WWE 2K25: Refining the Ring Experience

It’s that time of year again for 2K Games and Visual Concepts‘ annual WWE release, and by now, it’s safe to say that dramatic changes aren’t expected. Instead, the focus is on refinement and small steps toward the ideal wrestling simulator formula, making it a great moment for fans who want to buy cheap PS4 games while keeping up with the latest in wrestling gaming.

With the growing difficulty of introducing major new features, the emphasis shifts to the finer details, which inevitably invites comparisons to older, beloved entries in the series. While WWE 2K25 includes those positive tweaks, there are also some missteps and noticeable unforced errors. So, let’s dive in.

Most of the gameplay remains consistent with last year, but numerous fine-tuned adjustments enhance the in-ring experience. Mechanics like chain wrestling, trading blows, and rolling pin sequences add another layer of realism that never gets old during any match.

These gameplay elements are staples of wrestling psychology, and I’m very pleased to see them make a return. In addition, the CPU AI has been improved, enhancing not only these aspects but the overall simulation as well.

Watching a superstar back away from an opponent’s limp body in the turnbuckle, take a running start, and carry that momentum into their next move is a really nice touch. The first time I saw it, I had to record the gameplay to confirm that it was really happening.

In WWE 2K24, the developers introduced new match types such as special guest referee, ambulance, casket, and gauntlet matches. This year, Visual Concepts has added even more impressive features.

First is the Bloodline Rules match, which aligns with this year’s focus on the Bloodline. Essentially a NO DQ match, it allows up to six run-ins, each unlocked by filling and spending a meter. Visual Concepts has also introduced the Underground Match, which removes the ropes from the ring and fills the surrounding area with a crowd of NPCs. This mode also includes subtle, contextual gameplay changes.

Most notably, the biggest addition is intergender matches. These seem to be a primary focus in WWE 2K25, available across all match types and stipulations. The developers even built the entire My Rise campaign around them and introduced Intergender Championship belts.

With My Rise placing a strong emphasis on intergender wrestling this year, it introduces some notable differences. In previous years, you would typically create one character per campaign, covering either a male or female superstar, but now players looking to buy cheap PS5 games can explore more diverse matchups and storytelling options within a single campaign.

In this version, however, you’ll need both characters for a single campaign. At key moments, you’ll make choices between diverging paths, which adds replay value. Unlockable wrestlers, attires, and other customization options are gated behind multiple paths, so completing everything will require replaying the campaign several times. Overall, the unlockable content feels spread too thin across all modes.

This year’s My Rise is packed with twists and surprises that kept catching me off guard, and having seen a lot of wrestling, I think fellow fans will enjoy it just as much.

As a long-time fan of the Second City Saint, I was thrilled to see CM Punk play a major role throughout the story. I especially appreciated the moments that nod to the real-life rivalry between Punk and Drew McIntyre, a fun recurring theme that appears in other modes as well.

Other modes have also seen improvements, such as My GM, where you take on the role of a booker trying to successfully plan your own wrestling shows. The biggest feature missing last year was online multiplayer, which has now been added. In addition, plenty of other general managers are available, including CM Punk, although he cannot be selected as a wrestler in the draft.

This mode remains one of my favorites. One area that could use improvement is more flexibility in booking. Pairing certain types, like brawlers and fighters or giants and cruisers, should be a bonus rather than something essentially required to defeat the other GMs.

Replayability is key here, with your wrestler experiencing Bold, Comedic, Scheming, or Ally storylines depending on your choices. Unlike previous years, players must create both a male and female MyRISE character, since the stories are now interwoven rather than separate, with control switching between the two. Your experience will differ depending on which character you start with, an approach that helps highlight the stakes of NXT's hostile coup.

The voice recording quality is somewhat inconsistent, especially when comparing the actors for the two main characters to the wrestlers themselves, and the severity of the mutinous crew’s actions can feel muted, playing out more through the in-game social media feed than on-screen. Despite these issues, this year’s MyRISE delivers the most compelling story 2K has produced in its tenure and shouldn’t be overlooked.

