Dhruv Sharma
Be it card games, mobile games or even wrestling games, the world of WWE has expanded its roots to many different mediums so far. However, out of all of these, for obvious reasons. the 2K series has by far had the most successful run because of how it incorporates a well-rounded approach towards professional wrestling.
As a player, you get to experience everything from the grueling action in the ring to the behind-the-scenes drama to the struggles of an underdog wrestler. That being said, after the backlash that followed 2K20, it seems like the creators the game will have to do a lot more to please their massive fan following in the next version. So to know more about the modes and features that could potentially be a part of WWE 2K21, read on further.
WWE 2K21 Plot: What is it About?
Most WWE games in the 2K franchise include several story modes such as General Manager Mode, Universe Mode, 2K Towers (Introduced in 2019), Career Mode, Create Mode, Roster, Online Gameplay, and Exhibition. For the most part, only its career mode has a well-defined storyline where you get to control both female and male characters. The storyline of 2K20 is very different from that of its predecessor as it starts off with the character’s induction into the Hall of Fame. As you play through the moments of your career, the story is backed up with some memorable dialogues, voice-overs, and cut-scenes.
You get to experience close to 20 hours of this well-thought-out mode as the storyline constantly shifts back and forth between your male and female characters. Nicknamed Red and Tray respectively, both the male and female characters start off as newbies with big dreams. Soon, they move from one territory to another to learn more about the sport and also to establish their own styles as wrestlers. And eventually, their career reaches a point where both of these characters get to face WWE superstars that we have all known for ages. But unlike what we get to see on TV, the game also brings in a personal touch into the lives of the WWE superstars and also presents supernatural stories revolving around certain characters such as The Undertaker.
Contrarily, on the downside, many fans have expressed concerns over the Story Mode as it is not exactly true to the real-life of real superstars. The independent storyline adopted by the game has been appreciated by many and even its involvement of the new female character makes it more interesting.
However, a huge chunk of the game’s targeted audience includes people who actually watch the series on television as well. And it’s these fans who expect the game to evoke a sense of familiarity. So if the 2K21 version is looking out for some improvement, it might finally involve a “close to real-life” version of the story that’s more relatable for players. Apart from that, since the inclusion of the female character has worked out in favor of the game, we can expect 2K21 to retain this in its story mode.
WWE 2K21 Gameplay
When it comes to the gameplay of 2K20, it retained most of its elements from 2K19 and even most of the controls remained the same. The few changes that have been made to the new version include the use of the Y/Square button for the reversals. In addition, even the Signature and Finishers are done with a double-button press where X/A is for Xbox and Square/X is for PS4. The player always climbs with RB and when in close proximity with a weapon, the character’s climb is restricted.
Even the application of submissions is quite different from 2K19 as you don’t have to necessarily do a face front lock just to initiate the whole sequence. Simply by pressing R2+A, the hold gets initiated. Basically, the creators of the game have streamlined the control system just to make them easier to use. But for players who have been following the game series for a while and have also adapted to its previous controls system, they will have to patiently get used to the new controls now. From the looks of it, the new control system seems to be more responsive than the previous one and thus, we can expect 2K21 to hang on to the same.
Options like Create-A-Finisher, GM Mode and Create-A-Story are not present in 2K20 but now that stronger hardware will be available at the launch of Play Station 5, we can expect 2K21 to not only have these features but also more refined versions of these. While most sports games don’t usually involve mini-game modes, WWE does show some potential for that as well. Maybe, if not in 2K21, we can later expect some new modes that are purely mini-games based on wrestling.
Moreover, even the Showcase mode, which follows the lives of the Four Horsewomen in 2K20, will certainly return in 2K21 with yet another legend because of how well it has been received so far. This mode features each of the four stars as they explain their journeys in the world of professional wrestling. Women’s Evolution has had a very huge impact on the world of wrestling and it comes as no surprise why so many players enjoy reliving these historical moments with their beloved superstars. The 2K20 Roster consisted of 190 stars, out of which, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, Ronda Rousey. We can expect this list to get even bigger in 2K21.
WWE 2K21 Developer: Who Are The People Behind It?
From the year 2000 to 2012, all the games in the 2K series were published by THQ; following that, 2K Sports handled the publication. All the games in the series have been developed by both Yuke’s and Visual Concepts but 2K20 is the only game in the series where Yuke’s is not involved in any way and all of it has been solely developed by Visual Arts.
WWE 2K21 Release Date: When And Where Can I Play It?
Since the 2K20 version has recently premiered, no official announcements regarding 2K21 have been made yet. Even so, like every year, we can expect it to release by the end of October 2020. As soon as we get any news about its confirmed dates, we will update it here in this section.
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