WWE2K23had a surprising amount of expectations attached to it; this was largely because its predecessor2K22came after a year-long hiatus from the franchise and made tangible improvements that made the game a better all-around package for players. TheWWE2Kseries has had a tumultuous existence, with earlier entries being criticized by fans of the games, fans of wrestling, and reviewers alike.WWE2K23picks up where2K22left off.
RELATED:Wrestling Games With The Best Gameplay, RankedWWE2K23isone of the best wrestling gamesreleased in recent memory; it features an incredible roster, high-quality graphics and visuals, and a multitude of different game modes for players to spend hours in. Whether it be minor technical improvements or an overhaul of entire game modes,2K23has a lot to offer - here are its best improvements.
5A Revamped Showcase Mode
Showcase mode has been a prevalent feature in theWWE2Kgames, and it has never been the subject of widely positive reception. The game mode, whilst interesting in concept, has often left a lot to be desired in terms of execution. Playing as the same wrestler over and over again was repetitive, and the objectives to progress through a match were tedious.
2K23’sShowcase modeis a little different, and it’s definitely for the better. Featuring John Cena as the star character, the Showcase mode lets players take control of iconic rivals from his past,be it Brock Lesnaror Triple H. While a lot of the flaws are still there, and the creativity doesn’t go much beyond ‘this time the player plays as the opponents’, it is still a welcome change and makes the mode feel a lot better.
4Wargames
Wargames is anew inclusion to the series; it features a 3v3 or 4v4 multiplayer competition. In Wargames, players are kept in cages and introduced into the arena at separate intervals, somewhat similar to Elimination Chamber. Once all players enter the arena, the Wargames begin.
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This game mode is an adrenaline-fueled cage match that works really well against the AI, with friends, or online. Wargames, along with taking place in a steel cage, also lets players use weapons to great effect. Moreover, the intervals at which players are released from their cage depends on their performance in-game, and it can create fun and varied scenarios. Overall, this has to be one of the best additions in the series and a clear improvement on the game mode variety in2K22.
3MyGM Mode Changes
While MyGM isn’t exactlyFootball Managerfor wrestling, it still ticks all the boxes for a management simulation mode. MyGM was decent in2K22,but it’s a clear improvement in2K23; small changes littered across the mode making it much more engaging, enjoyable, and a lot more intuitive to play through.
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Players have access to an all-new assistant GM who essentially gives players everything they need to book the entire show. This deleted the earlier necessity of backtracking, going through each wrestler’s demands, and so on. Along with this, players now have a larger objective than simply winning the battle of the brands, the new end goal is being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Players have four seasons to do this, as opposed to the much shorter career inWWE2K22.
2MyGM Mode New Content
The MyGM in2K22was pretty bare-bones, and this new game makes that very clear. Players now have a lot more freedom to book their shows as they see fit; there’s a lot more to do and tons of ways to do it. An obvious example is the ability to now book mid-card title matches for championships such as the Intercontinental and United States Championships. Players also havemore match typesto use for their show and access to a wider roster of general managers, such as Stephanie McMahon and Xavier Woods.
All in all,WWE2K23has made strides in MyGM mode, there’s a lot of additional content compared to the previous entry, and it’s mostly all welcome additions.
1New And Improved MyRise
MyRise has been one of the most important part of 2K’s WWE games for a while now, and2K23has made further strides into making it a fleshed-out and enjoyable game mode. MyRise features a story mode in which aplayer-created custom characteressentially climbs through the ranks of the WWE. The most important addition in this game, which was not present in previous installments, is that nowanycustom charactercreated by a player can be used for MyRise, whereas previously, a character had to be specifically made for the mode itself.
Beyond that, the mode features the same pattern of having two storylines for the player to go through. These now have the added benefit of a better story, better graphics and visuals, and a more engaging storyline to play through. The mode also feels less repetitive and truly stands out as a marquee game mode.
WWE 2K23is now available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4.
