AEW FIGHT FOREVER: Rough But Solid Core
The GOOD
Gameplay
AEW Fight Forever has modernized a classic game to video game standards and wrestling standards. It is a simple game to pick up and play. It is a lot of fun to pick up and play with a friend.
Another positive of the gameplay is how elements of the game make every match different. The weapons range from a lacrosse stick to thumbtacks that create a bloody mess to an actual bomb that explodes. Want action and chaos? Play a four-way match. Want the ring to blow up and watch people bleed? Play an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch. Want to make someone to blow up and be on fire? Play Lights Out match.
Road To Elite
A classic part of wrestling video games is taking your favorite, or some lower wrestler, to the top of the company. Road to Elite is a return to this. It takes inspiration from past games with a story that branches off into different paths giving a unique experience for the wrestlers.
The BAD
It’s Bare
This is not a complete game. There are not enough match types. The creation suite, a critical part of all wrestling games is not up to snuff. There is no way to share custom wrestlers, another vital aspect, especially for people who lack any skill at creating wrestlers. There are not enough game modes. It is simply Road to Elite, Exhibition matches, Online, and mini-games. The game is missing some crucial match types that have become iconic matches like a cage match, dog collar match, or an Ironman match.
The UGLY
Graphics
The overall graphics of the game are fine. It’s not meant to be a simulation. It’s a fun arcade beat-em-up. My problem with the graphics is some look rushed. Some of the wrestlers look like a child made them and not one of the talented children. Andrade El Idolo looks like someone read his name and created a generic Mexican male. Sammy Guevara looks like a generic racer from a Need For Speed Game. Now some wrestlers look perfect. Christian Cage looks like him down to a tee. Hangman Adam Page looks good.
It’s Outdated
This is a common occurrence in all wrestling games. WWE 2K22 launched with over 30+ wrestlers who were not working for them anymore and started working at other companies by the time the game came out.
The roster is small compared to the AEW roster. Major current wrestlers in the company, like the AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm, two members of the biggest faction in the company in Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli, the most popular tag team in the company, The Acclaimed, are all missing from the game. The AEW roster is 208, there are only 60 in the game. Not asking for all 208, but the most popular wrestlers should be the highest priority.
The wrestlers have gear and appearances from nearly two years ago. Chris Jericho’s model in the game is based on his appearance from four years ago. Kris Statlander is still an alien despite retiring the gimmick over a year ago. It’s been so long that she had time to change her appearance, completely tear her right ACL and lateral meniscus, rehab, return, and win a championship.
The Glitches
Glitches can be both positive and negative. If it does not alter the game and cause the game to be unplayable it can be one of the funniest things in the world. If it does cause the game to be unplayable and broken it’s the biggest flaw in the game. It has bugs and glitches, but they are small, not game-breaking.
Overall, it’s ugly, but at its core, it is a decent wrestling game that can get better. The game is different from the WWE 2k series. It is different from Fire Pro Wrestling World. Now, is it worth $60? No, this is a $40 game in its current state at most. In its current state, the game is a 6 out of 10.
