The match begins as a one-on-one affair, with more teammates entering the ring every few minutes. The unique match type throws two teams of three or four in that caged, two-ring structure I mentioned earlier. I got to try a handful of one-on-one matches and a Royal Rumble (which accurately predicted that Cody Rhodes would win hours before the actual Rumble), but WarGames was a focus of my demo event. After all, we all know a wrestler is doomed when they start getting too cocky in the ring. For fans, though, the improvements here should make for a smoother foundation that rewards those who really lock in and pay attention to a match. If you weren’t won over by the controls and flow of a match in 2K22, this version likely won’t convert you with its subtleties. For instance, you won’t see the giant Omos scaling the turnbuckle as frequently, with the AI’s behavior more closely sticking to that of the real-life wrestler. That drills down even more specifically to individual wrestlers. Members of the development team tell me that tag-team AI should be better in this edition, as teammates won’t break up pinfall attempts as frequently as they used to. The latter could wind up having a major impact, as poor AI made tag-team matches a bit unbearable in the 2022 edition. Other changes are more subtle, like the ability to perform in-ring springboard maneuvers or shift to its AI. When I kick out of a razor-thin green line, I actually feel like a wrestler narrowly avoiding a close two-and-a-half count. But more than that, the new system better communicates the drama of that moment. Flicking a stick upwards more closely resembles the physicality of a wrestler wrenching their shoulder off the mat. On a fundamental level, it just makes sense. The more damaged they are, the smaller that box becomes. Instead, the pinned player needs to complete a quick minigame where they flick the right stick up when a cursor lines up with a moving green box. This year, kicking out of a pinfall attempt isn’t just a matter of mashing buttons. Perhaps the smallest-on-paper but biggest-in-practice tweak comes to the pin system. Image used with permission by copyright holder I’m encouraged to really pay attention and sharpen my reaction time as a result, adding more tension to a match. That window feels much shorter in 2K23, making reversals a little more special when they do happen. It always felt pretty easy to get out of danger and turn something around. That made for some visually exciting moments, but didn’t really simulate wrestling too well. Players would get a lengthy amount of time to hit the reversal button, making matches play out like a constant seesaw. The more one-on-one matches I played, though, the more I began to see all the little adjustments stacking up. I’m still alternating light and heavy strikes, grappling my opponent, and mashing my way into big spots. The basic controls and flow of a match are largely unchanged from 2K22 - at least on a surface level. WWE 2K23 is Ready for War #shorts Core changes
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