AEW: Fight Forever

AEW: Fight Forever is a triumphant return to the wrestling ring for THQ Nordic and Yuke’s, recapturing the magic of their original, simple gameplay and amazing customization with yet a third wrestling organization.

64%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

stability, monetization

62% User Score Based on 8,771 reviews

Critic Score 67%Based on 47 reviews

Platforms

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About

In "AEW: Fight Forever Elite Edition," wrestling fans can engage in fast-paced action with an impressive roster of AEW wrestlers, including special packs like Matt Hardy, FTR: Revival, Limitless Bunny, and Hookhausen. This game, developed by YUKE’S Co, Ltd., brings a nostalgic arcade-wrestler feel and features AEW-specific finishers and team moves. Experience the AEW energy with its unique blend of classic and innovative gameplay .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,875 reviews

gameplay211 positive mentions

stability67 negative mentions

gameplay
455 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
49%
5%
The gameplay of "AEW: Fight Forever" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic mechanics reminiscent of classic wrestling games like "No Mercy," offering fun, fast-paced, and accessible arcade-style action. However, players have noted significant shortcomings, including a lack of content, limited customization options, and some clunky mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay is engaging and enjoyable, it is often described as needing more polish and depth to fully meet modern gaming standards.
- “The gameplay is fantastic, fun and the animations are hard hitting.”
- “The core gameplay is really good - I've been having a blast through every match I've played (even the ones where I got my ass kicked).”
- “Gameplay is fun and generally quick-paced.”
- “This game is so trash, graphics and gameplay disappointed me.”
- “There was a lot of hype and potential, but the end product feels rushed with customization, career mode, animations, and gameplay variety inferior to some PS2 era games.”
- “The gameplay is okay but not up to scratch with No Mercy, or any of Yuke's previous WWE games in the past 20 years; there's less depth and polish here than other titles.”
story
275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
74%
10%
The story mode, "Road to Elite," has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it short, repetitive, and lacking depth. While some appreciate its lighthearted and goofy approach, others criticize the limited branching paths and the randomness of story outcomes, leading to a lack of engagement after multiple playthroughs. Overall, the mode is seen as a fun but underdeveloped aspect of the game, with potential for improvement through future updates.
- “The gameplay is very fun, the story mode reminds me of No Mercy with all the branching paths and can be completed in a few hours to encourage discovering all the stories.”
- “Each situation, decision, and outcome is said to alter the path of the story, thus providing you with a different experience each time you play.”
- “The story mode experience, 'Road to the Elite' is a fun experience.”
- “The story mode, if you can call it that, is very random and not in a good way. You have to play the story 30 times to actually get a unique experience, but I got stuck with the same matches all four times. It's a cheap money grab; I would not recommend it. Your money is better spent on a WWE game, as bad as that sounds.”
- “The story mode is very short and lacks much ability for the player to make decisions. It feels like a semi-repeatable experience that can be finished in under 15 matches.”
- “The severe lack of content in character creation, the lack of a cage match, and the fact that ladder matches are only 1-on-1 affairs make the story mode very linear and unengaging.”
graphics
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The graphics of "AEW: Fight Forever" receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic, cartoonish art style reminiscent of older wrestling games, while others criticize the visuals as outdated and inconsistent, likening them to those from the PS2 era. Many reviewers note that while the graphics are not on par with contemporary titles like the WWE 2K series, they are acceptable for the game's intended aesthetic, though improvements in detail and character models are desired. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a significant point of contention, with opinions varying widely based on personal preferences for art style versus realism.
- “I actually like the graphics and atmosphere of the game.”
- “The art style is fantastic, and at a very light 18GB install size, this game is very well optimized.”
- “Animations are clean, graphics are great, sound is awesome, and overall been having a blast playing single and multiplayer.”
- “The graphics are beyond a joke.”
- “The lack of visual quality is permitted on the expectation of high quality gameplay; however, with the terrible quality of in-game mechanics and character customization, it seems the visuals were more in line with the general quality of the entire experience.”
- “25 matches in the custom career mode, a total lack of customization, a lack of content in general, graphics that are out of the late Xbox 360 era, the price tag of a fully developed game, years of delays, and still the emptiest wrestling game ever made.”
stability
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and control issues that significantly impact gameplay. Players have experienced everything from freezing characters and random loss of control to graphical glitches and lag in online modes. While some find the glitches amusing or charming, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and requires substantial improvements to reach a stable state.
- “The gameplay is amazing, the minigames can be fun when played during Road to Elite. It runs great on my PC and I only had 1 crash.”
- “I can't get 2K games to run well on high-end laptops, but this runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck and play is fun and intuitive.”
- “Constant missed collisions, weird UI glitches, and net code that combines with lag to produce some serious headaches: random loss of character control, and significant character teleporting and invisibility.”
- “The game is not in a good state right now, frequent graphical glitches, extremely clunky and poorly thought out controls, and very poorly balanced AI.”
- “This game is unfinished, buggy, laggy, and has almost no content.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
8%
The music selection in the game is praised for its variety and ambition, featuring a massive library that includes both new tracks and classic entrance themes, reminiscent of titles like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. However, some players noted inconsistencies in volume and the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, which can lead to boredom during gameplay. While the jukebox feature allows for customization, the short duration of entrances and limited exposure to favorite songs can detract from the overall experience.
- “The music library is good; it's massive.”
