@oldirtybearon: You've told people that a game that has had pretty shitty gameplay for years is actually really fantastic. I don't think that's the case at all, and thus pointed it out. I guess that was my "problem". I disagreed with someone.

You're making a lot of assumptions too. I don't believe I ever said that I didn't like wrestling or WWE. This would be kind of a weird thread to hang out in if that was the case. To draw those conclusions because I'm not awestruck by the game is just.. weird. Like, "he doesn't like the game, he must hate wrestling"? Again, that's just an odd conclusion to make. I do love wrestling, that's why I wish it was better.

The whole "this is the game that WE, the wrestling fans, have always wanted" talk comes off as really hyperbolic and kind of proves the point I was making. If you love the game, awesome, but I felt it worth pointing out that I think you're really overstating things, like this game was the second coming of No Mercy or something and that's just not really the case. It's better than last years game, but last year's game was shit. If you liked 2K15, again, awesome, but general opinion was that it sucked, gameplay and all.

In a thread where people are likely to look for purchasing advice, I guess we can be the divergent extremes in that case and people can choose who they want to believe. I'm cool with that. If you thought I was attacking you personally, I apologize.

It's cool. I jumped the gun in assuming that you didn't like wrestling, because whenever wrestling games get brought up on video game forums it's always the same "lol these games are so shit" or "dae still like wrestling?" or a million other things that don't factor into who the games are for or why people like them in the first place.

For what it's worth I understand why you don't like these games; they have to walk a fine line between being cooperative and competitive because the very nature of pro wrestling prevents it from being a straight shoot like Madden without causing some measure of dissonance. Dissonance I mentioned somewhere around here with regards to how weirdly 2K16 straddles the line between kayfabe and reality. That being said I mean, the complaints people have (like Alex in the QL complaining about "sluggishness") is stuff that I really like about these games, because nothing frustrated me more in previous entries than hitting a big move and my opponent getting up seconds later. Or the reversal fests that matches often turned into (which are gone, now; if you're not smart about picking your spots you are utterly boned). The closer it resembles a real wrestling match while making necessary concessions to the fact that it's a competitive video game, the happier I am. Right now I'm burning through career mode trying to climb the IC title ladder while acting as Seth Rollins's bodyguard. It's actually pretty damn awesome. We might even go for the tag titles. Maybe even dinner and a movie.

In any event, I'm sorry if I came across as hostile. I'm used to dealing with people who don't understand anything about the games or what a wrestling fan is looking for in a wrestling game.

I get that. For what it's worth, I come from a background of playing King of Colosseum and Fire Pro, and there are so many things that can be learned from those games that I just never see them implementing, and it's frustrating, because they tend to wrap a pretty package around a game that I just flat out find a chore to play. Every year I try, find myself unable to create a real convincing back and forth match, and eventually just say "fuck it, I'm giving everyone running belly to bellies until I unlock everything".

Maybe they're stuck and they'll never be able to present a mode where I can "work" matches, but fuck, I'd like to see someone try.

I certainly get what @oldirtybearon is trying to say.

the core gameplay last year had some promise. the changes they made to pacing was good but everything around it was not great. they mostly fixed those issues this year. modes were added and complaints about systems were listened to and improved apon (ie reversals). with a game so badly recieved when someone says something good about it it can come across as suspect but Im totally with him on that.

I still think these games are a "for fans only" kinda game but I think its one of the best version of the wwe style in game form we have ever gotten.

comparing it to KOC or fire pro doesnt totally make sense because those are puro style and arent really the same thing. love the F outta those games though dont get me wrong.

Early impressions. Career mode for starters is waaaaaaaaaay better, at least after 2hours though I feel hideously under powered, I started heel but turned face after Tyler Breeze attacked me on th way to the ring and I got my revenge the week after. This is already a billion times more story than my entire career last year. The animation on this version is great too, they've all but eliminated the 'snapping into place of games of old. It's also much harder which I appreciate and the matches do feel more organic and dramatic than ever. I also feel they finally nailed the crowd reactions which used to feel soooooooo underwhelming.

I thought the core gameplay of 2k15 was decent but in a poor package. This year the gameplay is still decent but in a much better package. It's a lot of subtle and small improvements which won't win anyone over but it's the best 2k wwe game since WWE 2013

Not necessarily in style of the in-ring, but there are most certainly things that can be learned, like the EXTENSIVE AI editing that makes Fire Pro matches so fun to just sit and watch, or how they could totally represent multiple wrestling companies, but only ever really go halfway on that stuff to appease whatever their showcase is.

just finished scsa showcase on normal. some of the objectives can be a real pain, but it's mostly fine. as a dude who watched alot of stone cold, it was a nice trip down memory lane. career mode is better, but still grindy as fuck. as for community stuff, loading times for cc can be bad, when the servers aren't down. gonna see how long i stick with career before i get bored, then move on to universe.

@xerseslives: would love to see more AI stuff for CAWS. they added more this year which you can see in unvierse mode

I think with things like heels trying to get themselves DQ'd and counted out is a step in the right direction.

firepro is a different kinda crazy.

Showcase mode is great.

I feel like your starting wrestler in career mode is a bit too underpowered.

More impressions later.

@ottoman673: totally agree about the underpowered wrestler in career mode, i've been playing a few hours of MyCareer and its a chore to win matches against people often times 20 - 25 ranks higher then you. Even busting your arse and doing it doesn't give you hardly any points to put into your character. It's probably all on purpose as an attempt to sell more of those boosters you can buy on the store to get your character to a higher level early on. It's frustrating cause i'm getting some enjoyment out of career but feel its stunted simply because i'm not willing to cough up money to get my character to a respectable level earlier on in his career. It's pay or grind it seems :/

@mikey2d: My solution for now has been to drop the difficulty to easy, until i get enough SP to be reasonably levelled to wrestle high rank dudes on a higher difficulty. I know the gameplay systems well enough.

@ottoman673: I believe i'm on medium, very familiar with the system so i'll stick with it. I lose some matches, but I just see that as my character 'taking his lumps' at the start of his career. I still win enough matches to not worry about eatting a few loses.

I would like to think that the rival system becomes more in depth as you go along, but i think i'm going to end up disappointed.

So I got my CaWs for Universe mode since that's what I like to do - just ditch the named guys and have a fake promotion and shit - and set up the shows and PPVs and all that. Took way longer than it should've because of load times and blah blah. Once everything was set I was ready to go.

Only to discover that one of my major shows is literally unplayable because 6 of the 7 matches are blank and are 'ERROR ROSTER' and even attempting to play them causes the came to crash to the PSN dash. My second main show is fine.

Not cool.

@ottoman673: yeah i did the exact same thing

it's just frustrating to sit and wait for your reversals to build back up and then to have your first offensive move be immediately reversed and then have to sit and wait for your reversal meter to fill back up

The VGCW people have lone since decided they wouldn't be able to switch to 2K16, right? I tried looking on their forum, but I'm about a month and a half behind on past broadcasts, and I bailed out when I started seeing spoilers in forum avatars.

@laserbolts: Gah...I spent an absurd amount of time playing No Mercy