Ambulance matches, casket matches, special guest referee matches: if there's a common introductory theme to WWE 2K24, it's fan service. These are options which have been clamored for by the community for years, and Visual Concepts' willingness to cede to popular opinion is, on the surface, good news. Particularly with unexpected innovations, such as super finishers, also strewn into the mix. But can prospective gameplay improvements keep pace with these welcome new additions, on the evidence of a 12DOVE hands-on?
In short: yes. However, let's RKO the elephant in the room before digging into more detail. This isn't No Mercy. This will never be No Mercy. It's WWE 2K23 with some bugs eliminated, features and animations added, and new match types parachuted in. Some may rail against that, ignoring the fact that 2K23 was the most solid wrestling sim in years. There was no need to start over, particularly with AEW Fight Forever filling the No Mercy void. Some modes do need retooling, such as MyFaction – but we'll get to that later. Gameplay wise, WWE 2K23 upgraded is just fine.
Becks appeal
GR+ has access to two-dozen male and female grapplers for this first playtest. The likes of Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns feel immediately familiar, but building towards the end of bouts showcases the first upgrade. Previously each wrestler was limited to two signatures and finishers. Now they can have up to five of each. Lynch for instance, has four 'sigs' – a Manhandle slam from the front, one from behind, and diving leg drops from both the middle rope and top rope. This fresh variety comes into play smartly as Lynch pounds on rival Trish Stratus – a bona fide icon who's been given a long-overdue new model for WWE 2K24.
Lynch also has three finishers, one of which is especially intriguing. Fill all three bars on her finisher meter in the HUD and it begins to crackle with blue electricity. This represents the new super finisher mechanic, which is nigh-on guaranteed to put an opponent away. Lynch nails Stratus with an avalanche Manhandle slam from the top rope for the victory, and experimenting with other wrestlers' mega match-enders begins. Reigns' super finisher incorporates a Superman Punch and Spear combo. Bianca Belair flies from the top rope with a 450 Splash. Bayley destroys her foe with a turnbuckle-based Bayley-to-Belly.
The devastating aspect of these killer moves is rammed home with a blurry effect around the edge of the screen as they happen. That may sound a touch arcade-y, but they still feel realistic, in so much as a game based upon scripted reality can. You've seen them on TV before, and generally they do end matches emphatically. Throw in new Payback moves, such as freezing your opponent by feigning injury only to wallop them while distracted, and there's no going back to 2K23 once you've dabbled here.
This is particularly true when you factor in those new match types, although the casket and special guest referee offerings are still to be tested. Ambulance, however, is a riot. Take your standard Extreme Rules match, add weapons which can now be launched at opponents from afar, and polish it off with a ringside ambulance into which you have to throw your foe before closing the doors. Slinging them inside triggers a mini-game that mirrors the well-known submission system: mash the corresponding button to get the first door closed, then do it again for the second (super tough, unless your opponent has red damage all over). This is going to be extra fun in multiplayer, as you weigh up whether or not to drag your foe closer to the vehicle – lest they nail a reversal and you end up inside.
A Rude return
On the modes front, 40 Years of WrestleMania is the focus of 2K's pre-release marketing. It follows the formula of previous Showcases, with Corey Graves introducing past matches using video footage, before you get to play the bout in question. Visual Concepts have enhanced their tech here, with archive video of Rick Rude vs Ultimate Warrior seamlessly switching back and forth between gameplay. Indeed, it's huge fun playing as the cocky, hellish Rude in one of Warrior's very rare defeats. Complete all tasks in a match and you unlock the characters in question, or alternate outfits. There's minimal replay-ability, but Graves frames each match well and the full set of bouts should be a retro fan's dream. Reigns against Cody Rhodes, and Rhea Ripley versus Charlotte Flair, are the other two GR gets to sample.
There's no word, beyond social media whispers, as to how MyFaction will work this year. This is WWE 2K24's Ultimate Team equivalent, and has rightly earned scorn from fans in recent times by the decision to gate-keep fan-requested gimmicks – such as Scott Steiner's 'Big Poppa Pump' persona – to that mode alone. Not a good look when it's the only area of the series to feature paid-for currency. Rest assured that'll be going straight under the GamesRadar microscope once the game hits review o'clock.
For now, though, there's lots of promise, not least the retooled Backstage Brawl matches. Up to four players can now compete across the arena parking lot, garage, loading bay and interview area. In a hilarious add, you can climb a ladder to the second floor to escape an opponent – then take the elevator back down again to troll them further. Or – thanks to that weapon-slinging mechanic – chuck a soft drink at their head after whipping them into a vending machine. I also still feel bad for slamming a car door shut on Xavier Woods' arm, even if it was in character as the nefarious Reigns. It truly is a brawl for all. Let's hope some MyFaction tweaks make that true of every mode in WWE 2K24.
