Find our test on Xbox One of WWE 2K17, the new installment of the wrestling franchise, published by 2K and developed by Yuke's media and Visual Concepts.
After having an annual vintage of basketball simulation with NBA 2K17, wrestling fans probably wanted to see if the equally recurring episode under the WWE license would do well. However, if we analyze the communication made around the two series this year, we realize that NBA 2K17 obviously had much more to show in terms of announced content. On the contrary, it was said that WWE 2K17 would be cut off from the Showcase mode which was supposed to focus on rivalries this year. Obviously, the developers would have had problems with superstars who would not have been able to lend their voices. So, we can legitimately wonder if WWE 2K17 will bring its share of new features this year. Is that the case? We answer you in our WWE 2K17 test
Quite uneven graphics
We're not going to lie: WWE 2K17 is not really a model of technique. While Visual Concepts manages to lay NBA 2K always more visually successful, we find ourselves here in front of wrestlers strongly recognizable for some, with a slight air of family for others, and downright unrecognizable for the rest, including the divas who have taken expensive in "deconstructive" cosmetic surgery. The bodies are sometimes screaming realism, but most of the time just correct, on the other hand everything seems to redo capillary level. For some wrestlers, we really wonder if it's not a mop that inadvertently floats on their head (Edge, what did they do to you?). On the side of the animations, we find the same limits as usual (a take made near an obstacle will carefully avoid the obstacle) but overall the shots are linked well. The game engine takes the hit and seems relatively aging. It would be frankly urgent to review this for next year. Well, we will console ourselves by saying that the hairstyle of the Big Show is very well modeled.
Austerity 2.0
So here, it's not extremely serious, let's say that it does not detract from the gaming experience, but I had to talk about it a little: the interface is one of the most austere I have ever seen. We find ourselves in front of menus arranged as usual (impossible to get lost if you are a regular of the series) but all online, in white rectangles on a gray background with smoke. From time to time, a superstar randomly walks behind the menus a little in "excuse me, man, I'm looking for the toilet" mode. Personally, at the first launch of the game, I had Finn Balor dragging himself on the floor with his super headdress from the "octopus 2015" collection. Admit that it is slightly unsettling.
Improved gameplay
What struck last year was the axis much too "simulation" that took the license with a relatively disabling fatigue gauge. After one or two takes, we were quickly forced to stop and go for coffee while our opponent was dying on the ground, at least if we did not want to end up on our knees, exhausted after a Homeric effort of 20 seconds. There is a lot of better this year with an adjustment of this horrible fatigue gauge. Now, it empties less quickly and becomes less frustrating. This has the effect of making the gameplay more dynamic. No change on the submission and release systems which are rather effective. There are also some adjustments in some modes, such as the locations where you can put a ladder that have been reviewed in the eponymous match type. That simplifies it a bit. In multi-wrestler matches, superstars who have already cashed in quite a bit, move away from themselves and roll outside the ring. This makes it possible to turn the action well and to be able to recover a little quietly instead of being chained by one or two traitors in "criminal association" mode. Pretty well seen. We will also note this year the return of the fights behind the scenes and the public, and it's always a pleasure!
No Showcase no game?
Last year, we found ourselves in front of a WWE Showcase focused on the career of Stone Cold Steve Austin. He had the merit of making us relive the greatest matches of the superstar, and on this side it was fully successful. This year, as mentioned in the intro, the Showcase mode simply falls by the wayside for obscure reasons of dubbing. It's a shame since this game mode usually renews itself every year by shedding light on different themes. Instead, we find exclusively the very usual but nevertheless excellent Universe mode and the career mode of last year. Sure, there have been adjustments in both, but will that be enough to get you through the routine? Maybe a little.
Promotions, the essential novelty to perfect urgently!
