If you haven’t already ordered the game through pre-order, something is holding you back. You are the type of fan who needs to read about WWE 2K24 before you buy.
With the game releasing on Friday, March 8th, fans on the fence still have time to research the new features and old comforts of the latest addition to WWE‘s video game portfolio. With hours of gameplay still to come, there is much to be excited about in the game this year.
New matches, new stories, and new features collide with improved graphics to create another unique experience unlike anything produced in the sports world by 2k games. WWE is celebrating WrestleMania history with this installment, promising it will be big.
Luckily, the core game has much to offer fans interested in buying this week that lives up to the hype.
The Basics: Gameplay and Graphics
The game looks and feels great; the 2K24 team has once again done an excellent job. Still haunted by the nightmare that was WWE 2K20, the company tries to make the game look and play spectacularly, and they manage to do that. Unrelated to graphics but not belonging anywhere else, the sound and commentary on the game are also good.
Crowd noises are on point, and the ring announcers give talent their unique entrances, adding to the emersion longtime fans of the series seem to want when playing the game.
Starting with the gameplay, 2K24 again includes dodges and blocks, and the tutorial mode from 2023 focused on combination attacks and guard-breaking moves. There are only two noticeable differences: the addition of the super finishers and the trading blows game.
Playing the Game:
Super finishers let you spend three of your saved finishers for one extremely powerful shot to take out your opponent. The trading blows were too tricky for me to win. I lost both times, in fact. You must fill and balance a meter to gain an advantage over your opponent. It did very little to slow my momentum when I lost, though.
Besides my inability to win, the only real mark against it is that it triggers without warning. The weapons system is altered slightly because of new options, and letting Jey Uso “Yeet” a stop sign at his brother Jimmy Uso is a welcome return from the older titles in WWE’s backlog.
Overall, the 2k gameplay wasn’t broken last year, as it had been in previous installments, so 2K24 wisely did not try to fix it.
Seeing the Game:
The game’s graphics were improved, even if the AI commercial gave a few observers pause. Some superstars may have been out on render day, specifically Bayley. Overall, though, the game looks great.
This year’s team also addressed one of the few minor graphical issues with the last two installments. The gear and entrances were mostly updated.
A few were behind if the changes were very recent, such as Perth Australia’s new favorite superstar, Tiffany Stratton. WWE is still creating a sports simulation game, although it has enhanced creation elements, arcade flare, and significant story-based gameplay woven in.
That simulation benefits from being as close to the televised product as possible and breaks if the game feels old right after buying. That is not an issue in this year’s installment.
MyRise: Unleashed and Undisputed
The MyRise story modes have become my personal favorite part of the WWE 2k experience. This year has two excellent stories for you created superstars, ‘The Captain’ and ‘Dark Horse,’ to explore. The developers secured top-tier talent and WWE’s growing roster of recurring characters from the series to flesh out the stories.
Like in previous years, you also travel outside of WWE’s system.
Also, like in previous years, WWE isn’t afraid to make itself the ‘heel’ in your story, a choice that still feels at odds with company culture, thanks to the longevity of their previous old-school mentality. The half-kayfabe and half-camp stories of one male and one female superstar are solid. It is truly on par with the best of the series.
Unleashed & Undisputed 💪 | Ringside Report 1️⃣ is out now!
Forge your career path with 80 rewards to be unlocked, including arenas, Paybacks, entrances, MyFACTION cards, and championship belts. #WWE2K24
➡️ https://t.co/KcstYpwtXT pic.twitter.com/bBnqNml7Vs
— #WWE2K24 (@WWEgames) February 29, 2024
In Unleashed, the women’s story sees your superstar as the founder and champion of a popular independent promotion who ends up securing a spot on WWE’s roster. You play an indie darling that doesn’t fit the mold and looks to become undeniable.
This is a story WWE fans have become intimately familiar with over the past few years. In the men’s Undisputed story, the setup is even more novel.
Roman Reigns just leaves for Hollywood without dropping the belt, and your mid-card jobber type gets a lucky break and a shot to earn the title against some of WWE’s best while dealing with the legacy and eventual consequences of Roman Reigns’ historic run.
Both stories offer an exciting situation for your completely customizable character to interact, with many possible twists and turns throughout based on how you play.
MyGM Mode: Hitting Peak Performance
The GM mode they created for 2K24 is the best GM mode the company has ever put into one of their games, and it isn’t particularly close. Fans of a certain age (my age) love the original SmackDown vs. Raw 2006 GM Mode.
Without the nostalgia, the idea that 2006 started a concept that the fans have co-opted would pale compared to 2024’s iteration.
That isn’t just due to a lack of resources and old technology. Plenty of old tech concepts outshine newer, flashier variants. This year’s mode shines because it makes it more challenging, an issue 2K23 couldn’t fix, while not making it harder to play.
