WWE 2K16

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 273 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 181 out of 273
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 273
  3. Negative: 53 out of 273
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. MarkSweetus
    Nov 11, 2015
    4
    When WWE 2K14 came out I was completely stoked. Something new and different from the THQ garbage that we were used to.

    Sadly it appears that 2K thinks that it's more important to take things out of the game e.g being able to edit match rules like 2K14; create a finisher. Now on 2K16 the only editing I can do for a match is if I want to be able to turn the entrances on or off. Gee,    When WWE 2K14 came out I was completely stoked. Something new and different from the THQ garbage that we were used to.

    Sadly it appears that 2K thinks that it's more important to take things out of the game e.g being able to edit match rules like 2K14; create a finisher. Now on 2K16 the only editing I can do for a match is if I want to be able to turn the entrances on or off. Gee, thanks.

    Another thing is that the games are less fun. Remember when you could have a stable entrance where the three of you came crashing down on a shopping trolley? How funny was that?! Or where you could go round the backstage such as the boiler room/parking lot. Why wouldn't this be ever considered? It's fun! There's only so many times that I can watch Tyler Breeze kick out of my finisher time and time again.

    Of course people like the "realistic" gameplay but do the majority of people that might play this game? I have a number of friends who scoffed when they saw me on this and said "it's not being good since enter old WWE game here. Surely being able to lure all audiences is more important than just the die-hard fans that buy the game year in year out.

    It seems to me like 2K are more bothered about having something to advertise like the Stone Cold showcase mode rather than the actual game-play. Showcase mode is very boring and very linear in my opinion. It tells you what to do and if you don't do it you get bent over.

    Hopefully at least someone manages to read this even though it is a bit long winded. But I could've written a lot more!

    tl;dr 2K is taking fun things out rather than adding them in and creating a boring game.    … Expand
  2. AmazedBunion
    Jan 4, 2016
    3
    This years release is slightly better than last years, but not what you should be getting when you're paying $60.
    Positives:
    The best Roster in a long time. Multiple modes of gameplay. Given the option to turn off the god awful soundtrack. Negatives: Absolutely loaded from Beginning to end with game breaking bugs. They're everywhere. The worst submission system in any WWE game to    This years release is slightly better than last years, but not what you should be getting when you're paying $60.
    Positives:
    The best Roster in a long time.
    Multiple modes of gameplay.
    Given the option to turn off the god awful soundtrack.

    Negatives:
    Absolutely loaded from Beginning to end with game breaking bugs. They're everywhere.
    The worst submission system in any WWE game to date.
    The new grappling system is awful too.
    Where is create a finisher?
    Where are the story lines for myCareer?
    The rivalry system is pointless.
    The stable system is useless as well. You can't customize pretty much anything.
    Showcase mode is starting to rely on the attitude era.
    The AI is almost as bad as Day of Reckoning 2. Your team doesn't do anything to help you win matches.
    Refs DQ for ridiulous reasons like being knocked down in the ring too long.
    The Authority orders in myCareer give you objectives that aren't possible.
    You fail the authority orders if someone attacks you before your match.
    Universe mode doesn't do much. It should include storylines.
    The controls are off. R1/RB do way too many functions during matches for them to all work correctly.
    The patch to fix the worst bugs of the game missed most of them!

    2k has butchered the series. They're turning it into a Madden style. (We don't care if it's broken cause we'll probably fix it next year.) Very disgusted and disappointed. This very well may be the last wwe/2k game i buy until they get their act together and stop trying to rush everything.    … Expand
  3. partyintheback
    Nov 3, 2015
    0
    Another bad & unpolished Yukes wrestling game full of bugs that gets a passing grade from the games media. When are games journalists going to stop giving wrestling games an 8 just because they somewhat function and start pressuring the developer and publisher to get their crap together?
  4. Decapod_10
    Nov 1, 2015
    2
    If my game worked I might have given this a higher rating. HOWEVER, the first copy I received the Create a Superstar and Create a Diva modes wouldn't open (just refreshed the menu screen). So I deleted it, reinstalled and re-updated it, still didn't work. So I took it back and got another brand new copy....and the same modes STILL didn't work! I haven't seen anyone else online with theseIf my game worked I might have given this a higher rating. HOWEVER, the first copy I received the Create a Superstar and Create a Diva modes wouldn't open (just refreshed the menu screen). So I deleted it, reinstalled and re-updated it, still didn't work. So I took it back and got another brand new copy....and the same modes STILL didn't work! I haven't seen anyone else online with these problems, and I'm still waiting for a response from 2K Games, but for two copies of the game to have the same problem is ridiculous. Although even the modes that did work didn't seem great (I couldn't find any sort of training mode to teach me the controls, as I haven't played a WWE game since 2k13). I've given it a 2 just so it doesn't affect the overall score for the game too much, but really I haven't been able to play half the game.… Expand
  5. lurodavis
    Oct 30, 2015
    3
    I bought this game with very high hopes and expectations partly driven by my nostalgia for the attitude era and partly due to hearing about the expansive roster and features. What I found in this game however was a very unaccessible interface. Some may find the controls easy...I did not. I played through the mini-games and tutorials and after hours still felt very much NOT in control of myI bought this game with very high hopes and expectations partly driven by my nostalgia for the attitude era and partly due to hearing about the expansive roster and features. What I found in this game however was a very unaccessible interface. Some may find the controls easy...I did not. I played through the mini-games and tutorials and after hours still felt very much NOT in control of my character. I know there is division between people who like the new system and people who wish they would bring back the old THQ control model, and I just wish I was given an option on the game. All of the moves I may want to try or try to attempt I found to be heavily buried under the constant mini-games, asinine submission system, seemingly limited move-set, and un-natural button mapping. Controlling my wrestler, be it Sting or HHH or Stone Cold seems unnecessarily difficult and unnatural from what I would expect in a wrestling/fighting game.

