AEW: Fight Forever recaptures the attitude of golden-age wrestling games

Ask most wrestling fans, and they’ll cite the late ’90s and early 2000s as the best era for both in-ring product and collections of video games released for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. . games like wwf no mercy, WCW/nWo Revenge, and the inaugural SmackDown! The series was easy to learn but hard to master. Nearly 25 years later, All Elite Wrestling seeks to capture ease of use and nostalgia AEW: Fight Forever – And it’s come very close.

mechanically, fight forever It has its roots in the golden age of wrestling video games, mainly because AEW used developer Yuke’s, which created the said games. Beginners can push their way to victory, but can gradually learn to do showmanship and acrobatic tricks, depending on when and for how long you press those same buttons. AEW manager William Regal guides you through a series of tutorials to demonstrate how the sport’s simple fundamentals can appeal to casual fans looking for nostalgia, while the high skill limits appeal to hardcore wrestling fans. Has unlock capability for . As I scoff at Spam, I think back to those years spent clutching my N64 controller. As I leap from the corner of the ring, I remember the days I spent playing wwf no mercy,

stylistically, fight forever WWE also looks to the past with an exaggerated and cartoonish aesthetic, in contrast to the surrealism of the 2K games. Some wrestlers’ faces look bad or wrong on the character selection screen, but they look much better in the ring. Each AEW wrestler has a different set of taunts and sound effects, as well as unique move sets that encourage you to experiment – finding the best of every grapple and strike. There can be so many maneuvers in modern wrestling games that the characters become unrecognizable. Because of this complexity, I don’t feel obligated to sift through his personal cartography, it may be said. But fight foreverThe combination of simplicity and depth has already attracted me.

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Image: UK/THQ Nordic

In Road to Elite, perhaps the most arcade-leaning mode, you choose a wrestler and progress the story throughout the years. Each week, you travel to a different city while trying to raise your stats and keep your energy level high. You do this by eating local cuisine, working out at the gym, holding press conferences at famous landmarks (the US Capitol, the Liberty Bell, the Las Vegas Strip). These tasks mostly require you to talk to NPCs, but you can opt to play minigames instead to raise your stats. Neglecting this regimen can result in damage, burnout because you haven’t replenished your energy through food, or even injury. Along the way, take selfies with the wrestlers you meet during your adventures. Even when you are playing as a budding wrestler or a built wrestler, you can still get kicked out.

The storylines are divided into four pay-per-view events and often recreate famous AEW storylines. Highlights of real-world events are often played after the story has completed to set up the story for someone unaware.

And while it sounds like a straight-forward trip down the street to a professional wrestler, the NPCs involved fight forever Have quirky personalities and their reactions often border on the absurd. You discuss the effects of art and gentleness with a wrestler. You can find Sting chilling on Venice Beach. A waitress in Los Angeles sternly tells you that avocado toast is a worthy meal. There’s a lot of self-deprecation and fourth wall breaking in it. The segments can get repetitive, but they help prevent the burden of playing 20 matches without a break.

Image: UK/THQ Nordic

Through it all, UK continues to demonstrate a deep appreciation for the medium. Attempting a pinfall and not reaching the 3-count would result in a 2.99 count, which has become a common phrase in the wrestling world. After creating a custom wrestler, you are greeted with a graphic that reads “[Your player] In keeping with how new AEW wrestlers are introduced in real life, all are exclusive. There is a gym in Austin, Texas named Fang McFitness, a reference to Fang McFrost, one of the names rejected by a certain wrestler before deciding on Stone Cold Steve Austin. There are too many trivia spread throughout the game to list here, but it’s worth playing dozens of matches to uncover more.

fight forever It’s not without its rough edges that can feel like glaring, inexplicable omissions. Perhaps because it’s been in development since 2020, the initial roster is relatively small considering how much the company has grown in just three years. AEW has signed dozens of new wrestlers, and owner Tony Khan has also purchased former rival promotion Ring of Honor, which has become a sister promotion to AEW. Nevertheless, major players such as CM Punk who made his debut in the middle of Evolution appear in the game, while other wrestlers who have been with the company for a long time, such as Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds and Sonny Kiss, are missing. The omission may be rectified with unlockables and future DLC – AEW has already announced a season pass that includes six more wrestlers. But right now his absence is being felt.

Image: UK/THQ Nordic

Generally speaking, different parts of fight forever Feel a little rushed. Most notably, the game includes the first edition of the AEW Women’s Championship, which has seen two new iterations since 2021. The non-updating of assets seems to be a result of tight deadlines, or else, missing out on opportunities to capitalize on the time of launch. The wrestlers are highlighted with a quote on the loading screen, but the quote is usually an old line from a match years old. You also won’t find most of AEW’s licensed theme songs in the game.

basically, fight forever Pro Wrestling is a love letter to the golden generation of video games. It’s not perfect, and on the content side, it’s a bit out of date – but most of my complaints go away every time I pick up a controller and start a new match. The memories and beauty of those old glory years emerge from so many angles that it becomes difficult to pick the places that fall short. AEW: Fight Forever It is at the same time a faithful tribute, and also a promising indicator of the future.

AEW Fight Forever was released on June 29 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on Xbox using a pre-release download code provided by THQ Nordic. Vox Media is an affiliated partnership. These do not affect editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links. You can find Here’s additional information about Play Gamez’s ethics policy,