Refreshed and reinvigorated, Vince McMahon’s house of big beefy slams is finally making a comeback in 2022. The question is, does WWE 2K22 make a dramatic impact that’s on par with a surprise Wrestlemania appearance, or does it fizzle out quicker than an NXT propsect being called up to the RAW main roster?

The good news is that WWE 2K22 is lightyears removed from the series’ infamously lowest point, the Royal Fumble known as WWE 2K20. 2K20 set a new standard for clumsy gameplay, a myriad collection of technical problems, and a story mode that could kill anyone with its dangerous amounts of cheese woven into a tale that trudged along a very familiar path.

Developer Visual Concepts certainly had its work cut out for it, and after a well-needed break from the rigors of an annual release schedule, WWE 2K22 feels like a proper main event return for the series. It’s not entirely perfect, but it’s a far more enjoyable experience overall that also provides a staggering wealth of content to dive into whenever you boot the game up. Just like the WWE itself, Visual Concepts knows the power of legacy and how it can be utilized to inform the future, resulting in a game that draws from a familiar sports entertainment well to create a far more dynamic simulator than before.

What WWE 2K22 is, is a foundation for the franchise’s future. The DNA of some of the best games in the series, such as WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain, and the legendary No Mercy, are clearly evident in its design, making for a hard-hitting showcase of top-rope action that harkens back to the glory days of the THQ era. To hammer this more enjoyable approach home, there’s even a brand new control scheme that hits a sweet spot between accessibility and pulling off moves that only a ring veteran could achieve.

Admittedly it does take around an hour to get used to this new system of strikes, grapples, and slams, but once you’ve erased a decade’s worth of thumb muscle memory honed through 2K’s previous WWE games, it works a charm. If there’s one aspect of WWE games that I’ve always had an issue with, it’s the reversal system that requires godlike reflexes to properly utilize so you can avoid looking like a jobber in the ring. You’ll still need plenty of quick thinking to pull off a reversal, but the big difference here is the new Breaker system that rewards you for doing your homework.

Essentially, this system gives you the opportunity to interrupt a combo midway, provided that you can anticipate what move your opponent is about to launch towards your most vital of areas. Do you want to avoid your face being rearranged by Tomaso Ciampa’s surgical fists? Hit the face button for light attacks, mess up the NXT legend’s rhythm, and rebound with a combo of your own. Want to protect your spleen from a Randy Orton scoop slam? Hammer your grapple command right before he scoops you up and bounce out of harm’s way while the Viper stands befuddled.

What the Breaker and Reversal system does for WWE 2K22, is add a layer of technical wizardry to each match that makes for some truly thrilling encounters. It’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card as combos won’t be telegraphed with button prompts–Reversal opportunities still give you a visual clue though–but it makes for thrilling moments of ring warrior action as two masters of the craft tee off on each other with a series of counterattacks.

Inside the ring, the action is just as dynamic as ever as you’re given the tools to create a five-star classic. Every WWE superstar has an arsenal of attacks, and whether you’re looking to lock in some holds that would earn you a diploma from Chad Gable’s Alpha Academy, or launch a Phenomenal Forearm from a top rope springboard attack using AJ Styles’ gravity-defying offense, it’s all there and waiting for you. The offense flows smoothly between ground-level submissions and top turnbuckle frog splashes, with each match having a kinetically-charged atmosphere that makes you feel like a superhuman.

There are some kinks to be worked out, but I’m optimistic about Visual Concepts ironing out any bugs with a patch or two in the weeks or months to come. While WWE 2K22 is far more technically confident than its predecessor, occasional glitches do pop in every so often. Considering that I saw a grand total of four glitches–how did my superstar learn to walk on air during a mixed tag team match–across more than 30 hours of gameplay, should be a positive indicator of just how much more polished this new WWE game is.

But there are some areas of ring rust that could be addressed. For starters, WWE 2K22’s referee is a persistent sandbag who has the ring awareness of a wedding cake. I’ve had numerous matches where the ref decided to position himself between me and an opponent just before I launched a clothesline from hell. He’s stubbornly refused to move out of the way as I rebound from the ropes in an attempt to launch a springboard splash, and I may have accidentally hit the official with a superkick… several times.

There’s also some work to be done in the corners of the ring. I’m the type of player who loves using the ropes to land some strong style haymakers on an opponent, but WWE 2K22 persistently confuses my run to the ropes as a sign that I want to climb to the top turnbuckle. If I’m looking to do a running baseball slide, for example, I need to make certain that I’m in the exact sweet spot needed to get the momentum bounce needed from the ropes, or I’ll risk messing up my own momentum in the process.

I’m not a fan of some of the character model targeting either, as I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve failed to land an Atomic leg drop from the top rope despite knowing exactly where my opponent needed to be in the ring and then watching as my custom superstar landed with painful force on an empty canvas. Heck, there were times when I’d decide to be an absolute heel and kick my opponent while he was down, but I’d instead shine my boot with empty air.

Partner AI could also use a few tweaks, as tag team matches soon became something I dreaded. If you’re familiar with how tag team matches operate, you know that your first few pin attempts will be interrupted by the opposition, with your own partner eventually stepping in to give you that dynamic opportunity to score the one-two-three. In WWE 2K22, my tag team partner would routinely fail to save the day when I attempted a pin or a submission for what felt like the tenth time. My best tactic? Winning matches by ring countout, as that was the only way I could grab a less-than-ideal victory.

Beyond those technical gripes, I had an absolute blast playing WWE 2K22. The action flowed hard and fast, the transition between moves using the new control scheme felt fantastic and utilizing a superstar’s unique set of moves to put on a clinical display of power never got old. The best WWE games have always been the titles that you can pick up and play the second that the bell has rung, and WWE 2K22 more than captures that nostalgic feeling. That sensation of booting up the PS2 on a Friday night while you had friends around, laughing as you pulled off ludicrous moves, and high-fiving each other for winning a tag team match, that’s just a magical feeling that has been given a next-gen update in WWE 2K22.

