AEW: Fight Forever Reviews
AEW Fight Forever is a good start which can hopefully lead to much greater things. If you’re a fan of the newest professional wrestling league, then you should purchase this game to send a message to the league that you appreciate their efforts, and you’ll have plenty to look forward to in any potential sequel that may follow this if the game sells well. Wrestling fans in general should check this out as well, because it’s not like you’re exactly swimming in current game choices these days. For everyone else, this remains a hard sell, but that is true of most sports games. If one word could sum up AEW Fight Forever, it’s simply this: potential.
I think AEW: Fight Forever is a good start for Yukes to build upon, whether that’s through iterative sequels or as a long-term platform. The core wrestling is a lot of fun, accessible and captures the bombastic nature of the sport in a way that the WWE games don’t. It’s a smart move because it means AEW: Fight Forever positions itself as an alternative rather than a direct competitor. If Yukes can start adding a lot more content to the wrestler creation systems and flesh out the Road to Elite mode, this could be a winner.
AEW Fight Forever marks the premiere of this wrestling promotion on console games and if that means Fight Forever needs to cause a great impression, the reality is this game falls below expectations in most ways. Its career mode is competent and enjoyable, but there is an unexplainable lack of high profile wrestlers on this rather expensive release, and many of its DLC inclusions should have been a part of the initial game. There's also a lack of variety and match types that won't help AEF Fight Forever make a name for itself, and the game's unimpressive visual work leaves a lot to be desired.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
AEW Fight Forever draws inspiration from WWF No Mercy for Nintendo 64, so here we have a double dose of wrestling and retro gaming fanaticism all rolled up into one.
This is not the WWE 2K rival many assumed it would be. Instead, like its real-life counterpart, AEW: Fight Forever aims for something different. At times, it feels wild and cheesy, and strange art choices make it an uncanny experience. But equally, it embraces this cheese, elevating its action and storytelling with a welcome silliness.
As the very first entry into the market Fight Forever does a surprisingly good job. Patching and building off the foundation established here will be key in how this game is received by the fans, old and new. I’m along for the ride. If you’re an AEW fan, I think you’ll enjoy this release. It does enough to stand out from the WWE series of games and gives a great alternative that AEW the actual wrestling product was supposed to be.
Even with its problems, however, AEW: Fight Forever is still worth playing. Like AEW itself, it offers a welcome change from the slickness of its main rival, and while there are definitely areas for the game to improve, it fully captures the spirit of the games it’s trying to emulate. If you’re looking to play a wrestling game on the Switch, your search pretty much begins and ends with AEW: Fight Forever.
The graphics are also quite dated, even when playing on the latest and greatest hardware. This does not affect the score of this review in any way, as the gameplay is mostly solid. For a debut console title for AEW, there is plenty to be excited about. AEW: Fight Forever is a fun time, alone or with friends. It doesn’t take itself so seriously with its arcade-style gameplay. The price point of $59.99 is a big ask for a game with such a limited amount of content. I would consider picking this up in a sale if you want to shut your brain off and have a nostalgia-driven wrestling experience. If Yuke’s can keep up with updating AEW: Fight Forever with new content like more stages, wrestlers, and other features, they will have a real winner on their hands.
AEW Fight Forever shouldn’t have bothered having commentary if players are getting a few lifeless sentences spoken during entrances and after matches. This is especially for iconic colour commentator good ol’ Jim Ross (J.R.) deserves much more respect with play-by-play commentary. Despite some of the glaring issues, AEW Fight Forever is a well-grounded entry into the franchise and has done its job to deliver a retro-like wrestling game to adhere to wrestling fans of previous generations and even new-age wrestling fans can fully appreciate.
I first raised my interest in reviewing AEW: FIght Forever back in 2021. Having watched its development over the years and suffered through the delays and update doldrums, I was over the moon to see launch day creeping ever closer. Getting a review code a week early was enough to warrant a widely used Vince McMahon GIF, but we can’t credit the opposition this early on in a review.
AEW: Fight Forever feels like an old game, attempting to appeal to nostalgia but falling short in every respect by today's standards. It may be fun in casual matches with friends, but its merits end there.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There is a lot of potential for AEW Fight Forever, as it provides variety and an alternative to WWE 2K's quasi-monopoly for wrestling games. It hearkens back to classic arcade-style wrestling titles, which brings back some nostalgia; however, it will take a little more than nostalgia to provide a fun and lasting experience. Due to many performance issues and awkward design choices, we cannot completely recommend AEW Fight Forever as a Day 1 purchase. However, there are quite a few fun ideas that they have so that it doesn't feel like a complete write-off; namely, the Road to Elite story mode has the potential to be a fun story mode moving forward should the developers continue to support it.
Despite its promise, AEW: Fight Forever comes out of the gate lacking direction. In a market that would gladly accept another classic, disappointment due to a lack of structure leads to this match ending quickly for the debuting franchise.
AEW: Fight Forever came with good intentions, but it needed to have more practice before stepping into the ring. Even though it brings a totally different proposition compared to any recent WWE, its various problems and weak content make it a game that will not even pass the door of the Hall of Fame.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
As is, the available activities are slim, and I reckon that it won’t take long before monotony sets in. I did enjoy the Career, but the Rogue elements turned me right off. When I realized my progress had been lost, yet upgrades were still recognized, I stopped playing and got straight to writing. My motivation was tapped out. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend buying at full price in its current state. The value isn’t there to justify $60, but if you find it half off or so, do it.
Having been away from the wrestling genre for around 5 years, AEW Fight Forever is a great return for Yukes! Taking on the newest and most exciting wrestling franchise is no hard task and I’m sure with the increasing popularity of the AEW, future games are only going to get better and better. All I hope is that the core gameplay stays as fun as AEW Fight Forever is. Thumb Culture is All Elite, awarding a Thumb Culture Gold Award!
AEW Fight Forever is a solid starting point for a franchise with really exciting potential. Yukes have absolutely nailed the in-ring action, paying a ton of respect to No Mercy while successfully modernising it for today’s audience. Rosters and content are a bit on the slim side, while other areas like Road to Elite and Online need more developing and fine-tuning in future installments, but what we have is a successful, enjoyable alternative to other games on the market that’s easy to get into and difficult to put down.
AEW: Fight Forever brings back the fun, pick up and play type of wrestling game that has fallen by the wayside over the years.
AEW Fight Forever struggles to find its place with its first entry into the world of video games! Whilst it tries to set itself apart from WWE’s flagship series, with a lack of creativity and variety, it just ends up becoming a bit monotonous. There may be something here for die hard fans, but unfortunately beyond a few matches in exhibition and a lacklustre career mode, AEW Fight Forever does not do enough to be an enticing wrestling game! Unfortunately, unlike the actual AEW brand, the game just can’t compete with its WWE counterpart!
From a pure gameplay perspective, AEW: Fight Forever nails it.