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AEW: Fight Forever Review: A Promising Start That Needs More Polish

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All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has rapidly risen to prominence as a legitimate competitor to WWE‚ capturing the hearts of wrestling fans with its dynamic storylines‚ incredible athleticism‚ and a focus on delivering what the audience truly wants․ AEW: Fight Forever‚ the promotion’s highly anticipated entry into the world of video games‚ aims to translate that energy and excitement into a compelling gaming experience․ While the game demonstrates moments of brilliance and offers a refreshing take on wrestling gameplay‚ it ultimately falls short of its full potential due to a combination of technical issues‚ limited content‚ and a lack of overall polish․ This review will delve into the various aspects of the game‚ highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses‚ to determine if Fight Forever can truly stand toe-to-toe with its established rivals․

Gameplay: A Nostalgic Throwback with Modern Twists

One of the most immediately noticeable aspects of AEW: Fight Forever is its gameplay style․ Rather than attempting to emulate the hyper-realistic simulation approach of recent WWE 2K titles‚ Fight Forever embraces a more arcade-inspired feel‚ reminiscent of classic wrestling games like WWF No Mercy and Def Jam: Vendetta․ This deliberate choice offers a refreshing alternative‚ prioritizing fun and accessibility over strict realism․

Simplified Controls‚ Deep Mechanics

The control scheme is relatively simple to pick up‚ with a focus on quick button presses and intuitive combinations․ Strikes‚ grapples‚ and submissions are all easily accessible‚ allowing players to quickly engage in exciting back-and-forth matches․ However‚ beneath the surface lies a surprising amount of depth․ The momentum system‚ for example‚ plays a crucial role in determining the flow of the match․ As you successfully land attacks and taunt your opponent‚ your momentum meter fills‚ eventually allowing you to unleash signature moves and finishing maneuvers․

The game also incorporates a “weight class” system‚ which impacts the effectiveness of certain moves․ Smaller wrestlers may struggle to execute powerbombs on larger opponents‚ while heavier wrestlers may find it difficult to keep up with the agility of their smaller counterparts․ This adds a layer of strategic consideration to each match‚ forcing players to adapt their approach based on their chosen wrestler and their opponent․

Variety of Match Types

Fight Forever offers a decent selection of match types‚ including:

  • Singles Matches
  • Tag Team Matches
  • Three-Way Matches
  • Four-Way Matches
  • Casino Battle Royale (AEW’s signature battle royal)
  • Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch (a particularly brutal and exciting option)

Each match type offers a slightly different gameplay experience‚ keeping things fresh and engaging․ The Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch‚ in particular‚ is a standout‚ providing a chaotic and visually impressive spectacle․

Roster and Presentation: A Mixed Bag

The roster in AEW: Fight Forever features a solid selection of AEW’s top stars‚ including:

  • Kenny Omega
  • Chris Jericho
  • Jon Moxley
  • Britt Baker
  • Adam Cole
  • The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)

However‚ the roster does feel somewhat limited compared to the sheer number of wrestlers featured in WWE 2K games․ While the included wrestlers are all well-represented‚ the lack of a wider selection is a noticeable drawback․

Character Models and Animations

The character models in Fight Forever are stylized and cartoonish‚ which aligns with the game’s arcade-inspired aesthetic․ While some wrestlers are instantly recognizable and well-rendered‚ others suffer from a lack of detail and personality․ The animations‚ too‚ are a mixed bag․ Some moves look impactful and believable‚ while others appear stiff and unnatural․ This inconsistency detracts from the overall visual experience․

Audio and Commentary

The game’s audio is generally solid‚ with a rocking soundtrack and decent sound effects․ However‚ the commentary‚ provided by Tony Schiavone and Excalibur‚ is repetitive and often out of sync with the action․ The lack of variety in the commentary lines quickly becomes tiresome‚ and it’s often best to simply turn it off altogether․

Game Modes: Where the Game Stumbles

Unfortunately‚ the game modes in AEW: Fight Forever are where the game truly begins to falter․ While the core gameplay is enjoyable‚ the lack of compelling single-player content and limited customization options significantly hinder the overall experience․