- “Key positives for this game are an extremely ambitious music selection, multiplayer fun, and core fighting experience.”
- “The jukebox is filled to the brim with theme songs and even 8-bit versions.”
- “It's just odd that we have some new music and some very outdated entrance music; that might be a licensing thing.”
- “The volume on the in-game music kept changing randomly. This game did not fill any void for me, nor did it bring me any fun.”
- “The soundtrack seems to consist of about 5 songs that play on an endless loop, including during matches, so within an hour you'll start getting bored of them.”
humor
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its engaging and often absurd comedic elements, with players finding the story mode, dialogue, and gameplay quirks to be both funny and charming. Many reviews highlight the hilarious nature of the "Road to Elite" mode and the enjoyment derived from multiplayer tag matches, despite some noting that certain aspects may come off as an inside joke. Overall, the game's humor effectively captures the spirit of its wrestling culture, making it a fun experience for players.
- “The story mode is hilarious.”
- “Plus the story/career mode is tongue-in-cheek funny.”
- “Hearing the in-ring grunting made me lose it laughing.”
- “An unfunny, very expensive inside joke.”
replayability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
The game's replayability is highlighted by its engaging "Road to Elite" mode, which offers various scenarios and unlockable content, making each playthrough feel unique. While the story mode has limited replay value, the interactive sandbox environment, mini-games, and character customization options contribute to a satisfying experience that encourages experimentation and mastery. Overall, players find significant replay potential, particularly in the decision-driven modes, despite some criticisms regarding the story mode's depth.
- “The story mode (Road to Elite) is a fun, breezy experience that doesn't take itself too seriously and has replay value via a handful of different storylines that can be unlocked randomly or by fulfilling specific requirements.”
- “Road to Elite is also very fun to play and has great replay value; you encounter many different scenarios and make your own decisions which affect the playthrough.”
- “So the story mode actually has infinite replay value for that purpose alone.”
- “Story mode has no replay value whatsoever.”
- “I'll give the game a yes, but it's a very soft one because of the lack of replayability.”
- “The modded CAWs of MyRise characters upped the replay value, but 2K hates replay value for some reason and put a lock on them.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While many players praised its stability, noting no crashes or major performance issues, others criticized it for being clunky and poorly optimized, particularly on the Switch. Despite these discrepancies, the game is generally considered well-optimized for its install size and performs adequately on platforms like Steam Deck.
- “Not a single crash, major performance issue, save corruption, or any of the other hair-pulling issues I had in the 2K games showed up in this game for me.”
- “Unlike many AAA games released these days, this one launched without crippling performance issues.”
- “The art style is fantastic, and at a very light 18GB install size, this game is very well optimized.”
- “Game is incredibly clunky, poorly optimized and even struggled to play the introduction promo video without noticeable issues.”
- “Bought the game on Steam and Switch, still waiting for pre-order content and bug/performance patches.”
- “Performance on the Switch leaves a lot to be desired, but it's still the best wrestling game on the system for now.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed; while some players found moments that were visually stunning and emotionally resonant, evoking feelings of nostalgia, others expressed frustration over gameplay mechanics and a lackluster story mode, leading to feelings of disappointment and being ripped off. The overall sentiment reflects a struggle between enjoyable gameplay and significant shortcomings that detract from the emotional experience.
- “Aew's willingness to experiment and try new things paid off immensely, creating moments that were both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.”
- “Which just made me feel young again.”
- “The bare bones caw is heartbreaking, the DLC practices are infuriating, but the gameplay is fun.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its vibrant graphics and a sense of excitement that captures the essence of professional wrestling, blending nostalgia with modern elements. While it successfully evokes a shared passion among fans, some critiques highlight that it undermines the buildup to matches by diminishing the impact of entrances. Overall, it is seen as a faithful tribute to 90s wrestling gaming, reflecting a commitment to both the sport and its audience.
- “Aew's commitment to its audience's enjoyment was palpable, and it created an atmosphere of shared passion and celebration of professional wrestling as an art form.”
- “It has some nods to the old school N64 titles while existing in a more present atmosphere.”
- “Aew: Fight Forever is an incredibly faithful tribute to 90’s wrestling gaming, and it’s clear that a lot of love has gone into ensuring the presentation, gameplay, and atmosphere all harken back to that time with unyielding accuracy.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The monetization model is largely praised for its absence of microtransactions, allowing players to earn in-game currency quickly and without feeling like a grind. However, there are criticisms regarding the reliance on RNG for certain features, which detracts from the advertised branching storylines. Overall, the game offers a balanced experience without the frustration of additional costs.
- “There's also an in-game shop where you spend in-game money, with zero microtransactions (thank Christ), and the money is earned in such large amounts and so quickly that it never feels like a grind.”
- “[Enjoyable, well-balanced action, unique features like barbed wire death matches, engaging and replayable career mode, easy to create wacky characters, no microtransactions].”
- “A post-covid clusterfuck of microtransactions and abandoned hope.”
- “- 'branching story-lines' are not affected by your win ratio as advertising says, but they're activated by RNG.”
- “There's also an in-game shop you spend in-game money on, with zero microtransactions, and the money is earned at such big amounts and so quickly that not once does it feel like a grind.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, citing limited rewards and functionality, tedious story modes, and poor menu design. While some find the process of mastering controls to be a fun challenge, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding feeling unnecessary and unfulfilling.
- “Why am I grinding through this thing to unlock... what?”
- “Very limited functionality, limited game modes, tedious story mode, crappy menus; I can go on and on.”
- “Learning the controls and mastering the game has been tedious but a fun challenge.”