2K and Visual Concepts return at the helm for WWE 2K22 as they took a year off to re-invent and redefine the franchise. After WWE 2K20 and Yuke’s departure from the franchise, the team needed time to get the series on the right track. Having the opportunity to start fresh with a new generation of consoles is just what the doctor ordered. Going with the slogan “It Hits Different,” 2K is hoping to bring a new and fresh experience to the franchise. While its not perfect, WWE 2K22 does indeed hit different.
Addition by subtraction is the name of the game with WWE 2K22 as the mode and the gameplay have been more simplified. The control scheme is a throwback to the wrestling games of old. Light and heavy attacks along with light and heavy grabs keep combat fluid and intuitive. A new health bar has been added to better track the damage being done. What’s great about the combat is that everything just works. It feels much more approachable to do advanced moves such as putting someone through a table or doing moves against the ropes. Players are able to pick players up easily and position them in different locations to open up another set of moves.
Gone are the days of doing submissions with the joysticks. These are combated with quick time button presses as executing these maneuvers feel more like an open playing field. Combat is fast and fluid and animations mostly branch together well. One-on-one matches do stand out better as adding more players in the ring can get confusing. The AI does a better job than it has in the past, but there’s still issues there with colliding with players on the ground or it waiting around too long. Reversals are tied to the top face button on the controller for grapples, but combating combos with reversals feels like a lottery as simply pressing the expected hit button counters it.
Combos help to change things up as mixing light and heavy attacks with throwing in a grapple help to keep things fresh. WWE 2K22 feels less redundant in the moves category as grappling and choosing a direction on the joystick will offer different moves. Changing locations, such as against the ropes, on the apron or doing a diving springboard are simple to pull off and show off excellent animations. Each Superstar has varying abilities based on their archetypes, and there are a few different signatures and specials for each Superstar. Paybacks also return to help swing the tide of a match. The combat is the best this series has seen to date.
The available gameplay modes have been shaken up as well. All the modes offer tutorials to easily get into the swing of things without being overwhelmed with a ton of sandbox options. The Universe Mode returns for those looking for that open sandbox option of creating shows, rivalries and matchups. The menu has been scaled down to better assist with newcomers who are looking to dive in. Adding to Universe Mode is the ability to choose one Superstar to play matches through, much like a player-specific career mode. This means no hassles of going through the details, but rather playing with your favorite Superstar and editing attributes to see if they can get over.
MyGM returns and this is the shining star of the modes in WWE 2K22. Players pick a GM (or create one) that have varying boosts as the goal is to build a show from the ground up. Players will participate in the WWE Draft and will choose a GM opponent and an opposing show. Managing a budget, growing the show’s audience, adding to the roster and creating rivalries and stories that are geared for a PPV payoff is addicting. It has the option of going 15 weeks up to 50 weeks if looking for long-time storytelling. The game assists in building rivalries by guiding players on what’s working and what’s not. Staging interferences, setting up promos, signing free agents and legends offer a completely fun experience that isn’t overly complicated. Players can simulate or play the matches to help decide the outcomes to help build a rivalry or get Superstars over. This is an excellent baseline that 2K can build on for the future.
Showcase Mode returns for WWE 2K22 as it features Rey Mysterio, Jr. Dating back to the mid-nineties until recent years, this mode takes players through reliving the events of each match by pulling off specific moves. This is the pinnacle of Showcase Mode as the documentary-style video is now triggered during the match as the game transitions back and forth. Even losing to Eddie in the first match will have him remove Rey’s mask at the end. This also provides an excellent opportunity to get acclimated with pulling off advanced moves in the game and showing off just how well the combat works in one-on-one matches.
Rather than going with a strictly narrative-focused mode for MyRISE, this mode does involve players creating their Superstar from the ground up. Players will select the type of player archetype, much like in NBA 2K, and this will bring up the specific set of moves along with attire and body types. Starting off in the Performance Center, the idea is to make one of the main shows with some storylines sprinkled in early on. This portion feels stale until the Superstar makes one of the shows, and then it opens up. Players will interact on faux Twitter with other Superstars to conjure and participate in storylines. This is the fun part of branching out and earning points to upgrade the Superstar, which I will admit is grindy based on the rewards provided. Building good or bad relationships with others is a pivotal part in crafting the character long term.
