| Atomix |
Ernesto Olicón |
83 / 100 |
03-16-2023 |
It remains for the choice of each one if it is the best installment in the series, but it does surpass the previous one and therefore it is one of the best in many years. The important thing, however, will be to see if 2K Games takes advantage of already having a notable starting point to grow even more in the following versions. Especially when, as facts said, it is finally about to be challenged. |
Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy |
Shaun Cichacki |
4.5 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
Watching the rise of John Cena was electrifying, and the general gameplay improvements have made this the most competent Wrestling game to come out in decades. With an almost overwhelming amount of content in this entry, it’s going to be hard to find time for many other games coming out this year. |
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| BaziCenter |
Amin Balazadeh |
8.5 / 10 |
03-25-2023 |
WWE 2K23 continues the benchmark set by last year’s game, and this time much more attention is paid to the core gameplay and animations. I think it is safe to say that the WWE 2K series is back on the right track. |
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| But Why Tho? |
Justin Heitman |
7 / 10 |
03-15-2023 |
Overall, WWE 2K23 serves its purpose. Anybody looking to play a fighting game with characters they recognize from WWE’s brand will get precisely what they want. Unfortunately, people looking for a unique fighting game and anyone feeling nostalgic for the great pro wrestling games of the past will be disappointed. |
Read review |
| CGMagazine |
Philip Watson |
8 / 10 |
03-21-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is a solid improvement on its predecessor, is an easy entry to start with for new players, and adds just enough to make players return for a polished round two. |
Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming |
Luke Mitchell |
8 / 10 |
03-17-2023 |
At the end of the day, WWE 2K23 makes a modest effort to improve on its predecessor, and the results are pretty bloody good. Some of the modes have received some genuine love and attention, while others could use a bit of a revisit in future versions. Regardless, what these modes and updates are building on now is an incredibly solid foundation that continues to impress, and once the bell rings, the quality of gameplay and the feeling of taking part in a bona fide WWE match looks like it’s ripped right from a TV broadcast, and as a wrestling fan, that’s still what counts the most. |
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| Chicas Gamers |
Antonio J. Rodríguez |
Recommended |
03-27-2023 |
WWE 2k23 has been able to collect all the good things that had been implemented in the previous installment and has served to take a small step forward, making it the best wrestling game on the market. It is clear that if you are a fan of this saga, you cannot miss it. |
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| COGconnected |
Rhett Waselenchuk |
85 / 100 |
03-18-2023 |
I have and will continue to enjoy my time with WWE 2K23. It’s nowhere near the overall improvement 2K22 was when compared to 2K20. But it didn’t need to be. 2K23 is a fantastic follow-up to last year’s game. If Visual Concepts continues in this direction, it won’t be long before the WWE series stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the giants of the sports game genre. |
Read review |
| Cultured Vultures |
Ashley Bates |
8.5 / 10 |
03-17-2023 |
Not exactly a huge advancement on last year, but WWE 2K23 didn’t need to be, instead offering smart improvements on an already great formula. |
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| Daily Star |
Adam Cailler |
4.75 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
Overall, I love this game and – apart from Wargames – I can see myself playing this for hours upon hours without getting bored of it. The days of button-bashing your way through a WWE game are definitely over. |
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| DASHGAMER.com |
Dan Rizzo |
8 / 10 |
03-20-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is an excellent addition to the longstanding WWE video games library. The insurmountable polish that’s been applied to this love letter for fans is insanely generous. The largest roster in WWE 2K/SmackDown!/Smackdown Vs. Raw history, Wargames and notable legends included all makes this a worthwhile experience. |
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| Destructoid |
