i don't think any wrestling game truly breaks the mold of being a great game on its own, you kinda have to have a vague interest in wrestling and this game isn't any different. that's to say, this is one of the best wrestling games i've played.

i don't think there's much here that's significantly better than any other wrestling game, my enjoyment is entirely based on circumstance. i'm the most into wrestling i've ever been and john cena my favorite wrestler of all time gets a ton of love being the showcase for this game. otherwise it's a pretty standard affair! that's not to say they don't nail it, 2K22 was a solid return to form and this game just improves on it in every way.

the gameplay system is really fun! reversals are done well without being able to be abused too hard, the stun system rewards you for playing well and making sure you can hit a match winning finisher, i like the various mini games (kick out/submission/royal rumble eliminations) they're all very simple but work super well in the context of the game. the pin system especially leads to some super exciting last second kick outs that get your blood pumping!

the john cena showcase was a highlight for me, but i'm not gonna lie and say there weren't some slight letdowns. personally i would have loved a mix wins and losses, i think the concept of playing as people who have beaten cena in big matches is a fun one, but i also wanna play some of the iconic victories! i also think, compared to 2k22s showcase john cena didn't provide as much voice over as rey mysterio did, and it leaves some of the cutscenes feeling a bit awkward. it's not a huge deal but i wish they'd at least get commentary or something playing instead of awkward background music. the transitions between gameplay and real footage is still really fun though, and the matches were all pretty fun to run through. the end of the showcase was by far the highlight and where all the creativity came from though. super cena was a hilarious and sick reward for completing it!

i played myrise and had a really solid time! i've only done the lock story so far but it was well done! i saw a lot of complaints that it was too short but that was pretty baffling to me. maybe it's because i did most side content available, or maybe it's because i played it on the hardest difficulty the entire time, but it was like a solid 13/14 hour experience. the story was alright and it felt satisfying to run through. i'm not a big creative type so i wasn't too invested in my character but a lot of the beats were unique and fun and (spoilers!) forming your own faction at the end was a really cool concept and i had a lot of fun with it. the final match being at summerslam was cool too! it's obvious most of these end at wrestlemania, and i wouldn't have been mad at that obviously but i appreciate the change up. nothing mind blowing here but was fun to run through regardless.

the other modes are good, i haven't dived too deep into MyGM, Universe, or MyFACTION cause i've been focused on the "stories" and just doing random matches i thought would be fun lol. MyGM is a solid addition though, MyFACTION is whatever. realistically it's just playing the game but i'm just never a fan of these microtransaction filled card games the 2K games do so i don't really see myself grinding it too much. i can't speak on the online cause that never particularly interests me in these games unless it's with friends. i've heard mixed things about the servers but the community creations are extremely well made and cool to see!

graphically the game is pretty impressive, most of these models have never looked better. it's shocking how good some of them, namely the big names like john cena, cody rhodes, and especially the bloodline as a whole look. the game still struggles a big with long hair , namely with the women and characters like dolph ziggler. i'm not sure if they'll ever solve that but it still takes you out a bit. otherwise they all look great, the arenas look great too!

i don't really have a lot negative to say here. there's a few bugs, but that's always the case and honestly they're hilarious so i really don't mind LOL they usually end up fixing themselves anyways. the commentators are probably the best they've ever been, some moves they really put some heart into it and it's cool to hear but it is the same repeated lines for most moves/moments and it's especially exhausting in something like myrise where you're using the same character 80% of the time.

i had a great time with this, i'm very glad i purchased this. it's been a while since i've owned a wrestling game, mostly just borrowing/renting them but this a game i see myself returning to very frequently to do a few matches and hit some big spots. if you're at all a wrestling fan, namely a WWE fan i highly recommend this one!

This game is incredibly fun, but it just has too many glaring issues. Glitches are incredibly commonplace, a poorly thought out UI with some bafflingly poor choices that worsen QoL and make it almost impossible to be immersed. The servers were completely unusable for the first two weeks. Even at the time I'm writing this, the only thing that actually properly functions online is uploading and downloading creations. This was a huge relief that kept me from dropping the game altogether, but it would be nice to also be able to play online and experience MyFACTION. So far, that hasn't been an option. Custom themes aren't an option without mods, which isn't fun a bit. Really, the only thing that this game actually has going it for it is, thankfully, the base gameplay. Fighting feels good, the animation/art is generally sleek and beautiful. The controls are intuitive on controller, but not so much on keyboard. The gameplay also shocks a striking balance between challenging and fair, something wrestling games have struggled with for decades. Paybacks are so fun and memorable that I've joked about wrestlers using them as I watch wrestling. There's definitely a world where I see myself giving this five stars. I'd love to feel that way about it, and I think that with enough time and effort, the Visual Concept can get this game to that point. At the moment, WWE 2K23 is galaxies away from earning that kind of praise.

Say what you will about 2K's handling of the WWE franchise, but WWE 2K23 has revitalised my love for the WWE industry. After exiting the franchise in 2011, my devotion to this game has brought back my childhood love for the sport of wrestling. The constant improvements over 2K22 and new gamemodes has made playing this game so enjoyable with friends and by myself; something I have not found in these games since WWE '12.

This game's GM Mode is definitely the highlight of this game. Being able to compete with friends to see who has the ability to better oversee a brand has been so incredibly fun and appealing. The AI has seen huge improvements that keep the matches suspenseful, exciting and mysterious. The wide range of possibilities with GM mode has further enhanced the overall experience.

I plan on grabbing the platinum trophy for the game, something I've yet to do for a WWE game, so this will be an exciting journey.

This game is easily one of 2K's finest works to date.

2K. Did. Did you just make a good wrestling game TWO YEARS in a row?!


Holy shit. This game is so good. It's taken everything from the previous game and expanded on it very well this year. New options for MyGM, a funky showcase and even a new match type: WARGAMES! (God I love it when Regal says that.)

Showcase is so much fun and different this time. Instead of just playing John Cena's best matches, you actually play as Cena's greatest rivals and beat him in every match. That's fun and it works well with Cena's message throughout this showcase: Never Give Up. (Super Cena slaps by the way.)

MyRise is...goofy again. I enjoyed last year's more cause it felt more authentic for a CAW getting into the WWE. But this year's feels more gimmicky with the Lock storyline.

It's as if Vince McMahon was secretly pulling the strings when making this MyRise this year. (He's still pulling strings in WWE, let's be fucking honest.)

WarGames is such a fun match to play. I think it's my favourite match type so far on this game because of the destruction and chaos that can be unleashed in this game. I do hope they expand on the mechanics for next year as with more development, this match can be something truly special in the games.

So yeah. WWE 2K23 is even stronger as the tagline says. There's a few glitches and bugs and I do get the odd crash but the quality is very strong. I really hope now for the next game they expand more on mechanics and add even more matches. (I'd love to see First Blood or Buried Alive come back next year!) If they carry on expanding and listening to the audience, I think next year's game will be just as great.


Now. When's that AEW Game coming out? Feels like we've been waiting for that forever? But then again, considering the quality of how AEW is now. I'd probably just rather save my breath asking for it. Kek.