After THQ folded, 2K continued where they left off with WWE 2K14. With a new publisher behind the realm, one would assume that the franchise would be going somewhere. Instead, it went straight down while still showing the same flaws that it had before.
If you're familiar with WWE '12 and '13 then 2K14 shouldn't be a problem. The controls feel the same way as them and the most noticeable change you'll first see is the speed in how everyone moves. It's like they implemented the fast-paced arcade action from Here Comes The Pain and SmackDown 2006 into WWE 2K14 which would not have been so bad if it weren't for the WWE wanting their games to be more like simulators and its retarded slow pacing which everyone had to endure since SmackDown 2007. Add the fact that the strikes are so broken and very difficult to counter at times (which the A.I. exploits like crazy) does not help matters either.
Just like WWE '13 had the Attitude Era as its focal selling point, 2K14 has WrestleMania as theirs....or should I say 30 Years of WrestleMania. The single campaign is longer and features several key matches from ALL of the WrestleMania events from the first one in Madison Square Garden, New York City to the 29th edition from Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Well, certain matches that should've been here aren't present due to bad deals with others involved with WrestleMania (Mr. T, Roddy Piper and Paul Orndoff not being included in the game is a travesty in itself since they were apart of the first WrestleMania nearly 30 years ago) or certain wrestlers only show up afterwards as DLC who aren't included in the single player campaign which is a real downer and (obviously) the main event at WrestleMania 20 comes to mind too. Speaking of the campaign, all you have to do is win the matches while going for WrestleMania moments throughout them. Basically these moments are what makes these matches 'stand the test of time' as they say and aren't necessary to finish unless you want to get them all.
Added to 30 Years of WrestleMania are two new game modes, well one actually, that revolve around The Undertaker. The first mode is Defend The Streak, which pits you as the Deadman and having to defeat as many wrestlers as you can before you lose yourself. Basically it's Slobberknocker mode from SmackDown 2006. Defeat The Streak, on the other hand, is a WHOLE different ball game. You have the chance of being the one in 21-1 by defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania......which is no easy task. Think of any final boss in any final fighting game on the hardest difficulty and you'll have a good idea as to what you are up against. His A.I. is programmed to cheat and make it unbelievably hard to defeat him, and by finally defeating him only gives you bragging rights but it's one of the more fun modes to play.
Create mode remains the same.....well, almost. For those who love to create arenas will be disappointed as Create-An-Arena appears to be broken with no patch to fix it in sight. Matter of fact, there's some areas in this game that do feel broken in comparison to the more superior WWE '13 that for some reason aren't patched. But then again, that's what happens when you keep the same developer to do everything.
FINAL THOUGHTS
WWE 2K14 could've been so much better if not for the way how they treated it. It's like they were frantic to make the Christmas rush that they forgot about testing it more thoroughly to iron out all of the bugs and glitches that it has. This game deserves at least a rental. Nothing more and nothing less.