W2K18 is the same as any other yearly released sports game. It features some gameplay changes, an increased roster of playable real-life wrestlers and new additions to the soundtrack. After comparing this title to last year’s WWE 2K17, I quickly realized that 2K18 is almost exactly the same as its predecessor.
Unfair fighting
To make things clear, there are SOME differences in WWE 2K18. The most noticeable for fans is probably the new carry system. This upgraded mechanic makes it easier to perform certain moves that require you to carry your opponent. Sadly, this is the only thing in terms of gameplay that has been improved upon.
Before I go further, let me make it clear that I don’t know much about wrestling and any of the videogames that are based on it. With that said, holy moly is this game unfairly difficult. Attacking your opponent is not that hard but once he/she has a hold on you, boy oh boy, good luck getting out of that situation. To counter (or ‘reverse’) a move all you need to do is tap the right shoulder button at the proper moment. Sounds easy, except it isn’t. You need to be very, VERY precise to hit the button at the right time. To make it even more difficult, the timing changes depending on the move you’re countering. The only way to get good at reversals is through careful memorization. And you better get good at them because they’re the only way to alter the course of a match in your favor. Winning and losing in WWE 2K18 is basically a matter of how good your timing is and how lucky you are.
When I mentioned how similar 2K18 is to its predecessor, I really meant it. I’ve compared the attack patterns in both games with each other and they are exactly the same. One would think that with the inclusion of more new wrestlers that there would be some new moves to perform. But nope, everybody attacks the same way, with the same reaction and movement too.
Pick a wrestler or create your own
Speaking of new wrestlers, the roster in WWE 2K18 has been expanded to a whopping 170 wrestlers. Although most of them play the same, it’s still pretty impressive to see that many real-life wrestlers in a game. The downside with WWE 2K18, though, is that it’s easy to notice that the visual quality of some wrestlers is far better than others. For example, John Cena looks incredible in-game, whereas some less famous wrestlers look like a mess or an unfinished prototype. It makes kind of sense that popular characters would look better, but if most of the wrestlers have been in numerous previous titles, you would expect them to at least look decent.
WWE 2K18 also comes with a career mode in which you can create your own character and guide him through the road towards success and popularity. There’s no actual story and the progression of your career is barely noticeable because you always have to do the same things over and over again. You choose a fight, enter the ring, spout some dramatic lines towards your opponent and win the match. This would be a little easier to tolerate if the character creator was good enough to mess around with the looks of your character, but it sadly isn’t.
See, unlocking new gear and customization options requires you to…open loot boxes. Yup, that’s right, another game that comes with loot boxes. Now, to be fair, the loot boxes contain only cosmetic items and can be unlocked by earning enough Virtual Coins, which are the game’s virtual currency. But earning enough coins to buy a box takes a long time. It is also completely randomized so if you want a specific item, you’ll probably have to grind a lot and open a ton of boxes. Yes, the game contains a lot of customization options but what fun are they if they are locked behind a paywall?
Technical problems
The graphics in WWE 2K18 are pretty good. The lighting, shaders, and animations have been noticeably improved. Some characters look bad, but when they look good they really show the engine’s power. Sadly, there are also numerous glitches that can turn characters into a mess of polygons. These glitches also sometimes fail at hit detection, which can turn a fight into a frustrating experience. I also noticed the game not responding to my controller inputs. The version I played was for the Xbox One and tested it with two separate controllers. Both of them had input issues, so it’s highly likely that the problem lies with the game.
Conclusion
To be honest, I did not enjoy playing this game that much. It’s mostly the same as WWE 2K17, which means it still has the same technical issues and frustrating reversal mechanics. The fighting itself is okay, but again, nothing new and quickly becomes frustrating when you can’t reverse a move. The character creator is fun to mess around in, but the loot box system makes it a tedious grind to unlock all of the options. If you’re a fan of the series, don’t bother playing this one unless you want to try out all the new wrestlers.
