unresponsiveness. The controls are sluggish and the collision detection is poor. Hits or grapples often simply don’t connect, which makes playing the game on a harder difficulty a nightmare. Also, a thing that isn’t unique to this game (it has plagued WWE games for a little while now) but still annoyed me is the amount of rope breaks registered to the point where it seems as if you have to pin or submit an opponent in the dead center of the ring. If a body part isn’t under or touching a rope it shouldn’t count as a rope break!!!
It’s a shame to see AEW’s first swing at a major wrestling game fall short because the good ideas are frustratingly noticeable. I believe they can and will improve upon what Fight Forever attempts with future iterations. But when stacked up against their major rival in the year of Luigi 2023, AEW has lost the gaming battle to WWE. Tony Khan would probably say they aren’t competing, but this is my review dammit.
———
Note: I haven’t played the Stadium Stampede mode and probably won’t get a chance to anytime soon.
Fun but lacking in content and polish. They focused WAY too hard on making this a party game with mini-games, and not enough time on making a proper, fun wrestling game. The story mode isn't very interesting though it can be fun. Just overall, could have been far, far better.
This release features an incredible skeleton for exciting wrestling action, high impact moves, snappy counters, and high flying antics!
Sadly the skeleton is all that the game has, aside some servicable representations of modern and past AEW wrestlers, the game itself does not offer enough to keep a player hooked in online, mostly for the fact that the developers had overlooked the possibility of COUNT OUT CHEESE AND BAIL OUT UGH THOSE TWO MECHANICS HAVE ANNIHILATED THIS GAME ONLINE
If you're playing with someone and swear to not play anyone with bail out, or beat the count out attributes (Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, Wardlow) then the gameplay is so much more fun and you get to express yourself far more.
There's just so little to this game even with the release of the AEW Stadium Stampede mode which doesn't address the main fact that online is an exploit ridden minefield, and the creation suite is paper thin.
Like I said at the start, the skeleton of a great game is here...but that's all we paid 40 bucks for. A skeleton.
Also it didn't have The Acclaimed at launch so it was doomed from the start to quickly hit niche obscurity.
Sadly the skeleton is all that the game has, aside some servicable representations of modern and past AEW wrestlers, the game itself does not offer enough to keep a player hooked in online, mostly for the fact that the developers had overlooked the possibility of COUNT OUT CHEESE AND BAIL OUT UGH THOSE TWO MECHANICS HAVE ANNIHILATED THIS GAME ONLINE
If you're playing with someone and swear to not play anyone with bail out, or beat the count out attributes (Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, Wardlow) then the gameplay is so much more fun and you get to express yourself far more.
There's just so little to this game even with the release of the AEW Stadium Stampede mode which doesn't address the main fact that online is an exploit ridden minefield, and the creation suite is paper thin.
Like I said at the start, the skeleton of a great game is here...but that's all we paid 40 bucks for. A skeleton.
Also it didn't have The Acclaimed at launch so it was doomed from the start to quickly hit niche obscurity.
I've beaten Trent Beretta over 150 times
Solid experience
Solid experience
Nice try, but this game is like the actual AEW
Storytelling; boring as hell.
Storytelling; boring as hell.
it’s fine! completely unremarkable in a way that made me entirely forget that this even came out, though i did get a kick out of jobbing everyone out to Riho and giving her like 6 titles. tony khan fuckin hire me give me the damn book since u clearly need the help from a guy like me with big and good ideas
Honestly, I find this overheated for a wrestling company’s first major attempt at a wrestling simulation game. Sure, there’s issues, but most wrestling games do.
As a AEW fan this game is honestly disappointing, it lacks replay value, content and overall game modes and arenas. Hopefully for their next game they improve on the roster, modes and content ON LAUNCH.
Now, I'm a big wrestling fan. I grew up in the 90s watching every WWF broadcast on cable and every ECW tape I could get my hands on. Today, I love everything from the smallest indie promotions to brands like DDT, GCPW, New Japan, WWE, and AEW. As a child of the Attitude Era, I also had my own standard-issue copy of No Mercy for the N64.
Surely, this game should be catnip for someone like me.
This just isn't the case.
Look, I appreciate that THQ produced this game and that you have the same storytelling system as No Mercy. But, when the first thing you see is a bad Unity render of Kenny Omega—one of the company's executive vice presidents, mind you—it acts as a harbinger of what's to come from the game. Everything just feels either a bit off or a bit empty in the game.
