WWE 2K16: Hands-On Gameplay Impressions from 2015 SummerSlam Weekend

SummerSlam weekend means two things: One of the most hyped WWE events of the year will take place and we will get our first extended preview of the new WWE 2K game. This year's event left many fans underwhelmed, but the release of WWE 2K16 on October 27 still has some momentum.

At an official event in New York City, I had an opportunity to spend some time with the game. Singles and tag team competition as well the first match of the Stone Cold Steve Austin 2K Showcase were available to play.

Here are my notes.

This Game Is Gorgeous

Credit: 2K.com

If we graded the visual excellence of this game, you'd have to slap a shiny A+ sticker on it. This game is gorgeous.

Up until now, no sports video game has had better character renders than EA Sports UFC. That's about to change. The Superstars on display in the early build of WWE 2K16 were rendered in remarkably accurate fashion.

The first Superstar I chose to take to the ring was Cesaro. In his entrance, The King of Swing had his signature towel over his head and the rest of his attire was spot-on. The inclusion of the towel showed off the new cloth technology that allows for more free-flowing clothing on the Superstars. It might sound like an insignificant addition, but it was immediately noticeable.

The new cloth technology makes the entrances more authentic, and that's what the hardcore members of the WWE Universe want to see.

Clothing is just one part of the beauty. The mugs of each Superstar are recreated in stellar fashion. Hair follicles and skin blemishes are in place. I was even looking for that weird vein on the side of Cesaro's head. I didn't see that, but that minute omission didn't detract from the authenticity.

Even the crowd has received a major facelift. You can see that and other aspects of the eye candy in the trailer below that also features an awesomely recreated Steve Austin promo from King of the Ring in 1996.

It's safe to say the visuals won't be getting any worse between now and the official release date, so fans should at the very least expect a great-looking game.

In-Ring Action

Credit: 2K.com

Last year, the game took more of a simulation-style approach. This year's game is apparently following that trend. In WWE 2K15, chain grappling was introduced to mimic the chess match that takes place at the outset of a WWE match.

The mini-game was a solid start as the developers looked to implement some of the smaller battles that help wrestlers tell a story in their matches.

This year, Superstars can work holds. This system functions similarly to the chain grappling, but I'm happy to say it's a little funner.

Through the rumble and meter-sensitive theme, aggressors are able to rebuild energy while draining their opponent's stamina. With that said, the Superstar taking the damage is capable of reversing things and gaining an edge.

On a negative note, there were some of the old collision-detection issues that have marred WWE 2K games in the past. For instance, at the end of my Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens match, the latter seemed to magically land about 25 feet away from his opponent, but the two characters were behaving as if they were nose-to-nose outside of the ring.

We should remind you that this was obviously an early build, but because we've seen similar issues on retail versions of WWE games, it's worth mentioning.

Aside from those positives and negatives, the game played much like WWE 2K15, which isn't a bad thing.

The 2K Showcase

On the whole, the 2K Showcase is an excellent idea. The initial challenges are a great way to unlock Superstars, belts, arenas, etc. Extending the longevity of the game with downloadable content is just an added bonus.

Perhaps what I love most about the showcases are the recreated promos. It's so cool to hear the actual audio from the original segment while the video game animations vividly mirror the original film.

That Austin segment is gold. I only hope there's a lot more of those segments in the original 2K Showcase and the DLC additions. Stay tuned for more information on WWE 2K16 as we get closer to launch.

All images provided to Bleacher Report by 2K.com.

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