Zoey Handley |
7.5 / 10 |
03-20-2023 |
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun. |
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| Digital Trends |
Giovanni Colantonio |
3.5 / 5 stars |
03-14-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is another successful chapter in the wrestling series’ comeback story, but the red flags of annualization are starting to appear already. |
Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded |
Alex Kidman |
4 / 5 stars |
03-21-2023 |
I don’t watch traditional sports to speak of, but I do watch a lot of pro wrestling, precisely because it’s staged and allows for stronger narratives than you can get out of a simple sports match. Getting all of that into a video game is a tall order, and WWE 2K23 comes very close in most respects to making that happen. It’s fun, mostly fluid and packed with content… as long as you ignore the money-making My Faction mode entirely. |
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| DualShockers |
Matthew Schomer |
9 / 10 |
03-16-2023 |
Building from its successful return with WWE 2K22, the wrestling series is back with even more modes, features, and match types. An incredibly expansive roster will let players step into the boots of superstars dating all the way back to Bruno Sammartino’s heyday. |
Read review |
| Everyeye.it |
Raffaello Rusconi |
8.2 / 10 |
03-18-2023 |
WWE 2K23 takes everything good that was in WWE 2K22 and improves it in every respect, eliminating some edginess in the gameplay and adding substance to some modes that were beginning to feel the weight of the years. |
Read review |
| FingerGuns |
Greg Hicks |
8 / 10 |
04-08-2023 |
After taking a year off to refine the formula, WWE 2K23 is back with a bang. Graphically impressive, filled to bursting with wrestlers and content, it’s a fitting continuation for long-time fans. It’s just that little bit too overwhelming for lapsed fans that are coming in fresh, but it does at least try to accommodate. |
Read review |
| Flickering Myth |
Shaun Munro |
7 / 10 |
03-17-2023 |
Another solid step in the right direction for the beleaguered WWE 2K franchise, this latest addition doesn’t remedy all the nagging problems, but nevertheless offers up a slick, content-rich package that should please most. |
Read review |
| Game Informer |
Marcus Stewart |
8 / 10 |
03-17-2023 |
WWE 2K23’s more incremental bells and whistles means it’s technically an overall stronger package than 2K22. However, unlike last year, it doesn’t benefit from the rose-colored excitement of getting to play a big wrestling sim again after a years-long absence. The similarities to its predecessor means 2K23 feels more formulaic than special, but it still continues the series’ overall positive trajectory. Like watching a returning legend perform their greatest hits night after night, the novelty has faded, but I’m still pleased to have them back – for now. |
Read review |
| Game Rant |
Dalton Cooper |
4 / 5 stars |
04-13-2023 |
Even discounting the upcoming community creations, WWE 2K23 has so much content baked in that fans should be able to play for hours on end without even scratching the surface of everything the game has to offer. Whereas WWE 2K22 was a rebuilding year for the franchise, WWE 2K23 is all about building on that foundation, offering players more bang for their buck and taking everything a step forward. There is still plenty of room for improvement for sure, but WWE 2K23 is easily one of the best WWE games of the past decade. |
Read review |
| GameGrin |
Mike Crewe |
8.5 / 10 |
03-27-2023 |
From undesirable to undeniable, WWE games have come a long way in just a few years, and WWE 2K23, with its plethora of models and solid gameplay, is a strong contender for “GOAT” status. |
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| GamePro |
Kai Schmidt |
87 / 100 |
03-17-2023 |
Video game wrestling hasn’t been this dynamic and fun for a long time! |
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| Gamers Heroes |
Blaine Smith |
8.5 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
Ultimately, WWE 2K23 has something for everyone. Whether you’re a casual wrestling fan looking to jump into the squared circle for a quick match, or a die hard WWE fan looking to create and brand your own WWE Universe, each game mode brings something new and exciting to the table – even if the depth is somewhat lacking. The gameplay and combat is the best the franchise has seen for over a decade, the customization suite offers near endless possibilities, and the community content portal is incredible. All this, but I still can’t help but feel the game was so close to something more. |
