WWE 2K14 Review

Extending replay value is a number of alternate modes. One of the most infuriating, yet rewarding, modes is Defeat the Streak where players can try to end The Undertaker’s undefeated Wrestlemania streak with a star of their choosing. Undertaker is nigh unstoppable, but when that bell rings signifying your victory the feeling of accomplishment that sets in is extraordinary (until the leaderboards show several others who did better than you, that is). If you’re one of those who believe the streak shouldn’t be broken there is also a progressively difficult Defend the Streak mode where players face a gauntlet of opponents for as long as they can muster victories. Another mode—one fans of previous games will be familiar with—is Universe which allows players to run their versions of WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown. In it, they can alter rivalries, champions, tag teams and weekly shows to create the wrestling universe they crave.

With several different types of matches to choose from, each of these modes in the game offer a great time. Sadly, the one mode that could help WWE 2K14 thrive is its most flawed one: Online. Multiplayer matches feature frequent lag and disconnections. Almost every match played was interrupted by the game struggling to keep a stable connection. When the sessions were able to stay connected, things moved along swimmingly for the most part, and the game’s fun factor finally started rising again. Yet, there was something odd that occurred during online play: the reversal and pinning mechanics seemed to be affected by a bit of lag, resulting in the need to release the held button a second earlier than normal. There is one notable improvement to 2K14’s online offerings, and that is the custom creation menu navigation. Loading times have been cut down and, unlike the actual matches, there hasn’t been a single disconnection during my time with it. With the amount of options available for tailoring superstars, arenas and storylines, it’s nice to be able to search through an imaginative community’s creations without problem.

WWE 2K14 is not the end all, be all wrestling video game to hit store shelves; then again it is Yukes’ best outing with this franchise. The 30 Years of Wrestlemania mode will surely have longtime fans clamoring for joy as they relive some of their favorite moments. It may take some time for newcomers to learn the ropes due to the sheer amount of options available to them; but once an understanding of the controls is made players will get the most out of their matches. It’s just disappointing that online portion is still rough around the edges since that mode is what most players will turn to after their time with the single player. Nevertheless, Yukes is slowly, yet surely, fixing their errors and building upon their successes. There are issues that still need to be addressed, like the reversal mechanic and online multiplayer, but they don’t override the entertaining beat downs one can have with their friends or with in the single player. With WWE 2K14, Yukes was able to keep what previously worked and make a few notable improvements to create one last enjoyable current generation wrestling title.