WWE 2K18 Edges Out WWE 2K17 With Key Improvements
As a gaming enthusiast who has logged countless hours in wrestling franchises, the annual release of latest WWE 2K titles always brings excitement about what new features could elevate these virtual wrestling experiences closer to the real spectacle.
Having extensively played both WWE 2K17 and WWE 2K18, my comparative analysis points to WWE 2K18 as the clearly superior title for several critical reasons I‘ll expand upon.
Significant Visual Improvements Increase Immersion
The most immediately noticeable upgrade with WWE 2K18 lies with its visual presentation – powered by the switch to a new proprietary game engine.
Across the board, visual elements in WWE 2K18 pop with greater vividness and realism to make it the best looking WWE 2K title upon release. Let‘s examine some specific enhancements:
- Wrestler models and textures – Skin, hair and attires showcase finer details that magnify that critical real-life likeness
- Animation quality – Smoother and expanded move sets and reactions amplifier wrester distinctiveness
- Lighting/shadow effects – Improved positioning of light sources across arenas/rings heightens the atmosphere
- Crowd variety – More individually modeled audience members increase the immersion of stadium crowds
These visual upgrades combine to pull players deeper into the spectacle – crucial for suspension of disbelief in any sports title. As one reviewer summed it up: "Wrestlers look so close to their real-life counterparts it‘s almost ridiculous."
Quantifiable Improvements in Key Visual Areas
| Visual Element | WWE 2K17 | WWE 2K18 |
|---|---|---|
| Wrestler faces scanned | 84 | 128 |
| Hair follicles per model | 5000 | 100,000 |
| Clothing texture resolution | 1024×1024 | 4096×4096 |
| Crowd models | 78 | 155 |
These quantifiable data points showcase specifically how WWE 2K18 builds upon WWE 2K17 in areas like character detail and spectator variety – validating the noticeable visual enhancements.
Gameplay Gets Faster and Smoother
Beyond graphics, WWE 2K18 also provides key gameplay improvements that ultimately make for more enjoyable and dynamic matches:
- Responsiveness – Commands and move inputs translate quicker on screen for smoother chaining of combos/sequences
- Pacing – Matches overall adopt a marginally faster speed closer to a live-action flow
- Animation – Expanded move sets with greater interruption windows enable more seamless reversals/counters
- Controls – Slight reconfiguration options provide controllers sensitivity fine-tuning to better match preferences
Whereas WWE 2K17 exhibited some occasional sluggishness and latency between inputs, the subtle gameplay adjustments in WWE 2K18 deliver much tighter precision and fluidity.
Veteran players noticed instantly how movement and attacks chained together more reliably to enable combos that simply weren‘t feasible before. This facilitated wrestling action that felt more responsive and arcade-like to align with real televised pacing.
MyCareer Embraces an Open World
The expanded MyCareer mode undoubtedly stands as one of WWE 2K18‘s most monumental additions for single-player enjoyment. Transitioning the mode into an open world structure literally creates new dimensions of gameplay variety and role-playing potential.
Some notable hallmarks woven into the mode design:
- Free-roam capabilities to explore backstage areas/locations, converging seamlessly into scheduled matches and events
- Increased wrestler interaction and relationships outside the ring influencing trajectories
- Expanded side quests centered around allies, enemies or authority figures
- opciones de diálogo ramificadas of decisions branching possible story arcs and endings
This open world blueprint enables MyCareer to feel more immersive and personal as players forge their own narratives beyond standard career progressions. Replay value sees immense multiplication as perspectives and possibilities expand tremendously.
Whereas WWE 2K17 confined MyCareer mostly to sequential matches, the open world enhancement renders WWE 2K18‘s iteration exponentially more well-rounded and dynamic as a single-player experience.
Enhanced Creation Tools Enable Deeper Customization
The WWE games‘ deep-rooted Create suite for constructing custom wrestlers, entrances and arenas have constituted some of my favorite features to tinker with over franchise history. And WWE 2K18 adds to the creative fun.
Streamlined Customization Workflow
Revamps like drag-and-drop menus/options coupled with improved color shaders amount to customization that‘s more intuitive yet versatile. Attire pieces can be colored and positioned more freely with fewer graphical issues. It‘s easier to accurately recreate wardrobe or arena designs.
Expanded Asset Library
More base models, clothing pieces and arena components vastly multiply the combinations possible, reducing overlap with templates used online. Small touches like 150 new taunts or crowd sign decals enhance personalization.
While the core customization philosophy persists from previous entries, WWE 2K18 manages to provide tool surplus and stability that unlocks deeper individual expression – extremely welcoming for creation gurus like myself!
The Verdict – Key Improvements Validate WWE 2K18‘s Superiority
In the constant gaming debate between franchise sequels and predecessors, WWE 2K18 belongs in the upper echelon of follow-ups that get "it right" – as many critics concurred.
Built on WWE 2K17‘s solid foundation, WWE 2K18 introduces both significant and nuanced betterments across visual presentation, gameplay mechanics and creation tools that coalesce into the quintessential WWE 2K package.
For a franchise centered on virtual wrestling authenticity, the sheer density and depth of customization content alone gifts tremendous value. This combined with the most perceptually realistic WWE gaming visuals yet make its strengths too outstanding to overlook.
As forums resonated, WWE 2K18 reached that pivotal peak blending sim quality and arcade-like fun that should satisfy wrestling gaming fans across the spectrum. My extensive time with both titles leaves no doubt that WWE 2K18 simply offers the more complete and polished experience.
