WWE 2k25, A Humble Review

As WWE fans have grown accustomed to in the past few years—the month of March is usually reserved for the most spectacular WWE show, WrestleMania, and a new WWE 2K game!

The face on the cover for the second time since the WWE 2K20 game is the so-called "Tribal Chief," the famous Roman Reigns, who has marked the last four years of this company by reigning as its undisputed champion! The imagery of this year's game is dedicated not only to him but to the entire extended Anoa'i family, originating from the American Island of Samoa, which over the past six decades has produced a multitude of legendary Samoan wrestlers who have left their mark not only on WWE but on professional wrestling as a whole.

If you want to play something completely different, check out our Cataclismo review!

Ruman Reigns Supreme at WWE 2k25

In this year's Showcase mode, titled "Bloodline Dynasty," we follow this family, allowing us to relive 17 historically significant matches that will present all the most important members of this family in the best light. So, we'll play not only as Roman Reigns but also as Hollywood's highest-paid actor, Dwayne Johnson—better known to WWE fans as The Rock.

Guiding us through this mode is legendary manager Paul Heyman, the "father of hardcore wrestling" and the mastermind behind the famous ECW promotion in the '90s. With his typically mega-charismatic style, Paul will introduce us to the history of the matches where we'll get to play as numerous Samoan wrestlers—not just replaying history but even reshaping it by changing the outcomes of some famous matches. Additionally, we'll have the chance to play a few fantasy matches where Samoan legends from the past face off against current superstars.

This mode might be the most beautiful thing the game has to offer because it is maximally polished and dynamic. No more mixing gameplay with awkwardly edited real-match footage, and no more irritating music accompanying every match like last year's game. Now, before each match, Paul Heyman introduces the characters he represents, followed by action where you must win and complete all side objectives if you want to unlock hidden wrestlers and arenas.

I enjoyed playing this mode more than before, even though some challenges required serious effort. I especially loved the first-person camera during action sequences in the intro animation—it instantly showed what it felt like to be in the eyes of a WWE superstar.

So What Does The Tribal Chief Have On The Menu?

Aside from the phenomenal Showcase mode, this year's edition has many new things to offer. Starting with graphics and lighting, everything looks much better and smoother. The models are even more convincing, as are the movement animations, and ring entrances are finally no longer locked to 30 FPS in the console version.

The main menu is quite confusing and enormous, spanning four whole screens. Everything is somehow too colourful and not concisely sorted. This is by far the ugliest menu in all WWE 2K games to date. Graphical adjustment options and settings for font size in menus are missing, as well as the font size in menus, which is somehow too small and unreadable—especially when reading objectives in Showcase mode.

2 K's developers have eagle vision and expect the same from players. Even though there are three times more AI adjustment sliders than in previous games, it's unacceptable for a high-budget game to lack interface font customization, according to today's standards.

What's New Gameplay Wise?

When it comes to matches, a few new ones have been introduced, such as the "Bloodline Rules" match, which is essentially no-rules, and the "NXT Underground" match—fought in a ring stripped of ropes, surrounded by fans, where victory can only be achieved via knockout or submission. There are also many more tag-team variations, with up to eight participants in the ring at once.

Additionally, matches themselves now include a heap of new mechanics. For example, you can now throw opponents off Hell in a Cell through the commentary table—immediately bringing to mind the legendary Undertaker vs. Mankind match from 1998. You can also walk on barricades and perform moves from them, and these barricades can now be damaged or even destroyed in some places. 

Backstage brawls have even more environmental interactions, like smashing windows or denting cars. More backstage locations have been added, such as the WWE Archive and NXT parking lot, and a new "DANGER" indicator lets you know when an opponent is close to being knocked out in the next few moves.

One of the most crucial new additions is the third-person camera, which is usable during entrances and matches. The trade-off? You sacrifice the right thumbstick, losing controls for turning and pinning opponents—but in this alternate mode, you can execute them by holding the right trigger and moving the thumbstick. It's not very organic compared to the familiar commands we've grown used to over the years, but hey—it's there! It is an exciting addition if you want to observe the entrances of your favorite superstars freely.

Is Chain Wrestling Back in WWE 2k25?

Another reset WWE 2K25 has made is the return of the chain wrestling mini-game at the start of matches. The system is similar to rock-paper-scissors, where the winner gains an advantage. This option can be disabled, as can the strike-exchange mini-game if you feel they disrupt the flow of matches—but it's nice to see them included as they add to the cinematic feel. "Wear and tear" is even more pronounced than in previous games, with sweat and blood dripping realistically, makeup smearing, face paint peeling, and bruises and scratches appearing on the body. Over time, wrestlers also move slower and more tiredly, enhancing realism.

Adaptive triggers—another neat addition—further heightened the immersion during matches by providing resistance during certain moves. Also interesting is the commentary team's reaction, as they jump up from their desks and scatter when the action around them gets too intense.

