WWE 2K16

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

This is the best and most complete WWE game ever made. If you enjoy wrestling, it's a game you cannot miss.

The series' all-time high point inside the ring - but still a year away from being the complete package. [Christmas 2015, p.79]

Just like a superstar getting vindication at Wrestlemania, WWE 2K16 has completed a grand comeback following last year's lackluster entry. It feels like a total package this time around, and the gameplay, for the most part, is balanced and entertaining. I love the visuals too, even if the commentary leaves something to be desired. And there's a ton to do, without Vince McMahon getting in the way. Pick up a copy and go wild.

A big step forward for the series, WWE 2K16 is still some polishing and a new submission system away from being Hall of Fame material, but should make a nice living as a stop gap in your library before hopefully bridging the gap to a bigger and better game next year.

Yukes listened to last years’ complaints and offers some interesting solutions. Starting with a huge roster and significant improvement of fight pacing with the new counter restrictions they are on a good way.

Iffy submission system aside, this is the smoothest and most authentic WWE game to date. [Christmas 2015, p.74]

With improvements in content and visual appeal, WWE 2K16 doesn't fix at all typical issues of the series like glitches, graphic performance and controls.

Thanks to improved mechanics and a solid 2K Showcase, WWE 2K16 is a significant improvement over last year's lacking release. However, the technical hiccups found in prior games are still littered throughout this outing, and continue to undermine the experience.

WWE 2K16 is an improvement over WWE 2K15 by adding many of the lost features missing from last year's game. However, it is far from a flawless video game. It is a step in the right direction so hopefully everything turns out perfectly in WWE 2K17.

WWE 2K16 is a better game than last 2K15, largely thanks to the expansive range of options and features that have been reinstated. The 2K Showcase is fantastic, but the core gameplay hasn't changed enough to warrant a hearty recommendation.

So, WWE 2K16, at least in Career Mode, is horribly frustrating. Everywhere else, it’s just mildly frustrating. You can play single matches, tag team matches, fatal 4-ways, and triple threat matches online, but just remember all fights are extended QTEs, so if you experience any lag, you’re in big trouble.

WWE 2K16 brings some improvements, but not enough to be the game fans deserve. Smashing the opponent from the ladders through the table is great, until you turn to the audience and realize they look like they came from a PS2 game. But if you close your eyes, the game at least sounds awesome.

More doesn't necessarily mean better, but compared to last year's rather anaemic offering, WWE 2K16 feels like an Andre the Giant step in the right direction. If the series keeps on improving at this rate, we could have a future hall of famer on our hands.

WWE 2K16 pushes the franchise further down the sim path, to its detriment. It's also buggy and ugly – a fatigued veteran destined for the bush leagues.

A few minor fixes and changes here and there would do wonders, but the constant loading and the frankly abominable issues with the fighting engine that remain unfixed destroy any semblance of realism and are enough to relegate it to the indies.