WWE 2K16

WWE 2K16 boasts an insane roster with fine-tuned gaming mechanics that makes this one of the best games in the franchise.

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"WWE 2K16" is the latest installment in the WWE video game franchise, offering over 120 playable characters, the largest roster in series history. The game features 2K Showcase, allowing players to experience iconic WWE moments, and WWE Universe, with enhanced storylines, rivals, and match cards. This version also includes all DLC content.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,933 reviews

gameplay78 positive mentions

stability113 negative mentions

The game features a massive roster, including many legends and current superstars, providing a nostalgic experience for wrestling fans.
The character creation suite is extensive, allowing for detailed customization of wrestlers, entrances, and arenas.
Gameplay improvements, such as the new reversal system and enhanced graphics, make for a more engaging wrestling experience.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and save file corruption, leading to frustration for players.
The submission and pinning mechanics are poorly designed, often resulting in unfair outcomes and a lack of control during matches.
The career mode can become repetitive and lacks depth, with limited storylines and a grindy progression system.

gameplay
283 mentions
28 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of WWE 2K16 has received mixed reviews, with some praising its improved mechanics and strategic depth, particularly in grappling and submission systems, while others criticize it for being slow, clunky, and repetitive. Many players find the learning curve steep, and issues like unresponsive controls and frustrating mini-games detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game is noted for its extensive roster and customization options, making it appealing to dedicated wrestling fans.
- “The gameplay itself is more complex than I first expected but really easy to learn (yet quite difficult to master in my opinion).”
- “The huge roster is a plus, and the gameplay is solid.”
- “First of all let me start by saying that they have definitely made improvements from 2k15, you can feel that in the overall gameplay, you can see that in the added improvement to animations, reversals and general flow to the game.”
- “The gameplay is horrible, the lag (even with a 4 gig video card) is horrid, the mini-games are extremely frustrating, and the targeting is so bad as to almost be unusable, especially with auto-targeting.”
- “The gameplay itself is inconsistent, with button hits occasionally not registering.”
- “The gameplay is slow, clunky, and boring.”
graphics
234 mentions
33 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while some visuals are impressive and close to real life, there are significant issues with optimization and performance, particularly on lower-end systems. Some users appreciate the detailed character models and animations, while others criticize poor animations and graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for a wrestling game, but there is a consensus that improvements are still needed, especially given the game's release year.
- “The graphics are spectacular, the audio quality as well.”
- “Graphics are close to real life.”
- “But really, the game is great looking with amazing character creation and good graphics.”
- “Poor animations, terrible graphics, terrible commentary, just not fun to play.”
- “Graphics can be improved for a 2016 game.”
- “The graphics haven't been upgraded in several years and the created character's face has holes in it (especially around the mouth area, the inside of the wrestler's mouth isn't connected to his lips).”
story
119 mentions
22 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the Stone Cold storyline and the return of a season mode, while others criticize the lack of depth and coherence in the narratives. Many users express disappointment over the absence of traditional story modes and creative features like a story designer, leading to repetitive and uninspired gameplay experiences. Additionally, technical issues such as save data corruption have further marred the overall enjoyment of the story elements.
- “I am loving the Stone Cold storyline, and it's so good to see a wrestling game bring back season mode.”
- “It's 'story mode' is a complete career retrospective on Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the gameplay is solid.”
- “3) Story mode: they added a lot to story mode, including rivalries, allies, picking which championship you want to go for, who you want to invade, all sorts of stuff!”
- “The save data corrupts if you progress too far in the story modes, and you have to restart all over again anyway, so there's no point trying to finish the game.”
- “It's good for wrestling fans... however, the in-game roster is lackluster, and unlike wrestling games of yesteryear, there's not really much in the way of storylines or cutscenes.”
- “Just gets boring real fast and lacks any story whatsoever.”
stability
117 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The stability of the WWE 2K series, particularly from 2K17 to 2K20, has been criticized for being riddled with bugs and glitches, leading many players to prefer earlier versions like WWE 2K16. While some users report fewer crashes and improved performance over time, the game still suffers from persistent issues such as graphical glitches, slow loading times, and gameplay interruptions, making it a frustrating experience for many. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with stability issues that detract from the enjoyment, despite some players finding humor in the glitches.
- “The gameplay is smooth and runs great on an AMD R9 380. My final verdict is a 9/10 (list of pros and cons down below).”
- “Finally, the game is riddled with glitches even this long after release - guess they had to get to work on their next failure.”
