Screenshots of this game taken by the author through the PlayStation 4. WWE2k19 owned by WWE and 2K Games; published by Yuke's and Visual Concepts
So I just got WWE2k19 for the PlayStation 4 (I pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, so I got it earlier before the standard game was released). I have been playing it for awhile and now I am going to give you a review that I hope you will enjoy. Perhaps you'll want to play the game yourself, though I guess I shouldn't advertise. Lol. Anyways, here is my review (NOTE: Does NOT reflect any future patches or DLC that are released for the game).
GAMEPLAY: (9/10)
The gameplay is basically the same as with 2k18, except now there is a Payback ability for Superstars. When you endure enough punishment, you can activate Payback and really dish it out on your opponents. There are different types of Payback in this game such as moves that could get you disqualified, summoning an ally, and earning a Finisher.
Having a lot to do or play with, in my opinion, is essential to ANY good game. In this case, it is the amount of superstars. WWE2k19, like its predecessor, has a big payload of superstars and legendary wrestlers. Not only can you play as superstars like AJ Styles (the cover star for this game), Kofi Kingston, the Irish Lass Kicker Becky Lynch, the Bella Twins, the hugging champ Bayley, and the Future Empress Asuka; you can also play as legendary wrestlers from the past. Among them are Alundra Blayze, Ric Flair (whose daighter Charlotte is also on the roster, AND who got his own “Woooo!” edition for the game, which costs more than the deluxe edition and comes with memorabilia involving the Nature Boy and his daughter), Macho Man Randy Savage, Lita, Trish Stratus, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall (and his alter ego Razor Ramon), Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Diamond Dallas Page (whom I had the pleasure of waving hi to and giving a thumbs up when passing by his table at Motor City Comic Con this year), Bret “The Hitman” Hart, and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.
In addition to a lot of superstars, there ought to be a lot of areas to play in. There have been some new additions in this game, including the Mae Young Classic and Velocity. As usual, you can also create your own arena. The Backstage Brawl, though, is a little disappointing; it is almost the same exact area as in WWE2k18. There should have been at least some variety in that department. And some arenas are missing, such as Bash at the Beach. Fortunately, it is not enough to really ruin the game for me (though it would be nice to have some beach themed stuff for the VS. screen when you create your own shows).
One thing to know about games like this is that I am a sucker for character creation (especially since playing games like Soulcalibur 3 and 4). And I also like being able to edit Superstars (which is what we got to do in 2k18, though you can only edit the clothing of the Superstars). Not only can you do both, but there is a feature that I feel REALLY helps out in creating characters. For example, when you alter the facial features on one side of your created superstar's face, you can have that mirror on the other side. That REALLY saves you the hassle of trying to get everything just right. And, for example, when you have an arm or leg equipped with say a elbow pad, you can have it go ahead and equip that SAME pad on the other side. It is quite a timesaver in that department. In addition, there is also the option on turning your created character into a block body a la Minecraft. One particular gripe I have, which is minor, is that the cursor when selecting parts is barely visible (the white background in the menus is mostly to blame for this). Maybe 2K Games can correct that in a later patch.
There is also some additions to the Create-an-Arena mode, such as making your arena have fog or different types of lighting. Other than that, it is pretty much the same as 2k18.
The only major gripe I have overall with gameplay and creation is the Create-A-Video. In 2k18, you could put ANY superstar (male or female) in the pre-made cutscenes and all. In this game, its only male superstars (you can still put in entrance vids of female superstars). I am not sure why, but you'd think that you would be able to have female superstars in a cutscene for a vid. Hopefully, this will be addressed in a later patch, or maybe there is something in the game for us to do to make that happen.
GRAPHICS: (9/10)
2k18 had some decent graphics, but 2k19 (in my opinion) really nails it with the details of the superstars. The superstars look a little smoother and detailed than in 2k18, as well as some having some different hairstyles . Speaking of hairstyles....
