WWE2K23 had a surprising amount of expectations attached to it; this was largely because its predecessor 2K22 came after a year-long hiatus from the franchise and made tangible improvements that made the game a better all-around package for players. The WWE2K series has had a tumultuous existence, with earlier entries being criticized by fans of the games, fans of wrestling, and reviewers alike. WWE2K23 picks up where 2K22 left off.
RELATED: Wrestling Games With The Best Gameplay, RankedWWE2K23 is one of the best wrestling games released in recent memory; it features an incredible roster, high-quality graphics and visuals, and a multitude of different game modes for players to spend hours in. Whether it be minor technical improvements or an overhaul of entire game modes, 2K23 has a lot to offer - here are its best improvements.
5 A Revamped Showcase Mode
Showcase mode has been a prevalent feature in the WWE2K games, and it has never been the subject of widely positive reception. The game mode, whilst interesting in concept, has often left a lot to be desired in terms of execution. Playing as the same wrestler over and over again was repetitive, and the objectives to progress through a match were tedious.
2K23's Showcase mode is a little different, and it's definitely for the better. Featuring John Cena as the star character, the Showcase mode lets players take control of iconic rivals from his past, be it Brock Lesnar or Triple H. While a lot of the flaws are still there, and the creativity doesn't go much beyond 'this time the player plays as the opponents', it is still a welcome change and makes the mode feel a lot better.
4 Wargames
Wargames is a new inclusion to the series; it features a 3v3 or 4v4 multiplayer competition. In Wargames, players are kept in cages and introduced into the arena at separate intervals, somewhat similar to Elimination Chamber. Once all players enter the arena, the Wargames begin.
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This game mode is an adrenaline-fueled cage match that works really well against the AI, with friends, or online. Wargames, along with taking place in a steel cage, also lets players use weapons to great effect. Moreover, the intervals at which players are released from their cage depends on their performance in-game, and it can create fun and varied scenarios. Overall, this has to be one of the best additions in the series and a clear improvement on the game mode variety in 2K22.
3 MyGM Mode Changes
While MyGM isn't exactly Football Manager for wrestling, it still ticks all the boxes for a management simulation mode. MyGM was decent in 2K22, but it's a clear improvement in 2K23; small changes littered across the mode making it much more engaging, enjoyable, and a lot more intuitive to play through.
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Players have access to an all-new assistant GM who essentially gives players everything they need to book the entire show. This deleted the earlier necessity of backtracking, going through each wrestler's demands, and so on. Along with this, players now have a larger objective than simply winning the battle of the brands, the new end goal is being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Players have four seasons to do this, as opposed to the much shorter career in WWE2K22.
2 MyGM Mode New Content
The MyGM in 2K22 was pretty bare-bones, and this new game makes that very clear. Players now have a lot more freedom to book their shows as they see fit; there's a lot more to do and tons of ways to do it. An obvious example is the ability to now book mid-card title matches for championships such as the Intercontinental and United States Championships. Players also have more match types to use for their show and access to a wider roster of general managers, such as Stephanie McMahon and Xavier Woods.
All in all, WWE2K23 has made strides in MyGM mode, there's a lot of additional content compared to the previous entry, and it's mostly all welcome additions.
1 New And Improved MyRise
MyRise has been one of the most important part of 2K's WWE games for a while now, and 2K23 has made further strides into making it a fleshed-out and enjoyable game mode. MyRise features a story mode in which a player-created custom character essentially climbs through the ranks of the WWE. The most important addition in this game, which was not present in previous installments, is that now any custom character created by a player can be used for MyRise, whereas previously, a character had to be specifically made for the mode itself.
Beyond that, the mode features the same pattern of having two storylines for the player to go through. These now have the added benefit of a better story, better graphics and visuals, and a more engaging storyline to play through. The mode also feels less repetitive and truly stands out as a marquee game mode.
WWE 2K23 is now available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4.
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