High quality is subjective, however for those who ask WWE followers concerning the state of the product in recent times, many will let you know it’s one of the best it’s been in ages. The corporate is having fun with a increase interval in high quality and mainstream recognition not seen for the reason that Perspective Period, and it nearly feels scripted that the WWE 2K video video games have been on the same upward trajectory throughout the identical timeframe. WWE 2K25 retains every little thing that has labored within the latest entries whereas opening up the roster in a welcomed approach because of the long-overdue introduction of intergender matches. Though the sport’s most outstanding new mode, The Island, is a questionable addition, 2K25 places on one other sturdy efficiency.
For the primary time in a very long time, the 300-plus celebrity roster can slam one another as equals now that female and male superstars can lastly compete in any match sort collectively. That is my favourite new addition; I solely spent important playtime with half the roster in earlier video games for the reason that on-line neighborhood tends to favor enjoying the boys. Now, I can lastly use my uncared for favorites like Asuka or Rhea Ripley with out twisting a buddy’s arm to choose one of many women to play with me. Intergender matches additionally elevate the potential mixtures of match-ups exponentially since males’s and girls’s talents are on a degree enjoying area. Liv Morgan can take down Roman Reigns as successfully because the boys, giving 2K25 a enjoyable, arcade-like vibe.
The distinctive grappling contains the return of chain wrestling, a triggerable mini-game wherein gamers execute a cinematic sequence of counters and tie-ups to realize the higher hand. I haven’t missed this characteristic since its final look in a 2K sport, and 2K25 doesn’t make me really feel mistaken for that. The mechanic works advantageous, however it’s typically a chore resulting from how lengthy it might probably go on, so it’s not one thing I’m going out of my solution to execute and falls squarely within the “neat” class.
I benefit from the addition of the Underground Match, the MMA-style contest the place you need to win by knockout or submission inside a ropeless ring surrounded by bystanders. Bloodlines Guidelines is probably probably the most entertaining stipulation in a while. The match is basically a avenue struggle that permits you to summon as much as three superstars to carry out run-ins in your behalf à la Cody vs Roman at Wrestlemania XL. This match is delightfully chaotic, and it’s much more amusing when utilizing non-Bloodline-related superstars simply to see who runs out. The allies both match that wrestler’s on-screen relationships or are hilariously random, like Stone Chilly receiving assist from Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, and The Final Warrior. Whatever the match, WWE 2K25 stays an entertaining hold-for-hold expertise. Nevertheless, I’m past prepared to maneuver on from listening to the motion known as by the long-outdated commentary workforce of Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton.
The Bloodline, WWE’s faction of wrestlers hailing from the legendary Anoaʻi/Maivia household dynasty, dominates 2K25, culminating in a model new mode known as The Island. That is WWE 2K’s spin on NBA 2K’s MyCareer, letting gamers create a customized celebrity to discover a WWE theme park-like hub world. From cleverly designed locations just like the lucha libre-inspired Temple of the Ancients and a Japanese arcade themed after the members of Injury CTRL, The Island is enjoyable to gawk at, particularly because it’s crammed with inside nods and easter eggs for hardcore followers. Sadly, text-based conversations imply interactions with superstars really feel flat, and the minimal ambient sound results make the Island extra lifeless than it seems to be. Exploring is a literal ache resulting from continuously holding the set off button to execute a weirdly sluggish run to get round marginally quicker. Moreover, the shortage of a map means numerous aimless looking for the place to go, and the small in-game mission indicators don’t stand out sufficient from the group.
The Island challenges gamers to finish matches and different duties to earn a WWE contract (and the acknowledgment of Roman Reigns) whereas partaking in goofy sidequests like discovering the haunted scattered items of an urn or acquiring mech swimsuit elements from WWE’s gamer wrestlers. These missions are broadly advantageous, eliciting a chuckle in some instances.
The principle reward for doing them is incomes VC, 2K’s premium forex, to pump up your character, however the Island would favor that you simply spend actual cash to hurry up the method. My earlier theme park analogy rings most true in how a lot the Island tries to tempt gamers to open their wallets through shops promoting beauty items (some branded, e.g. Nike). Whereas straightforward to disregard, it nonetheless feels a bit icky given {that a} single piece of apparel, similar to a pair of footwear or a shirt, prices $5 minimal, and it’ll take numerous playtime to earn sufficient VC to unlock even just a few full outfits purely by enjoying. That is particularly egregious for the reason that identical forex is used to enhance your character’s attributes, and budgeting actual cash to stability apparel and efficiency upgrades isn’t enjoyable.
As a fan of the yearly Showcase mode, centering it on The Bloodline’s lengthy lineage is an interesting selection, and it covers a pleasant breadth of the household tree. From Peter Maivia to Yokozuna to the Usos to Nia Jax, Showcase is thematically fascinating however disjointed in execution. As an alternative of solely presenting a trustworthy documentary-style recreation of matches, a number of bouts provide fantasy match-ups, like The Wild Samoans vs The Dudley Boyz, which is a bit odd for the historian in me.
Classic matches are typically held in fashionable arenas as an alternative of recreating era-appropriate venues, creating one other thematic disconnect. Showcase’s match order additionally feels haphazard because the household historical past lesson (narrated by Paul Heyman, who does an unsurprisingly nice job) jumps backwards and forwards between the completely different household generations, making it trickier to understand for those who’re unaware of the Bloodline’s heritage. The 2024 Bloodline vs Bloodline WarGames match, for instance, looks like an apparent and becoming ultimate bout, nevertheless it’s unusually the penultimate contest to a random and much much less important tag match from yesteryear. Showcase continues to be an pleasant abstract of the Bloodline’s decades-long greatness, nevertheless it’s a weaker general exhibiting than earlier iterations.
The story-driven MyRise pushes intergender gameplay additional by that includes a single, branching storyline that stars a female and male celebrity that gamers change between. I recognize the streamlined method of disposing of social-media-based match-ups to bouts. With solely Story quests and optionally available stay occasions designed for grinding ability factors, MyRise is much less bloated and extra manageable. This yr’s storyline of an NXT invasion of the principle roster, a la 2001’s WCW/ECW Alliance angle, is hilariously absurd if you think about that a minimum of 90 p.c of the principle roster consists of NXT alumni. Nonetheless, that silliness is what makes MyRise’s usually ridiculous plots enjoyable in a dumb approach. Regardless of a number of flat performances from some voiced superstars (together with what seems like a drained CM Punk in a major function), MyRise stays a enjoyable little romp I nonetheless take pleasure in partaking in.
MyGM, a favourite vacation spot of mine, is basically the identical this yr however makes up for the shortage of innovation by lastly introducing much-requested on-line play for as much as 4 gamers. My long-time disinterest within the card-collecting MyFaction stays unchanged; it’s nonetheless okay for individuals who prefer it, however enjoying it does nothing to encourage extra engagement past the compulsory check-in. The Creation Suite and, to a lesser extent, MyUniverse don’t characteristic any substantial modifications, however they’re nonetheless entertaining time sinks for devoted gamers.
However what issues most is when the bell rings, and taking management of this huge roster and mixing it up – no matter gender – throughout a now-impressive choice of stipulations is a blast. Though it’s the one actual sport on the town, WWE 2K25 retains its title as one of the best and most substantial professional wrestling sim followers can purchase.
