Wrestling fans have essentially had just once choice when it comes to video games for decades now.
The WWE 2K series has been the only show in town and besides the disastrous WWE 2K20, it has largely delivered on a fun and feature rich game.
Competition is always good and with the rise of a new wrestling promotion in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), it felt like the right time for a real competitor to WWE 2K.
AEW: Fight Forever is the answer, and with it being made by a team who previously worked on WWE 2K games (Yuke’s), the pedigree is there.
Sadly, while AEW: Fight Forever does deliver a fun alternative, a lack of content and an uninspired story mode leaves it just short of a title shot.
When you first boot up the game and look around the menus it is immediately clear that this is a much smaller overall package.
While it says on their website there are over 10 different modes, really it is just the different match types you can choose.
These include singles, tag-team, 3-way, 4-way, ladder, casino battle royale, falls count anywhere, unsanctioned lights out and of course the exploding barbed wire death match.
The latter is by far the most fun and bizarre match type in the game as two wrestlers square off in a ring surrounded by electrified barbed wired and tables full of it in each corner.
The catch is after 2 minutes the ring explodes and whoever is closest to the ropes takes the most damage. It is this sort of insane arcade action that makes Fight Forever really shine.
Arcade style
In terms of gameplay, the developers name checked WWF No Mercy as the gameplay style they wanted to replicate.
For the most part, the more arcade style gameplay is brought to life in Fight Forever and while it can take some time to get used to, it eventually sinks in.
On PS5, square is your punch button and triangle is the kick button. Strangely, the circle button is used to sprint as opposed to one of the analog sticks.
To grapple you simple press the X button, then press the directional button and one of the face buttons to execute a variety of moves.
One of the major improvements on the WWE 2K games is your signature and finishing moves.
Instead of having to get your opponent into a specific position to do it, you simply press a directional button for your signature and the analog stick up or down for your finisher.
It makes the whole process of executing them much easier and with a slick replay straight after, it is a really satisfying experience.
To build up to your signature of finisher there is the momentum system which fills up as you attack your opponent and gets lower if you get beaten up.
If your momentum bar is low you are more likely to get pinned or submitted. This means matches ebb and flow, and you have to pick your moments.
If your momentum bar is low you are more likely to get pinned or submitted. This means matches ebb and flow, and you have to pick your moments.
When it comes to game modes, AEW: Fight Forever is fairly bare bones with a customisation mode, an online mode and the story mode called ‘Road to Elite’.
The story mode lets you create your own character or pick an established wrestler to experience a year in AEW.
The mode feels extremely thin with events you can take part in like dining out, going to gym or sightseeing breaking up your matches.
It all becomes repetitive incredibly quickly and as the main mode of the game it is just about serviceable.
The issue is there are no other modes to compliment it, and it is utterly baffling there is no Universe mode like in WWE2K where you take the reins of a wrestling promotion and book matches and create feuds.
One of the best parts of any wrestling game is seeing your dream feuds play out over weeks and months, and while you can have titles changes in one-off matches, it is not the same as having your favourite wrestler capture a title after months of build-up.
There is also a major absence of any sort of online creation centre where players can create and share wrestlers, arenas or titles. This could be because of copyright reasons and not wanting to be sued by WWE, but it is another huge missing piece.
Where this game does excel is in its fun gameplay and party style mini-games. It is the perfect game to play with a bunch of friends and watch as your characters get beaten to a pulp with an assortment of inventive weapons.
The roster itself also feels sustainable with icons like Sting, CM Punk and Chris Jericho alongside young up and comers like Darby Allin, MJF and Sammy Guevara. The women's division meanwhile is less star-studded but still has decent variety.
AEW: Fight Forever is a solid foundation and a good first attempt at a new style of wresting game, but the lack of modes are a major sticking point. There is definitely fun to be had here but only over a couple of weekends rather than months after its release.
