WWE 2K18

Exceptional when it all works, but for the third year running launch-day gremlins prohibit an even greater score.

Starting at $19.98Buy now

WWE 2K18 is a professional wrestling game that offers an immersive simulation experience. With a roster of over 150 WWE superstars and legends, players can create and customize their own wrestlers, arenas, and storylines. The game also features new graphics and animations, along with improved gameplay mechanics for a more authentic wrestling experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 890 reviews

graphics71 positive mentions

stability98 negative mentions

Improved graphics and character models compared to previous iterations.
Extensive customization options for created wrestlers and moves.
Universe mode offers a large roster and various match types, enhancing replayability.

MyCareer mode is plagued with bugs, repetitive tasks, and a lack of meaningful choices.
Loot boxes lock essential moves and customization options, making progression frustrating.
Frequent crashes and performance issues, especially in online play and during matches.

graphics
183 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of WWE 2K18 have received mixed reviews, with many praising the improved visuals and realistic character models, particularly the new lighting system that enhances the overall appearance. However, several users have reported significant performance issues, including lag and crashes, especially on lower-end systems, which detracts from the gaming experience. While some players find the graphics to be a standout feature, others feel that the game lacks optimization and still suffers from graphical glitches reminiscent of previous titles.
- “The graphics and gameplay are great for a wrestling game.”
- “The graphics are greatly improved with an all-new lighting system that makes everything look better.”
- “The graphics look amazing, but doesn't mean much if it isn't optimized.”
- “That being said, this game has some real graphic issues that are unacceptable for the price tag and the reputation that WWE video games normally share in common.”
- “I honestly don't understand how a game they made 2 years ago has better graphics than this garbage.”
- “Graphics for a 2018 game is just terrible.”
gameplay
145 mentions
35 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of WWE 2K18 has received mixed reviews, with some praising its smooth mechanics and improved graphics, while others criticize its slow pace and unfamiliar controls compared to previous titles. Many players appreciate the depth of the gameplay and the variety of modes, but express frustration over bugs, loading times, and the lack of customization options. Overall, while some find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, others feel it falls short of expectations, particularly for long-time fans of the series.
- “Amazing gameplay, moves.”
- “The graphics and the gameplay are real smooth.”
- “The gameplay is good, no doubt, but there are various bugs in the game which you have to learn about over the internet.”
- “The gameplay is so different compared to the SmackDown vs Raw series that if you even try to play, you'll have no clue what is going on because nothing is the same and nothing is explained.”
- “Gameplay is slow and it's hard to pull off a lot of moves. I'm not a fan of the mini-games; I feel like if you put enough time in, the gameplay could be better, but I haven't had it long enough to really dive into the game's controls. There's definitely a learning curve.”
- “The gameplay is so simple it just isn't fun. I got it on sale, the deluxe version for 35 bucks.”
story
123 mentions
16 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players criticizing the lack of depth and coherence in the narrative, particularly in the MyCareer mode. While some appreciate the potential for creativity in Universe mode, others find the scripted storylines repetitive and poorly executed, often leading to confusion and frustration. Overall, the game seems to prioritize graphics and gameplay mechanics over a compelling story, leaving many fans longing for the richer narratives found in earlier titles.
- “The storyline, which I will avoid any spoilers, is very entertaining although sort of whacked at certain points.”
- “The story mode is very well put together and there is a lot of branching paths which overall give an in-depth experience.”
- “I love the fact that you can be backstage and do side quests and also that there is a story until WrestleMania, then the main story ends.”
- “The story mode is terrible and unfun; the whole game seems grindy.”
- “MyCareer is absolutely broken; storylines make no sense, and free roam is a terrible mess of template text and animations.”
- “The weak story is the exact same no matter if you go to Raw or Smackdown, just with different wrestlers.”
stability
103 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players experience frequent freezes, poor optimization, and game-breaking issues, particularly in modes like MyCareer. While some users report fewer problems, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by stability issues that detract from the experience.
- “Even after the latest patch, it runs great.”
- “The game runs great for me, i7-6700k, GTX 1060 6GB, 16GB RAM, on the highest settings.”
- “Runs great on my machine (make sure you meet the minimum requirements before putting a negative review like these idiots already did).”
- “This game is poorly optimized and freezes a lot. Even when that doesn't happen, which it does a lot, the servers are down so you can't play online or use the community creations.”
- “The game is full of glitches to the point that it is almost unplayable.”
- “The fact this was released this buggy proves it.”
optimization
73 mentions
14 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
42 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and frequent crashes, even on high-end PCs. Players have noted that the game feels like a poorly executed console port, leading to frustration with gameplay mechanics and overall experience. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance through specific settings adjustments, the general consensus is that the game is significantly unoptimized and plagued by bugs.
- “Runs smoothly, solid 60 fps.”
- “It feels very well optimized and polished.”
