WWE 2K17 Reviews
WWE 2K17 doesn’t make any big, drastic changes, but its smart gameplay tweaks have revitalized match types I’d ignored the past few years. I really miss 2K Showcase, and 2K17 is still weak in areas that I feel should have been shored up by now, but its excellent combat, and generous amounts of customization help it retain its title.
The basic combat is fine, but WWE 2K17 botches everything, from performance to presentation.
A varied and fulfilling selection of pretend-o-fights, bolstered by new features which don’t all work exactly as intended – but show tantalising promise for the future.
The removal of Showcase mode is sorely missed, and while the overall action is more polished, WWE 2K still has some ways to go before it gets where it needs to be
Refinements to its measured combat make for a better game, but problems still persist in key areas both in and outside the squared circle.
Although WWE 2K17 didn’t need to be a strong step forward from its previous release, it’s still difficult not to be disappointed with how little has changed from year-to-year.
Some of WWE 2K17 is brilliant, especially with the well animated moves, some new mechanics and a huge roster. Sadly, however, all the good is undermined by awful presentation.
Aside from some nagging and egregious legacy issues, WWE 2K17 is really good. The game delivers where it counts most: graphics, gameplay and options. This is easily the best wrestling release in over a decade.
WWE 2K17 has minimal improvements, but important absences, like the 2K Showcase mode. The lack of Showcase mode gave the chance to My Career to shine on its own, but it won't be the case and we feel that Paul Heyman's character has been wasted.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
WWE 2K17 is a poor simulation of the WWE product, often because it seems ashamed of pro wrestling.
By acting as a simulation rather than embracing the promotion silliness, WWE 2K17 misses the mark wildly. What chance they had to make MyCareer a marquee game mode and a game changer was wasted by half-baked ideas. There’s a lot going on with the other modes on offer and it plays better than most wrestling games out there, but its presentation suffers greatly as a result. As a tool for promoting Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar 2, it’s done its job, it’s just a shame that was the best thing WWE 2K17 achieved.
The forward momentum from last year’s improvements already seems to be faltering, as the weight of bugs and glitches ruin many of the new features.
WWE 2K17 expansive game systems represent possibly the most substantial update to the franchise in years. Most of the changes are small, but they add up to the most fun I've had with a WWE game in years.
Despite the missing-in-action Showcase mode, another step in the direction of a more complete, tactical and realistic wrestling experience, outside and inside the ring.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It seems like every single year the WWE 2K games take a stride forward, but also a few steps backwards. 2K17 is no different as for every smart gameplay change there is a missing feature or a worthless addition. The yearly release schedule is clearly making it difficult for the team to fix issues while also adding new features, so they’ll have to make a choice sooner rather than later if trying to juggle both each year is worthwhile. For now, WWE 2K17 is barely off Jericho’s list.
WWE 2K17 is superior in a few ways to its predecessor, with a much improved wrestling system. At the same time, loading times are worse and there's a lack of Showcase leaves a gap the MyCareer and Universe modes simply can't fill. Aesthetically lacking and, frankly, boring too much of the time, it's hard to recommend this. Particularly when considering the prohibitive DLC practices that keep active members of the roster behind a pay wall.
Presentation hiccups and an undercooked Promo Engine aren't enough to take the shine off of 2K's latest take on the WWE franchise. Generously stuffed with the largest roster seen to date along with an encompassing creation suite, WWE Universe mode and a whole host of significant tweaks to the core experience, WWE 2K17 is the best entry in the series since Brock Lesnar last found his mug on the cover.
2K17 retains this incredibly in-depth editing for the face, but streamlined customization of the body to selectable pre-sculpted parts.
Like previous versions, WWE 2K17 takes some major steps forward, but then takes even more steps backwards and unfortunately, it takes even more steps backwards than WWE 2K16. There is still plenty of fun to be had in WWE 2K17 but the nagging issues that rear their ugly heads year after year will eventually pop up and ruin said fun, once again.
WWE 2k17 is not an innovative chapter. It perfects some flaws of its predecessor and introduces some (minor) additions, but remains very conservative.
Review in Italian | Read full review