WWE 2K19 Review: 5 Ups & 3 Downs

4. Universe Mode Tweaks Make It Worthwhile

WWE 2K19 Universe Mode
2K Games

Those who buy 2K19 for Showcase won't find the same thrills in Universe Mode, especially if they thought the feature was empty, lifeless and generic to begin with. Some of those traits still apply, albeit with less of a hand-held feel than before. For the first time, 2K have handed full control of the Universe over to the player.

Case in point, the ability to choose who wins what matches, and how often stipulation bouts (or even fundamental singles or tag matches) occur on programming. Both are nice touches, and so is being able to dispense with the usual Heavyweight, secondary, Women's and Tag-Team Title format.

For the first time ever, it's entirely possible to turn Monday Night Raw into an all-female show with multiple Women's Titles, or make SmackDown a Steel Cage-ridden wasteland. The power is at your fingertips, and there's greater incentive to innovate.

This is a bold step back towards the old GM Mode for Universe, and a much-needed one. Now, if 2K would bring back the 'Create-A-Story' templates and let fans share their worlds online, they could really make the mode one of the best each year.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.