WWE 2K22 Review — Return of the Champ?

There’s no denying it: WWE 2K20 wasn’t up to the standards we hoped for from the long-running wrestling series, but thankfully, 2K and Visual Concepts listened to the fans, acknowledged the shortcomings, and have done some serious overhauling for WWE 2K22, but is it a contender for the title of best wrestling game of all time?

The problem with the WWE games is that, much like FIFA with regards to football, they almost perfected the formua, and the on-going tinkering ended up breaking the experience with WWE 2K20. While physics were off, animations were broken, and the game just generally ran quite poorly, WWE 2K22 has refined all these elements thanks to a brand new engine. Developer Visual Concepts clearly took the fresh approach to the game, which, to be fair, was probably needed after years of déjà vu kicking in.

Big visual smackdown

The result is something that is still familiar, but looks and feels new, and while there’s definitely some adjusting needed, it really is a great overhaul. Visually, the game looks substantially better than WWE 2K20‘s waxy look, with the character models now resembling their real-life counterparts in frighteningly accurate detail, and the arena environments and crowd looking remarkably better.

Furthermore, there have been some reworked physics when it comes to tables, chairs, and the deformation of other items or objects you’ll smash your opponents’ heads through. This makes every table smash, chair shot, or breakage look a lot more organic. On top of that, thanks to the meticulous detail that the developer isn’t afraid to show off, there are some much closer camera angles during big moves and moments, giving you a front-row seat to the action.

There’s no doubt that the game looks better, but does it move better too? The gameplay tweaks have made WWE 2K22 the fairest and most dynamic game in the series to date. The light, heavy, and grapple attacks and control scheme is still there, but there are more opportunities for reversals and counters, giving players who are taking an absolute beating a chance to recover, even when things look bleak… just like the real-life action.

The fairer and ‘easier’ controls make putting together spectacular fights where the momentum swings back and forth between superstars much more common, which should make diving into the WWE 2K22 experience a lot more alluring for newcomers.

Against the odds

In a franchise-first, WWE 2K22 adds the MyFaction mode, which lets you build a faction that rivals the nWo. Almost like management mode to build the ultimate wrestling team, you can recruit, manage and upgrade your crew of WWE Superstars, putting them through their paces with weekly events and regular updates. It’s a great addition to the modes already available, and gives those who love the rivalries and familiar with the current who’s-who in WWE something to sink their teeth into. It should appease those who enjoy a little more team management elements in games, and although the depth of management doesn’t necessarily hold a candle to other games in the sports genre, it’s a nice touch.

Top of the ladder

If you’re looking for some more single-player immersive action, WWE 2K22 features not one, but two story campaigns. Known as the MyRise adventures, you’ll be able to start your career as either a male or female wrestler, each with unique storylines. The campaign, so to speak, itself is quite enjoyable, with a long list of rivals, trials, and tribulations, taking you through King of the Ring, Royal Rumble, and other arcs; all with campy romantic and bombastic side-plots that emerge. It’s cheesy, predictable, and fantastic! Anyone who’s a longtime fan of the outer-ring drama will love the effort and focus put into the MyRise mode.

The one drawback is that your MyRise superstar, during or after your single-player campaign, can’t be imported into other modes, requiring you to remake your character from scratch. This would’ve been a welcome element, as being able to pull your character from your MyRise journey into a team of wrestlers in the MyFaction mode would’ve been great, but alas. Thankfully, the creation suite is easy and fun to use, but having this function would’ve been a no-brainer.

Much like The Undertaker, it’s clear that the WWE 2K franchise has risen from the grave bigger, meaner, and stronger than ever, providing one of the best wrestling games in a long time. Regular fans of the series will appreciate the new changes, and newcomers who have lost track of the WWE world will find it to be the perfect jumping-on point to indulge in the spandex-clad superfluousness once again.

WWE 2K22 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

You can buy your copy of WWE 2K22 here.