Tonight’s main event
The WWE license in video games has gone from historic to disappointing over the years. Players used to be excited when a new brawler came out, now they simply sigh. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is the latest from 2K since they acquired the license, and feels like a wrestling game made by people who don’t play wrestling games. This is not always a bad thing though. While it may not match up to the canon of the weekly melodrama that is on display across the nation on television sets, it does make for a really fun experience. I had a ball with this game, but I am sure a lot of that has to do with the fact that I haven’t enjoyed the sport since my adolescent days.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is an arcade take on the sport. The moves are flashy and over-the-top. Characters are broken down into specific styles, with each one featuring a standard template of moves. There are buffs and add-ons to perform special moves such as fire hands and high-flying antics. There is little to none of the traditional grapple-style found in most of these titles. This makes for an arcade-style experience that is best experienced with friends. I think of this as more of a fighting game than a traditional wrestling game.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
The game play style is no shock considering the team that built this game is the same one that took a stab at NBA Jam-style basketball with NBA 2K Playground. It is all about flash and not about realism or sticking to what the athletes are actually known for. This opens up the ability to enjoy the game tojust about anyone. I literally know like five wrestlers on the list; the last time I took this stuff seriously the Ultimate Warrior was still a known commodity, so outside of Undertaker and a few names I’ve heard mentioned I couldn’t tell you who any of these people are. Still, I had a blast unlocking new wrestlers, pushing through the ridiculous campaign, and just playing against my son or randoms online.
The unlocking of characters can certainly be a sore spot for some. The entire roster is locked behind grinding for currency, which can also be purchased with real money. For me it was incentive since I had no idea who half of them were anyways (also why is Warrior missing?)
There is plenty to do here. The campaign mode is where I unlocked a bunch of currency for wrestlers as well as a host of venues to play in. The comic book style panels are neat, but the story is just downright ridiculous. I found it entertaining, but again I can see enthusiasts a little disappointed in its absurdity. There is a create-a-wrestler mode where you can take them through a series of matches to earn more currency. These range from 1v1 to tag, and of course steel cage. All the match types are present here and I really enjoyed the King of the Battleground, which reminded me of classic Royal Rumble modes where eliminations are tracked.
All of this works because the game play is so much fun. There are two attacks and a grapple. Slipping in and out of the ring is intuitive and moves are simple enough that I was doing flashy stuff with minimal effort. The game is clearly designed to be accessible to players of any skill. The reversal window is forgiving and even when I lost, I had a good time. It feels more akin to a fighting game than a wrestling game, with plenty of flair to keep it entertaining.
The one area I did not enjoy as much are the visuals. The character models are attempting to look like the classic toys from the 90s, but instead just look awkward. Their appearance is downright disturbing in some cases. I did love the clamshell appearance of unlocking them. Thankfully though the game runs smooth even with its bland appearance at times.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a fun romp that I enjoyed a lot more than I anticipated I would. Again, take it with a grain of salt as I am not a wrestling fan anymore. This reminded me of the more friendly spectacle of past games like WWE Arcade and Superstars. I wish there were more legends to be found and the models weren’t so creepy at times, but as a whole this is the best use of the license in years.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