- “This has solved my original performance issues and the game now plays very well.”
- “This game is poorly optimized & freezes a lot. Even if that doesn't happen, which it does a lot, the servers are down so you can't play online or use the community creations.”
- “This game has the potential to be one of my favorite games, but unfortunately it's ruined by bugs and the game's horrible optimization and performance.”
- “Unoptimized piece of trash, computer is well above required specs and it lags badly even with the graphical settings all the way down.”
music
59 mentions
15 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users criticizing the limited and poorly curated soundtrack, which lacks flow and fails to match the game's action. Players express frustration over the absence of custom music options, feeling that the inability to use their own tracks diminishes the overall experience. Additionally, repetitive menu music and short samples of wrestler entrance themes contribute to a sense of dissatisfaction, leading many to suggest muting the music entirely.
- “2006 had one of my favorite soundtracks, 2007 was fantastic, 2008 was really interesting and had some really great memories.”
- “Baron Corbin's new entrance music is some of the best entrance music ever, and I have to wait another year to hear it.”
- “The game does have a great choice of both moves, music, and customization but does have the annoying feature of not letting you move characters between my career and universe mode.”
- “The soundtrack is pathetic, Bruno Mars and Disturbed's 'Down with the Sickness'.”
- “It's easily the worst soundtrack they've put together; there's no flow to the song choices, no flow or theme to match the action.”
- “Menu music is terribly limited (8 or 9 songs total not including 30-second clips of wrestler's theme songs you have to manually turn on).”
grinding
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with players finding it tedious and unfulfilling. Many reviews highlight the excessive time required to unlock moves and items, often relying on random loot boxes, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the potential for fun in the gameplay, the overwhelming grind and slow progression make it less appealing, especially for casual gamers.
- “Unless you like grinding to a certain rank to get the stuff you want or unlocking gear by RNG (loot crates), then I wouldn't buy this game.”
- “The story mode is terrible and unfun; the whole game seems grindy.”
- “With a huge amount of grinding needed to really unlock anything of any value, WWE 2K18 is designed for hardcore fans and not so much for the casual gamer.”
humor
16 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its glitches and the absurdity of character interactions, which players find entertaining, especially during multiplayer sessions. While some animations and facial expressions can be unintentionally funny, the lack of voice dialogue and repetitive crowd chants detracts from the overall comedic experience. Despite its shortcomings, many players appreciate the game's ability to generate laughter through its quirks and narrative moments.
- “Really fun to play, especially with friends through remote play together, and glitches in the game have never been so hilarious.”
- “All I do in this game is make custom characters and make them wrestle, which is really funny to watch.”
- “I'm having a lot of fun playing the game; the MyCareer mode isn't the same match with the same person over and over again. It feels like it has a narrative, and some of the stuff people say is genuinely hilarious, making it feel better than other years before this one.”
monetization
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users appreciating the absence of microtransactions, while others express frustration over the reliance on loot boxes to unlock moves and content. Many anticipate that future titles will introduce microtransactions, especially given the developers' previous statements and the current system's limitations. Overall, players feel that the current monetization strategy detracts from the gaming experience, emphasizing a desire for more accessible content rather than cash grabs.
- “Luckily, this game does not use microtransactions.”
- “This game makes players earn the more impressive moves through random drops and spending experience (there is no microtransactions, so players have to play to become awesome).”
- “It's good you didn't implement microtransactions or else you know what would happen after the events with NBA 2K18.”
- “You want that sick last ride or chokeslam? Well, guess what, you have to open tons of loot boxes and hope you get it because you only get less than 15% of all moves. On top of that, 2K already said that they are going to be moving forward with microtransactions, so get ready for paid loot crates for 2K19.”
- “Microtransactions or not, locking extended movesets rather than all the cosmetics and other banalities behind this contrived loot box system deprives the player of a genuine experience.”
- “It's pretty clear that the microtransactions were removed last second after the blowback against NBA 2K18.”
replayability
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed; while some players find significant replay value and are eager to revisit the game, others feel it lacks enough content to warrant multiple playthroughs, leading them to consider refunds.
- “Replay value is great.”
- “After all that, I exited the game and stared long and hard at my computer before deciding that I was going to request a refund because I don't see a ton of replayability here for me.”
- “I think that it will have a surprising amount of replayability.”
- “That alone will personally add a ton of replayability to the game for me.”
emotional
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the emotional engagement of the game, citing a lack of meaningful progression due to loot crates and a boring storyline. The disappointment in the game's mechanics detracts from the overall enjoyment, overshadowing the positive aspects like graphics and wrestling gameplay.
- “I loved the game until I saw loot crates, the boring storyline, and generic linear objectives. MyCareer moves, clothing, and more aren't unlockable via leveling up or fulfilling objectives, but through loot crates, so you never get the item you want and therefore never progress.”