Oscar22

I think people’s expectations need to be at the right level. That level of course is its a 2k game. They obviously haven’t made sweeping changes, and I don’t think any of the updates are that major except for the addition of wargames. If you like 2k22 then I think this works for you, as long as you realise it’s basically an update to the NXT roster, Cody, and WarGames. It’ll feel like a big DLC update basically. I think if you’re expecting a lot more than that you will be disappointed. I think if there were any major changes or updates to the creation suite we would have seen them, so I think Championship, Arena and so on will basically be the exact same items as the last however many years. Universe, again I think of it was a decent upgrade we would have seen it. I’m expecting a few options like “shake hands” or “show respect” but nothing outside of that. It’s just a shame that again it basically comes down to if you want to play a wrestling game with decent graphics it’s this…. Or hopefully we get some news from AEW soon. As I say though if you like 2k22 this is probably all you need for the time being, a roster update and wargames.

Fair to say they’ve really struggled to show much new, you can see why they start the advertising so late. Wargames and a roster update… am I missing anything? Also, have I missed it or have they not shown these universe ‘updates’ yet? I know they said we can make some choices but I haven’t seen any footage of any of it?

Would they not be better off going to a style similar to what AKI did? Have finishers based on ring position? So for instance Cena can have the AA and double AA as his standing finishers, if the opponent is laying on the mat, hit a finisher and it’s the STF. If the opponent is in the corner, he does the avalanche AA. It can be the same for Orton, finishers as RKO’s, avalanche RKO is his corner finisher, or stand in the corner with the opponent on the mat and the punt kick is the finisher. That way people like Waller, and even Seth can have multiple versions of their finishers which can be hit from various positions. I’m not saying go full no mercy spirit meter on us, but surely tying finishers to positions makes more use of the moves they’ve spent time creating, instead of us having to pick two options and basically leave out the others.

I did nearly break many controllers having hit a Sweet chin music and needing to cover for a hard fought win, but Shawn is dancing across the ring to the opposite corner

Yeah, and the rest of the time he does that awful generic slow jog to the ropes and back before hitting a decent looking axe kick… which would look better had you not endured the dodgy looking run before it. Theres a few where improvements have been made over the years, Kanes opponent not ending up on their front after the choke slam, I think the rko is better, and having little s attached to moves is good. I just think in general in shows move animations have gone backwards in a lot of cases.

Appreciate I’m maybe banging a pointless drum, and I take the point about having less to work on means more time spent on fewer things. However watching this, and considering many of the moves shown have been in the game consistently for the twenty years since, I’m struggling to point out many occasions where 2k have improved the look of a twenty year old finisher animation. Quite a few have gone backwards (Bookers Axe kick).

I agree with much of the point you’re making and it’s definitely a fair point, a larger roster could mean less time is spent on each wrestler. I think it’s also worth keeping in mind though HCTP is twenty years old. They’ve got infinitely better hardware, better use of disk space and just everything they need to put a bit more effort in to the details. It’s a fiat point you make about time being spent, but I also feel that considering we had some of this level of detail 20 years ago some of it could have easily been carried forward to today. It’s not massive stuff, I’m just suggesting that Kane shouldn’t stand in the same stance as Austin, and some moves and strikes could be more suited to look like the actual ones done by those superstars, especially when they could basically copy the animations from twenty years ago and they’re already spot on. I mean we still have moves in the game that haven’t been reanimated since yukes made them.

Yeah, the Rock had specific punches that knocked people down, they bounced back up and he could pop them again. I remember Taker had his grapples start with grabs toward the neck and pulling them in for knees etc, Triple H had power punches that looked exactly like his own… and they were all animated to connect properly. It’s the difference between good, and great games. Those great games always had the attention to detail that showed you the developers wanted it to feel different and authentic when you used the Rock or a similar well known wrestler.

One of the best things about HCTP was the way they built in specific punches and set ups for the likes of Triple H, Taker and Rock amongst others. It made you feel like you were playing with that superstar and not like it does currently where you’re basically changing the skin of your character but doing the same moves in the same style of match. It was the little touches to superstars that made it play so well.

Would also be good if they allowed us to switch between face paint styles for the wrestlers it belongs to as well. For instance The ultimate Warrior has a number of different face paint variations, but all we can do is change the colour unless we make CAWS of him.

Hmm, great for NXT fans. I like that Bruno is in and have been shocked he hasn’t been in more games tbh. I think this is looking like a purchase that can be made once DLC is out depending on who’s in it. I might pick it up as I just love wrestling games but it really is feeling very 2k22.5 at the moment… wargames and some NXT guys added. I don’t really use the current roster though tbh. We’ll see, maybe they will knock it out the park with DLC. Im relieved the AEW game has now got past its rating issue, hopefully it comes out soon and for the first time in a long time wrestling fans get more of a choice.

