WWE 2K17: Early Review of Impressions and Gameplay Videos Before Release Date

WWE is the land of over-the-top entertainment, given the characters, promos, feuds and world-class athleticism displayed in the ring each night—all of which make their way into the release of WWE 2K17 this Tuesday.

One could argue without sounding over the top that WWE 2K17 offers the most comprehensive wrestling simulation to date.

A tough feat, no doubt. The team at 2K Sports took over the franchise a few years ago and has shed the mistakes of the past in a hurry. This year's edition gives the game a better broadcast feel, improves in typical areas such as graphics and gameplay and provides a revamped MyCareer mode, promo enhancements and customization options.

With final opinions starting to roll in, let's take a look at impressions and must-see videos before release.

Rounding Up Early Impressions

As one can expect, entrances, wrestler attire and the roster get much in the way of attention before the game's release.

But fans of the series have come to expect those aspects to be on point, matching the weekly broadcasts in almost every way. Perhaps more interesting is the gameplay, and this is where 2K Sports has worked hard to give users a more realistic experience.

Many of the early review impressions focus on a new grappling system, an alternative to the system put into the series a few years ago. IGN's Vince Ingenito said the new system feels more responsive:

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As for the submission system, it’s been tuned so that your rotating “pie wedges” aren’t so slippery. It definitely feels like you have more control in submission situations as a result. That said, some people still just want to mash buttons, and for them, an alternate submission system can be turned on that let’s them go back to the days of controller smashing and mashing.

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This is welcome news and nothing close to a surprise. 2K Sports has made it clear over the years it values more of a simulation-style experience compared to the older arcade feel of the games.

To further this goal, 2K Sports has taken directly from the psychology of matches in real life and implemented rest periods. Like the athletes themselves, users will need to help their characters recover, and Heavy's Elton Jones praised the new system:

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The new Roll-Out system helps make multi-man matches less of a chore to win. After taking a big amount of damage during these bouts, you’ll be forced to leave the ring and recover. This helps lessen the rate of pins being interrupted since wrestlers can now become too tired to do so. If you choose to fully rest, your chosen Superstar will get a temporary boost when they finally hop back into the ring.

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Sticking with gameplay impressions, the popular ladder match is something the series has had a hard time getting right. Mechanics in the past have been wonky at best, as users had to spend a long time trying to put the ladder in just the right spot so the wrestler could climb up and grab at whatever was hanging above the ring. While the user struggled with this approach, opponents were able to rest (and never seemed to have as much trouble with the ladder).

Not anymore. According to Fox Sports' Nick Schwartz, 2K Sports has addressed the issue and added a fun mini-game at the top:

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Ladder placement has now been streamlined - there are a few set positions you can place the ladder around the ring instead of being able to drop in anywhere, and there's a new mini-game for grabbing the briefcase that's kind of like the arcade classic "Breakout." It's difficult to explain, but it's a definite upgrade.

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Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference in a yearly sports release.

2K Sports has gone out of its way to commit a bit of fan service by cleaning up some of the most polarizing areas of past games while advancing its own efforts to offer a true simulation experience.

What's not to like?

Notable Gameplay Videos

One could gather impressions about the rest of the package, from entrances to promos and match flow and beyond.

Or such impressions could be left up to the individual through gameplay videos.

In this video, users can get a look at Asuka's entrance and see how closely it mimics the real thing:

In the ring, new finishers and object interactions make for a snappier, better user experience.

These videos show off critical changes that users will want to know:

For those who are more interested in outside-the-ring action, a few videos go to great length to show off the impressive new real estate available to users: 

Another year of meaningful upgrades means positive reviews to match the strong vibes of early impressions. 

For fans of the series, WWE 2K17 should provide the most comprehensive wrestling experience yet. There's a little something for everyone, from the broadcast feel to the environments and right into realistic gameplay tailored from an unmatched creation suite.

The game drops Tuesday, giving users access to the improvements long requested and anticipated. 

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.