Wrestling’s current buzz is reflected in WWE 2K25.
John Cena is a bad guy, The Rock is a semi-regular fixture on screen, and emerging talent like Bron Breakker, Giulia, and Tiffany Stratton (all playable) are thriving in top spots at the company.
Not to mention my beloved TNA and WWE have a partnership that sees renowned stars like Joe Hendry and The Hardy Boyz on TV (though, sadly, it looks like we won’t see them in the game this year). It is a good time to be a wrestling fan, and a wrestling gamer, as it turns out.
Indeed, WWE is smashing it right now, and 2K25 feels like a natural continuation, following the success of the Netflix jump and the new mainstream attention that comes along with that.
This year’s roster is mega, and there’s enough range in the talent list to keep long-time fans and newer players happy, with those aforementioned stars, alongside the likes of Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans, Lexis King and Jacob Fatu. Heck, even TNA (and current WWE producer) mainstay Abyss will appear as part of the upcoming DLC, alongside ECW anti-icon, New Jack and new Lucha legend, Penta. How’s that for variation? Sounds good to me. I would say that I have ZERO FEAR about it. See what I did there? I’m here for the next few paragraphs…
2K and Visual Concepts have delivered on the game’s aesthetic, with updated models, and finer details on things like entrances, along with some real stellar camera work – angle updates make for a much more immersive experience on the whole, so this should appease longtime critics of the franchise, alongside the die-hards that invest money, time and effort each year on these games. Indeed, 2k and Visual Concepts have not fallen into the trap of making minimal changes because they know they will make money anyway. Instead, the team have focused on creating unique worlds and moments for players, and that is absolutely to their credit. WWE 2K is improving things yearly, and that is all we can ask for, I think.
Showcase
Showcase Mode does stand out this year, as the player, you’ll hopefully feel more in control, and those pesky objectives aren’t quite as stressful to deal with, in that there seems to be more guidance. Though some of these objectives are timed, which, I think helps to add to the overall challenge, and might keep matches more exciting, but then, you may disagree, as if you miss out on one objective, that’ll mean missing all of the bonus rewards and having to do the whole match again, which….sucks. That said, you don’t HAVE to, if you just wanna progress, rather than unlock things. I think that there’s always room for improvement with this mechanic (objectives), but this is certainly a step in the right direction. If you persevere, there are certainly some great memories you can relive, all the way through WWE’s epic history, tied to The Bloodline, of course.
One of the more interesting turns this year, is the ability to re-write history, and change it even, which I think is a stroke of genius, and an addition I’d like to see in all future Showcase Modes going forward. Of course, there’s the established ability to relive history (with great cutscenes), covering matches like Yokozuna vs Hogan and Rocky Maivia vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley (pre-DX) all with excellent commentary from the modern team. More intriguing though, is the opportunity to change history and have Rikishi beat Stone Cold, or make sure Tamina wins the MITB briefcase…there are a few more tantalising options too, but I won’t spoil ’em for you. Creating history has some tasty dream matches to offer as well, like Three Minute Warning (Jamal and Rosey) vs AOP (Akam and Rezar..who have also left the company, recently). Also, I LOVED playing The Headshrinkers, personally. I’ve wanted them in-game for years!!
Showcase hasn’t exactly lacked in recent years, but this is the strongest lineup so far. Plus, Paul Heyman introduces each match…so, that’s the real bonus.
MyRise
I admit to always having a lot of fun with MyRise, and the story is just as engaging here – bringing up your development darling, and turning them into global superstar, helped by the likes of CM Punk, and Adam Pearce (who is just as much of a legend as the former, in my opinion). It’s great to see NXT wrestlers take a central role in the story this year, as they invade the main roster as part of a MUTINY.
It’s cool to see that the men’s and women’s stories have been integrated (so, we play as both, with some other major stars thrown in for variation), and some excellent storytelling (influenced, as ever, by your choice as the player). I would say that I’ve enjoyed this mode just as much, if not more than previous ones that I’ve played. Of course, the same moving parts are there, the tried and tested social media for communication, some of the same “indie” wrestlers and frickin’ Troy Simpkin. So, nothing really groundbreaking in terms of formula changes, but overall, it’s very enjoyable. Don’t forget to go back and change choices too, as there are multiple cutscenes and different outcomes to explore.
MyGM
Typically, I don’t enjoy MyGM that much, but this is a clear favourite amongst the community where we get to take control of a range of characters (this year it features everyone from Paul Ellering [who’s sadly no longer with the company] to Nick Aldis, who I am buzzed to see make his debut in the game.
In terms of the mode itself though, a lot of issues that have plagued previous iterations seem to have been ironed out, and it’s easy to see that the dev team have been listening very closely, with cross-brand PLEs making an appearance – this feature is one that fans of the game have clamoured for. I look forward to competing with friends more on MyGM each year, than any other mode, simply because of the details included – from managing superstar health to their contracts (though, I’ll admit to not using powercards nearly enough). Overall though, it will be a standout mode for many, as usual.
