WWE 2K19: Latest Review Impressions and Launch Trailers

WWE 2K19 set out to right wrongs alongside making the typical improvements upon the previous year's video game release.

As noted in B/R's official review, the AJ Styles-covered game—out now in the Deluxe Edition or Wooooo! Edition or Tuesday for everyone else—hits on all of these marks. From general gameplay and graphics improvements to an overhaul of modes like MyCareer and Showcase, WWE 2K19 goes a long way toward resetting the bar for what fans can expect of an annual release.

The theme in one of the new launch trailers captures the essence of it all rather well:

WWE 2K19 is a case of surpassing expectations.

For one, the return of Showcase mode was an unexpected development. Considering "Stone Cold" Steve Austin featured the last time it showed up in earnest, it seemed almost impossible for the series to feature another story capable of matching what came before it.

Naturally, 2K Sports chose Daniel Bryan for the job.

Bryan's story is well known and beloved, making it a natural fit. The mode hits on the expected big-story beats of Bryan's career and does a good job of replicating the in-ring happenings with proper attire and venues for the time, as well as timely announcing. More important, though, is Bryan's narration of the events during a sit-down for the mode, helping the mode feel like a playable documentary. 

The video certainly doesn't do the mode any disservice:

MyCareer is the other mode that strikes a positive chord this year.  

The same mode in last year's offering wasn't great. It felt like a slog and had odd backstage segments prone to both technical and pacing issues. Those backstage segments are gone this year—and so is the grind. 

Replacing those is a story-based mode wherein a player takes a created Superstar from the indy scene right on up to the big leagues. It's a wacky story with memorable characters, and odd as it might sound in 2018, the long-awaited addition of voiceovers helps with the immersion. Unlike what came before it, this year's story mode, while linear, will have players wanting to come back often to see what happens next. 

It helps that the gameplay is refined after the developers at 2K Sports listened to fans of the series and made the necessary adjustments.

As noted in the official review, gameplay in WWE 2K19 is both faster and has more of an arcade feel. It feels like past offerings went too deep into the simulation realm, which doesn't make much sense for a sport like wrestling.

In general, gameplay is more varied, with plenty of new reversal methods and a quicker hustle from on-screen characters. The revamped striking system plays a big part, as Brian Mazique of Forbes noted in a review, and he assigned the game an 8.3 out of 10:

"One of the few structural changes to gameplay is in the striking. It feels a tad sharper, more accurate and balanced. Interrupted punches don't look as rickety as before, and I can see ways to implement more strategy. Because many of the advantages in matches begin with a strike, it's good to see a little more rhyme and reason."

Immersion got a mention above, which is worth expanding on. One of the best-looking sports games on the market for a few years and counting now, the expected upgrades are here in the form of lighting work. Crowds are also vibrant and deep, arenas look good and the sound design is fantastic, from strong commentary to cringeworthy impacts on moves.

Outside of the traditional match types, 2K Sports added some much-needed levity to the game in fun items like big-head mode and a towers feature, the latter being a callback to the modes popularized by more traditional fighting games.

And why not? At its core, WWE 2K19 is a fighting game, so it doesn't hurt to expand the horizons a bit with some other modes, even if they don't show up on broadcasts. The option is there for players who want to have at it, and it doesn't hurt the overall package.

Along those immersion lines, WWE 2K19 continues the trend of superb creation suites. There are seemingly endless options here, ranging from in-depth character creation to tweaking move sets to dreaming up titles and even shows. New this year—and much needed—is the ability to create Money in the Bank briefcases.

In all, WWE 2K19 could have done what typical annual sports game releases do and focus on one or two main areas to upgrade and call it a day. Instead, it feels like fan requests were taken seriously and acted upon atop the usual wealth of improvements made to an annual release's foundation.

The result is one of the better modern wrestling games to hit store shelves and the perfect entry or re-entry point for fans.