WWE 2K15 wants to stop being a fighting game with wrestlers in it and become a wrestling game. That goal shapes nearly everything about it, from the way matches start to how the stamina bar drains. Whether it succeeds depends on how much patience a player has for a slower, more deliberate kind of match.
Trailer, via IGDBcom.
New Match Rules
The game’s biggest change is the chain wrestling system, a mini-game that opens every match. Two wrestlers grab each other at the bell, and each player presses one of three buttons to try to force the other into a hold. The order follows a rock-paper-scissors logic: headlock beats wrist lock, wrist lock beats waist lock, and waist lock beats headlock. The winner forces the hold, and both players turn the right stick to find a sweet spot. Strike the hold and the move lands; defend it and the wrestler gains the upper hand.
That sequence repeats only two or three times per match, and it can be turned off entirely through the options menu. Some players will find it a welcome addition to the realism push. Others will find it a pause in the action they’d rather skip.
Stamina And The Pace Of Matches
WWE 2K15 also introduces a three-tier stamina meter. Each move, each strike, each run drains it. In the first tier, a wrestler is full of energy and moves easily. In the second tier, the wrestler starts to slow down. In the third tier, the wrestler slows further still. Strikes have returned to their normal speed, and the improved collision and selling animations mean wrestlers no longer spring back to their feet immediately after a bump or a slam.
The stamina system is meant to reflect the quality of matches produced on WWE television, slowing the pacing of matches as the contest goes on. It is a bold choice, and it changes the feel of every match against human opponents.
What Changed From The Last Game
This is the sequel to WWE 2K14, and it marks the start of a “new generation” for the series. The comparison to the last game is worth noting: WWE 2K14 had arcade-like combat, and WWE 2K15 deliberately moves away from that toward a more naturalistic style. That shift explains why the chain wrestling system exists at all.
The game also marks the first WWE title to use the new WWE logo since it was introduced earlier in 2014. That logo was originally used as the logo of the WWE Network.
Platforms And Release Dates
| Platform | Seventh Generation | Eighth Generation | PC |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 3 | October 28, 2014 | October 31, 2014 | — |
| PlayStation 4 | November 18, 2014 | November 21, 2014 | — |
| Xbox 360 | October 28, 2014 | October 31, 2014 | — |
| Xbox One | November 18, 2014 | November 21, 2014 | — |
| Microsoft Windows | — | — | April 28, 2015 |
The PC version was the first WWE game to appear on that platform since WWE Raw, which was released in 2002. Online server play was shut down on May 31, 2016.
Our Verdict
WWE 2K15 is a sincere attempt to make wrestling games feel more like actual wrestling. The chain wrestling system, the stamina meter, and the slower pacing all point toward that goal. But the game’s execution asks for patience that not every player will want to give. Some will enjoy the realism push; others will miss the faster pace of previous installments.
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