Oh boy, WWE and 2K are at it again. This time, they’re rolling out WWE 2K24. After last year’s almost-too-good-to-be-true War Games match in WWE 2K23, fans are buzzing with sky-high expectations. So, after getting my hands on a preview build at this recent shindig, here’s the scoop: there are some solid upgrades in 2K24. But, uh, let’s just say not everything’s smelling like roses yet.
The demo I played? It had 10 wrestlers ready to rumble. The match types were a bit on the light side, featuring the Royal Rumble, your standard bouts, backstage brawls, and oh, the shiny new Ambulance Match. Plus, there were a couple of matches from the new WWE 2K Showcase of the Immortals, which is all about celebrating those big-deal Wrestlemania moments.
Now, about that Ambulance Match. It’s neat, for sure. Not exactly a game-changer like last year’s War Games, but it’s got its charm, especially if you’re throwing down with a buddy. The gist is simple: beat your opponent senseless, then chuck ’em into an ambulance. There’s a couple of mini-games involved, kinda like the submission mini-game, to slam those ambulance doors shut and call it a day.
And hey, you can even take the fight to the top of the ambulance. Toss your opponent off, then leap onto them for good measure. It’s a riot. The Casket Match, another newbie, wasn’t playable, but 2K whispered to GameSpot that it’s pretty much in the same vein as the Ambulance Match. So if you dig one, you’ll likely get a kick out of the other.
Then there’s the Backstage Brawl. Looks a lot like the old version but with more weapons to get creative with. Throwing weapons at your opponent is absurdly satisfying. I mean, who doesn’t love nailing someone in the face with a chair from across the screen with just a button press?
Sadly, no Gauntlet or Special Guest Referee matches in the demo. But, the matches did feature male and female referees from the actual WWE shows, which is a nice touch of realism.
I also got to check out the updated 2K Showcase of the Immortals. This year, it’s all about Wrestlemania, baby. You can relive 21 iconic Wrestlemania matches, celebrating 40 years of history. The demo let me play Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship from last year’s main event.
Playing the 2K Showcase mode feels familiar if you’ve been around these parts before. But this time, 2K’s not just recreating the stages and rings. They’re doing whole stadiums, like California’s SoFi Stadium for Wrestlemania 39, complete with that massive video screen. It’s these little details that amp up the realism.
A big plus is the new camera movement options. Expanding on what was introduced in MyGM mode, now you can watch the action from almost any angle. There’s even a free-roaming camera for AI vs. AI matches. Super handy during Royal Rumble matches, with a preset that lets you see who’s coming down the ramp next.
Despite the cool new stuff, some parts of WWE 2K24 feel like a blast from the past, and not in a good way. Take Sami Zayn, for example. His entrance animation has him tossing a hat he hasn’t worn in ages. And his model? Let’s just say it’s not doing him any favors.
Roman Reigns’ model and entrance feel outdated too. Since becoming the head of the Bloodline, his entrance has changed, but the game hasn’t caught up. It’s a bummer, especially given how huge Reigns is in the WWE universe right now.
There’s hope these issues might get ironed out before launch. But who knows what other outdated bits are lurking in the game?
After the WWE 2K20 debacle, 2K took a year off and has been on a mission to make things right. With 2K24, they’re bringing back Special Guest Referee Matches and adding other neat features. But it’s high time they also make sure the game keeps up with WWE’s ever-evolving landscape.
Not everything in WWE’s video games can be up-to-the-minute current, but when you’re dealing with top talent that’s constantly evolving on TV, the game needs to evolve too.
So, that’s my take on WWE 2K24 so far. I had a blast playing it and will probably sink way too many hours into it, like I do every year. But as much as I enjoy the new bells and whistles, it’s the core experience that really counts. What’s an updated wrestling game without updated wrestlers, right?
Guess we’ll see what’s what when WWE 2K24 hits the shelves on March 8, available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.
