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'WWE 2K18' Will Not Be Good

Justified Negativity Within...

By Shaun PondPublished 7 years ago 4 min read
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Wrestling fans are currently abuzz with excitement regarding the upcoming WWE 2K18 video game. The same thing happens every year as fans gear themselves up, believing that it might finally be the year that we return to Here Comes the Pain levels of greatness. It never happens though, and that isn’t about to change this year.

So, the negativity is already palpable with this one but there is good reason to be so down on the game before it has even launched, you’ve just got to be willing to learn from history.

Learning from its history is sadly something that 2K seems incapable of doing, however. Ever since they took over the franchise from the now defunct THQ it’s been an absolute slog for gamers with the same game being thrown out every single year with a few minor tweaks to keep people from complaining too much ahead of launch.

Typically, those changes have been slightly improving the Career Mode but still leaving it an unplayable waste of time that’s about as fun as watching paint dry, changing the lighting system, and claiming to have done a complete overhaul of the graphics engine, and adding trinkets to the Universe Mode that do absolutely nothing functional. This may seem overly harsh but really, what leaps have been made in the franchise in the last few years? Career Mode is horrendous, Universe Mode hasn’t changed, and the commentary is still laughably poor. Why presume that it’s going to be more of the same this year?

Well, the marketing is all the proof you need. 2K has tried to be smart in dropping virtually nothing in the way of meaningful information, but upping the pageantry on the roster reveal to make it seem as though something exciting is happening. The weekly reveals have adequately distracted pundits by giving them some shiny in-game renders to rabbit on about ad nauseum. Whilst banging on about how great Seth Rollins’ abs look they have conveniently forgotten to tell you how bad the gameplay mechanics look.

Sure, entrances are better than ever and do look strikingly close to their tv counterparts but who actually keeps entrances turned on? The matches that have been shown thus far have all looked precisely the same as last year and they weren’t fun then either. The attempts at realism have fallen flat without a selling system in place to make each character look individual whilst taking a big bump. Giving fans the ability to pick up and move their opponents isn’t going to rectify that. It’s all just window dressing that looks good on a list of new features but has no true functionality within the game.

It’s not that they need to return to the arcade style of Here Comes the Pain but they may be better served by fully committing to their current style and going all out to deliver the best experience possible.

Another worrying sign is the previously mentioned lack of information. In previous years, this has been a sign of a mode not being up to scratch but 2K not wanting to show people that fact. Look at the aforementioned Career Mode. Precious little is typically shared about it prior to release and it is always appalling, the same thing is happening this time around with only the free roam element being discussed as if it is a game changer. It is not and is likely to be extremely limited, as is the heel/face mechanic which sees you embrace the fans or the GM. This is being sold as new to the game but it is an exact rehash of the Authority system seen in prior titles.

Then there’s Universe Mode. Supposedly the crown jewel for WWE games, it hasn’t seen any meaningful improvements in years. Title matches still only occur on PPVs unless you manually change the card for a normal show, the same matches are booked week after week, and feuds are all pretty much identical. For a mode that is meant to reflect the real-life world of the WWE, it is woefully lacking in any real-world elements. The anything-can-happen nature of the TV product is lost in translation.

Moving back briefly to the Career Mode, you are forced to play through it as a created wrestler rather than a recognisable face. The reason that this is such a bad thing is because the Creation Suite is one of the most lacking features of any modern game. You have a few stock templates, some basic tattoos, and some generic looking clothing. There was a time when you could create monstrously fantastical creatures with the tools at your disposal but now all you can really do is churn out the same old cookie cutter type wrestlers without any of the flair of those of old. It’s a crying shame that a game representing an industry as bizarre as wrestling is so limited in what it allows players to do.

As the title states, WWE 2K18 is not going to be good. The writing is already on the wall if you choose to pay attention to it and those who shell out for this title are going to be disappointed. Fear not though, as there are alternatives out there. If you’re more of a simulation style gamer who enjoys booking cards and crafting their own WWE then the excellent TEW 2016 may well be for you, or if you like playing actual matches and taking control of a wrestler then you might wish to look at Fire Pro Wrestling. The latter is far from perfect but it is a fun title with a little more depth in terms of in-ring action that its big name counterpart.

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About the Creator

Shaun Pond

I am a third year Journalism and Screenwriting student at The University of Worcester with a particular interest in gaming and all things geek. Seeking representation and writing opportunities, please contact [email protected].

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