Any mode outside of a one-on-one competition is a nightmare in terms of gameplay mechanics. 2K Games has figured out the flow of televised American professional wrestling matches thanks to its annual obligation to the WWE. Fight Forever, on the other hand, thinks a fun tag team match means the unlimited ability to burn your tag (or the ability to interrupt a pinfall attempt once as the non-legal partner). Four-way matches also become a grind in this way but also because there isn't a ring-out stamina meter for fatigued opponents.
My main focus was the gameplay and I did have some fun playing the game, but there were little notions nagging at me while playing, such as:
- The Unity Engine has rendering and loading difficulties for no real apparent reason.
- The creation suite is paltry.
- The roster has changed so much from June that the CM Punk portion of the Road to Elite has become a slice of accidental comedy.
- Not including the trademarked themes for the wrestlers when the budget for the game has already ballooned to a reported $10 million.
- Match ratings based on something that is never made apparent. A match with three A's will receive a B overall and 2 stars. What does that even mean?
I don't know. I did have fun at first until everything became apparent. Instead of thinking of this as a reflection of AEW's failures, hopefully, it can be seen in the future as an indication of its growing pains.
Surely, this game should be catnip for someone like me.
This just isn't the case.
Look, I appreciate that THQ produced this game and that you have the same storytelling system as No Mercy. But, when the first thing you see is a bad Unity render of Kenny Omega—one of the company's executive vice presidents, mind you—it acts as a harbinger of what's to come from the game. Everything just feels either a bit off or a bit empty in the game.
Any mode outside of a one-on-one competition is a nightmare in terms of gameplay mechanics. 2K Games has figured out the flow of televised American professional wrestling matches thanks to its annual obligation to the WWE. Fight Forever, on the other hand, thinks a fun tag team match means the unlimited ability to burn your tag (or the ability to interrupt a pinfall attempt once as the non-legal partner). Four-way matches also become a grind in this way but also because there isn't a ring-out stamina meter for fatigued opponents.
My main focus was the gameplay and I did have some fun playing the game, but there were little notions nagging at me while playing, such as:
- The Unity Engine has rendering and loading difficulties for no real apparent reason.
- The creation suite is paltry.
- The roster has changed so much from June that the CM Punk portion of the Road to Elite has become a slice of accidental comedy.
- Not including the trademarked themes for the wrestlers when the budget for the game has already ballooned to a reported $10 million.
- Match ratings based on something that is never made apparent. A match with three A's will receive a B overall and 2 stars. What does that even mean?
I don't know. I did have fun at first until everything became apparent. Instead of thinking of this as a reflection of AEW's failures, hopefully, it can be seen in the future as an indication of its growing pains.
Incredibly disappointing, gassed up as the modern day No Mercy but gameplay alone isnt enough to carry this one, absolutely nothing to do outside of a very short and repetitive
"season mode" called road to elite and exhibition.
"season mode" called road to elite and exhibition.
Um dos piores jogos de wrestling que já joguei. Mecânicas travadas e com péssima sensibilidade de controle. Os minigames são ridículos, o modo carreira deixa muito a desejar. É um excelente homenagem para quem é fã da AEW, mas é um jogo extremamente inacessível para novos jogadores. Para um primeiro jogo da empresa, está OK, mas se o objetivo é entregar uma experiência do Pro-Wrestling, este jogo não consegue.
estou me acostumando com a jogabilidade, muito ansioso para o modo história
Fun for a bit and with friends, gets repetitive after a while
Was doing the Road to Elite mode. It was decent up until the game soft locked on me from progressing through it when I was about to wrestle at Double or Nothing.
Besides that, I like the idea of what the game is going for. A throwback to classic wrestling games from the N64 era. It has a nice concept, and the gameplay itself is fun. But the lack of content is not worth the price of recognition. I say get it on sale.
Besides that, I like the idea of what the game is going for. A throwback to classic wrestling games from the N64 era. It has a nice concept, and the gameplay itself is fun. But the lack of content is not worth the price of recognition. I say get it on sale.
A serious lack of content. CAWs have no gear to make unique wrestlers unless you like Captain Pick a country. Sure its getting Stadium Stampede, but not the match type. Instead Stadium Stampede is a battle royal. Feels like there are too many dumb mini games when I just want a wrestling game in my wrestling game.
It's Fine...
The lack of content and polish really hurts this game. The gameplay is really fun, but man the game feels empty. I appreciate the effort and definitely see how Fight Forever 2 or 3 will be awesome. This first outing isn't good, however.
