'WWE 2K16' is one of the most addicting games I've ever played
When I was in high school, I was obsessed with professional wrestling. Mankind, The Rock, Triple H, and Chris Jericho ruled the roost with tons of excitement and drama. You know it's fake, and it's so much fun you don't care.
It's been years since I've actually sat down and watched Monday Night Raw. I've been out of the loop for ages. That's why I was excited to review "WWE 2K16." I haven't played a wrestling game or watched a match in more than a decade.
Turns out, it's like riding a bike.
The first thing I did was jump into a match with The Rock (who wouldn't? Let's be honest). As soon as they started playing his infamous intro music, I felt like I was a kid again.
But here's the thing I realized very quickly: This game is hard, very hard. And at the beginning, that just felt boring to me. I feel like I spent the entire time laying on the ground motionless, waiting for my next chance to get up.
A funny thing happened, though: I came back. And once I did, the game began to slowly seep into my bones.
One match turned into two, turned into three, turned into dozens. As I started to improve and get closer to winning matches (but not winning), I enjoyed it more. I realized that laying on the ground waiting for something to happen is actually kind of like soccer. You play the long game, you pick your spots, you wait for your moment. And once you can pull off that crazy reversal move changing the course of the match while lying on your back, it gets very exciting.
From there the game hooked me. I ended up spending hours and hours playing it, as I desperately tried to gain some skill (not easy to do).
How it looks
In a word, fantastic. 2K makes the best basketball game on the planet, in my opinion ("NBA 2K"), and I wasn't surprised to find that this game looks awesome as well.
The models looks very realistic, and the movement of the wrestlers is quite dynamic. I think there could probably be a little more done to bring out the crazy environment of a WWE fight night, but it's still an exciting experience.
Intros are also a lot of fun (let's be honest, intros are the most exciting part of the pro wrestling ritual).
If you're concerned about graphics, this game will not leave you out to dry. It looks great.
Gameplay
If there's anything that gets in "WWE 2K16's" way it's parts of the gameplay experience. All the regular mechanics are great. Punching, kicking, and bodyslamming all feel dynamic and flow very nicely.
But there are two major gripes I have that I'm worried could eventually push me away from the game a bit.
First, this game is all about reversals. These are moves that you perform to counter your opponent's move. For example, he might go to punch you, and you grab his hand and body slam him down.
You spend so much time on the ground recovering from your latest slam, that reversals are the biggest part of the game. When you're getting beat up, they are your only way out (as I said before, it feels very turn-based as it often does in real life).
Problem is, they are really, really hard to pull off. To trigger a reversal you have to tap a certain button once at the perfect time (in the split second before the opponent starts his next move). When I say "split second," I mean it. These moves are incredibly hard to pull off, even for someone like me who tends to be good at timing sports games. I often felt frustrated as I desperately tried to nail the timing over and over, all while getting the crap beat out of me.
The second aspect which I find more frustrating than fun are the mini-games throughout.
Whenever you are put in a submission hold, or are in an upper body tie-up, you have to play these little games where you're trying to move colored sliders away from each other or spinning the right stick around in circles. They are very hard and also don't feel like they're part of the wrestling world. It's as if the match sort of floats away for a minute while you take part in this non-wrestling activity.
Modes
The game modes are awesome. If you're just looking to hop into a match there are tons to choose from. You want to go on-on-one? Sure. Cage match? Yep. Tag team? No problem. Great options.
I'm not very deep into the career mode (and since this game is incredibly hard I haven't gotten far), but it's a ton of fun. I enjoyed creating my character, starting rivalries, and participating in matches. The awkward interview sequences where you start to develop your character's personality are, in fact, a bit awkwardly pulled off, but they are also fun. And it's part of what separates a WWE career from another pro sports career.
I also enjoyed the "Showcase" mode. This year you get to be Stone Cold Steve Austin and play the matches in his career that made him the superstar he is. It's really fun to play these old matches and see them matched with real-life cinematics. This is also a great way to unlock new wrestlers of days gone by.
There is also a mode called "Universe" and online gameplay, but I haven't gotten a chance to sample those yet.
Just bite the bullet
I'm having a very hard time with this game. It's frustratingly hard, but it's that toughness that makes me so addicted to come back. And in the end, after I've pulled my hair out, I can honestly say I've had a ton of fun.
Frankly, I actually love the game in spite of its supreme difficulty.
So, what the heck, if you love wrestling and you love wrestling games, you should buy "WWE 2K16." You will love it, and who knows, maybe you'll be much better at nailing those reversals than I am. Good luck.
"WWE 2K16" is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
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