WWE 2K15

WWE 2K15 is a professional wrestling game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It is the sequel to WWE 2K14.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) For starters, this game would started the trend of slower pacing in WWE games in an attempt to create a sim-like experience, a departure from the arcade-y wrestling games of the previous three generations. While this would’ve been understandable if done right, the way they actually did it, make the game feels more sluggish, clunky, and unresponsive.
 * 2) The roster, while decent, is really tiny and limited compared to previous games (mainly WWE 13 & 2k14)
 * 3) Dated graphics in the Xbox 360/PS3 version.
 * 4) The last-gen version of the game is just a downgraded version of WWE 2K14.
 * 5) Didn't really bring anything new to the series. The "Who's Got NXT" mode was a watered-down/downgraded version of WWE 2K14 's "30 Years of WrestleMania" mode.
 * 6) MyCareer Mode was very repetitive as you mostly just fight John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Brock Lesnar and a custom wrestler named "Barron Blade" over and over again. It dosen't even end as well. When you “Complete” the game, you still need to do more matches.
 * 7) Removes the access of community creations after the release of WWE 2K17.
 * 8) The commentary was recycled from WWE 2K14 and doesn't have Jim Ross in the "2K Showcase" mode.
 * 9) For the PS4 and Xbox One version, the match types and creation suites have been completely stripped down and restricted compared to the wrestling games.
 * 10) * Things like Custom Finishers, Custom Story, Slobber Knocker, Backstage Brawl, Hell In A Cell, Extreme Rules, Create a Diva, and Custom Arena are all non-existent.
 * 11) The PC version was a terrible port and was removed from Steam when WWE 2K16 was announced.
 * 12) Has a mediocre soundtrack, most songs sound as they don’t belong in a WWE game.
 * 13) The AI of "Who's Got NXT" was just unfair, since almost all your rivals dodge your attacks, even if you have to easily hinder (an example of this is the last level of Rusev, where Dolph Ziggler will give you blows and attacks to the maximum, and to make this worse, they tell you that you should not reach the Level Level of damage).  And to add insult to the "Who's Got NXT", is that they ask you to make something difficult to do, as for example in level 2 of Corey Graves force you not to use a "Finisher" (including the OMG moments), that will be very difficult to overcome due to the unfair AI that the game has.
 * 14) Before the servers for the game were shutdown on the last generation versions, hacked movesets were extremely common in Community Creations. These movesets were mainly the reason why 2K decided to make WWE Games more on modern consoles, since the game engine used for this game was hackable.

Good Qualities

 * 1) Added a really cool feature called the "Superstar Editor" which allows you to change the wrestlers' appearances to anything you want them to look like.
 * 2) The "2K Showcase" mode is pretty decent as it includes legendary rivalries (John Cena vs. CM Punk, Randy Orton vs. Christian, Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H), Mark Henry's "Hall of Pain" storyline and a retrospective of the late Ultimate Warrior's career.
 * 3) The commentary in the "2K Showcase" mode was updated compared to WWE '13 and WWE 2K14 and while watching the cutscenes, it feels like watching a real match (even with Michael Cole instead of Jim Ross), rather then "Phrase 1-Phrase 2" commentary.
 * 4) The first WWE game since WWF Raw to appear on PC, and it had all the DLC in it.
 * 5) The roster, while weaker than previous games before this, is still decent and acceptable as this was the last WWE game to have CM Punk as an official roster member before he walked out on the company.
 * 6) Awesome graphics for the Xbox One/PS4 version, as well as a challenging new control scheme.
 * 7) All of the WWE wrestlers did motion capture for their character designs and movesets, and succeeded in movesets even more than TNA Impact.
 * 8) Due to this above, it finally fixed the infamous The Rock overselling of the Stone Cold Stunner animation that plagued since WWF SmackDown!
 * 9) The PS3 and 360 versions still allow you to create your own arenas.

Trivia

 * Barron Blade was later introduced as a character in future WWE 2K MyCareer modes. Such is in WWE 2K19 in which he was a secondary antagonist who ruined Buzz's Career and was the first time he was made playable.

Reception
Game Informer gave the game a 7/10, stating "This version of WWE 2K15 works if you're not planning on buying a new-gen console anytime soon... Custom creators, on the other hand, might as well continue to build up their creations on 2K14.

Retailers were quick to learn of the game's issues and the resulting deluge of refund requests made it hard for gamers to get their money back.

Eurogamer gave the game a 3/10, stating "WWE 2K15 is a kick in the teeth. Graphically assured as it is, almost every other element of the 15-year-old series has been cut back, tampered with pointlessly or outright ruined. The series hasn't been good for a long time now, but this year is the first it's been actively bad. The wait for a great new WWE game continues."

Joystiq gave the game 2.5/5 stars, saying the game was "a severe disappointment. The chain wrestling mechanic is tiresome, and online play is a chore. A dearth of customization options across the board tear away at what made the series special. WWE 2K15 is worth skipping this year, and I can't help but wonder if 2K Sports itself might have been better served taking a year off from the ring."

Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 3/5, saying "some players may pine for the older days of this franchise, where gameplay was frenetic and fast-measured. WWE 2K15 steps away from that methodology, and in turn delivers a much more deliberately-paced game, and one that is more intent on providing an authentic, one-to-one recreation of the drama that goes down in the squared circle."

PC Gamer gave the Microsoft Windows version of the game a 67/100, stating it's "a capable attempt to recapture the magic of WWE, let down by the decision not to update any single element of the console versions."Rock, Paper, Shotgun stated "It's a disappointing game," adding "WWE 2K15 is a lot like the WWE itself – burying its female performers, mishandling its roster, screwing up its own booking and failing to establish characters".

GameWatcher.com gave the game a 7.5/10, stating "unlike the game's release on consoles, the presence of mod support means that WWE 2K15 will actively evolve over time on PC. Until the mod community flourishes however and assuming the game's rough edges prove tolerable, WWE 2K15 remains an enjoyable wrestling yarn the likes of which PC players haven't been graced with in, well, forever. Maybe not the best there was or the best there is and certainly not the best there ever will be then, but it's a good start all the same and after all, legends have been fashioned from less."

Pocket Gamer gave the mobile version a 7 out of 10, commenting that it is "a pretty solid experience, and it flourishes the deeper you get into it", while criticizing the price of the game.

GameZebo rated it 3.5/5 stars, praising the graphics, multiplayer and controls but lamenting the overall lack of content. Technology Tell gave the album a "D" rating, calling it "a lazy, unresponsive, and completely shallow experience" 148 Apps gave a 4 out of 5 stars rating and called the game "surprisingly complex".