    This inaccessibility really left me feeling bad however, because otherwise the developer does seem to have created an immersive and detailed past and present WWE universe.    … Expand
  6. cameronh
    Nov 1, 2015
    0
    Absolute broken mess that is somehow worse than last years game. The targeting system is broken, the glitches are terrible and game ruining. The AI cheats all the time, even if they do not have any reversals left they can still reverse and they fill their meters up much quicker than human players do. The submission system is also somehow even worse as well. It is ridiculous that YukesAbsolute broken mess that is somehow worse than last years game. The targeting system is broken, the glitches are terrible and game ruining. The AI cheats all the time, even if they do not have any reversals left they can still reverse and they fill their meters up much quicker than human players do. The submission system is also somehow even worse as well. It is ridiculous that Yukes keeps making this crap every year. If you want a refund and you bought digitally from Microsoft they will happily refund this game if you tell them how broken it is, I did it earlier today and got a refund in about 10 minutes.… Expand
  7. trumoo
    Oct 28, 2015
    4
    When online mode actually allows you to connect to a match, you're in for a treat. The match modes are segregated in such a way that you need to be lucky to actually get in a match in the mode you selected - you cannot switch modes on the fly without backing out and starting a new lobby, even if you're partied up with a friend.

    In the first four hours of playing, I experienced the    When online mode actually allows you to connect to a match, you're in for a treat. The match modes are segregated in such a way that you need to be lucky to actually get in a match in the mode you selected - you cannot switch modes on the fly without backing out and starting a new lobby, even if you're partied up with a friend.

    In the first four hours of playing, I experienced the following:
    - Game completely desynced playing 1v1 with a friend that was NAT type Open and less than 2 miles away. It's like we were doing netplay on a shoddy emulator for a retro game. We didn't even know until halfway through the match when he said how bad he was beating me, but both of us were on entirely different sides of the ring seeing totally different action.
    - In a tornado elimination match, I pinned a player, then my character got stuck on him. I couldn't release the pin and he couldn't kick out - the ref wouldn't count. This eventually led to both opponents leaving and being replaced by AI. Teammate knocked down ref, jumped off turnbuckle, tried moving our player models, the ref still wouldn't count. Had to exit match.
    - During AI warmup online, game shows the two wrestler names reversed on every match I had tonight.
    - Even with manual targeting enabled in options, manual targeting is atrocious and takes several attempts whilst standing still to take effect (most times it still won't properly target and seems totally random)
    - It's common to accidentally hit your teammate with strikes and grapples during tornado tag because of the atrocious targeting. At one point, I accidentally pinned my partner and the ref got down to count.

    This game makes absolutely no sense. I wish I had this on Steam so I could get my money back. I wish I didn't buy the digital copy so I could trade it in. Do not buy this game. It's all presentation and unpolished, lackluster gameplay.    … Expand
  8. jimstallone
    Oct 30, 2015
    3
    wwe 2k16 fails to understand what wrestling is at its core. Wrestling is not a simulation it is entertainment. The quick time event style and slow sluggish gameplay are an utter bore to play. You never really feel in control of your wrestler because you are paying too much attention to whichever quicktime event combo is coming up next, its mind numbingly ridiculous and an absolute waste ofwwe 2k16 fails to understand what wrestling is at its core. Wrestling is not a simulation it is entertainment. The quick time event style and slow sluggish gameplay are an utter bore to play. You never really feel in control of your wrestler because you are paying too much attention to whichever quicktime event combo is coming up next, its mind numbingly ridiculous and an absolute waste of the licence. When i was a teenager we had No Mercy and wcw/nwo revenge which were easy to pick up and were an absolute joy to play, this however is a boring, sluggish and soulless attempt at legitimising a non sport into a simulation. Honestly what a stupid idea.

    The positives are acceptable graphics, sound is fine and the roster is great despite pay walls preventing you to play as all characters.

