Something a bit different here. I had decided on a whim to buy 2K15 the other day and give it a try, despite mixed reports initially about the current gen versions of the game (Xbox 360 and PS3) paling drastically in comparison to their respective upgrade console versions. Realizing that if I waited until I could afford an Xbox One before getting the game, 2K16 would probably be out, I bit the bullet and bought it, and I've got to say, I am chuffed to bits that I made that decision. Instead of rambling on about it though, I'm going to break it down (canny escape a good DX reference) into positives and negatives of the game overall, and then say some things about the different modes. So here is my review of WWE 2K15.
Positives
- First and foremost, the obvious one is that the graphics are phenomenal. That's clear enough to see, and can only be expected with each passing year, as well as the added factor of 2K games taking the reigns of the publishing of the game franchise. The attention to detail is in some cases extraordinary.
- The pace of the game-play is just perfect. In most of the previous games, I've found that the realism in the speed of basic strikes and such have been quite off, and the movement of superstars such as Big Show and Mark Henry have been inexplicably and unrealistically nimble. 2K15 brings it back a step, and makes sure that the speed of each individual is right for them.
- The creative section of the game is really good, if not slightly more limited than it's predecessors. The options to create your own arena and championship belts are a nice touch, as well as the CAW, move-sets and entrances being to the standard of which we've been used to in the past.
- The adrenaline feature is something that I've rather become accustomed to already. There have been some complaints about it but I think it just adds to the reality of the game situation. I mean, lets be honest, no-one is going to run around the ring for ages and not get tired, are they? The small things like your guy staying down for a bit after hitting high impact moves such as superplexes, and the draining of energy that comes with hitting your finisher, struggling for the cover, gets you intensely involved in the game.
- No matter what difficulty you use, you get thrown in at the deep end. This is the first WWE game that feels like each match you play is a legit contest, leaving behind the now outdated concept of squashing the computer controlled opponent in a matter of minutes. This game is designed to test your metal, and I LOVE that.
- This kind of intertwines with my previous point, but I feel that the limb target system is way better than anything of the kind that we've seen in the games before. While the concept is still the same (target a limb and attack it), the game makes you work for it. If you want to lock in a Figure-4 at one point, there's no chance you're waiting on your opponent hitting the deck before hitting 100+ knee drops onto their legs, then simply applying the submission. The competitive nature of each match feels as though you're playing against someone else, and not a computer, every time.
Negatives
- I think everyone has found the same issue with the reversal system. It's simply too much. You can, on occasion, find yourself being locked in about 10 straight reversals of strikes and basic grapples. So many reversals. Luckily, it doesn't take much away from the game, but it is a negative in an overall way of thinking.
- As I touched on earlier, the creative aspect, despite all of it's positives, is pretty limited in terms of choice compared to older games. Small things like hair, facial hair and clothing have come up slightly short in terms of the variety it possesses. For instance, despite the fact that The Wyatt Family and Daniel Bryan are in the game, the facial hair section doesn't include beards anywhere near as long as theirs. It's a small negative, and a wee bit pernickety, but a negative nonetheless.
- Where is JBL on commentary exactly? I'm far from through with the game, and maybe he'll be able to be unlocked at one point in the future, but it's a bit strange not hearing him disagree with everything Cole and Lawler say, with them both seemingly face commentators in the game.
- Keeping on commentary, there have been very little changes made to the play-by-play commentary in the matches. There's a nice touch of some extra talking throughout entrances, but apart from that, much of it is still the same old cliched lines from Lawler and the occasional "interesting" fact from Cole. I'd have just thought that they may have spent more time recording some refreshed commentary for this game.
Who Got NXT Mode
I love this addition. I knew when I bought the game that I wouldn't be getting the MyCareer mode that everyone has been raving about, where you start at NXT and work your way up the ranks. This, however, is a worthy substitute in my opinion. You follow the paths of five NXT superstars - Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Bo Dallas, Rusev and Corey Graves. Particularly nice of them to add Graves in, with his premature retirement due to injury this year. What a talent the guy was. Basically, you start off as Sami Zayn, and need to complete four matches, including the objectives, in order to pass the stage. Keeping with the tone of the game, it's no longer a case of working through the objectives with relative ease and getting the win. It almost feels like you're re-watching the matches as they happened on NXT. Upon completing the Sami Zayn storyline, you unlock the storylines for the other four characters. As you complete each storyline, the character they follow becomes available for general play throughout the game, so you're free to play as much Sami Zayn vs Dolph Ziggler matches as your brain can handle. After you complete all five of the superstars' storylines, you unlock Proving Ground. Where you play as each of the five against John Cena in a singles match. It is like it's playing on at least Hard difficulty though, because it is brutal. Takes at least three finishers to keep Cena down, but hey, it wouldn't be Cena if it wasn't the case. Just another neat little touch which gives the game overall a more authentic feel to it. The thing about this mode is that it is exclusive to current gen consoles, as a consolation for the MyCareer mode being exclusive to the next gen models. It does it's job perfectly, and makes for interesting game-play that everyone can get stuck into. I give Who Got NXT Mode a solid 8/10.
2K Showcase Mode
Showcase mode allows us to revisit two legendary feuds. John Cena vs CM Punk, and Triple H vs Shawn Michaels. It allows us to go back to the moment their rivalries kicked off, and we play through the scenarios match by match, trying to keep to exactly how the matches panned out in real life, until their confrontations came to an end. After each match, videos - depicting exactly what happened at the time - play, acting as transitions between each event. The way this mode was programmed is great, and rightfully makes it a true challenge. It's also a mode that won't be played out quickly, and it's sure to give you something to work at for a while. With the scene cutting to simulate real events during matches when you've completed certain challenges, it provides the best possible way of telling the story to perfection. Thoroughly enjoyable game mode which gives a nice sense of nostalgia, thinking back to days when HBK had at least half his senses about him, Triple H had long hair, and CM Punk had... well... a job. In my opinion, it's probably the most durable aspect of the game, because you wouldn't begrudge cooling off from it and picking it back up again in a few hours, or even a few days. Taking all the best qualities of the general game-play, and throwing in some cinematic. Because that makes things better, right? Right. Only fair to give Showcase mode 9/10.
Verdict
If you haven't already, buy this game. It is a sound investment in every sense of the phrase. You'll play it for hours without realizing, and spend an absolute age having fun with your CAW before noticing your da's up for work and it's six in the morning. Absolutely no reason to dislike the game, and it really is a must for all wrestling fans (cliched as fuck, I know... but sue me). The best edition of the WWE games series I've personally played since way back in the Shut Your Mouth days, and certainly the best since the Smackdown! vs RAW series began in 2004. With only a couple of minor gripes with the game overall, I give it a mighty 9/10.
Verdict
If you haven't already, buy this game. It is a sound investment in every sense of the phrase. You'll play it for hours without realizing, and spend an absolute age having fun with your CAW before noticing your da's up for work and it's six in the morning. Absolutely no reason to dislike the game, and it really is a must for all wrestling fans (cliched as fuck, I know... but sue me). The best edition of the WWE games series I've personally played since way back in the Shut Your Mouth days, and certainly the best since the Smackdown! vs RAW series began in 2004. With only a couple of minor gripes with the game overall, I give it a mighty 9/10.