WWE 2K23 Review – A Solid Midcard Performance

In wrestling lingo, a “hope spot” refers to that one last desperate comeback before the wrestler destined to lose finally goes down for the count. After the embarrassing WWE 2K20 nearly deep-sixed the franchise, WWE 2K22 made a lot of positive strides, but I wasn’t quite convinced it was the beginning of a championship-worthy redemption story. Was WWE 2K22 just the hope spot before the series once again descends into mediocrity? Or can WWE 2K23 keep the momentum going?

I came away from my early hands-on time with WWE 2K23 feeling fairly optimistic, but, of course, those types of previews are carefully curated to only show the game in the best possible light. So, how does the full version of WWE 2K23 compare to the highlight reel? Time to lace up those boots yet again and find out.

WWE 2K22 made a number of key improvements to the series’ in-ring action, simplifying controls and providing an array of new methods to change the course of a match (a lack of which had long been a gripe of mine). In addition to the standard timed reversals on which the series had long relied, Visual Concepts added block and dodge buttons, “Breakers” that let you escape combos by anticipating what attack your opponent is about to use, and limited-use Payback moves that allow you to do things like steal your opponents’ finisher or even teleport behind them. All of this returns in WWE 2K23, with the only major change being a new timing-based pinning minigame that finally makes getting the 1-2-3 feel right after years of this being an inexplicable weak spot for the series.

While WWE 2K23’s core mechanics haven’t changed all that much, the action is notably quicker and snappier, with the input lag that’s long been an issue with these games feeling like less of an anchor this time around. That said, make no mistake, there are still some fundamental issues here. You spend far too much time during matches in various dazed states, unable to fight back and without any reliable wake up moves to get you back in the fight (you can get up instantly off the mat, but it consumes your special meter and can only be done sparingly). Too many moves still feel canned, leaving you either open to attack or invincible as elaborate animations play out (there’s no real consistency as to whether it will hurt or help you). WWE 2K23 is still some ways from achieving the fluidity and responsiveness you’d expect from a good fighting game or classic wrestling games of the past, but at this point, I think we can say Visual Concepts have a basically competent, fun, competitive system in place.

While clearly built on the same foundation as last year, WWE 2K23 is also the series’ best-looking entry to date thanks to improvements to lighting and materials, as well as a host of other subtle tweaks. While not everyone is treated equally (poor Bayley has been done ding-dong dirty this year), the general quality of the superstar likenesses is higher than ever, with the stark difference between main eventers and lower-card wrestlers from past games no longer being so apparent. There are still some issues, though, particularly with hair – if a wrestler’s style is straight and shoulder length or shorter, it looks pretty good, but long wavy hair still has a Medusa-like mind of its own.

In terms of match types, the only major addition is WarGames, but it’s a solid new highlight that ought to be a favorite for groups of wrestling buddies playing locally. WWE 2K23’s camera zooms out smoothly to capture what’s happening as six competitors battle it out across two rings, and a solid targeting system keeps the action from feeling too chaotic. A lot of little WarGames-specific touches, like every new entrant stopping to throw new weapons into the ring, are captured too. It’s clear Visual Concepts put a lot of care and attention into this addition.

Turning our attention to modes, MyRise is again the headliner (as it was last year). This time around, the career mode offers two separate stories — The Lock, which tasks players with making their way in WWE as a male wrestler, and The Legacy, the franchise’s first full female-wrestler-focused story. There’s a bit less roleplaying going on this time around, as both The Lock and The Legacy tell more focused stories, meaning you won’t be able to choose your background or brand like you could in WWE 2K22. That said, there still are branching decision points, many of which are presented in novel ways. Some are standard backstage dilemmas, like choosing which faction to align yourself with, but you’ll also face tricky in-ring decisions, like whether to use a convenient steel chair to gain an unfair advantage.

Ultimately though, it’s the writing of this year’s MyRise campaigns that really set them apart. While last year’s iteration of MyRise offered some fun storylines that resembled what you might see on WWE television, some of them felt like they were treading a bit too close to fan-fiction territory. WWE 2K23’s MyRise stories take a more grounded, character-focused approach and, in a slightly roundabout way, actually address a lot of people’s longstanding issues with the way WWE is run and presented. Oh, but don’t worry, you’re still free to make a mockery of all this by playing with a ridiculous custom character.

