WWE 2K23 review: Getting stronger through story

WWE 2K23’s attention to detail and wrestling history is its biggest strength as it improves on last year’s comeback

Imagine for a moment you’re WWE’s latest signee. Probably not hard for anyone reading this site as I’m sure we all envisioned that future at least once in our lives. As the newest kid on the block, WWE puts all their faith in you, commits all their marketing resources to your success, and even gives you a shot at the Intercontinental championship on your very first night in the company. Sounds dope, right?

But here’s the catch: Your only accessible path to this road to riches and diamond rings comes in the form of a pre-packaged gimmick and name that you don’t like and make you a bit of a joke. What do you do? Tough it out on the biggest wrestling stage in the world being someone you’re not while “trusting the process” or bump heads with WWE management in an effort to do things your way?

That’s the core conflict at the center of one of WWE 2K23’s MyRise campaigns, which marks an improvement over last year’s through telling an engrossing story that gives players a little freedom while also showcasing every match type the latest installment offers the year. And yes, that includes WarGames. The attention given to MyRise is indicative for the rest of a game that builds off WWE 2K22’s successes and pushes the game just a bit forward. 2K bills this game as “Even Stronger” and while one’s mileage may vary on the exact amount of muscle the game adds, this is undoubtedly an improvement on last year’s showing and a testament to the team’s devotion after the WWE 2K20 debacle.

2K Games

At this point, it’s a given the game looks great. Most games operating on a PlayStation 5 or an XBOX console cross that bear minimum threshold. What matters for a game like WWE 2K23, which, at its core, is a fighting game, is how it feels in one’s hands. Are the movements fluid? Do the wrestlers have clunky interactions in the ring? Are the controls responsive? Does the game ask too much of its players for supposedly simple moves? Thankfully, 2K’s latest gets high marks on most of that criteria. There’s the occasional glitch on wrestler movement while executing specific double teams or even when an opponent’s lackey interferes during a match, but the game never breaks.

The sporadic animation bugs represent mild annoyances more than infuriating showstoppers and never destroy a match’s rhythm either. That rhythm comes in different shapes and sizes as wrestling styles truly matter this year. Roman Reigns moves differently than Carmelo Hayes, who moves a lot differently than Omos. That speed differential shows itself not only in running the ropes but throwing punches or locking up with an opponent. Yes, it’s still tables, ladders, and chairs, oh my, but the game demands strategy that goes beyond weight class.

Impressively, WWE 2K23 maintains all of its strengths in WarGames. Wrestling devotees hardly need an introduction to WarGames but for everyone else, it’s two rings placed together enclosed in one massive steel cage. From a video game perspective, that’s a lot for one match with a lot of movement and multiple chances for things to go sideways. And yet, the game holds its own. WarGames functions like its real-life counterpoint in that more people in the ring means more chaos. WWE 2K23 never slows down, and, just as important, accurately reflects the tension associated with the WarGames. Keeping track of one’s player comes with its own challenges but some may love that factor as much as they love the match itself. But props to everyone involved for a seamless and fun recreation.

2K Games

John Cena gets the Showcase this year. In a meta-twist possibly inspired by the “LOLCENAWINS” meme, the player takes on the role of some of Cena’s biggest opponents rather than the man himself. Why does it work? Because the the documentary style for the 2K Showcase provides insight from the man himself while illustrating why he still gets thunderous ovations all these years later. Those losses are just as important, if not more important, than the wins because they embody Cena’s “never give up” attitude. While the online component and MyRise and MyGM typically get the fanfare and longevity, don’t sleep on the Showcase’s historical necessity. Especially when said story comes from a first-person perspective. Cena lays it all out, warts and all, bringing genuine truth to a video game steeped in make believe.

Which brings this full circle back to MyRise. WWE 2K23 impresses technically but after last year, that’s not even a little surprising. The usual game modes maintain their quality while improving around the edges as annual franchises like this often do. But the storytelling in MyRise—and Universe mode—makes the game addictive. MyRise’s wholly original stories encapsulate professional wrestling as a whole. The modes tell stories in ways that might benefit WWE, too, focusing on character arcs and making the wrestlers human rather than just caricatures.

It’s commonplace today that fighting games incorporate RPG elements, but 2K does so while figuring out what translates best for their game. Some decisions hold more weight than others while match stipulations, and even side “missions” affect character development and story in ways 2K merely flirted with in the past. While the story is finite, playing through it again while making different choices creates a different story and provides new content. Of all the things “stronger” this year, MyRise walks away with the championship belt.

WWE 2K23 is a lot of fun. With competition peeking around the corner, the annual franchise put their best foot forward this year and laid another brick in the foundation that is their comeback story. If you liked or loved WWE 2K22, sign up for this year’s iteration as soon as possible.