The Best WWE Career Mode is MyRISE in WWE 2K22 – And Here‘s Why
As a passionate professional wrestler and longtime player of WWE video games, I believe the current gold standard for WWE career modes is MyRISE, introduced this year in WWE 2K22. In this deep dive, we‘ll analyze why MyRISE tops franchises legends like Smackdown vs. Raw‘s Road to WrestleMania. Strap in for over 20 years of WWE gaming history!
A Brief History of Career Modes in WWE Games
Career modes that let you journey from novice to superstar have appeared in WWE games since the PlayStation era. In the late 1990s, games had basic season modes focused on winning championships more than storytelling. SmackDown vs. Raw marked an evolution in career modes for its era, with special match types and defined rivalries lending a better sense of progression.
Things stepped up to another level in 2009 when Road to WrestleMania debuted in SmackDown vs. Raw. It wove actual WWE Superstar storylines into voice-acted campaign modes spanning meses of in-game time. RtWM raised the bar and kept raising it through 2012‘s epic Attitude Era campaign.
30 years of history proved prime material for amazing story modes…but the devs still had tricks up their sleeves!
Present Day – MyRISE Overview
Seeking to again revolutionize the solo experience, Visual Concepts designed MyRISE, an hangs-on story mode combined with detailed player customization and immense freedom to carve your own path.
- Over 50 hours of interconnected stories and matches
- Approximately 1000 matches
- Voice acted campaign with branching choices
- Fully customize your MyPLAYER
- Xbox Series X|S optimized visuals
- Backstage exploration between matches
I‘ll analyze why MyRISE stands atop the Hungarian announce table of career modes, while also peering into the future at its immense potential still unfulfilled. Get hyped!
MyRISE‘s Thoroughly Modern Storytelling Makes Past Modes Feel Dated
While RtWM told some great yarns starring all-time greats, its linear format pales next to MyRISE‘s sprawling narratives. Past modes funnelled you down a fixed path – effective but limiting as a fantasy. MyRISE offers vastly more choice both inside and out – your personality, your allies, your dreams. New dialog even calls back choices you made hours ago!
Case in point, RtWM‘s 2012 Hero Storyline casts you as John Cena‘s newfound best bud. But in MyRISE I forge my own persona through actions rather than ride along with established figures. Both have merits, but MyRISE takes it to the next level. I‘ve spent 30 hours forging feuds and alliances, my WORD reverberating through every showing.
Freedom only works paired with meaty gameplay though – MyRISE delivers there too…
MyRISE‘s Matches Feel More Impactful Thanks to Upgraded Gameplay
WWE 2K22 refines wrestling mechanics to support MyRISE‘s bold vision. Matches feel smoother and more visceral. Big improvements to reversal timing, combos, pace and evasiveness make bouts intense contests rather than clunky back-and-forths. It looks fantastic too – I adore my hideous Create-A-Wrestler‘s uglier-in-4K mug!
Add in the series‘ deepest customization tools yet for movesets, entrances and more, and I feel intensely connected with my player. Small touches cement the bond – like customized combo finishers and ENT/VICTORY motions tailored to my gimmick. After clumsy years, it‘s wonderful to feel legit in the ring again.
Of course gameplay can‘t support MyRISE alone. So much transpires outside the squared circle as well…
MyRISE Immerses You in a Breathing World Full of Superstars
I cherish Road to WrestleMania‘s best stories, but strolling the backstage halls between bouts stands as an underrated gem that further separates MyRISE. Roaming free, I schmooze legends, partake side stories (and sidequests!), upgrade my skills and gear, even ignite new feuds through surprise run-ins!
It feels wonderfully dynamic thanks to random events and dialog options aplenty. I recall Chyna inviting me on a double date with X-Pac in Here Comes the Pain, but backstage life hits differently here – almost BioWare-esque. There‘s no main menu either – just immediate immersion.
It‘s brilliantly fleshed out and should only improve with time as VC keeps building upon it…
MyRISE Lays Strong Foundation for Series‘ Future Career Modes
Despite only being in its first outing, MyRISE shows glimmers of brilliance that if nurtured could redefine solo wrestling experiences as Attitude Era mode once did. While current stories entertain, I‘m even more stoked for the future – with major expansions already confirmed for WWE 2K23!
We‘ll see new storylines centered around fan favorites like John Cena and Bianca Belair. Rumor mills swirl suggesting entire past eras will become playable too with narrative choices reshaping iconic moments! And that‘s only the start of how MyRISE can continue to innovate:
- Further incorporate real WWE events
- Add Invasion-style dream matches as bonuses
- Ever-expanding roster cameos
- Rival online MyPLAYERS ala 2K basketball
- Creative freedom to run own indie federation
MyRISE‘s framework has room for limitless new concepts – it can immortalize whole chunks of wrestling history within video games!
The bottom line is this – we‘ve only scratched the surface of MyRISE‘s massive potential. As both a career retrospective and forward-moving vehicle, I consider it the definitive wrestling career mode. The best is yet to come!
Final Verdict: MyRISE is the New King of Career Modes
In one article I‘ve covered nearly 30 years of WWE career modes, analyzing MyRISE‘s meteoric premier against legendary past feats like Attitude Era. While I still adore classics like Shut Your Mouth and Here Comes the Pain, today MyRISE reigns supreme as the series‘ most fleshed out, forward-thinking solo experience.
Its branching stories and living world realize the ultimate wrestling fantasy – forging your own persona in a fully reactive world filled with heroes and icons. Paired with the overhauled, modernized gameplay of 2K22, it‘s incredible immersive and satisfying. This sets a new benchmark WWE games must match and exceed as they continue iterating; the next horizon burns bright.
For the thrill of forging my own path to glory my way, no career mode has ever made me feel more powerful, more seen. And so as both expert critic and lifelong fanatic, I proudly crown MyRISE as the current zenith of WWE career modes! What an age we live in.
Let me know what you think of MyRISE versus past career glories in the comments! And for all the latest WWE gaming news, be sure to follow me on Social Mediahandles. Until next time, this is your Friendly Neighborhood Wrestling Nerd signing off!
