WWE 2K17 rumbling onto PC February 7th
It's a bit better than the last one
In what has become an annual wrasslin' tradition, WWE 2K17 [official site] is coming to PC on February 7th, months after its console launch. The console version is the best WWE release in the last few years, with marginal improvements in the career mode and creation suites, and better in-ring action. Most notable is the fact that triple threat matches and the like are actually enjoyable now, thanks to longer rest spots outside the ring for battered wrestlers, allowing for better match flow. I still wouldn't go so far as to recommend it, but it's on the right track.
The biggest disappointment is that the game was already well into production when the WWE had its Raw/Smackdown brand split, so none of that is reflected in-game. That doesn't just mean it feels outdated, it also means there's no room for a brand vs brand management mode, which could be fantastic. The Universe mode here, which allows you to modify existing rosters and shows and then play out the company's future, is the most appealing part of the game to me, but it's still undercooked. A new UI can't disguise the fact that there aren't actually many changes under the hood. Rivalries play out without any sense of excitement or momentum, and you need to bring your own creativity to the mode to make it worthwhile.
This is the game that brought Goldberg back to the squared circle, and he's included in every version, having been a preorder bonus on console. I've actually spent less time using him in the ring since WWE have in real life since his return. If you want all of the other DLC, there's a season pass to buy, which'll set you back an extra £24.99 on top of the £39.99 recommended retail price. All DLC already released, which includes some wrestling legends and NXT folks (Nakamura isn't in the base game, which I find very upsetting), will be available at launch on PC, but the season pass stuff that isn't yet on console will be available "at a later time".