I don’t really like the way he strikes then runs to the ropes on the current one, it’s the run that ruins it, it’s no where near dynamic enough. He hits a kick then does a really awful, slow generic run to the rope and back to hit it, completely removes any dynamism from the feel of the move and makes it look slow and clunky. I think if you do it as a corner finisher, the opponent can struggle to pull themselves just off the mat, whilst Seth taunts for them to get up, brushes his hair back or maybe stomps his foot once or twice, then have it more realistic so it’s less of a stamp, and more where he puts the fit on the back of the head and neck and rives it all down as one.

Probably works best as a corner move doesn’t it? Similar to romans spear. Opponent is down, Seth to the corner, finisher activated, little wake up taunt where Rollins prepares, opponent pulls themselves to all fours, Rollins from the corner to the middle, hits the stomp with a pin attached?

I’m still thinking DLC ends up a bit like 2k22 where some people who we had are taken out and then put back in - last year it was Rikishi, Bulldog and Vader. It’s also interesting that part of the accelerator mentioned having unlocked legends from the start, and all of the legends listed were people that have been in for ages (Macho, Warrior etc). I think there’s probably a Bray Wyatt pack. Wouldn’t surprise me if that included an Alexa funhouse model too. its a shame, so much they could do with DLC given the library available.

I’m hoping they don’t do what they did a fair bit in 2k22 and take people out to give them back to us as DLC, Rikishi… Vader… It worries me like with what so done said above with Strowman, Kross etc. DLC should be people we haven’t had, or if it is a repeat of someone, a vastly different look or complete remodel.

I think the shame is that there was nothing wrong with how strikes and grapples were in 19. They were fine, and each year we were getting some redone so they connected properly. Now basically everything has awkward connection again. I honestly think the look of 22 with the controls and gameplay of 19, and they win with everyone. The only bad thing left over would be the usual 2k bugs, glitches and errors. I think this will likely review similar to 22, I think at first people will praise the look of it (and rightly so) and talk about how fun war games is, but if there isn’t really much else added outside of that, I think people will find that there attention wears thin after a few months. It will however, likely still sell very well at first. 2k are still massively helped by a lack of competition (where on earth is that AEW game?!)

That IGN preview basically confirms it to be the game I thought it might be, WWE2k22.5. War Games looks good though, good news for fans of 2k22 I guess.

The video of Romans double title entrance would suggest it’s generic as opposed to one specifically for Roman. So I think it’s just one general double title entrance rather than specific superstar ones. Also the same video gives a look at the new pin system too.

I’ll happily be proved wrong but I honestly think this is going to feel more like WWE2k22.5 than 2k23. I don’t think they will make any changes to the way the game plays, it will still be combos and lock ups before every grapple. I think the changes will be some NXT roster additions and obviously some people being taken out, War Games being added, and the little tweaks such as weapon taunts etc. I think anyone expecting a proper overhaul of controls etc is going to be dissapointed, the early reviews for the game were good (I think in large part because it wasn’t 2k20..) it was only after six months or so that people realised the gameplay was now very samey without wrestlers feeling different to use from each other. ideally for me it would look like 2k22 and play like 2k19, but given there was wide spread praise for it, I don’t think we get any major changes here.

An Edge showcase could be good, but it hits the snags as the Rey Mysterio one, it wouldn’t include matches from the attitude era and periods after that as it would require 2k to use both the Dudley’s and the Hardys.

Exactly, I agree with you and this is what I was saying in my initial post - people buy 2k games because what’s the alternative? Currently there’s AAA, Retrofest, and Fire pro. So there isn’t really a high quality alternative to the 2k games. Fire pro has some great ideas, but not everyone can get along with 2D graphics and the somewhat awkward angle for the camera which affects the controls. Im really excited for the AEW game as it looks like it could be a viable alternative as long as you aren’t looking for stunning graphics on a 2k level, and you don’t mind it being more arcadey. It looks very nice mercy/HCTP to me which is great. I think the next game after that which might actually give 2k some competition is probably the Wrestling Code. As you say though, content creators etc buy 2k because… well… what else are you going to buy?

People won’t boycott or hold out on the next game, wrestling is niche enough that there just aren’t many alternatives to the 2k series. You either go back in time and lose features such as universe mode or moves, or you play something like Fire pro which isn’t for everyone. The 2k games will always be purchased by a core set of people because until the wrestling code and AEW games show up, there’s no true alternatives.

Love the way they went for retro Randy and gave up above the neck

I just don’t understand what people are getting out of gaining the cards, it’s essentially exactly the same wrestler but all that really changes is the card surround, but they don’t really offer anything in the way of power ups, there’s no trading facility… essentially if you get Edge from three different packs the cards look a little different but edge will look and play the same. The only cards you could argue are worth having are the ones that come with different models, I.e. DX Shawn, but even then you can only use him in that one mode.