WWE 2K15 Reviews
Wrestling is a soap opera. Good stories are an integral part of the experience. WWE 2K15 doesn't measure up in this regard, nor provide compelling modes. The combat has a lot of thought put into it, perhaps a promising foundation for future titles.
Inside the ring WWE 2K15 is fantastic. Outside the ring there's just enough flaws to turn some fans away. In essence this is all about creating your own fun, so the greater your love of WWE the more you're going to get out of it.
WWE 2K15 easily feels, looks, and sounds like an episode of its real-life counterpart thanks to the excellent production value. The game excels in its 2K Showcase mode, which engages players as it takes them on a journey through historic storylines. Sadly, other aspects, like the MyCareer mode, quickly grow tiresome and there is an obvious lack of customisation options and match types. Ultimately, this is a flawed but very enjoyable package and fans of the WWE are likely to find some entertainment from reliving certain parts of wrestling history.
Unlike the game's release on consoles, the presence of mod support means that WWE 2K15 will actively evolve over time on PC. Until the mod community flourishes however and assuming the game's rough edges prove tolerable, WWE 2K15 remains an enjoyable wrestling yarn the likes of which PC players haven't been graced with in, well, forever.
A capable attempt to recapture the magic of WWE, let down by the decision not to update any single element of the console versions.
WWE 2K15 is a lot like the WWE itself – burying its female performers, mishandling its roster, screwing up its own booking and failing to establish characters. I say that as a fan. But maybe if we want a daring, innovative wrestling game, we'll need to wait for somebody else to jump into the market.
WWE 2K15's dull, outdated game mechanics and rushed, cash-grab feel is a mean-spirited rib. Like its real-life counterpart, the WWE video game series needs new blood.
Overall, if you want to get the full experience you will need the season pass. That is your shortcut to unlocking everything, and any future DLC. Commentary is just a bad as ever, Michael Cole doesn't sound right in NXT. The new additions were ambitious, if poorly executed.
WWE 2K15 is a slick product, but on closer examination it hides numerous problems and flaws. It's the game of tomorrow with the problems of yesteryear, a transitional game between platforms that feels like very little care has gone into crafting the ultimate simulation in sports entertainment. And that's the bottom line.
The WWE 2K series comes to the PS4 and Xbox One, but is this the leap forward in the series that fans have been waiting for?
As it is though, this is just another wrestling game and unless you absolutely MUST own the next gen version, then there is little reason to upgrade. WWE 2K15 isn't a 'bad' game, but it is now certainly a very stale one.
Overall WWE 2K15 was a disappointing debut for WWE games on Xbox One/PS4 due to a range of different problems like removing a ton of matches from single player, not improving Universe much, removing create modes, limiting Create A Superstar, MyCareer problems, and other issues (trust me there are a lot). The only solid work that has been done on this game is the graphics and the improvements to gameplay. It was very disappointing overall, and hopefully WWE 2K16 is much better.
Sporting new looks and a handful of new mechanics, WWE makes its way onto the new consoles with 'WWE 2K15' where risky design choices knock the series out of champion status.
For a videogame based on grown men and women in spandex fighting each other while forwarding overblown soap opera storylines, WWE 2k15 is surprisingly misanthropic. The game seeks to be a "realistic" portrayal of the WWE career arc, asking you to grind your way from an unknown to a Superstar, and finally winning the WWE Championship. WWE 2k15 certainly propagates that fantasy, but along the way, it also stumbles into a repetitive pattern that, completely by accident, reveals a harsher and poignant truth about what professional wrestling, and being a sports entertainment performer, really is: it's a job, just like any other job.
Overall, WWE 2K15 shows promise for the series moving forward with its great presentation and solid game engine. At the same time, the omission of certain content as well as aggressive DLC implementation also means the game hasn't quite hit its stride just yet.
It feels stripped back, but not in a 'finely tuned race car' kind of way, but rather 'old banger that's had more than a few collisions' way. It's a significantly worse game than most of those that have preceded it, with some jaw-dropping omissions and rather dull additions. I had hope that once Yuke's gave over the reigns we would see an new age for WWE videogames, but this isn't the new start that I imagined. 2K15 is a serviceable game, and can be great fun at times (the ability to play with friends is what's keeping the score from dipping below five), but it pales in comparison to the older WWE titles, making it almost pointless to upgrade.
All in all, if you're a die-hard fan you're probably going to buy this, and may have already. The graphics won't disappoint, and if you've stayed away from the series and are just returning now, you may even be blown away. Yearly participants won't be nearly as impressed, though, and short of an (admittedly impressive) fresh coat of paint, the cons far outweigh the pros for this year's chair-bashing, knee-dropping pro wrestling encounter.
WWE 2K15 is prettier, but not much smarter than its predecessors
Although WWE 2K15 boasts a massive visual upgrade and better gameplay, the MyCareer mode is boring and let down tremendously by the poor character creator and skeletal roster. For a game targeted at a niche audience, it manages to disappoint those fans massively.
If you are looking for a good wrestling game pick up WWE 2K14 because WWE 2K15 should have been fired on its wedding day.