Read review |
| GameSpot |
Richard Wakeling |
8 / 10 |
03-20-2023 |
WWE 2K23 sees the series return to form by building on the solid foundations laid down last year to improve both its in-ring action and suite of game modes. |
Read review |
| GamesRadar+ |
Ben Wilson |
4 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
Enjoyable in almost every department, WWE 2K23 serves up joy for wrestling fans young and old, dedicated or casual. There really is so much to love here. |
Read review |
| Gaming Nexus |
Nathan Carter |
8.5 / 10 |
03-22-2023 |
WWE 2K22 set the foundation and WWE 2K23 pushes the series forward with another great wrestling game. My Rise is fantastic, War Games is a ton of fun, GM Mode has been updated, and created wrestlers look better than ever. If 2K keeps up this momentum, WWE 2K24 could be up there along side Here Comes the Pain and No Mercy as one of the all time greats. |
Read review |
| GamingBolt |
Shunal Doke |
8 / 10 |
03-15-2023 |
WWE 2K23 successfully builds upon the foundations laid down by its predecessor. While it’s still far from the best pro-wrestling game out there, it’s the only one we really get with a modern roster anymore. With that caveat in mind, however, WWE 2K23 remains a blast to play. It’s got a great roster, a host of new features and match types, and its new take on the MyRise career mode is incredibly fun. |
Read review |
| Generación Xbox |
Gabriel Fuentes |
8.3 / 10 |
04-16-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is yet another success in the franchise. It continuous what was done in the previous entry and adds many features that wrestling fans were hoping for. |
Read review |
| God is a Geek |
Chris White |
9 / 10 |
03-20-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is without a doubt the best the series has been in years, with solid gameplay and tons of fantastic modes to enjoy. |
Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer |
Cory Wells |
4.5 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
2K and Visual Concepts continue to show commitment to this franchise in WWE 2K23 by making necessary gameplay changes and additions to an already-strong core that was established last year. |
Read review |
| Hey Poor Player |
Shane Boyle |
4.5 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
While some will no doubt question whether returning to an annualized release schedule was wise given the jump in quality Visual Concepts was able to deliver by taking a year off prior to WWE 2k22, WWE 2k23 makes enough refinements to its in-ring action and improves its core modes to such an extent that this is absolutely a must-buy for wrestling fans. With two chunky career modes to get stuck into, Universe and MyGM modes offering more control than ever before, and Showcase mode changing up the formula to great effect, there’s a ton of fantastic content here that’s sure to keep players busy over the next year. If you’re itching for some satisfying wrestling action that has never looked as good as it does here, then don’t hesitate to pick up WWE 2k23, as it truly is championship material. |
Read review |
| IGN |
Jarrett Green |
8 / 10 |
03-17-2023 |
Though the Showcase mode isn’t as super as its subject, John Cena, the sharp focus on refinement instead of reinvention helps keep WWE 2K23 as the gold standard of wrestling sims. |
Read review |
| IGN Spain |
Álex Pareja |
8 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
If you are a WWE fan, don’t look for many excuses: although WWE 2K23 is a tremendously continuist game with very few new features, those incorporated are more than enough reason to enjoy it for hundreds of hours. |
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| Impulsegamer |
Paul Stuart |
4.2 / 5 stars |
03-25-2023 |
It’s hard to have a strong opinion on WWE 2K23 noting the realities of WWE 2K22…and still no AEW title in sight. Still and with such a strong product at launch, it’s now clear 2K does not require Yuke’s to make a viable and enjoyable WWE offering. Thus, WWE 2K23 is a definitive win on the PS5, and will offer oodles of play and customization for any wrestling fan type. |
Read review |
| LevelUp |
Víctor Rosas |
8 / 10 |
03-22-2023 |
WWE 2K23 has what it takes to guide your taste for wrestling for a whole year and just like the previous installment, it delivers and remains a fun and exciting experience. |
Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı |
Samet Basri Taşlı |
