AEW Fight Forever is the latest wrestling game to hit the market, developed by Yuke's and published by THQ Nordic, and it brings a refreshing and distinct approach to the genre of digital wrasslin' while drawing inspiration from classic titles like WWF No Mercy on the N64. But, despite some exciting innovations and gameplay elements, the game falls short in certain areas, leaving room for improvement.

The gameplay in AEW Fight Forever is centred around fast-paced action, emphasizing intense strikes, signature moves, and finishers. Taking a departure from Yuke's history of making realistic wrestling sims, the game embraces a more arcade-like style. This choice is evident in the over-the-top moves, chaotic matches, and the inclusion of explosive elements like the exploding barbed wire death matches. These additions inject excitement and unpredictability into the gameplay, catering to fans who enjoy a more intense and wild wrestling experience reminiscent of the WWF Attitude Era or ECW back in the day.

One area where AEW Fight Forever shines is the vastly superior AI-controlled teammates compared to the WWE 2K series. The tag team action feels smoother, and the interference from AI partners is more effective in preventing pin breaks. This enhanced teammate AI enhances the overall experience and adds depth to the gameplay, making tag team matches more engaging and enjoyable.

AEW Fight Forever also introduces a career mode called Road to Elite, where players progress through a calendar year, participating in various activities and engaging in mini-games. This mode offers a sense of progression and allows players to immerse themselves in AEW wrestling. Including intergender matches is a notable addition, enabling players to create fantasy matchups between wrestlers and further diversifying the gameplay experience. The game's narrative aspect is another highlight, as it offers three different storyline paths for each pay-per-view event inspired by real-life AEW events. These engaging and unique narratives provide additional context and motivation for players as they progress through the game.

However, while simple, the combat mechanics in AEW Fight Forever lack the polish and responsiveness seen in other wrestling games. While including a momentum system that rewards various offences and solid defence adds depth to the gameplay, the absence of clear information about health, limb damage, and recovery systems is a drawback. These missing details can leave players uncertain about their character's state and their moves' effectiveness.

One notable concern is the limited roster, even with the inclusion of downloadable content. While DLC can expand the roster to some extent, the approach to delivering additional content, with certain famous AEW wrestlers available only through paid DLC, has been criticised. This left me slightly disappointed, and I imagine you might feel excluded if your favourite wrestlers are not included in the base game. The good news is that AEW Fight Forever impresses with its in-ring action, which showcases exaggerated explosiveness and over-the-top action. The animations during matches add to the excitement and bring a sense of energy to the gameplay. However, the style outside of the ring, such as menus and music, does not evoke the same level of immersion and fails to leave a lasting impression.

The creative tools in AEW Fight Forever, including the Create a Wrestler and Arena modes, lack depth and customization options. While players can create their wrestlers and arenas, the limited options may hinder their ability to realize their creative visions fully. This limitation can be disappointing for players who enjoy the creative aspect of wrestling games and wish to have more control over their creations.

Unfortunately, AEW Fight Forever is not without its flaws. Occasional bugs and issues, such as attacks missing or not registering correctly, can disrupt the overall experience and frustrate players. The inconsistencies in the AI behaviour are also worth noting, as they can behave strangely at times, impacting the flow and immersion of matches. Additionally, online play suffers from problems like clipping and rubberbanding, which can hinder the enjoyment of multiplayer games.

Road to Elite, the game's single-player mode, attempts to revive old-school season modes but falls short of expectations. While the short duration allows for quick playthroughs and adds a degree of replayability, the method fails to deliver a truly immersive and engaging experience. The limited match types further contribute to a sense of repetitiveness, diminishing long-term enjoyment.

AEW Fight Forever is an up-and-coming and enjoyable wrestling game that offers a different experience from other titles. The game successfully captures the essence of classic wrestling games with its fast-paced action, over-the-top moves, and engaging narratives. However, it does have its shortcomings, including lacklustre combat mechanics, a limited roster, and issues with AI behaviour and online play. Despite these flaws, AEW Fight Forever shows potential and lays a solid foundation for future iterations. With further refinements and improvements in gameplay mechanics, roster depth, and overall polish, it has the potential to become a standout wrestling series. 

And regardless, if you're a fan of AEW or a WWE fan looking for a spicer experience, you'll enjoy AEW Fight Forever, despite its limitations.

Our Score: 7/10
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