Last year’s release of WWE 2K20 was one of the biggest debacles of this current generation.
With its lacking content, problematic gameplay, hilarious glitches and, well, everything just going plain wrong, it became the textbook example of how not to make a sports entertainment video game. 2K had a lot to bounce back from here.
And fortunately, it’s kind of done that with WWE 2K Battlegrounds. Rather than try to make amends with a straightforward wrestling sim, the publisher has turned to Saber Interactive – the creator of its NBA 2K Playgrounds series – to make an arcade-style brawler akin to the THQ classic WWE All Stars, but with some interesting character design and a few other twists.
Is it a gamble that pays off? For the most part, yes. While it’s lacking in heavy strategy and, in some particular cases, challenge, Battlegrounds is a nice turnaround for the WWE franchise in video games. That said, there are some caveats that fans will have to learn to deal with – such as the return of the trademark 2K microtransactions.
Hitting the Ring
First off, it’s good how Saber Interactive has adapted the gameplay to capture the nature of wrestling, but with some humorous twists. Wrestlers come alive with some powerful glows as they devastate their opponents with signature moves. You may never look at Randy Orton’s RKO or Edge’s spear the same way again.
It’s all built around a system that’s easy to get into and play. And nothing’s too complex, either.
Even complicated moves like Irish whips and power slams come off with very little difficulty, allowing you to clean house enough to build up energy and deliver finishing techniques. Pinning and submissions are also much, much easier than previous games, with a simple tap-button system.
What’s more, Battlegrounds has good match variety, with both male and female superstars getting focus. The campaign mode isn’t bad either, though it foregoes the typical cinematic set- up with comic-book style panels. Still, it serves its purpose, setting the stage for showdowns between top-notch superstars and newcomer wrestlers you put to work.
And, yes, Battlegrounds is a romp in multiplayer. In fact, considering that the difficulty level is so easy to overcome with most wrestlers (even on hard), it might be preferred that you take on human competitors both locally and online. You’ll have a blast feeding John Cena to a ringside alligator (don’t ask), just as you might have seen in the trailer.
Finally, the customization is pretty amazing. You can create key wrestlers here just as well as you could in WWE 2K20; and there are better tools that Saber Interactive puts to good use.
You’ll love being able to create your favorites with this one.
A Solid Presentation, Mind Some Quirks
The design of Battlegrounds is definitely on the arcade-y side, with wrestlers looking like cartoon versions of themselves. Roman Reigns looks a little pint size now, and even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin isn’t quite as bad-assery as he is in real life. That said, Saber Interactive did a good job on the design overall, as well as the animations, camera angles (especially with power moves) and stage presentation. It’s also nice to see variety in the various rings available, including some arcade-style settings compared to, say, typical Raw and Smackdown stages.
There are times things can get a little bit glitchy, but not too bad.
As for audio, the sound effects are top notch, capturing the atmosphere of wrestling. And the announcing, handled by former NXT announcer Mauro “Mama Mia!” Ranallo and Jerry “The King” Lawler, is very good, though occasionally mistimed with what’s happening in the ring.
So, overall, not the greatest looking wrestling game, but not too shabby at all. Plus, no comically horrible glitches like we saw in WWE 2K20, thank Pete.
Get Ready To Play, and Pay
Now comes the big downside with a game like Battlegrounds – the microtransactions. Yup, like WWE 2K and NBA 2K games before, it has its fair share of stuff you need to unlock, including wrestlers that should’ve already been part of the roster. There’s still a pretty good chunk available to start with, so it’s not too bad. But, getting everyone in your collection will take some time unless you want to pay a pretty penny.
There are two types of currency you can use to unlock wrestlers within the game, stacking up after each win you attain with matches. You could grind your way through and eventually get everything, which is good news. However, we know some impatient types that would rather have it all now, and, sigh, have to pay for it.
We figured it would happen like this since it’s 2K and all, I just wish there was a better way to get everything. And, honestly, there are some legends here that I hoped would show up. Maybe future DLC will pave the way for that – and, hopefully, not be too expensive.
Still a Huge Step Forward For WWE
Microtransactions and slight hiccups aside, WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a good move forward for wrestling games, especially after last year’s laughable debacle. It plays great once you get used to the system, and multiplayer can’t be beat. Plus the presentation is pretty good, inspired by the long-lost All Stars of old (and without the bulked up ridiculousness). For $40, you’ll get your money’s worth out of this one. Just be prepared to do a lot of wrestling to get the most mileage out of it.
Oh, and have a nice day!
