Early Game Review: 'WWE 2K25'

Each year, 2K Games sets the tone for the pro wrestling year with a new entry in its annual series. The dev team at Visual Concepts has to balance itself atop the turnbuckle by paying tribute to up-and-coming superstars and their developing fanbases while honoring the towering past of the organization.

Due out Friday, "WWE 2K25" manages the trick nicely, looking to create as much of an impact as cover performer Roman Reigns did when he first entered the ring in 2012.

Out of the gate, the narrative establishes itself as a reverent observer of the franchise's past and the way it continues to influence the present. By wrapping itself along the famed Bloodline, which stretches back to the tag team dubbed The Samoans in the late 1980s, carried on through the ensuing decade with the debut of Dwayne Johnson as the Rock, and thrives today in the form of Reigns. 

The game sets you on a path that echoes that of the Big Dog himself, attempting to dominate both in the ring and at the watercooler with its Rule Beyond the Ring tagline. MyRISE lets you roll into the game's story mode, playing a part in a wild, twist-filled narrative worthy of a pay-per-view special.

Taking a cue from the NBA 2K franchise, there's a hub world dubbed The Island that lets you guide your created wrestler through various challenges and attractions, grinding for XP while trying to avoid the temptation of pay-to-win mechanics. 

Other prime additions include new brawl environments and match types, intergender competition, a Bloodline Rules Match, Underground Match and barricade driving. Add to that some subtle visual upgrades and gameplay enhancements, and you get a package that's hard to resist, even for players still enthralled with "WWE 2K24."

In my first match out of the gate, I chose the 1997 version of the Rock to square off against Andre the Giant. Severely outmatched and easily tossed out of the ring, I formulated a desperate strategy to dance around outside the squared circle until the referee had almost reached his disqualification 10-count. Then I slipped back under the ropes, planted a kick on Andre's face when he tried to follow suit, and claimed the cheap victory, reveling in the booing crowd and announcers' complaints that the result didn't feel justified. This sort of iterative WWE action is electrifying and has me coming back for more.

While I yearned for a more robust cast of past stars, this game's roster, which includes the likes of ody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, Rey Mysterio, Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Jacob Fatu, Rob Van Dam, Lita, LA Knight, Chyna, Batista, Nia Jax and Becky Lynch, provides plenty of potential for intriguing matchups and cross-generational drama. DLC promises brawlers such as the Motor City Machine Guns, Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, and Jordynne Grace, plus WWE Legends including Mark Henry, the New Age Outlaws, Jesse Ventura, New Jack, Junk Yard Dog, and Tito Santana. 

As it nearly all of its predecessors have done, "WWE 2K25" has reignited my fascination with the pastime, making me feel excited to play out permutations of prototypical WWE wildness on my own screen. This is a game worthy of its cover star.

Publisher provided review code.