Road to Elite: A Disappointing Career Mode

The “Road to Elite” mode is intended to be the game’s main career mode‚ allowing players to create their own wrestler and guide them through the ranks of AEW․ However‚ the mode is surprisingly shallow and repetitive․ Matches are interspersed with short‚ often nonsensical cutscenes that offer little in the way of meaningful storytelling․ The lack of customization options for your wrestler is also disappointing․ You can change your appearance and learn new moves‚ but you can’t truly personalize your character to the same extent as in other wrestling games․

Exhibition Mode: Limited Customization

The Exhibition mode allows you to play quick matches with any of the available wrestlers․ While this is a perfectly functional way to enjoy the core gameplay‚ the lack of customization options is again a drawback․ You can’t adjust the match rules or create custom arenas‚ which limits the replay value․

Online Multiplayer: Hit or Miss

The online multiplayer in AEW: Fight Forever can be a fun experience when it works‚ but it’s plagued by inconsistent performance․ Lag and connectivity issues are common‚ which can disrupt the flow of the match and make it difficult to execute moves․ While the online community is generally friendly and competitive‚ the technical issues make it hard to recommend the online multiplayer as a primary draw․

Technical Issues and Bugs

One of the biggest criticisms leveled against AEW: Fight Forever is its abundance of technical issues and bugs․ Glitches‚ frame rate drops‚ and collision detection problems are all too common․ These issues can be frustrating and immersion-breaking‚ detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game․

Glitches and Collision Detection

Wrestlers can often clip through the environment‚ get stuck in awkward positions‚ or simply disappear altogether․ Collision detection is also inconsistent‚ with moves sometimes failing to connect properly or registering incorrectly․ These glitches can disrupt the flow of the match and lead to unfair outcomes․

Frame Rate Issues

The game’s frame rate is also inconsistent‚ particularly during moments of intense action․ This can make the game feel choppy and unresponsive‚ making it difficult to time your moves correctly․ While these issues are not always present‚ they occur frequently enough to be a significant annoyance․

Overall Assessment: Potential Unrealized

AEW: Fight Forever had the potential to be a truly great wrestling game․ Its arcade-inspired gameplay‚ solid roster‚ and unique match types offer a refreshing alternative to the established WWE 2K series․ However‚ the game is ultimately held back by its limited content‚ technical issues‚ and lack of overall polish․ The disappointing career mode‚ limited customization options‚ and inconsistent online performance detract from the overall experience․

While the core gameplay can be enjoyable‚ the game’s flaws are simply too numerous to ignore․ AEW: Fight Forever feels like a game that needed more time in development․ With further improvements and additions‚ it could eventually become a truly worthy competitor to WWE 2K․ However‚ in its current state‚ it’s difficult to recommend it to all but the most die-hard AEW fans․

Ultimately‚ AEW: Fight Forever is a promising start that falls short of its aspirations․ The foundation is there‚ showcasing an enjoyable‚ albeit imperfect‚ wrestling experience․ However‚ the game clearly needed more time to address its technical shortcomings and expand its content offerings․ Hopefully‚ future updates and sequels will build upon this foundation and deliver the truly great AEW wrestling game that fans are eagerly awaiting․ For now‚ it remains a title with potential unrealized‚ a glimpse of what could be rather than what is․

AEW: Fight Forever shows promise but needs significant improvements to reach its full potential․ Its arcade-style gameplay and roster are appealing‚ but technical issues hold it back․ The game’s future success hinges on addressing these flaws․

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Ethan Cole is a passionate technology enthusiast and reviewer with a deep understanding of cutting-edge gadgets, software, and emerging innovations. With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, he has built a reputation for delivering in-depth, unbiased analyses of the latest technological advancements. Ethan’s fascination with technology began in his teenage years when he started building custom PCs and exploring the world of coding. Over time, his curiosity evolved into a professional career, where he dissects complex tech concepts and presents them in an easy-to-understand manner. On Tech Insight Hub, Ethan shares detailed reviews of smartphones, laptops, AI-powered devices, and smart home innovations. His mission is to help readers navigate the fast-paced world of technology and make informed decisions about the gadgets that shape their daily lives.

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