WWE 2K16

Fans of this long-running wrestling franchise came away feeling that last year’s effort, the first on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, was average at best. With modes trimmed out and odd changes to the control scheme that messed with match pacing, fans turned their attention forward in hopes of improvement.

Based on our brief time with the game, developers Yuke’s and Visual Concepts are addressing concerns not only from last year, but those that have lingered for a while. Last year’s back-and-forth chain wrestling tie-up system has been tweaked. Players can tie, which opens the door for them to break out of the lockup or deliver a cheap blow.

One of the other major changes is an overhaul to the reversal system. In last year’s game, priority could switch back and forth indefinitely. Provided both players nailed the timing, you could go on and on without either side landing a blow.

Reversals are now on a meter that recharges over time. If your bar is empty, you’d best stay away from your opponent or engage on your own terms when there’s an opening. Some moves require a major reversal, which costs two sections of meter. Others give you a single opportunity for a string of attacks, and both of these are noted with different versions of the reversal icon. The referee, pin, and submission systems are updated for 2K16. Rope breaks are now initiated manually, and you need to make sure the ref can actually see you grab it. You can still kick out of a pin, but the meter is overhauled. The horizontal display is gone in favor of a circular meter. You need to stop the bar in the pie-shaped section of the meter to pull out of the pin. As you get weaker, the wedge shrinks and can move, making it harder to escape. Functionally, it’s the same, but works better aesthetically.

The submission minigame takes a page from UFC Undisputed 3. When you have someone in a hold, a circular meter appears with two bars (one for each opponent). The aggressor uses his line to chase the defender’s. If they overlap, a meter fills up, ultimately leading to tap-out.

Our demo included one-on-one quick play matches and the first Showcase fight, featuring cover star Stone Cold Steve Austin. The introduction takes us all the way back to 1996, for the King of the Ring finals. Both Austin and opponent Jake the Snake Roberts were injured earlier in the night, with Roberts taking a beating from Vader.

Objectives return this year, and as Austin, players need to bring Roberts into critical range and then perform a Stone Cold Stunner before a pin. The controls and the user interface depicting stamina and momentum are identical to last year, with no major surprises. I transitioned to WWE 2K16 without a problem. We don’t have information yet on the other modes, including creation, universe, and career. They’re likely to be in place as you’d expect, but details on changes and improvements will come later. Our first look was brief, with very little to sink our teeth into, but what was there felt better than last year’s first outing on new-gen platforms.

Wrestling fans rejoice: WWE 2K16 is a step in the right direction for this aging series. Once again, the world of WWE is brought to life in incredible detail, featuring some key improvements to the original formula, and some much-needed upgrades to the overall presentation that make previous entries feel dated.

If you’ve played a WWE game before, there might be little incentive to make you get this new entry. However, if you got the previous year’s version and felt like the formula was in dire need of a new coat of paint, check this review to see if WWE 2K16 has everything you were looking for in a wrestling game.

Clashing and Grappling

Veterans of WWE 2K15 will feel like little has changed in terms of overall gameplay when it comes to WWE 2K16. However, once you go into some of the deeper gameplay mechanics, some clear improvements begin to show. For starters, balance issues have been addressed, like players spamming reversals. Now, there’s only a set number of reversals allowed per match, which makes matches feel faster and with fewer stalemates. Additionally, WWE 2K16 features the most impressive roster we’ve seen so far in a Wrestling game. With over 100 professional wrestlers to choose from, players are sure to find their favorites here. And we haven’t even talked about the game’s impressive creation suit.

Endless Customization

One of the strongest elements of the WWE games’ formula has always been the impressive amounts of customization possibilities. WWE 2K16 improves over its predecessor’s limitations, going back to the freedom players first experienced in Yuke’s WWE 2K14.

With 100 custom character slots and a solidly improved assortment of customizable suits and capes, players will be able to create an army of their dream wrestlers. The game’s improved visual quality does wonders for customizable characters: now, you can create wonderfully realistic abominations or celebrity lookalikes that can duke it out on the ring with some of the most well-known WWE superstars.

Aside from the customizable characters, players can also create their own shows, arenas, and championships: all of them features that were removed in WWE 2K15. If we keep into consideration that this game already features over 100 licensed wrestlers, we get one of the richest rosters in the history of wrestling games.

Improved Visuals and Audio

We touched on this earlier, but the visual improvements made in WWE 2K16 can’t be overstated. Character models look better than ever, and so do their facial animations and attire.

The new cloth physics looks impressively fluid and realistic, giving some wrestlers a much-needed secondary animation layer. Small things like sweat have also been revamped, the same with how the hair flows and moves during a fight.

The commentary team’s roster has also increased in size this time around: John “Bradshaw” Layfield joins WWE veterans Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler, spicing up the previously stale commentary.

Pros:

• Improved visuals
• Matches feel faster than they did in previous games
• Tons of customization options

Cons:

• Extremely long load times
• A few physics glitches
• Balancing issues