WWE 2K19 Review: 5 Ups & 3 Downs

4. Universe Mode Tweaks Make It Worthwhile

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.