WWE 2K15 PS4/XB1

Eat, Sleep, Play WWE 2K15, Repeat

WWE fans have been craving for a change in direction with the annual WWE series of wrestling games. When 2K took over the reigns from THQ, many fans were eager to see where 2K would take the series. After spending all of Tuesday playing WWE 2K15 on the PS4. I feel that 2K has taken a step in the right direction with WWE 2K15 on current generation platforms. While WWE 2K15 is not the fabled “NO Mercy” killer, I feel WWE 2K15 is the “WCW/nWo World Tour” a good game with a new foundation to be built upon.

Missing Features and Limitations of Creation Suite

Yes, WWE 2K15 is missing features on current generation systems. The biggest missing features which caused the biggest uproar from vocal fans, came from the removal of creation modes. The missing creation modes include: Create an Arena, Create a Title, Custom Themes, Custom Entrances removed, Create a Finisher, Create a Story, and Create a Diva. A few match types have gone missing as well. An example of match types missing include: singles ladder match, I quit, and 2 out of 3 falls. Triple Threat steel cage, ladder, and TLC.

In place of the missing creation modes, 2K introduced Creation Suite. Creation Suite is a powerful tool which allows you to edit existing WWE Superstar attires, the edited attire becomes an alternate attire for the superstar. Remember to go into personal in the edit screen and set the attire as an alternate. However the edit tool has limitations on what can be edited. You can not edit a superstars face, sorry Daniel Bryans beard cant’ be removed. Body morphing an existing superstars height and body appearance is also out of the question. Perhaps the biggest flaw is that editing a superstar takes up a CAW slot.

The Creation Suite also boasts the equally powerful logo tool. While I’m not skilled in the areas of using paint tools to create logos and images to import into WWE 2K15. I have seen the uploaded logos and image offered on the community manager. I must say from what I downloaded and applied onto my CAW, the logo tool is a complete game changer. 

Same old Universe and Showcase

Universe mode remains the same as its last generation counterpart. I’m still trying to make sense of the story collection found in Universe. The game states that completing a story rivalry gives you 15 clues, simulating a story gives you 2 clues, playing through a new story unlocks 1 extra clue. Anyhow Universe is in need of a major re-haul to breathe in some new life into the stale mode.

Showcase is exactly the same as last generation console WWE 2k15. 2K Showcase allows you to play through the rivalry of HHH vs HBK and CM Punk vs John Cena. The historical campaign modes are in the WWE games are fun the first time but I never find myself going back for a second play through.  This year that my change with 2K releasing Showcase DLC but till then I won’t go back replaying the two give rivalries.

Visuals and Presentation

WWE 2K15 is a visual treat for those who have played since the THQ days. Finally a WWE game with beautiful looking visuals. While the visuals are outstanding, you will notice which wrestlers were not faced scan. For how life-like Randy Orton looks you can’t say the same for Bo Dallas. Speaking of great visuals, created wrestlers actually look as if they are apart of the game. No longer will your created wrestler stick out like a sore thumb during a match. Presentation is still a weak point in the series. Commentary runs smoother but Cole and Lawer still sound terrible in video game form. A good chunk of the motion captured moves look clean and crisp. Especially all the variations of the suplex, WWE superstar Cesaro did a fine job on motion capture.

 Game Play

At first glance WWE 2K15 looks like the same game offered on last generation platforms. As soon as you pick up the controls and jump into the squared circle you will notice WWE 2K15 feels and plays different from last generation. The biggest additions to game play are the chain wrestling mini game and the stamina system. The chain wrestling mini game is initiated at the beginning of a one on one match. Chain wrestling involves a rock paper scissors game, you must choose the correct face button that beats its opposite, such as X beats Triangle. From there the mini game involves the player rotating the right stick to find the sweet spot to either escape or slam your opponent onto the ground. Words don’t do the chain wrestling mini game justice, it’s a mini game you need to experience to form an opinion. I have a mixed opinion on the chain wrestling mini game, it’s fun the first few times but becomes annoying after a while. Luckily you can go into the sliders menu and change the chain wrestling mini game so that you can easily bypass chain grappling.

Stamina brings a more strategic approach to game play. No longer can you spam running grapples or just keep attacking. Each grapple move, punch/kick, and sprint will drain your stamina. As the match goes on your wrestler will begin to kneel on one knee after a big move or even crawl to cover your opponent. During a triple threat match, I had Randy Orton crawl across the ring to break up a pin! I absolutely enjoy the stamina system.

WWE 2k15 also features a new way you go about doing light, medium, and strong grapples. Simply press X for light grapples, pressing x and pushing the right stick in a chosen directional to do medium grapples, holding x down and directional to do strong attacks.

While I love the small changes there have been a few hip-cups. Detection problems occur once in a while, buttons can sometimes feel unresponsive. AI can be hit or miss, sometimes the AI will give me a good match other times the AI want to be a jobber. Clipping occur once a while with wrestlers with long hair such as HBK or retro HHH.

[Here is my game play uploaded on YouTube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB7v2ziuwEU

My Career

If you have played NBA 2K for the past two years on current generation platforms, you will know what to expect. Just as seen in NBA 2K, you take your created player and work your way up to becoming an all time great. Along the way you will have to make choices that put you on the path of being a face or heel. By playing matches and gaining a high score you will receive SP and VC. SP is used to level up your wrestlers skill points and buy various skills and abilities. You also earn VC but I’m still a bit unsure how VC is gained through my career, I’m assuming it’s rewarded at the end of a match like SP. Returning to the WWE Performance Center for some practice can gain you some extra SP to spend.

Your career begins with you trying out at the WWE Performance Center, wrestling other WWE hopefuls. Bill Demott will often be at ringside yelling at you as Bill watches your ring work. From the Performance Center you will move on to NXT and wrestle your way to the NXT championship. Once NXT GM William Regal feels you have outgrown NXT it’s time to hit the main roster. Once you graduate from NXT, career mode goes up a notch in difficulty. Wrestling the main roster superstars proves to be a difficult task for your superstar who at this point is under leveled. Luckily you can return to the WWE Performance Center to rack up extra SP (Skill Points).

As for my CAW, I’m currently jobbing on WWE Superstars to the likes of Sandow and Titus O’neil. With each match I gain enough SP (Skill Points) to level up my superstar, slowly my overall rating is going up. Almost forgot to mention that during My Career your wrestlers gains SP (Skill Points) which can be used to level up stats. VC is also gained, VC is used to buy badges that allow you to do OMG moments and abilities like ring escape.

 Final Thoughts

The missing features hurt the overall product of WWE 2K15 but I feel the game is taking a step in the right direction. With new additions such as the Creation Suite and My Career, minor tweaks to the THQ wrestling engine. 2K and Yuke’s has a built a foundation to build upon for future releases of WWE 2K.  As I mentioned earlier, WWE 2K15 is not the fabled “No Mercy Killer” but it’s a step in the right direction.