I’ve never really looked into MyFACTION, but there are loads of people that love it, from what I’ve seen with a quick glimpse, it’s the same as always. So, I won’t go into detail there – you can let me know what you think!
Universe
I can really enjoy Universe Mode at times, and it seems that promos, and other mechanics have been updated for this year to reflect 2K’s stylistic development, which is a real plus. The game’s creation mode has been a consistent highlight for each edition, and that’ll enable players to have hours of fun with their own created star. While Universe isn’t going to blow you away (as there have not been mega changes), it will certainly allow you to get lost in your own created WWE universe, and that’s the point. If you want to make R-Truth world champion and feud with Roman Reigns, you can…and should! Ha!
The Island
This is an interesting one, and from what I understand, it’s been a 2K staple for other games like NBA (The City). The Island is an worthwhile idea, for sure.
In WWE 2k25, it plays out like a wrestling-themed amusement park (which sounds like the coolest idea ever), and from an aesthetic/looks POV, it works very, very well indeed. Still, there are a few teething problems that I reckon will be changed up in future years. The VC element is going to annoy a lot of people. You can earn VC in the game by completing quests and participating in matches, though it sort of reeks of that pay-to-play vibe that doesn’t really sit right with me, personally. Especially when everything is so damn expensive.
Obviously, there are cool masks and things for people to buy (all with the aim of impressing The OTC), and if you have the disposable income, then go for it, but I’d suggest that it’s best to leave the cosmetic side alone, and just have fun exploring all of the different themed arenas – Asuka’s Arcade of Tomorrow, for example, or my favourite, Undertaker’s The Deadlands. These elements may or may not remind you of SmackDown: Shut Your Mouth’s fun, engaging interactions, at its best, where you fight other online players in different arenas, or complete challenges for Roman (Battle Royals and other different match types) for free VC.
Really, it’s an online mix of Universe, MyRise and showcase, and if you wanted to, you could definitely sink hours (and lots of money) into it if you wanted to get the best of everything (moves, stats etc).
I suppose, the real positive here, is that when you’re done with all the other modes, you’ll still be able to find gaming-themed quests to do. There’s also some humorous self-aware text banter with the likes of Gargano, The Ghost of Paul Bearer (yep!), Xavier Woods and his video game alter-ego Zero to be had, alongside matches (commentary and characters) unique to The Island (some introduced by a proper video message from Heyman and Reigns), which is a nice touch. You’ll also have a range of matches with superstars and legends, not featured in the other modes. Though, I won’t spoil those here!
Once again, this is a grand idea, well-executed in the main, but the live service model doesn’t really fit for me. It just feels a bit TOO corporate at times, y’know, as pretty as it might be to wander around?
Be warned too, 2K’s legendary online server loading issues are back, and at busy times The Island doesn’t load quickly. It also gets really crowded, confusing and glitchy at times when many players are on, and you can’t progress with challenges/quests etc if there’s a server error. Though, that may yet be fixed pre-launch!
The action:
WWE 2K25’s in-ring action is the best it has ever been (truly), and the team clearly have learned so much over the years from fan feedback, reviews and the like. The in-ring action is much more polished than it has been for a long time thanks to Visual Concepts’ solid work on the design, with some great mode/match returns added. Of particular note are the chain wrestling mini-games, alongside the interactive, barricade-diving when around the ring, which gives the game a hyper-realistic energy with top-quality legend and superstar models that respond more than ever before to what’s going on in the ring (blood, sweat and the like). As a result, the moves (and movements) are crisper, tighter and feel like they mean more. I love that intergender matches are a thing now too and they pop up in every mode, thanks 2K! That’s another feature that people have wanted for years, and received.
One more time, the team could have been lazy knowing that there was a ready-made audience there who would pay big money anyway, but I will applaud them for making real efforts here. Everyone wanted to see Underground matches too, and fight in the WWE Archive Room, right? YEAH *In LA Knight*! Because, it’s really fun!
Conclusion:
This is the best WWE game we’ve had in recent memory. It’s beautifully presented, has some solid improvements on 2k24, and everyone involved has worked hard to deliver updates that fans will appreciate. While I do think the Island is a bit of a cash-grab on the whole, I know that most wrestling fans will enjoy it, and I admit to having quite a bit of fun on the different quests. I will give the developers props for willingness to try something new, and I look forward to seeing if, and how it (The Island) returns next year following player feedback. Of course, the WWE 2K die-hard players will be working on this game all year, and will have fun with it, which is what it’s all about. The bottom line, if you will.
In summary then, WWE 2K25 is a great wrestling game, and definitely the very best one out on the market right now, reflecting WWE’s pop culture resurgence perfectly.
Rating: 4/5
Available from 14th March 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Please note: The Island is only available on consoles at this time.