72 / 100 |
03-24-2023 |
Instead of bringing a huge innovation to the series with WWE 2K23, 2K preferred to present what it has by polishing and improving it. |
Read review |
| Metro GameCentral |
Alistair McGeorge |
8 / 10 |
03-16-2023 |
An improvement on last year’s already firm foundations, WWE 2K23 continues the franchise’s rebirth with steady improvements, beefed up game modes, and an epic recreation of WarGames. |
Read review |
| New Game Network |
Eric Hall |
73 / 100 |
04-02-2023 |
The once moribund franchise continues to get better and better with WWE 2K23. The gameplay is as enjoyable as it has ever been, and the different modes featured in the title continue to be augmented with new features. There are still improvements to be had, but I remain excited to see where the franchise goes from here. |
Read review |
| NoobFeed |
Azfar Rayan |
88 / 100 |
03-16-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is undoubtedly a step forward, and Visual Concepts and 2K deserve great credit. It has a fun gameplay mechanism, various match options, and branching narratives that guarantee a lot of playthroughs. Simply put, if you are a wrestling fan, you don’t want to miss playing WWE 2K23, as it can be quoted as the best WWE game ever made to date. |
Read review |
| Operation Sports |
Josh Houtz |
Recommended |
03-16-2023 |
But what will ultimately set 2K23 apart from other wrestling games is its massive creation suite. Create-a-wrestlers this year look as good as some of the WWE Superstars. And I can’t wait to see what the community has in store for us casual gamers this year. Adding the ability to download player-created arenas is the icing on the cake. It’s not perfect, but WWE 2K23 is the best game since the 2K name started being used. |
Read review |
| Oyungezer Online |
Engin Vural |
8 / 10 |
03-24-2023 |
Visual Concepts has once again come up with a game that follows the formula of plenty of content & enjoyable gameplay, and it’s a good thing. Sometimes it’s best not to break the formula that works. Aside from some minor issues, WWE 2K23 is a game that WWE fans can give a chance with peace of mind. |
Read review |
| PlayStation Universe |
Tommy Holloway |
9 / 10 |
03-21-2023 |
WWE 2K23 sits at the head of the table as the best sports simulation game on the market. Fine tuning last year’s entry to an impressive level of detail, and adding a layer of realism that is needed in a simulation game. With an array of modes, including the highly addictive MyGM, the introspective MyRise, the improved Showcase, and an extensive creation suite, wrestling fans will find themselves spoilt with WWE 2K23’s offerings. |
Read review |
| Press Start |
Toby Berger |
8.5 / 10 |
03-22-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is the best wrestling game in a long time. It’s packed with so much to do, a great Showcase and an unbelievably vast creation suite. Minor issues aside, wrestling fans should not give this a miss. |
Read review |
| PSX Brasil |
Thiago de Alencar Moura |
85 / 100 |
03-13-2023 |
Even better than last year, WWE 2K23 shows the rising return of the series, building on last year’s already solid foundation. With an excelent Showcase mode, an even better MyRISE and many additions to MyGM, it is a must-have for wrestling fans and capable of providing players dozens of hours of fun. |
Read review |
| Push Square |
Ben Potter |
8 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
After a tumultuous few years of WWE releases, 2K and Visual concepts have finally been able to begin building on the solid foundations of last year’s game. WWE 2K23 isn’t a huge step up from 2K22 with long load times and a surprisingly unpolished Showcase Mode for John Cena, but the series has still shown growth, considering War Games is pure chaos and MyRise is much improved. The future is once again bright for WWE and 2K, and so WWE 2K23 should be celebrated by fans as though they’ve just won their first world championship. |
Read review |
| Saudi Gamer |
Unknown |
9 / 10 |
03-22-2023 |
Building upon the success of last year’s release, WWE2K23 focuses less on introducing many new features and more on refining what already exists to deliver an enjoyable experience befitting of this sport.” |
Read review |
| Saving Content |
Scott Ellison II |
4 / 5 stars |
03-17-2023 |
