WWE 2K25 review for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC

We’re on the road to Wrestlemania and with that comes a brand new release from the WWE 2K franchise. After last year’s fantastic release that, in my opinion was very complete, still I began to question if we were going to see 2K25 in its March release that we’ve seen the past few years. To my surprise, in January we saw the announcement of WWE 2K25 and that it would be arriving in less than two months. This immediately was a red flag to me. Was this just a cash grab with sprinkles of new additions to the roster? What could have been added/upgraded in the short window since 2K24? Well I can put your doubts to rest rather early in this review… WWE 2K25 builds on the greatness of 2K24 and elevates the series even higher.

Now lets get the biggest addition out of the way first, The Island. This all new mode to the series has you create your own character and traverse an online open world. In what I assume will be an evolving online map you can traverse in third person and have matches, complete quests, and continue to customize your created superstar. This is not a mode that really fits my style of play for wrestling games (or really any sports games for that matter), so for that I can’t go to hard into it. But I will say that it skates dangerous territory, something that publishers continue to go back and forth on, and that’s micro transactions for cosmetics. You see on The Island you can purchase with real money (technically in-game currency but you can buy more with real cash) items for your superstar to wear that are from real clothing companies like Chalk Line, Jordan, Puma, and even WWE Shop. I will say, the premise is unique and traveling around this WWE inspired map or “island” and visiting areas featuring easter eggs for the Undertaker, the Hall of Fame, and more is at least worth opening the mode and checking it out. Maybe it will hook you more than it did for me and if Gerry Brisco wanted to hook ya, he would hook ya.

Let’s talk the other recurring mode that changes year over year… the Showcase. 2K25 gives the Bloodline the honors this year of taking over the entire Showcase mode, and it’s narrated by the Wiseman Paul Herman. This is note worthy because it made every prematch video worth watching. Heyman gives it his all in every one of these match intros and I’m cool with him continuing to narrate the Showcase mode every year from now on. A previous complaint I had from the past few years of Showcase was the jarring use of real footage in the matches while you complete objectives that would try and seamlessly go from gameplay to archived video footage and the effect was less than stellar to say the least. Well I’m ecstatic to report that is completely gone, all matches are rendered completely in game… but a pet peeve of mine still exists in this mode when showing archived footage. During the Heyman introduced clips they feature WWF/WWE archived footage that yet again uses way too much blurring of people that I guess are not under contract in some way by WWE or 2K? But that theory doesn’t fully make sense either because there was some clips I noticed wrestlers being blurred that were later not blurred and are also featured in the game. The one that comes to mind was Lex Luger I believe is blurred out when showing the Yokozuna package.

Minor gripes aside,  this year’s Showcase is great. As I mentioned, the Heyman intros are top notch and then the match varieties, different superstars to use throughout, and finally some matches that haven’t been played or featured in any of the previous Showcase modes. Also we have commentary returning to Showcase mode and the commentary has lines specifically recorded for this mode (The Island also features specific commentary). I was cautiously optimistic about how this mode would play out and it far exceeded my expectations.  I still feel like the Attitude Era Showcase that was done over a decade ago is still the cream of the crop, but the Bloodline Showcase does put up a good argument to at least be in the discussion as one of the best.

Outside of The Island and this year’s Showcase you have a lot of the same modes with yearly improvements. Some of my continued favorites are MyRise and MyGM. As I’ve said in past reviews, growing up I always like to be the BOOKER if you will, whether it was booking a fake federation in the back of a school book, simulating leagues on old windows freeware or doing fig feds, creating my own storylines and angles was something I’ve always enjoyed. I’m happy year over year 2K continues to improve the MyGM mode. From its resurgence a few releases back, it’s come a long way. MyRise is basically the story mode with branching storylines so you  don’t necessarily get the same path or ending every time you play it. There is no shortage of modes to play through and I didn’t even mention the polarizing MyFaction mode (think Madden Ultimate Team). MyFaction I’ve played a little more this year than I have previously. I do enjoy it, but it’s got that same nickel and dime feel that I get from Madden Ultimate Team. Although, I will say 2K does give plenty of free items and currency in this mode via Locker Codes that they release every few weeks/months, you just have to make sure to log into the game or social media to see when they’re posted.

The last thing I wanted to mention before we went to they pay window (second Dusty reference for those paying attention), is the roster. This year’s roster is the largest it’s ever been, featuring over 300 superstars/managers. After last year’s release I didn’t think it could get even bigger and 2K proved me wrong. Nearly everyone from 2K24 is included here and then some, with even more planned as far as DLC. Sprinkle in the created wrestlers you can create or download over the community creations and you’ve got everyone you could ever want in a WWE release. Part of me still wants a legends game but it’s hard to argue you can’t just have a full on legends federation in 2K25 in Universe or MyGM mode, time to hit up the Royal Rumble and see how many 90’s superstars I can fill it with.

WWE 2K25 is certainly not without its glitches (of course not on the level of the dumpster fire that was 2K20), and for the most part they’ve already been improved via patches. In my opinion, 2K25 is a must buy for a current or lapsed wrestling fan. It’s better than last year’s release, which is still saying a lot, and it’s miles better than the AEW release which feels like an eternity ago. My babyface run on the series as of late is a shocker to me honestly but not as big a shock as John Cena going heel on all you ungrateful fans… kidding of course 😉

Note: 2K provided us with a WWE 2K25 PS5 code for review purposes.