The concept of an arcade-like wrestling game featuring some of the most famous stars today wrapped in a cartoony art-style seems like a winning formula. No simulation-like gameplay, only over the top action littered with graphical spectacle is the kind of fun one might need during dire times, unfortunately, the ideas never reach the same levels of excitement as the description of WWE 2K Battlegrounds. If only the developers spent more time creating a worthwhile arcade wrestling game instead of forcing another half-baked WWE title out the door, Battlegrounds might have brought something good to 2020.



Substituting the simulation wrestling gameplay for more arcade-like focused gameplay, Battlegrounds can be described as "dumb fun," at least for the first few matches. The differences between the 5 classes soon become apparent and introduce the point where Battlegrounds generally fell apart for me. The five classes which are Powerhouses, Brawlers, Technicians, High-Flyers, and All-Rounders at least all play differently from each other. Powerhouses are slow-moving, heavy-hitting goons, while Brawlers can materialize weapons out of thin air. Technicians have powerful throw moves while High-Flyers can jump from the top ropes. All-Rounders can do a bit of everything of the above, though to a lesser degree. The neat class-based system is sadly held back by the fact that each character in a specific class plays exactly the same. It would have been great to see each wrestler in their respectful class play differently from another wrestler in the same class.



To try and give some meaning to all the matches, WWE 2K Battlegrounds tries to introduce a story players can follow. Following Paul Bearer as he tries to create his own wrestling spectacle, the story is presented in a comic book format. Needless to say, the story is about as intriguing as its presentation. Make no mistake, this is no comic strip masterfully crafted to deliver maximum punch through a 2-page spread, it's simply a couple of bland images thrown together to try and invoke a sense of purpose for each wrestler it is currently focusing on. A zany, over-the-top story to compliment the cartoon-like art style would have gone a long way in the story department.

To try and give some meaning to all the matches, WWE 2K Battlegrounds tries to introduce a story players can follow.

The flashy combat and simple gameplay can be enjoyed in short bursts, especially when playing against friends. Unfortunately, this is not a title I can see myself sitting in front of for hours, chipping away at the goals the game throws at me. Paying full price or getting the deluxe edition for the extra unlocks, which should have been included from the onset, seems like a hefty price of admission. This is particularly true if you take into account the number of microtransactions in Battlegrounds.



As has become the norm in WWE 2K games, microtransactions are present and as (if not more) intrusive as ever. No aspect of Battlegrounds' package is spared from the infectious microtransactions. Character roster, cosmetics, skins, character creation, everything can be conveniently bought with premium currency. For instance, Battlegrounds boasts an impressive line up of 70 wrestlers, with only 24 available at the start. The rest must be unlocked by playing through the paper-thing campaign or bought in the shop by spending Battle Bucks (earned in the game) or Golden Bucks (good old premium currency).

...Battlegrounds boasts an impressive line up of 70 wrestlers, with only 24 available at the start.

Characters range between 75 and 300 Golden Bucks, this is not accounting for the numerous skins each of them have. Note that these items can be bought with Battle Bucks, but I was hard-pressed to justify the grind and purchasing of items in Battlegrounds as the grind felt like a submissive hold waiting for me to tap out. The character creator doesn't fare any better. If you'd like to create the world's most generic-looking wrestler, you're in luck. If you want to create a unique looking wrestler, you better have some real-world money or pre-purchased Golden Bucks available.



Other than the gripes outlined above, there are still some issues in Battlegrounds that annoyed me to no end. The wonky hit detection during matches can sometimes see your wrestler perform an animation on air only for the opponent to stare at you in disbelief. Or, and this is my favorite as it reminds me of the Force, is punching the air to see your opponent flinch, although they are on the opposite side of the ring. If this wasn't jarring enough, the code that triggers the commentators have either been messed with or buggered up from the get-go. Hearing them shout out the wrong moves, respond late to actions, or being stuck in a shout cast loop proved enough for me to simply switch off my headphones and play the game without any sound. It brings a tear to my eye to write the following, but the "common" WWE 2K bugs are still present, weird graphical glitches, sound stuttering, awkward character animation, they're all still present.



The only redeeming quality WWE 2K Battlegrounds has at present is the simplicity of its gameplay. Even that can become frustrating after a while. There are no combos or sequences to remember or even master here. Throw a controller at a friend, mash a few buttons, and move on to another title altogether when the system inevitably grows stale. The silly amount of microtransactions and ridiculous grind to unlock digital content is absurd and quite frankly, one I cannot see myself soldiering through. The thin story and same-y mechanics do little to redeem the title, in fact, it hinders the experience even more. WWE 2K20 left a sour taste in my mouth last year, and unfortunately, Battlegrounds has that sour taste bubbling up like a bad case of indigestion in 2020.