While WWE 2K23 is a visual, presentation, and gameplay step-up over WWE 2K22 , it’s a ladder’s climb up if you’ve been away for more than a year. It tends to cater to those who played last year’s game, but I think the game does enough to get anyone acquainted with all of the systems. There’s a mode for everyone to like in here, tons of matches to engage in, a stacked roster of favorites and newcomers, and of course WarGames! It’s all backed by great gameplay and controls that’s the best yet. WWE 2K23 is the freshest feeling WWE 2K game in years, and is worth getting excited about. |
Read review |
| Screen Rant |
William Cennamo |
3.5 / 5 stars |
03-15-2023 |
There is a lot to enjoy in this year’s WWE2K23, and the amount of new content should please those who’ve already put so many hours into the last installment. There are still some bugs within the actual gameplay elements that have plagued the series for years, but with much fewer mistakes than WWE 2K22. The increased Creation options, the addicting blind packs and new online multiplayer of MyFACTION, and even the separate storylines added into MyRISE for women and men wrestlers. There is a lot going on this year and WWE2K23 is a great version for veterans and new players alike. |
Read review |
| Shacknews |
Nicholas Tan |
8 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is like watching a follow-up to a spectacular match between two wrestlers the week before — it crackles with the same energy, but you’ve seen this fight before. Fortunately, the game stands as a solid sequel that offers an intriguing 2K Showcase retrospective on John Cena, an intuitive timed kick-out mechanic, and two separate stories in MyRISE. While it still struggles with several flaws carried over from past games in the series, the game has plenty of ways to send you hurling toward one of its numerous modes and then holding your attention there for days on end. WWE 2K23 doesn’t risk going for a high-flying splash from the top rope, but it still packs a mighty haymaker. |
Read review |
| Slant Magazine |
Ed Gonzalez |
4 / 5 stars |
03-15-2023 |
Maybe it’s just folly to even expect a developer to capture a moment in wrestling history that doesn’t change within weeks with a game, where playing it in stronger narrative times doesn’t feel like regression—good luck, then, to AEW’s perpetually delayed Fight Forever game—but there’s the distinct hope that WWE 2K23 ends up being a snapshot of a turning point for the company, where the characters being portrayed and people you can embody have become steady, reliable presences, still being rendered with this level of slavish respect. At the very least, if they’re still making these in 20 years, there’s gonna be a hell of a Showcase mode about it. |
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| SpazioGames |
Nicolò Bicego |
8.2 / 10 |
03-19-2023 |
Another step ahead for a franchise that finally found its way to a bright future. |
Read review |
| Sports Gamers Online |
Philip Varckette |
8.5 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
While WWE 2K23 is a minor upgrade from its predecessor, there is enough here to satisfy returning players and introduce new ones. |
Read review |
| Stevivor |
Jam Walker |
7.5 / 10 |
03-15-2023 |
My prevailing feeling on WWE 2K23 on the whole is that it’s a welcome, if small, step up. Nobody who is coming over from WWE 2K22 will really be wowed by anything here, but the cumulative minor updates, iterations, additions and improvements are all very good and very welcome. Your mileage will vary depending on how worthwhile an overall modest update to last years title is to you, but for my money the few dozen hours of excellent sports entertainment that the pair of new MyRise stories and the Cena Showcase provide are worth the price of admission on their own, and WarGames is the juiciest possible cherry on top. |
Read review |
| TechRaptor |
Alex Santa Maria |
8.5 / 10 |
03-20-2023 |
Just like the product on TV, 2K23 isn’t perfect, but it’s much improved, crowd-pleasing, and often enjoyable compared to the rocky past of the franchise. |
Read review |
| The Games Machine |
Claudio Magistrelli |
8 / 10 |
03-21-2023 |
WWE 2K23 builds on the excellent foundation laid with the last edition of the game and moves forward a small step. The new features are limited, but they go a long way toward filling the gaps in WWE 2K22, for example with a significantly larger roster (nearly 200 wrestlers in total). The show stealer is undoubtedly the Showcase mode focused on John Cena and his (rare) defeats The experience overall is good, but the feeling is that little has been done to offer anything really new, merely tweaking the winning product of 22.. Like WWE’s TV shows, 2K wants to pleasure to everybody, but that’s simply non possible. |
