In their first sole release, WWE 2K15, rather than continuing to tweak the system THQ built upon for the better part of a decade, 2K tore the franchise down to the foundation and built it back up brick by brick. While on its own, 2K15 seemed a bit bare boned with a limited roster and even more limited matches and modes, fans were optimistic that they would expand on it the next year to what was regarded a very solid core. Despite a few minor annoyances, WWE 2K16 may be one of the most complete and fun games in the genre in a very long time.
WWE 2K16
Developer: Yuke’s, Visual Concepts
Price: $60
Platform: PS4 (Reviewed), Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360
For starters, the game simply looks amazing, the detailed entrances will blow you away. While some wrestlers have less than perfect character models, the majority of them look so spot on it’s uncanny. Not satisfied with just looking like them, the wrestlers actually play like their real life counterparts. Match presentation has stepped up, with camera angles, cutaways to replays, pre and post match celebrations, the works. You can see the presentation was a priority and you’ll get swept up in the spectacle of watching John Cena’s entrance for the 50th time or Finn Balor bust out his Demon persona, it’s all amazing.
Since 2K took the reigns, they made the decision to move away from the sometimes cartoonish arcade style and focus it as more of a wrestling simulation based in realism and presentation. In that regard, they strongly succeeded in many areas. Some of the matches have insane length to them, ten minutes or more. Though facing a few missteps, 2K has very clearly made it their goal to make this game as close to real life as possible. Unfortunately 2K has yet to resolve issues with commentary. It’s been a constant complaint in the games, and it’s not getting much better. You can very clearly tell Cole, Lawler, and JBL were sitting in a studio recording this, clearly reading from a script 
instead of watching it first hand, and while the switch from bored to fake-enthused takes its toll, but is never a dealbreaker.
As far as the gameplay, 2K really did great work on the game. For starters the wrestlers. In games past every character played strikingly similar to each other minus different signature and finishing moves. In WWE 2K16, each wrestler feature different playing styles, and your experience with each of them will vary greatly. It’s genuinely refreshing to know that switching up who you play as will also have a large impact on how you play, and I think the fans will recognize and appreciate that fact. One notable change are the reversals, which features mostly the same dynamic, but you now have a limited number of reversals which vary depending on the wrestler. It takes getting used to, as many fans are used to reversing everything their opponent throws at them, but now you have to conserve counters, unless you’re fine being out when your opponent has a finisher lined up. The most polarizing change is the new submission system, which relies on timing and rotation of the analog stick. It will definitely rub people the wrong way initially, but it only takes a few matches to get used to and master. The AI has also greatly improved, and you’re going to find yourself having competitive bouts with computers than any game before it.
Content in WWE 2K16 is crazy compared to last year. With a roster of over 100 unique wrestlers, the addition of multiple gimmicks and outfits for the wrestlers, and the promise of lots of DLC to come, this is the greatest wrestling roster this entire series has ever known. There is also an expanded selection of match types, although several key matches are absent this year like tag team ladder matches. Creative Modes have brought back favorites like Create a Belt, Diva, Show, and Arena. The absence of Create a Finisher has disappointed some, but with a 
massive move list in the game, it’s hardly needed.
For core game modes, 2K brought back the 2K Showcase, mainly letting you replay through the key moments in the career of Stone Cold Steve Austin, which is one of the most impactful and enjoyable careers in wrestling. Fans of WWE Universe Mode will enjoy seeing it return, with noticeable tweaks improving the experience. The real gem in my mind is the newly repackaged My Career. My Career debuted in 2K15 and didn’t have a lot of direction. Well say no more. Many improvements to My Career include the ability to chase any title, spend a career in NXT or shoot for the stars. It no longer ends right when you win the WWE Championship, instead your goal is to have such a monstrous career to end in the Hall of Fame. I could go on for another full article about My Career, but to sum it up, it’s an experience that’s just awesome.
Final Word
WWE 2K16 wasn’t just a step in the right direction for the series, it’s one of the most fun professional wrestling games in the past decade. A few small growing pains, some minor bumps in the production, and noticeable absences of some matches and modes leave some things to be desired, but I believe this game will be a staple in any fans library.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
