AEW: Fight Forever launched June 29, 2023, but ahead of that, we had an opportunity to go hands-on with the PS5 version of the game. Now, before going any further, I think it’s important to set proper expectations in that it’s important to go into this review and AEW: Fight Forever (should you choose to buy) with an open mindset. Of course, I’ll explain further, so without further delay, here’s the good, the bad, and our final verdict on THQ Nordic’s AEW: Fight Forever.
AEW: Fight Forever PlayStation 5 Review
The Good
Fight Forever is a return to arcade fun in a wrestling environment. If you are a long-time fan of wrestling games, then this immediately throws you back into the days of say WWF: No Mercy, arguably the greatest wrestling ever made. During the initial reveal of the game, there were mixed feelings surrounding the visual style of Fight Forever. And while many may disagree with the art direction, myself included, it does serve the game very, very well.
Since the game is not aiming for the sports simulation presentation of competitors like WWE 2K, the art immediately diminishes the notion of absolute authenticity, properly setting the tone of expectation. If you have ever played RAW 2 for the original Xbox, then Fight Forever is going finally give you back some of the wacky action you could create with a variety of props and various environmental interactions through the game’s various NO DQ match types.
Matches and gameplay
AEW: Fight Forever features a hefty variety of match types to bloody your hands with. I encourage players to give them all a shot. While doing so, you will notice the game feels drastically different than Yuke’s previous games under 2K and THQ. Fight Forever presents a new control scheme bringing back blocking along with timed counters. These actions alternate using the bumpers rather than the face buttons. Unfortunately, those coming from WWE games will need to unlearn some habits before fully grasping Fight Forever.
On the upside, the arcade pace of AEW has also seen the game do away with stat advantage. Whether using roster wrestlers or your own creation, the game emphasizes skill over stats. Again, this goes along with pushing the arcade style versus simulation. In addition, this also means players can pick their favorite superstar in any match, on or offline, and not be at a glaring disadvantage against someone who swears on using Kenny Omega.
Roster
Speaking of rosters, I certainly felt the game gave less than what many may have been expecting in roster size. AEW has such a deep and rich talent pool, it was disheartening to see so little of it in comparison actually included in the game. Still, Yuke’s made sure to include many who cemented themselves as crowd-favorites and history makers for AEW. This includes the likes of The Elite, Lucha Bros, Adam Page, Adam Cole, the controversial CM Punk, and more. Of course, players are welcome to create their own wrestlers as well, but the options are quite limited, more on that later.
Game modes
Alongside the creation modes, Fight Forever offers two additional modes. The core bulk of the game is, of course, its offline and online Exhibition, and then the Road to Elite career mode. All components of the game appear to be designed to get players into the action faster. Meaning, no matter which mode you play, it’s a few button presses before players find themselves in the ring.
In Exhibition, players can grapple across a solid variety of match types. The game includes:
- 1-on-1 (This has three variations of the traditional 1-on-1 match type: normal, Lights Out, and Falls Count Anywhere)
- 2-on-2
- 3-Way Match
- 4-Way Match
- Casino Battle Royale
- Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match
- Ladder Match
Players can also compete for championships within Exhibition. Win them enough belts with one wrestler and you will see them sport a multi-title entrance akin to Kenny Omega’s “Belt Collector” run.
Over in Road to Elite, players pick a wrestler from the roster or their own creation and play a career mode geared towards making it to the top of All Elite Wrestling. Road to Elite appears to have branching paths as players are not forced to win matches and the game tracks the win-loss record. Keeping the arcade formula alive, Road to Elite is bare bones, very similar to older Superstar career modes in Smackdown vs Raw or the NCAA games. While the game does not have traditional stats, players can improve a custom wrestler’s skills through Road to Elite, giving their creation additional finisher/signature slots as well as access to more moves buffs that trigger based on conditions during a match,
AEW Shop
Much like WWF No Mercy, Fight Forever includes an in-game shop. Before you breathe fire, the shop is completely (at least for now) paid for through in-game currency, currency that is earned by literally just playing the game. Win a match? Earn currency. Win as Malakai Black? Earn additional currency. Create a wrestler? Here, have some currency. Give them a moveset? Good guess, more currency. Progression and unlocking items in AEW: Fight Forever is simple and rewards players for playing as well as mastering the game.
The Bad
Given the scope of the game and its design intent, it may be a bit harsh to consider this the bad, but the things here do particular service the game positively.
First, as aforementioned, at the time of launch, Fight Forever features a relatively slim roster. Perhaps on slim based on expectations. What is universally true is the odd list of wrestlers who did not make the cut despite being within the company for some time. This includes wrestlers like Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, yet the game has John Silver. The same goes for the inclusion of Jeff Hardy, but Matt Hardy is a pre-order bonus. On top of that, the game immediately suffers from the same thing as WWE 2K and that’s the outdated gimmicks. For example, Anna Jay or Anna JAS, is actually still just Anna Jay of the Dark Order.
Additionally, while the art is arguably the most consistent its been, the game still has detection issues when it comes to moves. This is especially noticeable for AI wrestlers attempting to finishers or signature from less than common positions. Mad props to Yuke’s for making it fairly simple to place wrestlers in the proper position for a finisher/signature by grabbing and pressing the necessary button. However, some moves simply do not connect properly. This has resulted in a few occasions where the AI constantly transitions its opponent to a specific position or state only to repeat the process again and again.
Can the game AEW: Fight Forever actually Fight Forever?
In the end, it comes down to the question of longevity. The game offers a solid set of things to do, but none are especially deep to keep players playing for years on end, of course, assuming the game isn’t an annual release. More than likely, the roster will increase with DLC, and the arcade playstyle of the game will make it a mainstay at parties filled with wrestling fans. Beyond that, most are likely to put the game down after completing Road to Elite and unlocking all the items in the Shop. That is not to say the journey will not be fun; however, it may be briefer than many expect.
And the Verdict
For better or worse, AEW: Fight Forever is a return to arcade-wrestling form. Many may prefer to have simulation games, but there is certainly something positive to be said about Fight Forever paying homage to WWF No Mercy in spectacular fashion. However, like traditional arcade games, the fun really comes from playing with friends and competing against them for bragging rights. AEW: Fight Forever lacks a sandbox or franchise mode most sports games have come accustomed to. Additionally, the lack of options for creating wrestlers and arenas means players will not see a large influx of stars to their in-game roster via creation. A most, it’s viable to create maybe 2 male and 2 female stars before players feel it’s too similar to a prior creation.
AEW: Fight Forever effectively takes after its parent company AEW in that it’s young but with a rich pool of potential, of which many are anticipating great things in the future.
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