You must use talent scouts, manage your assets to upgrade your production, and create unique contracts for new superstars on your roster in this year’s GM mode. It also allows for trading and creates an experience factor in your superstar’s ability to draw fans and earn new perks.
The core game is the same. You book matches and rivals of superstars in varying classes to try and have the best show.
Only little things change, but each has a significant impact. The return of GM mode was so well received in 2022 that it did not matter what the mode included. 2K24 finally revamps the game into a proper mode for players to invest their time.
Play Now: New Matches to Explore
WWE Official Life:
In reviews of WWE 2K24, before you buy, the special guest referee match has been promoted a lot. It was an entertaining match. The referee design of top WWE superstars is suitable for a laugh, and the referee mini-game, if you choose to engage with it, is also a ton of fun.
Calling the match straight down the middle has a limited amount of replayability.
It becomes a pretty good time if you abuse your power frequently and even interfere in the game while trying to avoid an ejection by management. Another fun note is you can play as actual WWE referees, which could allow the two or three people interested in calling a match straight to live out their referee dreams.
Closing In:
The Casket and Ambulance Matches have similar concepts and are listed together. Of the two matches where you’re meant to trap your opponent to win, the Ambulance match was significantly more entertaining. The ambulance can host some cool spots where you fight on top.
It also allows players to throw one another off the truck. The player can inflict carnage anywhere in the arena, and the game provides a convenient second ambulance for superstars who end up fighting in the back. The backstage area is roughly the same as last year.
Universe Mode enthusiasts will likely gravitate toward the ambulance match; it is a neat gimmick that plays well in the game.
Gauntlet Matches:
The last new match type is the gauntlet match, a fan favorite of wrestling television finally brought into the 2K series. The traditional gauntlet is a fun but challenging match type. Running through three or more opponents from the one seed is a great way to test your skill in the game.
The Gauntlet Eliminator match is chaos. The ring and ringside fill up exceptionally quickly thanks to Royal Rumble-like entrances every 10 seconds, which isn’t inherently bad. If you want to play with friends, the new Eliminator gives you a lot of the fun of a Royal Rumble match without the dozens of extra people taking up space.
Red Flags for WWE 2k24 Before You Buy
There are no red flags that should stop fans from considering the series. In the truest sense, it improves WWE’s already great 2J23. However, the showcase mode remains the weakest point, and all signs show that the trend remains. The concept of ‘40 years of WrestleMania‘ is good.
Also, the history behind the moments you play iconic bouts from WrestleMania’s past is interesting. The game mode is full of additional archival footage you do not get to play out. It was always a matter of preference whether or not players enjoyed their match, shifting away to actual footage after hitting a specific objective.
In this year’s edition, folks who weren’t thrilled with the concept when it was introduced are looking at an unplayable amount of cutscenes.
Finish your story and recreate some of the biggest moments in #WrestleMania history in #WWE2K24, available starting TOMORROW!@WWEGames pic.twitter.com/42b4LDxwt3
— WWE (@WWE) March 5, 2024
The specific objectives are optional this year. Based on limited gameplay, you can win these iconic matches however you want to advance to the next one. That is a nice change, as it keeps the mode from being unplayable at a challenging combination objective.
However, knowing this about WWE 2K24 before you buy can save some time. It does ruin the concept. If you aren’t playing into the match’s WrestleMania moments, then there is no point in doing the showcase.
Fans hoping this year’s installment would finally get the showcase right will have to wait another year and focus on the rest of the excellent gameplay.
First Impressions of WWE 2k24 Before You Buy
The wait is almost over 👀
Grab #WWE2K24 today! Now available in the Standard edition, Nightmare Family Pack, Deluxe Edition, and Forty Years of Wrestlemania Pack. pic.twitter.com/azQgfgAeQ0
— #WWE2K24 (@WWEgames) March 3, 2024
Last year’s WWE 2K23 felt like a landmark game in wrestling. After decades of decline, it was the honest-to-goodness revival of a franchise, really an entire division. WWE 2K24 doesn’t feel like that, but that isn’t a slight on the game at all. WWE 2K24 is a positive move forward for the franchise. For the second year in a row, the WWE 2K games have improved.
The important thing to know about WWE 2K24 before you buy is they added features fans wanted and created interesting original stories within their WWE simulation sports game. The title is once again a cut above the rest of 2k’s formal offerings, fitting into the unique reality of the WWE Universe exceptionally.
The faint feeling that fans allowed themselves while playing last year is growing. The tiny spark of hope that, finally, the series would achieve great things has another great title to bolster it. The series’ future is bright if each installment improves as 2K24 did.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – 2K Games – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.