An excellent wrestling game. Was advertised as a return to No Mercy style gameplay. They even got Geta to direct. However it goes beyond that but also sometimes doesn't quite reach it. It feels like a natural evolution and simplification of that system. I really like how this game feels. But I think my favorite thing about this game is how it's breaking peoples minds. A major wrestling company releases a game that doesn't have the production values of the WWE games and nobody knows what to do. I respect it. Does need more match types and I'm hoping for a tournament mode of some kind as
well. CAW is really limited but I don't really care. I really need to play Def Jam FFNY again though. That was one of the last games Geta directed and is probably the best Aki engine game. Would love to be able to compare the two.
well. CAW is really limited but I don't really care. I really need to play Def Jam FFNY again though. That was one of the last games Geta directed and is probably the best Aki engine game. Would love to be able to compare the two.
the commentary that jim ross gives at the end of matches is the funniest shit ever
it's okay
Really fun to play! Really shitty to look at.
What’s there is fun! There’s not much there.
They’re adding more stuff as they go! Behind paywalls that feel a bit too expensive.
Your favourite wrestlers are here! Except the ones that aren’t, and the ones that are are in looks or personas considerably out of date.
It has minigames! Shit ones.
I dunno, it’s a game of two halves, but the negatives outweigh the positives, and you kind of wish they’d call time on it and work on an iterative sequel rather than pouring resources into a game whose rep has driven people away.
Also why does everyone do the freakish bulging eyes celebration when they get a belt? You’ve got all these personalities but no personality, you dig? A shame,
What’s there is fun! There’s not much there.
They’re adding more stuff as they go! Behind paywalls that feel a bit too expensive.
Your favourite wrestlers are here! Except the ones that aren’t, and the ones that are are in looks or personas considerably out of date.
It has minigames! Shit ones.
I dunno, it’s a game of two halves, but the negatives outweigh the positives, and you kind of wish they’d call time on it and work on an iterative sequel rather than pouring resources into a game whose rep has driven people away.
Also why does everyone do the freakish bulging eyes celebration when they get a belt? You’ve got all these personalities but no personality, you dig? A shame,
A really fun gameplay and that's it , this game lack of cotent is crazy there is nothing to do
I really wanted to like this game, and although it can be fun to mess around in once you get a hold of the controls, it's not very good. The create-a-wrestler mode in this game is AWFUL. It is just absolutely terrible! We've been spoiled so much by the in-depth creation suites in the WWE 2K games that in comparison Fight Forever's looks like an absolute joke. The career mode is beyond repetitive and I was bored within the first 20 minutes. Beyond that, the DLC's are ridiculously overpriced.
I hope this game can be a learning experience for the team because there is a foundation of something good here, but this just isn't what I'd hoped for.
I hope this game can be a learning experience for the team because there is a foundation of something good here, but this just isn't what I'd hoped for.
Extremely shallow. It tries to recreate the feeling of playing N64 wrestling games with your friends but somehow it feels like it has a fraction of the depth. They wasted their time making a bunch of minigames that are god awful instead of focusing on things relevant to the actual game. I would trade every single minigame for one additional match type. I get that you're trying to get that N64 feeling in there, but when I wanted to play minigames I would take No Mercy out of the N64 and put Pokemon Stadium in.
The single player mode, road to the elite, is repetitive and dull. The writing in it is probably at a lower bar than widely mocked games like Forsaken. Also, the DLC is hilariously priced. Can I just buy Toni Storm for like 2 bucks without getting a shittyl minigame too? I was so eager for this game because the WWE 2K games desperately need competition. They have been stagnant and dull for a long time. I was wary when they announced Yukes, a big part of that stagnation, was involved in this...and I was right to feel that way.
Stick to N64 wrestling games. The marathon of single matches in WCW/nWo revenge you get in that single player mode is infinitely preferable to anything here
The single player mode, road to the elite, is repetitive and dull. The writing in it is probably at a lower bar than widely mocked games like Forsaken. Also, the DLC is hilariously priced. Can I just buy Toni Storm for like 2 bucks without getting a shittyl minigame too? I was so eager for this game because the WWE 2K games desperately need competition. They have been stagnant and dull for a long time. I was wary when they announced Yukes, a big part of that stagnation, was involved in this...and I was right to feel that way.
Stick to N64 wrestling games. The marathon of single matches in WCW/nWo revenge you get in that single player mode is infinitely preferable to anything here
I'd say this game certainly had the potential to be a pretty good wrestling game but it faltered on a lot of things plus it's lack of updates (and it's over reliance on DLC that honestly isn't worth the price.)