GamesSportsWWE 2K24WWE 2K24 preview adds Ambulance matches and super finishers – now we wait on MyFactionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSportsWWE 2K24WWE 2K24 preview adds Ambulance matches and super finishers – now we wait on MyFactionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: 2K)
(Image credit: 2K)
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’sWWE 2K23with 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 withAEW Fight Foreverfilling 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.
(Image credit: 2K)
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.
(Image credit: 2K)
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.
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(Image credit: 2K)
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.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”