Home » Reviews » WWE 2K22 Review: The perfect attitude adjustment
Reviews

WWE 2K22 Review: The perfect attitude adjustment

A return to form for the wrestling franchise that players will dive straight into.

WWE 2K22 is the best wrestling game in years and arguably the best 2K wrestling game to date — acknowledging its recent shortcomings and year off. It is more polished and complete and serves as a giant improvement from recent additions in the series.

While early previews of the game were promising, the game’s release confirms that wrestling and video game fans will have an absolute blast playing through this new title and diving into all the different game modes it offers. What a difference a year makes.

Revamped and improved gameplay mechanics

WWE 2K22 controls will feel a bit different to those who have played previous wrestling titles. The game changes up the decades old formula — and button formations — a great amount, but to great effect. While this change may seem daunting, the new system and gameplay control simplify attacks and grapples. After a few matches, the layout and structure will make sense and feel like a great improvement from some of the convoluted button layouts of old titles. As well as this, the pinning and submission features have been altered to a more basic button-mashing style that proves that sometimes simple is the way to go.

As expected, you’re able to take down your opponents with a wide variety of attacks and moves, all of which are easy to execute. Basic strikes and grapples can be made with the single press of a button, with more complex and heavy-hitting moves requiring an additional button or two to be used. Running grapple moves still prove to be the deadliest, with AI very rarely countering them are evading them. The game does a fantastic job of ensuring gameplay feels unique and personal to each different wrestler you choose to play as.

One of the biggest improvements from a gameplay perspective is that AI has undergone major improvements. Rather than walking around aimlessly or simply getting stuck in certain positions, the polish of this game has allowed for greater AI interactions. Wrestlers will seamlessly engage with each other and will react to situations appropriately. If someone is up on a ladder reaching for a title, the AI will run into the ring and push the ladder without a second thought.

Polished and fun game modes

As with any wrestling game, WWE 2K22 allows you to play quick matches and fight with or against any of the wrestlers that feature on the roster. Online also returns and while it stills can be buggy and lag at times, it’s a vast improvement. Mainly in that it’s playable this time around. However, the biggest improvement of WWE 2K22 is all the other game modes that are included in the game. While some are staples of the franchise, there are some new modes available. Many of which offer great variety and longevity to your WWE 2K22 experience.

MyRise is WWE 2K22’s version of the classic career mode that is a feature across most wrestling games. This time around, you can play through as either a custom made a male or female wrestler. You’re able to completely design your character from head to toe, even choosing their wrestling background and experience before their WWE career. MyRise starts you off in the Performance Centre, with Beth Pheonix and Shaun Michaels serving as your initial trainers to help you fight your way onto either Smackdown, Raw or NXT. From there, you’re able to fight on all three brands, win all the titles and engage in plenty of storylines.

While pretty like previous career modes, certain details and features make MyRise an enjoyable experience. The storylines themselves are unique, and awareness of the character interactions and feuds creates some hilarious conflict. As well as this, the ability to change from face to heel at any moment means you don’t get bogged down by facing the same opponents over and over. When you get sick of getting cheered on by the crowd you can simply speak to your GM and by the next match, you’ll be getting booed out of the stadium and engaging in storylines with the babyfaces of the brand.

MyFaction is a brand-new game mode that has a lot of potential for the future. In essence, it is essentially the wrestling version of Ultimate Team from the FIFA games. Players are given the chance to build up their wrestling dream team, consisting of four male and four female wrestlers. You can pick old legends or current icons to feature in your team. From there, you can unlock card packs and other boosts to then either improve the team you’ve got or change it up and unlock new wrestlers to include.

While still fun, MyFaction does feel like an incomplete game mode in WWE 2K22. However, the potential for it to be built into a bigger and more diverse mode is there. This is a feature that could evolve into a large online component in the years to come.

MyGM is the return of a similar mode from the old Smackdown! Vs Raw games. For players who like the idea of getting to control and brand, this mode is for you. MyGM gives you the chance to take on the role of General Manager. It offers you the option to choose an already established character and General Manager like Stephanie McMahon or Sonya Deville and place them with either Smackdown, Raw, NXT or NXT UK. Alternatively, MyGM gives you the option to use a custom-made character to lead the five brands.

Simply put, this mode aims to ensure the show you run is more successful than the rival brand you choose to go up against. However, the reality of what you must do is much more complicated and thought-provoking than simply picking wrestlers for your brand and pitting them against each other. As General Manager you must manage the brand’s finances, wrestler health and morale and even individual wrestlers’ requests.

While the mode does limit you to two titles per brand and the types of matches you can put on are restricted, MyGM is a fantastic strategy simulator style game mode.

WWE 2K22 focuses on the extensive and successful career of wrestling icon Rey Mysterio. While these close-up modes on a wrestler’s career have felt tedious and half is done in the past, it offers a more committed look at the fan favourite’s career. It merges real footage and clips with the chance to play through these moments yourself. While simple, Showcase Mode is a thoughtful celebration of the career of one of WWE’s most well-known wrestlers.

Universe Mode also makes a return and offers two main modes to choose from, Superstar Mode or Classic Mode. Superstar Mode gives you the chance to play through a WWE experience as any wrestler of your choosing. Classic Mode gives you the chance to edit and modify the show completely. However, Universe mode will most likely be something that is overlooked in favour of the other modes on offer.

Solid customisation options

While the graphics might not be cutting edge, the design of WWE 2K22 feels authentic. Great attention to detail has all wrestlers in their iconic gear, their personalised entrances also playing out exactly as they do in real life.

Of course, players can create their male or female Superstar completely from scratch. Customising appearance, gear and move-set all offer great variety for customisation. Unfortunately, entrance customisation is quite limited, with only basic changes and features available to customise. Things like fireworks cannot be added or included in entrance creator. Additionally, you’re only able to pick one set entrance rather than chopping and choosing segments from multiple wrestlers. Things like creating your championship belt and arena return as well. While WWE 2K22 may not be the most extensive customisation variety we’ve seen in a wrestling game, it does offer up enough variety for you to spend hours upon hours getting lost in all the options and choices.

Glitching, bugs and load times

While WWE 2K22 features far fewer bugs than its predecessor, it is still an issue the game faces. The ropes around the ring still manage to serve as the biggest enemy to the series. Unfortunate glitches can lead to either you or your opponent getting caught in the ropes and stuck. Other glitches and bugs include sinking into the ring and wrestlers’ bodies getting stuck together. The other main issue for WWE 2K22 can be the long load times. The wait time when beginning matches or loading up saves for the different game modes, can be extensive and long. In more extreme cases this can even cause the game to randomly quit and exit.

Despite these minor glitching and bug issues, WWE 2K22 offers up an enjoyable experience for players to delight in. With improved gameplay and game modes, the recent 2K wrestling title marks a return to form for the franchise.

WWE 2K22 is out now and is available on Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S, PS4 and PS5.

7 out of 10

WWE 2K22 was reviewed using a promotional code on Xbox Series S, as provided by the publisher. Click here to learn more about Stevivor’s scoring scale.

WWE 2K22

11 March 2022
PC PS4 PS5 Xbox One Xbox Series S & X
 

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

About the author

Eleni Thomas

Eleni has been playing videogames for as long as she can remember and has been writing about them since starting her journalism studies in 2019.

A lover of all games but a giant Nintendo nerd, she even has the Triforce tattoo to prove it.