WWE 2K22 test: finally a virtual wrestling heavyweight?

After a year spent in the locker room, wrestling is finally finding color on consoles and PC. As we mentioned in our preview, 2K Games promised mountains and wonders for this WWE 2K22. And after long hours in the company of the greatest wrestlers on the planet, it's time to give our verdict on this simulation whose heavy task is to make people forget the cataclysm of the previous games.

WWE 2K22 test: finally a virtual wrestling heavyweight? View PriceRead ConclusionWWE 2K22

Absolutely amazing content
Customization tools still crazy
The ultra-complete roster
WWE 2K20 Bugs Almost All Fixed

... but others less successful
Showcase Mode's Painful Objectives
Missed audio part
An action not always very readable

Let's start by putting things into context. The development of WWE 2K20 was a real ordeal after the Yuke's studio abruptly withdrew from the creation of the title, leaving the Visual Concepts teams alone in charge. Given the frantic pace imposed by the annual releases, the game was quite logically launched in a deplorable state and the bugs were never really fixed. 2K Games then made the decision to review its copy by giving up the release of yet another opus in 2021. WWE 2K22 was thus to mark a real renaissance for the saga.

Test performed on PS5 from a commercial version provided by 2K Games. WWE 2K22 is also available on PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One and PC.

Breathtaking wealth!

The first notable improvement in this opus is in the content made available to players. In addition to traditional exhibition fights, WWE 2K22 includes four game modes that deliver unique experiences. "Mon MG" (for General Manager) invites us to manage a wrestling show for an entire season, "Ma Faction" allows us to build a team of superstars, "Mon Ascension" puts us in the shoes of a beginner who will have to climb levels and the “Universe” mode gives players the freedom to control everything (PPV, match results, rivalries, etc.) according to their preferences. Finally, a fifth “Showcase” mode is dedicated to the career of Rey Mysterio. It is then necessary to replay emblematic fights of the Mexican wrestler by fulfilling very specific objectives.

Let's not beat around the bush, for this WWE 2K22, Visual Concepts has put the dishes in the big ones! Wrestling fans will be captivated by the gargantuan content and the extremely complete roster despite some more or less notable absences. We can obviously rail against the fairly limited number of selectable arenas, but apart from these small flaws, there is not much to complain about. The customization options are legion and allow you to create realistic wrestlers and believable arenas. Of course, these creations can be shared and downloaded by players around the world. The creative and community dimension is therefore still appreciable.

Sublimated but imperfect wrestling

What really changes from the mediocre WWE 2K20 is the overall finish. The bugs, if they are not all erased, are now anecdotal and do not hinder the pleasure of the game. Combos are made by chaining takes, light blows or even powerful blows without tripping over the ropes. The wrestlers also respond perfectly to our requests.

Still, inaccuracies remain. It is sometimes difficult to grab an object, to aim for the right opponent and it is not impossible to be temporarily blocked in a cramped corner outside the ring. The fights with three or four superstars (or even more) sometimes turn quickly into anything, even if there again, there is nothing to raise the alarm bells. WWE 2K22 remains playable in all circumstances and the fun is felt more when playing with a friend locally.

Other problems persist: among them, and it was already a bad habit of previous opuses, the objectives to be achieved in the “Showcase” mode are daunting and lack indications. During a match, when the game asks us, for example, to perform a certain combo or put the opponent in a certain situation, unless we memorize each key combination by heart, it is almost impossible to instinctively guess the prerequisites to be fulfilled in order to progress. . It is therefore necessary to constantly pause the game to access a more developed briefing. It's frustrating, especially since losing a match forces you to start it all over again. Checkpoints would have been nice.

Finally, we have reservations about the sometimes messy menus and the very numerous loadings (even on new generation consoles) by juggling from one section to another. It's really a pity!

JVFR

It's Rey Mysterio himself who narrates the greatest matches of his career

As handsome as a universal champion?

These points aside, there is certainly something to celebrate about the visual part of this WWE 2K22. The superstars are properly modeled and immediately identifiable, although not all have benefited from the same attention to detail (particularly within the women's division), and the overall rendering is quite decent. The framerate holds the shock (at least on PS5) during fights with three wrestlers and more.

While it would undoubtedly have been possible to do better on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, restrictions were undoubtedly mandatory, the game being released in parallel on the previous generation consoles.

JVFR

The famous "Thunderdome" arena used during the Covid 19 pandemic is available

Visual Concepts, however, completely missed the audio part, WWE 2K22 is totally wrong on this point. There are only a dozen pieces of music to accompany us in the menus and the commentators chain sentences (in English) that are not very coherent with the action in the ring. The sound effects are coarse whether when hitting with bare hands or with an object. The same goes for the very overrated vibe that emanates from the crowd. It's unfortunate when you know that the atmosphere of an arena during a wrestling show is of paramount importance to make a match interesting.

JVFR

Sasha Banks (or Koska Reeves for Star Wars fans) is in the place!

WWE 2K22, l'avis de JVFR

Yes, WWE 2K22 has corrected its copy compared to the previous edition. The game is more beautiful, the roster is extremely extensive and the content is amazingly generous. There is plenty to satisfy wrestling lovers. In addition, the “My MG”, “My Ascension” and “My Faction” modes diversify the gameplay in a very nice way, so much so that there is always something to do.

But flaws are inevitable. The "Showcase" mode is particularly concerned with its painful objectives and the sound embedding of the game is particularly to blame. Nevertheless, WWE 2K22 knows how to be fun when necessary. 2K Games and Visual Concepts have managed to put things back together, hopefully for an even better result next year.

WWE 2K22

WWE 2K22 manages to restore the image of the license thanks to its exceptional content and very beautiful finishes. The little sabbatical year has done the franchise good. Everything is not perfect, but this 2022 edition should largely satisfy wrestling fans.