WWE 2K25 Review (PS5)

As we hurtle down the road to this year's WrestleMania, it's time once again to make a welcome pit stop at 2K's annual simulated grapple-fest. WWE 2K25 boasts new features, even more playable superstars, and a brand new multiplayer distraction in the form of The Island. But does it continue the momentum Visual Concepts has built in recent entries, or does this year's game commit an act of villainy so dastardly that John Cena's recent transgressions pale in comparison?

Firstly, let's talk about what's new. From the merciful decision to change the ladder match minigame to additional match types like the Underground, and general improvements made practically across the board, we're pleased to say 2K is onto another banger. With the reintroduction of intergender wrestling, for example, players are now free to wrestle far more combatants, not just opening up a slew of new dream matches, but also handily reducing the occasionally repetitive opponent pools that certain modes can fall afoul of.

There is, once again, an absolutely insane amount of value here for wrestling fans. Not only do all of the usual suspect spotlight features return in WWE 2K25, but they do so bigger and, in most cases, better. This year's Showcase, for example, follows the life and times of the hallowed "Bloodline", and players can expect to play through, and in some instances alter, the course of the Fatu, Maivia, and Anoa'i families' careers in WWE. This slick package is all presented expertly by Hall of Fame manager Paul Heyman, with match introductions delivered in peerless, charismatic fashion. Players must fulfil certain criteria to progress through these respective encounters, and the matches then play out between these bursts of gameplay as they did in real life. Unlike in WWE 2K24, however, the periods of downtime have been reduced, so you won't be sitting around quite as long.

WWE 2K25's Showcase mode is a wonderful resource for anyone with even a passing interest in this legendary wrestling dynasty, capturing that "playable documentary" feeling perhaps better than ever before. However, there are some strange omissions from the included moments, and the decision to add timed optional objectives to the mix didn't go down well with us at all. Sometimes, with just 30 seconds on the clock and no warning, all it took was one counter from our opponent to have us miss out, causing us to lose the expected wrestler and attire unlocks in the process, and tasking us to replay the entire match to earn the rewards.

WWE 2K25's pseudo story mode, MyRISE, begins in drastic fashion, with past and present members of WWE's NXT brand coming together to attack, undermine, and generally disrupt anyone associated with the RAW and SmackDown shows. This happens just as your created superstar arrives on the scene, with the selection of a unique background affecting character interactions and how the story unfolds.

Replayability is the name of the game here, then, and your wrestler will experience Bold, Comedic, Scheming, or Ally storylines depending on your choices. Additionally, unlike in previous years, players will need to create both a male and female MyRISE character as, instead of there being a separate story for the men and women, the two are interwoven into the narrative, with control switching between them. Depending on who you choose to start MyRISE with, your experience will differ, and it's an approach that we really appreciate, definitely helping to sell the stakes of NXT's hostile coup.

The voice recording quality is certainly a little iffy in places, particularly when comparing the actors playing the two heroes versus the wrestlers themselves, and the severity of the mutinous crew's actions can feel a bit stunted, as it plays out on the in-game social media feed a little more than we'd have liked. Regardless, this year's MyRISE definitely lays claim to the most interesting story 2K has pulled off during its tenure, and it shouldn't be overlooked.

The MyGM and Universe modes have seen changes made in WWE 2K25 as well. MyGM, where you compete against a friend or the computer to come out on top in the ratings wars, has more match types and a wider selection of General Managers to choose from, each with their own unique perks. Additionally, budding showrunners can now take the action online with up to four rivals competing at a given time. Equally, the Universe mode remains as versatile as ever, now with the reintroduction of promos.

WWE 2K25's answer to Ultimate Team, MyFaction, plays similarly to previous editions, but, yet again, has seen changes and additions. Along with a slew of new card types, additional challenges, events, and towers, World Tour sees players taking their fearsome group on the road. It's essentially just another set of matches and ways to unlock more currency to buy more cards, but if you're a MyFACTION diehard then we're sure it'll be welcome. It is, as one would hope, very possible to play MyFACTION without spending any money, but we still couldn't help raising an eyebrow at the price of some of the digital collectibles; it costs roughly £10's worth of VC (Virtual Currency) for a Sapphire-tier Stone Cold Steve Austin Card, for example. No thank you.

This questionable monetisation brings us neatly onto WWE 2K25's much touted The Island mode. Roman Reigns has a vacancy on his Island of Relevancy, calling all wannabe superstars to visit his domain and impress him in the hopes of securing a WWE contract. Importing pre-created superstars isn't allowed, so prospective Sports Entertainers must be created anew, before being plopped into the WWE equivalent of PlayStation Home, where they'll wander around an online hub with other players, completing quests and levelling up.

If you've any familiarity with NBA 2K's infamous The City mode, you'll quite rightly be a little apprehensive here. Unlike MyRISE, where attribute points are earned through completing stories, The Island instead asks you to spend VC on upgrading your wrestler, albeit with far more stats to increase and a fairly hefty price tag attached. VC can also be spent at any of the numerous shops around The Island, and not just on the likes of tattoos or WWE Superstar merch, but also branded products from real companies including Nike and DSYF. In fact, that's sort of what The Island feels like currently: a huge digital storefront. It's impeccably branded at least, with different districts themed after certain wrestlers, but it's hard not to feel cynical and a little worried about future WWE 2K instalments if they decide to go all in on this approach.

As with MyFACTION, you don't have to actually buy anything if you don't want; the main reason players are there is for their avatar to win a contract after all. In reality, however, this intriguing premise ultimately sees you slowly jogging from one part of the map to the other to chat with quest givers before having a match. Given the amount of polish evident in The Island's environmental design, it's a shame the presentation of these encounters is a bit lacklustre, with static images of whomever you're talking to accompanied by voiceover-less dialogue. Don't get us wrong, if it's a matter of priorities we'd much rather that effort be pointed in the direction of the Showcase and MyRISE modes, and thankfully, the rest of WWE 2K25 can be enjoyed in isolation of this new endeavour. It remains to be seen how The Island will evolve over the next 12 or so months, and we just hope it doesn't come at the expense of other, less monetised modes down the line.