Hell, maybe even two.
(Who even gets ‘welcome home!’
chants if you use her in NXT.)
Plus, um, Muhammad Ali.
Channel your Rage
Central to all this is the way WWE 2K24 handles.
But that was all true of the previous editions.
Layered on top are countless new animations and a greater sense of fluidity.
New Paybacks such as Rage, which immediately fills your finisher meter, boost the fun factor.
Fresh camera angles during entrances and pin attempts enhance realism.
For the most part, those gameplay improvements are matched outside of the squared circle.
After two false starts, MyGM is now deep, detailed, and replayable.
Bouts can be simmed, watched, or played yourself.
240 real wrestlers on the roster, yet I’m loving the escapades of Chuck McWagon and Cindy Fluff.
MyRise is similarly immersive, offering one story for each of the women’s and men’s divisions.
Cameos for cult faves Cole Quinn and Geneva Rose in the women’s story are welcome, too.
However, the eagle-eyed will have spotted one inconsistency.
WWE 2K24 improves on 2K23 in almost every way, yet still gets the same four-star score.
You’re right to wonder why, and it’s mainly down to two modes.
Showcase is a longstanding series tradition, earning you unlockables and video treats for playing through matches of yesteryear.
But the format is wearing thin, and this year’s theme 40 Years of WrestleMania is a disappointment.
Much like Ultimate Team in FC 24, you’re funneled towards this mode at every turn.
But even this comes with a dispiriting caveat.
You know, the mode featuring paid-for currency.
It’s garish, and sullies all those wonderful improvements found across the rest of WWE 2K24.
Those who do enjoy that mode are likely to embrace those tweaks.
Which only makes MyFaction feel like an even bigger contradiction to that wider ethos.
Then again, money talks.
And it’s the biggest hurdle in this rejuvenated series securing true greatness.
WWE 2K24 was reviewed on PS5, with code provided by the publisher.