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| The Outerhaven Productions |
Karl Smart |
3.5 / 5 stars |
03-15-2023 |
WWE 2K23 takes everything that was considered an improvement in WWE 2K22 and just copy/pastes it over and expects people to buy it for 2 things: A Cena showcase mode and one new match type. While WWE 2K23 is still a solid game, you can feel that there just wasn’t enough of that drive that made WWE 2K22 such a good game after WWE 2K20 almost tanked the franchise. WWE 2K23 could do much more than just be a roster update of a game, if only they didn’t rely so heavily on the past. |
Read review |
| TheSixthAxis |
Adrian Burrows |
5 / 10 |
03-29-2023 |
As a wrestling fan, I want to create five-star classic matches, with back-and-forth action, near falls, and iconic moments, but ultimately WWE 2K23 cannot facilitate that. Messy and overly complicated controls hamper those efforts, but it’s 2K’s obsession with players winning matches that ensure this professional wrestling game misses the point entirely. |
Read review |
| Unboxholics |
Κυριάκος Στεργιάδης |
Recommended |
04-05-2023 |
WWE 2K23 gets the job done and much more. |
Read review |
| VideoGamer |
Ben Borthwick |
8 / 10 |
03-21-2023 |
WWE 2K23 isn’t a revolution, but a welcome evolution to the series with just enough new features that are sure to please WWE fans and newcomers alike. |
Read review |
| WayTooManyGames |
Fernando da Costa |
8.5 / 10 |
04-13-2023 |
Yeah, there are little hiccups, but they’re minuscule and fixable with a quick patch. The WWE franchise has entered a hot streak, with 2K23 being a considerable step forward to recapturing the glory the series once held. |
Read review |
| Wccftech |
Nathan Birch |
7.5 / 10 |
03-13-2023 |
WWE 2K23 is the best entry this long-suffering franchise has put out in nearly a decade, offering mechanically-sound action, a pair of satisfying MyRise career mode storylines, and a handful of other well-executed, if limited, additions like WarGames. WWE 2K23’s gameplay and presentation could still use some further polish and not all of its modes are must plays, but for the first time in a long time it feels like this series’ star is on the rise, even if it hasn’t achieved main-event status yet. |
Read review |
| We Got This Covered |
Dwayne Jenkins |
4 / 5 stars |
03-13-2023 |
WWE 2K23 stumbles slightly with occasional glitches and a mode or two that doesn’t quite hit the mark, but it ends strong with stellar gameplay, a captivating MyRise/GM Mode one-two punch, and a brutal, chaotic inclusion of WarGames that simply says, “Acknowledge Me.” |
Read review |
| WellPlayed |
Adam Ryan |
8.5 / 10 |
03-22-2023 |
Refining, tweaking and improving on every aspect of last year’s iteration while introducing a number of worthwhile new features, WWE 2K23 continues to build series momentum, managing to be the best wrestling game in years. |
Read review |
| Worth Playing |
Cody Medellin |
8 / 10 |
03-15-2023 |
WWE 2K23 shows that Visual Concepts and 2K are continuing their trend in the right direction for wrestling games. Flaws aside, the fighting engine is still good, while the pageantry also remains nice even if some flourishes are missing and some other issues are no fault of Visual Concepts. The game does a good job of being up to date, and the modes ensure that there’s plenty to keep people busy and glued to the game for quite some time. There’s still stuff that needs work, like having cross-play from the get-go and some tweaking to add more polish, but wrestling fans will really enjoy WWE 2K23 since it still emphasizes fun above all. |
Read review |
| Xbox Achievements |
Richard Walker |
85 / 100 |
03-22-2023 |
An improvement over WWE 2K22, which was itself a superb wrestling game, WWE 2K23 has one of the best 2K Showcases to date, and fluid gameplay that’s easy to pick up and play, but tricky to master. The champ is here. |
Read review |
| ZTGD |
Unknown |
8 / 10 |
03-28-2023 |
All in all, I am really encouraged by this year’s game. They’ve made some significant improvements on some important legacy issues that have held the game back for way too long. There is a ton to do here and a lot of different ways to experience the core gameplay. Showcase remains a highlight and the expansion of MyRise continues to flesh out the series as a single player experience. I’d like to see GM mode get a significant rework next year to make it feel like a more fully fledged option and continued work on the physics around foreign objects if you are a fan of wrestling games at all, WWE 2K23 is an easy recommend. |
Read review |
