WWE 2K16 on Xbox 360 Review

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TSC Gaming’s Fred Richani reviews the old gen version of WWE 2K16 on Xbox 360 from Yukes and 2K Sports.

How does the Xbox 360 version stack up to PS4, Xbox One, and the maligned WWE 2K15? Find out in our WWE 2K16 video game review!

Written Review

What’s up everybody? This is Fred Richani of TSC Gaming here to review WWE 2K16, this time on the Xbox 360, by popular demand. With the 360 being officially discontinued by Microsoft, it’s a great time to catch up on this console’s ridiculously deep game library. WWE 2K16 is currently available on next gen, but the 360 version is different in good and bad ways.

Let’s start with the obvious bad: the graphics. If you’ve watched our past WWE game reviews, you’ll know that historically this franchise, whether with THQ or now 2K, has visually lagged behind others, even on last gen. Unfortunately, this time is no different from 2K15, 2K14 and so on. The next-gen version is obviously significantly better, but again, nothing new to longtime WWE gamers. Paul Heyman doesn’t even look like Heyman, and oh, those poor women look weird, not just on old gen but next gen too. Poor WWE Divas.

Content-wise, this version is certainly lacking, as it doesn’t include the acclaimed MyCareer mode, which is exclusive to Xbox One and PS4. That leaves you with 2K Showcase, where you play through Stone Cold Steve Austin’s career highlights, which you can finish relatively quickly if you have some time, plus Universe Mode, some online play and the always fun Creation Suite.

There are some benefits to the 360 version, though. The Breaking Point submission system from past 360 titles is still intact, which in my opinion is simpler and more enjoyable than the current next-gen submission system, which I feel is unnecessarily complicated. And compared to WWE 2K15, 2K16 actually works for me. Low praise, I know, but I kid you not, 2K15 on 360 gave me multiple game-breaking glitches within the first 10 minutes. Thank God 2K16 has given me no such trouble, outside of the repetitive and awkward commentary that’s become the norm in this franchise. Without MyCareer, you still have the fully customizable Universe Mode, which lets you change the face of WWE and book what you think is best for business. And if you’re on Xbox Live, you can download a lot of cool user-generated content from Community Creations, or upload your own and make some fans and friends along the way.

So what’s the verdict? Graphically, I give WWE 2K16 a 6. The graphics are decent, but much like previous versions, they don’t compare to other AAA titles on 360, past or present. Gameplay, I give it a 7. The controls can still be clunky, especially with multiple people in the ring, but it runs a lot smoother than the abysmal WWE 2K15. Have I mentioned how much I dislike that game? Content, I give it a 6. Universe Mode and the Creation Suite, where you can create an arena, superstar, moveset or championship, are always fun, as is this year’s Showcase, but the game really could have used more content. The previous version had an exclusive Who Got NXT mode where you could play as various NXT superstars and unlock achievements, and it would have been nice to see a sequel to that on this last-gen version. I can also understand where the devs are coming from, because while WWE 2K15 sold very well, it was critically panned, and rightfully so.

Overall, in terms of gameplay and how well it runs, it’s definitely a step up from 2K15. But unless you have a lot of friends who still play online on 360 and you’re really into the online WWE 2K16 community, if you’re a wrestling fan who just wants an up-to-date wrestling game with as much content as the previous version, without DLC you’re going to be a little disappointed. Overall, TSC Gaming gives WWE 2K16 on Xbox 360 a 6.3 out of 10. Until next time, everybody, as always, enjoy the games.