Even More Universe Mode!

Of course, there's Universe Mode, the sandbox mode where you can create matches and book shows as you please, but now there's a new feature allowing you to focus solely on one superstar or a team of 2 to 4 members. In-ring promos have returned, where you can choose how to react in a given moment—trash-talking opponents or pandering to the crowd—complete with new animations and commentary.

General Manager Mode is back this year, expanded with new managers and options, delighting those who play this wrestling game to manage shows. Your reviewer doesn't fall into that category, so I didn't delve too deep into this mode beyond completing the tutorial and organizing one show. Of course, you can still play any matches you book. The most significant new feature is that this mode can now be played online against friends or internet randoms! WWE analysts—rejoice!

MyFaction Mode remains primarily recognizable, but now everything you unlock can be used in the rest of the game—which wasn't the case before.

Then there's the Creation Suite, where you can create custom wrestlers to your heart's content, indulging whatever fantasies you may have. But I really have to criticize that once again, after 3 years, you still can't transfer your creations from the previous game into the new one—even though it's the same engine! No, we're forced to rebuild our wrestlers from scratch, which can take hours if you're overly ambitious, given that customization options are more extensive than ever. The wrestler you create can be imported into MyRise, but not "The Island" mode, where you must redo everything. Hopefully, 2K Games will take mercy in future years and fix this oversight.

The Island Mode Makes a Big Splash in WWE 2k25

Beyond the previously mentioned new features, perhaps the "The Island" mode is probably the most significant addition. Borrowed directly from NBA 2 K's "The City," this mode lets you create a custom wrestler (male or female) and freely roam "The Island of Relevancy," personally ruled by Roman Reigns. Here, you'll find a unique storyline to follow, complete quests, and buy cosmetics using VC points earned through grinding (or, of course, purchased with real money).

This mode is a hybrid online multiplayer hub where you can encounter other players and schedule matches. The problem? The framerate in this mode drops drastically—at least on the PS5 version we tested—dipping below 30 FPS, and load times between larger areas are unrealistically long, as if we've returned to the early 2000s.

Upon arriving on the Island, you can choose your wrestler's backstory (8 options, each granting special perks), fighting style (5 pre-set move-sets, modifiable later), and weight class (which can't be changed afterward). You improve your wrestler's attributes using VC by unlocking skill badges. Yes, this is a microtransaction-heavy mode in a 2K game—shocking! You're slightly more limited when creating your avatar than in the standard Creation Suite, as some clothing items must be purchased. However, the actual modelling is identical.

The Story

Storytelling is done through text-heavy visual novel segments (no voice acting or animations), which might only appeal to fans of Japanese visual novels. Aside from other players, the Island is populated by NPCs—but you can't interact with them unless they're quest-givers. Wandering, you'll come across many interestingly designed buildings, but most can't be entered. There's no map, so it took me 15 minutes of searching to find the first quest-giver.

At least early on, the matches were filled with boring, made-up wrestlers, which quickly killed my motivation to play this amateurishly executed mode. Developers say they'll refine it post-launch, but as it stands—they have a lot of work to do. At the very least, all cosmetics unlocked here can be used in other modes.

Polished To Perfection

As in previous years, the game comes in three editions. Alongside the standard version, there's the Deadman Edition and The Bloodline Edition, which include extra wrestlers, cosmetics, and a Season Pass covering five post-launch DLC packs. There's also a SuperCharger Pack, unlocking WWE legends, retro arenas, and championship belts from the start.

Without a doubt, this is the most complete WWE game to date—polished to perfection, except for the bulky, unrefined "The Island" mode, which sticks out like a scratch on the paint of a brand-new Ferrari!

In Conclusion

WWE 2K25 delivers the most complete experience yet, with further improved graphics, enhanced animations, and many new features. The Showcase mode is dedicated to the Anoa'i family and Roman Reigns. For the ultimate immersion, our Panther headset amplifies every bone-crunching impact, crowd roar, and Paul Heyman's electrifying narration, pulling you deeper into the spectacle. 

The return of intergender matches after 16 years is a triumph. The introduction of a third-person camera offers a fresh, more realistic perspective, and MyRise now combines male and female storylines into a single, nonlinear career. The only stain on this WWE championship belt of a game is the new "

The Island" mode, which offers an open-world experience but suffers from serious technical issues and a lack of content.

Rating: 9.2/10

Reason: WWE 2K25 is the most polished and feature-rich entry in the series, with vastly improved gameplay, graphics, and match variety. However, "The Island" mode's performance problems and lack of depth prevent it from being a perfect 10.

Recommended Age: 13+

Why? The game features simulated wrestling violence, mild blood, and suggestive themes (including revealing outfits in Creation Suite), making it best suited for teens and older. WWE 2k25 has an ESRB rating of T for teens.