NEW FEATURES: (9.7/10)
There is also the 2K Towers mode (which I admit I have not yet played), where you battle different matches to win coins in purchasing unlockables and stuff. And you can also make your own Money in the Bank briefcase; essentially making your own take on one of the WWE's popular types of matches.
In addition to new modes, we have gotten new superstars added to the list. Now we can play the entire Riott Squad (Ruby Riott (who was in 2k18 as DLC), Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan), former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, and even Lana (who was on WWE2k18, but only as a manager). In addition, for those who pre-ordered the game, 2k19 marks the return of famed masked wrestler Rey Mysterio. Also, there will be some additional superstars added at a later date as DLC (if you pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition or bought the Season Pass, you'll be getting them the moment they are added), so that should be good.
Unfortunately, it would seem that some superstars we wanted to see did not make the roster. For me, the fact that Nikki Cross is not in the game does suck (hopefully DLC in the future will rectify that). Fortunately, the lack of some superstars we know and love does not ruin the game for me. In fact, I honestly thought Paige might not make it into the game since she had an injury that supposedly ended her career.
There is also the MyPlayer mode (which was in 2k18, but with a different story premise), where you get to play a wrestler that you create on the way to stardom (though it would be nice if there was a women's version of it). I go from being an indie wrestler to being a potential NXT star to being busted down to indie wrestling (which sucks). The mode is fairly enjoyable so far, and you get to talk with a few WWE Superstars along the way. Alexa Bliss sure is a mean little lady, and Braun Strowman sure lives up to the name of being a monster in the ring. The latter beat me in a cage match, even though that loss led to Triple H offering me a contract, talk about a loss being a gain....until somebody attacked me during a recorded video and I end up having the contract rescinded. :(
Of course, one big highlight in the game is Showcase, a mode where we get a glimpse into the life of WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan and his rise to where he is today. I have been playing a few chapters of it, and I must say that it is quite interesting. We get to see Daniel Bryan talk about his beginnings and his ups & downs in wrestling (and he sure went through some big downs in his career, especially losing to Chris Jericho AND getting beaten in that same match by The Miz). Then again, everybody has their share of going through things; it's how you deal with them that matters. You basically get to play the key matches in his career with the outcomes mirroring what happened in real life, so its not really a matter of winning or losing a match. While it looks as if it could be a standalone documentary in and of itself, it does bring some spice to the game that makes the experience flavorful. So, this is a DEFINITE “Yes! Yes! Yes!” :)
SOUND/MUSIC: (10/10)
Music is mainly entrance themes and what not, so I haven't got much to say about that. To be fair, there were some songs I liked when I played 2k18. And it's nice that Ronda Rousey's UFC entrance song “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett was carried over to the WWE. So, I am going to go ahead and give it a perfect score.
OVERALL SCORE AND RECAP: (9.4/10)
Lots of superstars to play with, in spite of the game lacking a few (you may have to unlock some depending on what edition of the game you got, whether you got the accelerator DLC or not; and whether or not you pre-ordered it)
A fairly good selection of arenas
New modes that are intriguing (including 2K Towers and the Showcase mode with Daniel Bryan)
New superstars to play with, as well as Lana becoming a superstar instead of just a manager
Character creation and superstar editing
More options in creation modes
Could use some improvement in Create-a-Video department, as well as making the cursor more visible
Could use a Women's version of MyPlayer
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
I was expecting to play WWE2k19 ever since I had read about it. Now that I have, I can safely say that the game not only meets my expectations, but also SURPASSES them in some ways. Granted there are some minor problems, but this is a case of the good outweighing the bad. Some gamers may or may not feel the same way, and that is fine. After all, this is only my review of the game, and this DOES NOT reflect whatever the overall consensus of what the game is to other gamers.
Since I can take screenshots, maybe I should do some sort of “fashion” blog with Create-A-Superstar here on Scorum....Who knows? :)
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