The Lock is a critique of how WWE often attempts to shove a square peg into a round hole, trying to turn every prospect into the “Next Rock” or “Next Brock Lesnar” instead of just letting them express their own unique personalities. “The Lock” (that’s actually the name of the story’s protagonist) is the recipient of one of those trademark WWE pre-debut hype campaigns, literally bursting out of a safe for his first match, but eventually has to decide between the manufactured image or charting his own path. Meanwhile, The Legacy is a surprisingly clear-eyed look at the privileges and challenges that come being part of a famous wrestling family, with some subtle yet biting commentary about how WWE has treated women in the past thrown in for good measure. Don’t get me wrong, there are still some goofy moments and stilted line readings here, this stuff isn’t Shakespeare, but the writing is a world apart from the likes of WWE 2K20 that oozed with snarky contempt for the entire concept of pro wrestling. It’s obvious The Lock and The Legacy were written by folks with a love of wrestling and an understanding of its history, both good and bad.

Clearly the other major focus of Visual Concepts’ efforts this year was the new 2K Showcase featuring cover star John Cena. This time around, the tables are turned as you play as various wrestlers who defeated Super Cena over the years rather than the Jorted One himself. This addresses the somewhat repetitive nature of past Showcases, as you now get to take control of a wide range of stars instead of just one. Unfortunately, other longstanding issues with the Showcase format have not been solved. The objectives you have to complete within each match remain too finicky. You’ll often find yourself in a frustrating position where you could easily get the victory if it were a regular match, but you can’t maneuver your opponent into a very specific spot for a very specific move in order to progress. While its presentation is still top notch, it feels like a deeper rethink of Showcase mode is in order at some point.

Most of WWE 2K23’s other modes have received more superficial upgrades. MyGM offers new options, including additional GMs, match types, and the ability to play multiple seasons, but I still find the mode’s inability to acknowledge the pre-determined nature of pro wrestling limiting. Universe mode continues to be a solid choice for armchair bookers, with more options for programming rivalries this year, but it’s still only going to appeal to a niche audience. The Ultimate-Team-style MyFaction continues to be an awkward fit for a game with a roster of less than 200 names to mine for virtual cards, but at least the addition of basic online multiplayer makes the whole endeavor feel a bit less pointless.

As for WWE 2K23’s Creation suite, Visual Concepts’ promise that you’ll be able to make wrestlers as believable as theirs seems a bit exaggerated, but the fidelity of character faces definitely seem to have gone up a notch (something about their eyes feels more alive). That said, there are still some issues with character creation – crafting a moveset remains an unintuitive chore, and, bafflingly, short load times persist as you’re switching between hairstyles and clothing options. WWE 2K23 has an issue with load times in general – has nobody informed Visual Concepts that next-gen consoles have solid-state drives?

Overall, it feels like WWE 2K23 inches the series closer to delivering the total package you expect from the best sports games (like the NBA 2K franchise), but it isn’t quite there yet. As is, players should get a good amount of value out of creating wacky monstrosities in the Creative suite, messing around in exhibition matches with friends, working through the MyRise stories, and, depending on individual tastes, maybe dipping into MyGM or Universe modes. Perhaps in future years, we’ll finally get that complete suite of must-play experiences. For now, WWE 2K23 extends the hope spot without delivering a definitive victory.

This review was based on a PS5 copy of WWE 2K23 provided by publisher 2K Games.

WWE 2K23

WWE 2K23 is the best entry this long-suffering franchise has put out in nearly a decade, offering mechanically-sound action, a pair of satisfying MyRise career mode storylines, and a handful of other well-executed, if limited, additions like WarGames. WWE 2K23’s gameplay and presentation could still use some further polish and not all of its modes are must plays, but for the first time in a long time it feels like this series’ star is on the rise, even if it hasn’t achieved main-event status yet.

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