WWE 2K17 review: Boring career mode, difficult controls

The worst thing about WWE 2K16 was the game’s difficult controls. Nothing has changed with WWE 2K17, which also features a lackluster career mode, a useless WWE Universe mode and an unnecessarily large creation suite. While some of the actual wrestling in the career mode is enjoyable, players have to spend 10-plus hours battling the same five opponents. The new promo mechanic allows players to participate in on-camera interviews and work the crowd with a microphone instead of fists. There are four speech options, and your choices will dictate whether you are a “face” or “heel” (good guy vs. bad guy), as well as whether you humiliated your opponent enough to “win” the promo. Too bad there is no audio when you are doing a promo, so your character is just screaming and emoting with giant eyes. In a year flush with great sports games, WWE 2K17 lies at the bottom of the heap.