2K has added MyFACTION, which basically amounts to MyTEAM from the NBA games. This is a microtransaction, pay-to-win mode that also requires an internet connection to get into. Players will get cards and build their faction over time with having to re-up contracts for users. There are different modes to play in here including the Towers which have been seen in the past. This is the one mode I’m not the biggest fan of and since there have been server issues up to this point, this mode can’t be completely utilized until those issues are lifted. Yes, it’s cool to be able to design and build a faction along with a logo and other aspects, but it’s all based on the cards that are given and/or paid for.
The creation suit still offers a ton of options for everyone ranging from character and show creation to belts, videos and more. The player creation is different and may be lacking for those that are used to the deep way of doing things. With having to choose the archetype, it does feel more restricted, but there are still plenty of Superstars and other aspects to download. One thing I will mention is that the loading times during the creation phases are bad, and overall across the game feels slow. Hopefully this can be optimized at some point.
The visuals and presentation take center stage in WWE 2K22 on current-generation consoles. The arenas are vibrant and this is the best lighting the series has seen. There’s a depth of field effect for the crowd, and each individual is detailed despite repetition out there. It adds a whole new look to the arena. Couple this with new and varying camera views in the ring and it feels like a brand new experience. Player models and faces are mostly gorgeous and detailed. It seems like those who have a facial scan flourish the most, as the created players or those that didn’t have a scan are lacking. Superstars like Randy Orton, Big E, Charlotte Flair and Seth Rollins look fantastic. Visual Concepts states it used the same lighting techniques from NBA 2K for this game and it shows. This should me that Ray Tracing is implemented and this seems to be backed up from the reflections on Superstar attire. A perfect example is Eddie in the first Showcase match with his gold pants. The reflections are realistic and bring the models to life. The lighting from vintage arenas seems to stand out better than the modern ones possibly due to how those lights were used. The game is mostly a sight to see and the mostly fluid animations add to that.
The visuals aren’t without some issues, but it isn’tthe nightmare that 2K20 was. The hair physics are still weak, but the team did focus on trying to eliminate clipping, although it still happens. Speaking of clipping, the rope interaction is still a problem. Extremities getting hung up on the ropes happens, but usually it’s quickly resolved. Depending on the hair of the Superstar, and this may be more on created ones, sometimes there will be graphical quirks, but nothing terrible. There’s also animation warping especially if jumping or diving on someone in motion. It’s a far better experience than in the past, but things like this still pop up more than occasionally.
The commentary team consists of Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. 2K missed out on having Pat McAfee on this team, but what is here is actually equivalent to what’s heard on a broadcast. I’m not sure if the team took actual broadcast audio or they all recorded this, but the chemistry is great and the three blend together. It also isn’t that repetitive, but what you here in a WWE broadcast is akin to what is heard here, without the cringy ads. The crowd and sound effect audio is great outside of the sounds the Superstars make, which sound lackluster. Things like grunts and other noises that exist when taking a hit. Outside of that, the audio experience is solid. This include MGK’s curated playlist for the game. With its mix of metal, punk, emo and hip-hop, this may be one of the best playlists in any sports game to date. While there have been server issues early on, the online experience seems to be improved during matches. The online matches I played, compared to previous versions, didn’t suffer any lag or delays. There’s also a lobby system for setting up matches or jumping straight in for a quick match. Hopefully the online playability maintains once the game has gone fully live to everyone.
Closing Comments:
Visual Concepts and 2K made the right decision with taking last year off as WWE 2K22 is the best effort the team has released since taking over. The visuals are a sight to behold and the combat is fluid and fun. The simplification of combat and the modes makes this much more approachable for everyone without having to figure out a bunch of alternate moves and backwards ways of pulling off things that are seen on TV. MyGM will keep players occupied forever and Showcase Mode is the best version to date. MyRISE is a nice addition with a ton of variation to keep things fresh, but ultimately remains a grind. MyFACTION, while sounding good on paper, is just MyTEAM from NBA 2K and its filled with microtransactions. If you’re one of those players that pick up a WWE game every couple of years, 2K22 is the one to get.
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
