This week we got our hands on AEW’s first video game for consoles and PC that looks set to take us back to nostalgic wrestling hits of PlayStation and N64 days.
AEW Fight Forever is hailed as combining nostalgic arcade wrestling with a modern twist of mayhem, completely taking a different direction from WWE2k series, where simulation and realism are key.
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AEW burst onto the scene in 2019 and despite being a relatively new but highly successful company, it seems like the video game has been in production for quite some time – but it’s finally here.
Wrestling fans in recent years have only had WWE on console, and although you can’t really compare the two games, AEW, Yukes, THQ Nordic have certainly produced a fun alternative.
For this review, we were playing on the XBox Series X so can’t take into account how it plays on any other console.
Gameplay
As soon as you go into the match, you are treated to a helpful tutorial from WWE legend William Regal.
This is extremely helpful to get to grips with everything but honestly, the game has a very pick-up and play control set-up that will allow most to play (if you master countering). Although countering in a multiplayer match is pretty near impossible, it’s all based on luck.
Controls are simple enough and finishers are a throwback to old-school games where you taunt to activate.
But not everyone has a single finisher, some on the roster have three, such as the likes of Bryan Danielson, so you need to work out what position you need to be in to execute.
While it does have some slick animation at times and I love the little detail with characters such as Orange Cassidy with his hands in his pockets (I could kick shins for days as him), sometimes the fighting can feel repetitive in singles matches.
The game certainly plays arcade-like and in the spirit of No Mercy – something that maybe could have been advanced on for the modern age – as it can feel clunky at times depending on the wrestler.
I honestly had the most fun in this game as someone fast and high-flying such as Rey Fenix, Pac, Bryan Danielson or Darby Allen.
This especially works well with multiple people in a match, this is truly where AEW really comes into its own.
It becomes chaotic, unpredictable, and especially brutal (with AI and human opponents) – even more so when we crack out the weapons.
From thumbtacks to a skateboard, to gas canisters and barbed wire ropes, it can get pretty bloody- but it is a lot of fun.
However, I did encounter a few glitches in the gameplay with my character warping out the ring when a move hit while running at the ropes and then being stuck on top of them in the animation. Hopefully, nothing a future patch might fix.
Game modes and match types
You have your standard match types you see in any wrestling video game – single, tag-team, 3-way, 4-way, ladder, Falls Count Anywhere – but there are a couple of new additions.
Probably the most unusual and bonkers Exploding Barbed Wire Death (yes, they included the infamous match Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley).
Unlike the heavily criticised real-life one, this really does make for a very interactive match type, especially when the ring goes boom (much more than it did in that AEW world title match. Chucking someone in elected barbed wire really did not get old for me.
We also have Casino Battle Royale, AEW’s Royal Rumble-style over the top rope match, which I found enjoyable if not frustrating due to the AI’s reluctance on throwing people out.
There is also a Lights Out Match which is basically a hardcore brawl turned up several notches to showcase the vast number of weapons.
There is also a selection of Mini-Games, which in this review we had three with the most enjoyable being Penta Says. Reminds me a little bit of Mario Party but really needs more – which will be coming in DLC.
The main career mode of the game is Road to Elite, where you take an AEW star or create your own and set off to make it to the top.
I like how you get to eat, train and go out (even if just cut scenes), which often prompts interactions with wrestlers.
You also progress when you win and lose, allowing the story to make twists and turns on the way.
Only had a short time with this but felt similar to EA’s UFC career mode with funny (kind of) interactions and selfies taken along the way.
Roster
I had a go with a variety of different characters in the game, from Britt Baker to Wardlow.
Now this is full of big stars and legends but somehow still feels really light in comparison to AEW’s current talent pool.
Despite the Young Bucks, CM Punk, and Sting, many will be wondering where are FTR (they are coming in DLC) at launch, and The Acclaimed, Buddy Matthews, Toni Storm, and Evil Uno are missing.
It was always going to be an issue with AEW bringing in talent that the game would not be able to have everyone.
However, the game does have one huge star that people will be waiting to play as, Owen Hart.
I can’t wait to be able to play as him too but it takes a while to unlock him. You need to have 100 exhibition matches before you can purchase him in the shop (with in-game cash amongst others such as Cody Rhodes).
AEW also used the game to pay tribute once again to the late Mr. Brodie Lee, who WWE fans will remember as Luke Harper.
Overall
AEW Fight Forever is enjoyable and decent start to the game series for Tony Khan’s company.
However, it’s not without its trouble, with the AI at times being frustrating along with some of the roster not feeling as polished or special as the others.
I particularly found AI in tag matches they were more troublesome than helpful. My tag partner Malakai Black decided on numerous occasions that he felt the best call of action was to run in the ring and go straight out the other side without stopping the pin from being broken up.
I loved the way you can control the entrances with pyro, smoke, and camera angle but some stars’ entrances are so short. Feel they missed out by not doing full walkouts.
One of the biggest disappointments for me is no commentary, it really loses the atmosphere. And with the great commentary teams on AEW, it is such a shame not to have something from them.
I don’t want to end this negatively as it is honestly a very fun game to play and can really see this being popular as multiplayer and a great party game with pals.
Road to the Elite also seems like a solid career mode for single-player action but not sure how much longevity it has with my current time spent playing it.
Hoping to see the little glitches solved and that they will have even more DLC than those announced so far.
AEW Fight Forever could be better but delivers with what it set out to be, it is an arcade-style game and a great addition to the wrestling video game market.
Rating: 7.5/10
AEW Fight Forever was released today (June 29) and is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Microsoft Windows, XBox One and XBox Series X|S.
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