What is up everyone!? Time for another edition of One Man’s Thoughts. Now since editorials started on this site, I don’t believe I have seen anyone touch on WWE’s latest game, WWE 2K14. Well that is what I am going to do. We all know the back story. THQ filed bankruptcy, and 2K was able to pick this up, so I’m not going to delve to much into the time before the game was released, as most know. Rather, I want to take a look at the game, and what it brought in comparison to past games, and if it worked for this particular one.
The New Additions
Ok so the first thing new for this year was the 30 Years of Wrestlemania mode. In it, you got to relive some of the biggest matches from the past 29 Wrestlemanias. Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan vs The Rock, Batista vs John Cena, Undertaker vs Kane just to name a few. With each, there were certain objectives to complete. Overall I think this was a better mode compared to past years. For WWE 13, we had the Attitude Era mode, which was fun I will admit. For WWE 12, we had The Road To Wrestlemania, and for the final Smackdown vs Raw, which was SD vs Raw 2011, we also had Road to Wrestlemania. The right step was taken in WWE 13 with the attitude era mode, and I think just as good of a step if not better, was taken with the 30 years of Wrestlemania mode
Next we look at the expansion of the Universe mode. One thing that caught my right off the bat, was the record for each individual wrestler of what titles they won, how many times they won, and how long they held it for. I’ve been missing this ever since Here Comes the Pain. Sure, it isn’t perfect. It only remembers the titles for the brand that wrestler is on, but I liked it. Add on to that, we are actually able to change the outfit for our superstars in Universe mode. John Cena has like 5 or more different forms from different Wrestlemanias. You could pick one if you liked one the best, or just pick random. Much like if you used the superstar threads function to make new gear for Punk, you can set it so when Punk wrestles, that is what is shown. I also liked that they included the feuds feature, giving us the ability to create our own feuds. It was a great feature, but I wish there could have been more to it, but I’ll get to that later. Another new feature was being able to have King of the Ring actually be a PPV this year.
Now when you look at the actual game play, some things stayed the same, and other things changed. First, we get a new feature this year, the “lift” feature. It gives you the ability that when an opponent is running towards you and you have a finisher stored that is a catch finisher, you could lift them into the air and then hit the finisher. Sometimes, this was really cool like with Antonio Cesaro, or Punk, or Lesnar, and other times it was just odd, like HHH or Shawn Michaels. We also had more OMG moments, but from what I can tell, the only two new ones are when a opponent is on the apron and you use it, you ddt him onto the apron, and then when he is resting against the ring post, you can drive your boot into his head. Two new moves that while are cool, I wish there had been more.
Then of course have just other things that are new that I would consider miscellaneous. First is the create mode. Specifically the create a championship. Last year we only had the option to take a WWE belt, and modify it. This year, we still have that option, but we can also make a belt from scratch. I know others were calling for this last year, as was I, so I’m glad to see it this year.
This year, we had one of the bigger rosters that there has been in a while. In the form of new superstars, we got Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Titus O Neil, Roman Reigns, and Kaitlyn to name a few. In the form of returning wrestlers from past games we got Hulk Hogan, Batista, Goldberg, Ric Flair, and others. While this was a really good roster, I am one of those people that don’t think there is a need for two Ric Flairs, two Shawn Michaels, two John Cenas.
Of course with any WWE game, while we get new features, some just merely stay the same. There wasn’t much change to the create a move feature or to the match types. Now, I want to give you all my thoughts on what I’d like to see for the next WWE game, WWE2K15(I’m assuming that is what it will be called)
Universe Mode
For this mode, I’d like to see more growth involving the feuds feature. Give us one on one, two on two, 3 on 3, triple threat, fatal fourway. Give us the chance to make it more interesting. Heck, throw in a the ability to book it in advance. Set up what will happen in the particular feud, and then get to play it out, instead of it being a crap shoot of what will happen from week to week. Another thing I’d like to see, is the advancement of the championship history. Make it like it was in Here Comes the Pain. When you check out a superstar, it doesn’t matter what brand it was, it lists all of the titles for the game, which ones they’ve won, how many times they’ve won it, and how long they held it for.
The Roster
Ok yes, I get it, there has to be a cut off point at some point. A superstar that debuts in July, can’t very likely be thrown into the game for release. I get that. What I would hope though is in the future, the DLC content is focused a little more on superstars who missed the cut. Perfect example are the Wyatt Family. Instead of having the Legends pack which gave us Jake the Snake, and others, it could have been the Wyatt Family.
Create Mode
I’d like to see more options with create a wrestler. Different attires is one thing that sticks out to me. It seems like for a while now, we’ve had the same option when it comes to what the wrestle wears. Another thing for me is the create a finisher feature. We’ve had front grapple, diving move, and turnbuckle for a few games now. I’d like to see it grow this next year. Maybe have it include a behind grapple, running grapping/attack, and downed grapple.
Gameplay
Ok, so they advanced on this some more this year, what with the chain grapples, but I’d love to see more. Think of a classic technical wrestling match. You see wrestlers go from hold to hold, back and forth. We don’t get that in the games. If someone has a hold in, and you counter it, it could transition into a new hold, or it ends up with your character elbowing the person down, or belly to belly slamming them. I’d like to see where if someone tries to big boot you, and you counter it, and you go for an enziguiri, they can try and duck it. Give us that back and forth that we see in wrestling today.
Final Thoughts
So WWE 2K14, was a good game. I’m not going to say amazing as I know not many would agree, but it was a good game. It gave us some new features that entertained us for a while, while also keeping in tact stuff from past years. I hope now that 2K is creating the new game, that we get something really special and different compared to past games. People always talk about remember No Mercy or Here Comes the Pain, my hope is with this next game, it becomes the one that 10 years from now, everyone remembers and still boasts on about. So thanks for taking the time to read this, I look forward to seeing all of your comments and thoughts below!