The addition that could have saved the furniture is the brand new promotion system. So if you don't understand what it's all about, imagine John Cena stepping into the ring to thank the fans for cheering him on in the last match, that he kept the belt thanks to them, that he loves the world of wwe, all that, all that. It can also be a superstar who demands a championship match, a rivalry that feeds through a few well-placed punchlines, finally you understand what it was if you have ever watched WWE shows. Promotions are a nice addition in career mode, but become THE necessary novelty in Universe mode. When you carefully schedule your show of the day, it may be essential to fuel a rivalry with a verbal joust rather than make yet another fight between rival superstars. And, even if you do not touch the programming, rivalries can be set up after a scene of dialogues and that's good! In any case, the promotion system opens up a lot of possibilities on the Universe mode and it was time for it to change on that side. On the other hand, I will qualify my laïus "promotions are life" by some defects. Already, we often come across the same answers to make, especially since their effects are not always those expected. In fact, what you say has to provoke the reaction of the public, positive or negative, and to do that, you fill a gauge. By your answers, you also increase your bar of Face or Heel (good or bad if I had to popularize for those who do not know wrestling). That's all well and good, but sometimes the effects seem quite random and you'll sincerely wonder how it works. But above all: there is no dubbing for promotions. I agree, it was probably quite technical to dub all the superstars (especially since some legends present in the cast have unfortunately died a long time ago) but the movements of the lips coupled with the total absence of sound and the big block of text underneath cause a strange effect.
We take the same ones and start again
Pretty much, the career mode is substantially in line with what it was last year. As a reminder, you play a superstar created by you since the beginning of his career and you choose with whom to ally, who to attack, and of course, you play his matches. Except that, this year, you are not starting at NXT but at one of the two major shows, namely Raw and Smackdown. Each week, you have a goal imposed by "The Autority", to see if you follow it or not, know that some can be very tedious such as forcing you to lose your match after making a result of three stars, or to make a superstar win by intervening in his match (last year you could only intervene at the beginning of the match). That way, on paper it's nice. You quietly plan your little intervention, choose the timing, and then you imagine yourself arriving in the ring and destroying everything except that no. You stay around the corner and can only perform a few actions that will have very little influence on the course of the fight and if you abuse a little too much, you will simply be fired by the referee. Thug life is not easy every day. On the other hand, add to your career the promotional sequences where you can shine by your good words in society, and the management of sales of merchandising products, a nice but not decisive addition. You can also be poached by Paul Heyman, the manager of the terrible Brock Lesnar, pleasant but not revolutionary. As a result, we find ourselves in front of a game mode substantially similar to last year, despite some appreciable additions.
Creation is life!
The great strength of the WWE series (whether 2K or THQ time) has always been, in addition to its accessibility, the creative tools available to players to fine-tune their dream federation. Creation of superstars (who have existed, who do not exist or who should not exist), titles, arenas, everything is there. Note that, from now on, you will be able to create two different outfits for your wrestlers which is damn good news. On the other hand, I think we will all have been fooled looking for the place where we could change the haircut of his avatar. Look no further, now hairstyles are found in outfits, such as facial and body hair, as well as tattoos. We will say that it is mainly to be able to vary everything between two outfits of different periods, for example. But between the entry and fight outfit, we do not really see why, it is hard to imagine a wrestler entering the ring with hair and then being shaved afterwards. Otherwise, you'll also have a tool to create your own victory scenes. We never refuse additional customization possibilities. Especially since the community, very active, has a good dose of talent and will very quickly make available its various and varied creations. All good!
WWE 2K17 is unfortunately far from being a revolution. Despite good ideas, we feel that the formula is struggling a little to renew itself with its aging engine and its effective but recurring game modes, despite a rather correct dose of novelties. We can only regret the disappearance of the Showcase mode especially in view of the reason given (dubbing). Curious when you notice that the whole game is silent except for the usual and official comments (even if personally, I would dream of seeing the French Christophe Agius and Philippe Chéreau arrive who are absolutely legendary in their field, and this for a good twenty years). The promotion system is a very good idea, once reworked and with the return of the Showcase and maybe even the improvement of the technique: we would be good for a renewal. A transitory episode that remains very pleasant thanks to the improved gameplay and its Universe mode. A mode that has already proven itself but nevertheless remains brilliant and infinite, thanks to the possibilities of creation. We hope for excellence for next year, we expect no less!