    Overall 2k has complicated and created a mess of a game which is inaccessible to the casual gamer in a time where wwe is aimed at young kids, who will no doubt be utterly bemused by the complex and overly complicated soulless game play.    … Expand
  9. BarryHorowitz
    Nov 1, 2015
    0
    Don't believe the good reviews on this website. They are written by astro turfers for 2k that get paid to write good reviews. The game is a horrible, broken, glitchy mess. Characters will randomly start spazzing out, teleport around the ring, glitch into each other, etc. The computer ai is horrible and completely cheap on any difficulty setting. The graphics are also an embarassment forDon't believe the good reviews on this website. They are written by astro turfers for 2k that get paid to write good reviews. The game is a horrible, broken, glitchy mess. Characters will randomly start spazzing out, teleport around the ring, glitch into each other, etc. The computer ai is horrible and completely cheap on any difficulty setting. The graphics are also an embarassment for the current generation of consoles. It looks like an upscaled PS3 game. Don't waste your hard earned money on this game. Go rent it at Redbox and see that I speak the truth!… Expand
  10. swyhart54
    Oct 28, 2015
    1
    Wow this game has a great Roster and a great CAW mode. Guess what, none of that matters when the gameplay is absolute crap. Whoever came up with the control scheme and stupid mini-games for submissions, pins, etc should quit their job and go home and kill themselves. I guess I don't understand how THQ had the control layout completely nailed back in the late 1990's with WWF No Mercy, andWow this game has a great Roster and a great CAW mode. Guess what, none of that matters when the gameplay is absolute crap. Whoever came up with the control scheme and stupid mini-games for submissions, pins, etc should quit their job and go home and kill themselves. I guess I don't understand how THQ had the control layout completely nailed back in the late 1990's with WWF No Mercy, and here we are more than 15 years later and a game developer is releasing a game with such garbage controls. Wrestling games are supposed to be fun and should have easy to learn controls so people can pick them up easily and start crazy wrestling matches with their friends. If it takes more than 15 minutes to learn the controls for a wrestling game and you actually need a training video on it then you've done something wrong and you need to go back to the drawing board. I really wish I would have waited until I could get a used copy of this game because it would be getting returned to Gamestop immediately. Now I'm going to have to take a loss and go trade it toward something else because I refuse to waste my time on such crap.… Expand
  11. Sheldor13
    Feb 4, 2016
    4
    played this game for a few hours (ps4) found the game play very clunky and the submission system very awful, graphics are pretty bad for a new generation game, universe mode is also the worst i've seen in any game so far. only good thing about this game is the big roster otherwise it's just as bad as wwe2k15
  12. Belmega81
    Feb 28, 2016
    1
    I have played and fairly consistently enjoyed the WWE games since SvR 2008. I'm not new to this series by any means. And this may actually be the first time I've found such a seemingly great game so loathesomely unplayable that I've given up on it within just a week of owning it.
    Roster? Great, unless you take into account the lack of Becky, Sasha, and Charlotte, who should have been in    I have played and fairly consistently enjoyed the WWE games since SvR 2008. I'm not new to this series by any means. And this may actually be the first time I've found such a seemingly great game so loathesomely unplayable that I've given up on it within just a week of owning it.
    Roster? Great, unless you take into account the lack of Becky, Sasha, and Charlotte, who should have been in as NXT girls, far more than Emma and Eva Marie.
    Creation mode. W. T. F. No create a finisher? VERY limited options on facial construction, skin tone, body hair, and wardrobe.
    But, I was able to forgive all that, since I'm used to these game companies taking away just as much as they give, every year. So, on I played; excited with the inclusion of new commentators; and with Lilian and the time keeper at ringside? YES! HUGE roster? Hell YEAH!
    BUT! Then I actually play the matches. Where's Ron Simmons? We need a "DAMN!", here.
    Targeting system is about as helpful as a mentally handicapped sloth.
    Movements are programmed seemingly to be in perpetual slow motion.
    The reversal button in about as responsive as someone who's been hit by a bus.
    Kickout system is too buggy, and doesn't get it's crap together in time, very often.
    Career mode sounds cool, until, for some reason, Zack Ryder is beating you in your first match, due mainly to the problems I've addressed above, and the ones to follow.
    The submission system.....No. JUST NO. Barf worthy. Way too hard to manage. When someone's whole body is in the red, and you slap Natty's Sharpshooter on them, it should not be difficult to tap them out. Especially not difficult enough to cause me to want to scream, curse, and throw a highly expensive controller through a highly expensive TV screen. (I didn't, but it's the thought that counts!)
    And finally, there's just too many bugs, in general. The commands that need to appear very often don't, no matter how in position you are. Like OMGs by the announce table, or finisher/signature icons, and other things.
    So, 2K can take this particular incarnation of the series, turn the damn thing sideways, and shove it right up their candy a$$e$.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
22
#22 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 47
  3. Negative: 3 out of 47
  1. Sporting News
    Mar 2, 2016
    80
    I think we’re still one year away from the greatness that 2K is truly capable of. In the meantime, WWE 2K16 will do a pretty good job of being the No. 1 contender.
    Read full review
  2. GameOver.gr
    Jan 20, 2016
    60
    This is a game that delivers all the personality and fame-centered features of the wrestling world in detail; however in the process it compromises, rather ironically, a more realistic feeling of combat as in the actual sport. WWE 2K16 is a game that is better to watch than play, although it will probably satisfy hardcore fans.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2016
    75
    Yuke’s made some improvements taking the series in the right direction, but do not expect any revolutionary changes, because the most important aspect – the combat system – was only slightly modified. [13/2015, p.38]
See all critic reviews »