And those positive vibes extend to the breathtaking amount of content that’s available in WWE 2K22. Outside of custom matches between the current roster and legends–although I’d like to see if Keith Lee makes the final cut now that he has signed with you know who–there’s so much wrassling to do that it’s absurd. Want to face off against Triple H in a Money In The Bank match? You’re sorted. Want to relive the extreme days of the Attitude Era with a ladder match against Edge? That can be arranged. Feel like shortening your lifespan by challenging the Undertaker to a Hell In A Cell bout? Hey, it’s your funeral, pal.

The real charm of a WWE game though is the option to forge your own legend. The suite of creation tools is as vast as ever, giving you a ton of options to craft a custom superstar who’s ready to take on the best of the WWE. For my run at the gold in MyRise, I created King Crimson, a luchador fluent in top-rope splashes, had a black belt in evil, and a degree in using the ropes to his advantage. After spending time fine-tuning my creation, it was time to start a career in the WWE as I worked my way from Performance Center hopeful to Wrestlemania main-eventer, a journey that was… fine.

Make no mistake, the path had moments, plot twists, and superstar shake-ups, but don’t expect a storyline that matches up to the bonkers blast of fun that was WWE 2K19. Instead, the career mode is par for the course, and you’ll see every plot twist coming from a mile away. That said, at least it’s serviceable and nowhere near as cringeworthy as WWE 2K20’s infamous campaign. It’s essentially a road to improvement dotted with talking heads, giving you the opportunity to build a superstar who can stand with the titans of the WWE.

On that front, the option to improve my stats and build my in-ring inventory of crossbody slams had my attention for hours and hours. The number of moves available to you, all captured by strapping WWE performers into a full-body motion capture suit to nail the authenticity, is… it’s absurd. A human body should not be capable of performing so many variations of a Spinebuster or a DDT, and yet here we are. That’s MyRise for you: predictable but enjoyable for your personal growth. Sometimes playing it safe is the way to go.

Prefer to relive the career of a WWE legend instead? This year’s Showcase mode shines a light on the WWE’s greatest giant-slayer, Rey Mysterio. Like any WWE package. it’s a slick trip down memory lane as the iconic cruiserweight recounts some of his greatest matches over the years. There’s his rivalry with Eddie Guerrero that stretched across his WCW and WWE days; his titanic conflict with the biggest hoss around JBL; the ill-fated encounter with The Undertaker; and his role in helping to establish WWE’s new generation of superstars.

Each match tasks you with pulling off certain moves that can replicate the original bout, splicing those sequences with archival footage that fleshes out the story, and if you nail all objectives, you’ll earn some bonus gear and unlockable superstars along the way. It’s nostalgia at its best, challenging, and a better tutorial than the game’s actual tutorial! If Visual Concepts regularly offered a showcase like this as part of DLC offerings, I’d happily throw money at the studio for that season pass.

On the topic of cash, you can’t talk about a 2K game without diving into the post-launch business side of the product. If cash is going to be spent, then it’s comforting to know that it’s largely restrained to a single facet of WWE 2K22 in MyFaction. Similar to 2K’s NBA series, MyFaction is all about assembling a collection of cards, each one having its own set of rarity and overall power that can then be used in various matches and eventually upgraded.

The mode itself has several options for earning currency to buy more packs of cards, as well as winning them by completing weekly events and working your way up a ladder. The basic in-game currency is a bit of a grind to earn, but considering how MyFaction feels designed to offer a more substantial experience once you’re done with Rey Mysterio’s showcase and your own rise to the top of the WWE food chain with your custom superstar, it’s still an entertaining career path to invest time and effort in. Of course, you can just purchase packs outright with premium paid-for currency to help complete your collection. Earn or buy your way to the top, but it is worth noting that this is the only mode where virtual currency can be purchased and used.

If you’re a fan of the inner workings of the WWE, then MyGM will certainly grab your attention. Think you can organize a better show than the people who actually run WWE events? Then it’s time to put your money where your mouth is, by going head to head against another WWE brand. For me, that meant teeing off against NXT every week with RAW, using my collection of superstars, free agents, and backstage crew to put on a slobber-knocker in the weekly ratings war.

And it wasn’t always easy! But between investing in my roster, listening to their demands, and telling Dolph Ziggler that I wasn’t prepared to give him a $50,000 bonus, I eventually won! MyGM isn’t the most complex simulator of the WWE, but it is fascinating to get an idea of just how technical each show is. It’s a learning experience, one where you need to know when to throw cash at viral marketing, when to get the best pyrotechnics, and which rivalries you want to build ahead of an upcoming Pay-Per-View event.

As for how WWE 2K22 looks? Pretty darn great! Not all superstars are created equal, but for the prime-time players whose faces were put through an impressive rig of cameras to capture every single unique detail, the results are incredible. The Rock’s iconic eyebrow pilots a no-nonsense frame designed to put boots to asses, Triple H’s scowl can still send a shiver down your spine, and Asuka still has the best entrance in the entire brand. Sorry Undertaker, I don’t have several decades for your spooky Wrestlemania trudging.


WWE 2K22 review

WWE 2K22 may be leagues better than its infamous predecessor, but it’s not a perfect landing. While it could do with some more time in development, the foundation for the future of the series is rock solid and harkens back to the golden age of wrasslin’ video games. A bit more seasoning, and it’ll be Wrestlemania-ready for the main event.

 8
WWE 2K22 was reviewed on PS5