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WWE 2K15 Review: Gameplay, Videos and Features for Current-Gen Release
October 28, 2014
For those WWE and video game fans who haven't made the jump to next-generation gaming consoles, the day you have been waiting for has arrived.
WWE 2K15 released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on Tuesday. Up to three days before this version of the game released, there was little known about what would be in store for current-generation gamers.
All of the gameplay screens, video and information had been focused on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. I had hands-on experience with the PS4 version on two different occasions, but before Monday evening, I hadn't played or seen any other versions of the game.
In preparation for this review, I sold out an entire evening and the wee hours of the next morning practicing virtual suplexes and sleeper holds to give this game a proper evaluation.
Here's what I got.
The Look
Visually, the game is hit and miss. With my mind adjusted to take into consideration this isn't a next-gen title, there are some really impressive renders. Guys like Batista, Sami Zayn and several others are expertly recreated in this version of the game.
However, there are some whose recreations are just inaccurate. Unfortunately, some of the biggest names are the guys who didn't come out as clean. Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and, oddly enough, the cover athlete, John Cena, are among the least accurately rendered Superstars.
Luckily, the good models outweigh the bad, which saves this very important component of the visual package from being ruined.
The crowds don't offer any eye candy. It looks as if this aspect of the game has taken a step backward. Because of the way the virtual WWE universe looks in the game, it makes you wonder why the producer would orchestrate certain shots that clearly expose one of the biggest visual weaknesses.
The Feel
The actual wrestling looks good and the controls are responsive. Most importantly, matches are still fun and can still be quite epic. The wrestling-simulation style that is used in the next-gen version isn't present in this one.
In almost every way the game plays exactly like it did last year, only it's a tad bit cleaner. Some collision detection issues can be seen, but through a good number of matches, I didn't see anything absurd. The worst example of physical ridiculousness is the fact that no Superstar is actually capable of holding the ring bell.
Instead, it's attached to the wrestler's wrist. It doesn't affect the gameplay, but it's an ugly oversight.
The Sound and Gloss
The commentating is finally better, especially in 2K Showcase and Who Got NXT. The modes are all about telling stories, thus the commentary is essential. The 2K Showcase is a mode that focuses on specific feuds. The retail version has two rivalries: John Cena vs. CM Punk and Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels.
More can be downloaded post-release via the game's DLC program.
Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole incorporate storytelling and narration that properly set the tone and atmosphere for the matches in 2K Showcase and Who Got NXT. Speaking of atmosphere, enhanced sound effects and crowd noise are a couple of the game's strong points.
Big moves sound thudding, and crowd reaction impacts the experience.
The presentation during 2K Showcase is outstanding. To help immerse the gamer into the rivalry, the mixture of real-life footage and animation with real voices is great. It's almost exactly what I hoped it would be.
There's only one wish I had that doesn't appear to have come true in regard to presentation. It would have been great to see the mic work portrayed by the video game models with real voices. This is done a tad, but not as much as it should have been.
That could have made the retelling of the stories more fresh and compelling.
Even with those improvements to audio, the general calling of the action is still ultra repetitive. Some of the same lines are still being used from five or six versions ago.
You know: "How much more would you want to do to another man?" is still in.
The Depth
Universe mode returns, but this is a feature that is badly in need of a fresh idea. It has become run of the mill, and no real significant changes have been made to it in a while. There's still a good amount of customization that can be done, but the life of the mode should be in establishing rivalries and feuds.
There's a system in place to do this, but it's limited.
Gamers can choose the length of a feud and alter the participants, but the events in the feud are limited to a few run-ins and dirty tactics before and after a match. It would be great to see the developers give this mode some real attention on the next-gen version this year or the next.
The robust creation suite returns intact for the most part, except fans can't create their own stories anymore. That's a bummer for gamers who would inject countless hours of longevity into the game with their own storylines. Even with that said, WWE 2K15 still offers a more verbose creation suite than almost any other game.
The best feature in this version of WWE 2K15 is clearly the 2K Showcase. The excellent presentation is simply the backdrop of a well-crafted single-player experience. It uses the old task-based gameplay approach, but the new feuds add some freshness.
Who Got NXT is not meant to be a recreation of classic matches, per senior designer Bryan Williams. The mode is supposed to feature current and/or former NXT Superstars in cool matches against a variety of foes.
It plays well, and the NXT presentation and arena are spot-on.
If WWE 2K15 on current-gen systems has a major flaw, it's in the fact that there's nothing really new to see here. That said, the franchise is transitioning away from the old consoles.
It's totally understandable if gamers who have current- and next-gen systems decide to wait until Nov. 18, but this isn't a throwaway effort.
Graphics and Animation: 7.5
Gameplay and Fun Factor: 8.5
Sound and Presentation: 7.5
Modes and Options: 7
Overall: 7.6
Follow Brian Mazique aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist
