WWE 2K14 may not be a technical powerhouse, but it's got way more than enough style to compensate. All the glorious excess of the WWE is perfectly recaptured, particularly in the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode. Simply seeing the likes of departed titans Andre the Giant and Randy "Macho Man" Savage in their prime strikes true at the nostalgia center of the heart and makes you appreciate what was undoubtedly a simpler, more innocent time, when all they wanted to do was provide an escape, a reason to smile. Lots of little touches bring you back to the 1980s, from the purposely diminished video quality to the starkly simple fonts introducing the venue and contestants. The actual wrestling action looks more or less like it has for the past several years; save for all the retro charm, there aren't any visible changes. I still would eventually like to see a wrestling game eager to shake off the staged elements of the melee, but I understand that an official game of the most well-known franchise in sports entertainment should replicate the television experience. This comes with a cost, though; regular strikes look just plain wimpy.
WWE 2K14 sounds pretty great, too, from the iconic entrance themes, to the hilarous, overacted commentary, to the hollow crashes of bodies against the canvas. The licensed soundtrack is made up primarily of dude rock, and it absolutely fits the subject matter; I'm not sure there's anything in the world that is as testosterone-fueled as professional wrestling.