This year sees a major new addition in terms of modes: The Island. Inspired by Roman Reigns’ Island of Relevancy—which I hadn’t realized was an actual island until now—this mode has you participating in random matches against both established wrestlers and custom creations, leveling up your attributes, and earning currency to buy cheap games or purchase wrestling gear.

The Island functions similarly to The City from the NBA 2K games. You can even grind for currency to buy items like a pair of Jordans, in a mode that can feel fairly soulless except for the presence of the Original Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, and his advisor, Paul Heyman. Notably, you can also purchase Seth Rollins’ iconic big red boots.

I found the layout somewhat enjoyable. It was fun spotting references like The Arcade of Tomorrow, though I’m puzzled why Roman would allow any Cody Rhodes-themed construction on his island. On top of that, the requirement to create a third character was somewhat frustrating.

Speaking of the Wiseman, the Hall of Famer takes on a major role as orator in the Showcase Mode, which naturally centers on the Bloodline. It might be repetitive to say at this point, but Heyman is truly unmatched at what he does. He delivers the history of this legendary wrestling family as if he were cutting a full-fledged promo on any Monday or Friday night.

While I generally enjoy these trips down memory lane in Showcase, there are a few frustrating objectives, often with strict time limits. The Money in the Bank segment featuring Tamina, in particular, is incredibly irritating.

This would normally be the part of the review where I criticize the My Faction mode. That still holds true, especially now that attires and characters are locked behind this grind-heavy Ultimate Team-style experience. It’s a mode I don’t enjoy, and out of all the options—including The Island—it’s the one that most desperately needs a complete overhaul. You can toss this mode right out.

There are definitely some graphical improvements, especially with certain characters, making them look less like wax figures and more human. While this is true for the most part, some characters still don’t look quite right. Longer hair and the associated physics remain problematic.

There are also notable enhancements that catch the eye. As matches progress and superstars take bumps, bruises begin to appear on their bodies. The newly added director’s camera is surprisingly impressive. It’s these finer details that I really appreciate, and the overall presentation continues to be one of the WWE 2K franchise’s strongest points.

When I first started the game, the commentary was significantly drowned out by other audio elements. I’d recommend heading to the audio settings if you encounter the same issue. Additionally, there have been several glitches, the most frustrating being the game repeatedly quitting to the PlayStation home screen during character creation, potentially causing you to lose all your customization progress.

WWE 2K25 delivers a solid experience, largely thanks to its core gameplay, which remains the highlight. There are more strong modes than mediocre or weak ones, and with ongoing improvements in animations and presentation, there’s still plenty to enjoy.

On the other hand, that same level of evolution isn’t consistent across all areas. Modes like The Island feel like a misstep, attempting to shoehorn NBA 2K’s The City into a wrestling context, seemingly designed to encourage repeat purchases through microtransactions.

Making meaningful progress in annualized franchises becomes harder with each release. WWE 2K25 is still a great game, but this year it feels like one step forward and two steps back.

WWE 2K25 is roughly on par with 2K24, with extra polish on elements like environmental textures. The various parking lot areas look better than before, particularly the glass-paneled NXT parking lot. Move animations are smoother, and early on, there are fewer visual glitches, such as characters clipping through ropes or animations ending awkwardly, which had been issues in previous games. Character models still have some wonky-looking hair, but with this possibly being the last entry built around PS4 and Xbox One-level hardware, improvements may come in future releases.

On the audio side, this is some of the best commentary in a WWE game so far. Lines aren’t repeated excessively, and during Showcase replays, the commentary flows naturally without feeling repetitive, aside from cutscene-specific commentary, which is expected. The soundtrack is less song-heavy than in previous games but still offers some great tracks, and you can always play in-game roster themes in menus if you prefer over the licensed music.

Verdict: Strong Refinements and Engaging Campaigns

WWE 2K25 is a strong game, despite a few missteps like the new Island Mode. An excellent My Rise campaign that highlights intergender wrestling, along with a solid range of refinements across the board, helps keep WWE 2K25 at the top of its class.