- “Overall it's not a bad game but all the crashes and model glitches that I encountered makes me say that I don't recommend this game if you like customization since it will just make you feel frustrated after having to edit things because the game could not handle a wrestler or arena etc.”
- “This game is buggy as all hell, just like WWE 2K15 and the NBA series.”
music
102 mentions
4 % positive mentions
86 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received significant criticism, primarily due to the lack of custom music options, which many players find essential for a personalized experience. The soundtrack is limited and repetitive, consisting of only a few songs that fail to engage players, leading to frustration over the inability to import or use personal music. While some improvements have been noted compared to previous titles, the absence of custom music remains a major drawback for fans, particularly those who enjoy creating their own wrestlers and entrances.
- “With the community mods adding in custom wrestlers, arenas, music & menus, this will be the definitive wrestling game on the PC.”
- “Amazing soundtrack.”
- “Customization is improved from 2k15, but still not quite on par with older entries: no custom music, no custom crowd signs for whatever reason.”
- “The game is great but after years of waiting, it seems like they will never let you add custom music in a WWE game ever again.”
- “Soundtrack consists of 4 songs which get on your nerves and aren't even the same type of music.”
- “I make leagues of my own CAWs, and if I can't give them custom music, that's half of the pro wrestling experience completely thrown out the window.”
optimization
90 mentions
18 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, especially on lower-end systems. While some users noted improvements over previous versions, such as better in-match performance and enhanced customization options, others experienced severe frame rate drops and crashes, indicating that the game is still poorly optimized for a wide range of hardware configurations. A patch was released to address some issues, but many players still find the optimization lacking, particularly for older graphics cards.
- “The creation suite is expanded and optimized, much better than last year.”
- “Optimization for PC significantly improved over 2K15.”
- “Larger roster, faster load times, double the CAW slots, and most importantly, better optimization.”
- “This is a horribly optimized game.”
- “Not to mention the game is extremely poorly optimized, so good luck playing this game.”
- “This seems poorly optimized - even on low texture settings, every variable turned off, and crowd density at zero, I still couldn't break 21 fps when doing the benchmark test.”
humor
32 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its glitches and bugs, which many players find amusing despite their frustration. Character customization and the absurdities of gameplay, such as the "smart" targeting system, contribute to a lighthearted experience, making players laugh even when faced with technical issues. Overall, while the game has its flaws, these elements of humor provide a unique charm that some players appreciate.
- “Hilariously enough, the game crashed again and wiped all my CAWs, so the corrupted CAW that was crashing my game was now wiped, so the crashes stopped!”
- “Far from perfect, but some glitches make for some of the best fits of belly laughing I have ever had.”
- “While some wrestlers look slightly funny, such as Batista, the game's physics and gameplay feel nice and realistic (well, as realistic as WWE can get).”
grinding
22 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting that it involves excessive repetition and tedious matchups, particularly in career mode. Many users express frustration over the slow progression and the high costs associated with upgrading stats, leading to a monotonous experience that can feel more punishing than rewarding. Overall, unless players have a strong affinity for grinding, they are advised to approach the game with caution.
- “I would recommend not buying this game until that feature is fixed, unless you enjoy spending a lot of time grinding matches against the same opponent over and over.”
- “The problem with my career is that this is pretty much all it has for all the championships and it costs stat points and virtual currency to upgrade your stats, and you gain very little of those at first. Even when you start earning more after each match, everything starts costing more, so you end up going year after year in my career mode grinding for points unless you cheat using Cheat Engine and give yourself more.”
- “The amounts of useless, redundant, boring grinding is embarrassing; maxing out your created superstar should be challenging, not invoke suicidal thoughts.”
replayability
6 mentions
67 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game offers high replayability due to its fun offline modes, an increased roster of playable characters compared to its predecessor, and enhanced gameplay mechanics. The variety in character creation options also contributes positively to the overall replay value.
- “Offline modes are still fun and it has a high replayability.”
- “It has more playable characters than 2K15, more variations for CAW, and better gameplay.”
- “Fun gameplay with high replayability value.”
emotional
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the emotional aspect of the game is lacking, with many players finding the storylines repetitive and uninspiring, which diminishes the overall emotional engagement. The limited selection and functionality further contribute to a sense of boredom, making it difficult for players to connect with the narrative.
- “Boring storylines that repeat over and over.”
- “Boring storylines that repeat over and over.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its impressive design and depth, highlighting a control scheme that allows for strategic gameplay involving reversals and stamina management. The combination of these elements contributes to a rich and engaging experience for players.
- “Combines a comparable control scheme with an almost fire pro-depth moveset, strategizing on your reversals and stamina, and creative character design.”