Last year marked the first year when a WWE game made its way to "next" gen consoles and to say the least, it wasn't a good first impression . I gave 2K credit for what they did accomplish and I understand it's tough when you are making a yearly franchise, but at the same time, the game was a massive...

So while a marked improvement on recent years, does 2K16 offer enough to push the genre back into the mainstream? On balance, probably not. WWE's popularity is at an all-time low and it will take a more polished release with fewer eccentricities to lure those who have no interest in its real-life...

I have been looking forward to playing WWE 2K16 for a while now. Back in August, I had the chance to try a working demo of the game in New York , and although it was a pretty limited glimpse, I was generally impressed by what I saw.

Full Creation Suite is back; Improved online mode; Steve Austin Showcase is fun; Improved gameplay; Biggest roster ever

Inconsistent visual polish; Doesn't properly explain some moves

Conrad charges into the ring with a steel chair to confront WWE 2K16, the reigning champion of wrestling titles.

A generous amount of content; Kick out and grapple reversals are easier; A select few wrestlers are well-rendered

Long load times; Buggy; Visuals need an overhaul; Over-complicated menus and controls; Feels sluggish; Sim focus doesn't suit WWE

WWE 2K15 was, for all intents and purposes, a year of growing pains. The series needed to evolve graphically for its debut on new-gen consoles, but its massive overhaul of the engine meant that content suffered, with a lack of creation modes and a thin roster that could barely hold the game...

New limited reversal system; Better pin system and working holds; Fuller roster; Better graphics and character modeling; More creation modes

Fuller roster; Tags

Just a big mess of glitches and bugs that really should have made it past the beta stage.

With a huge (and mostly up-to-date) roster, a Stone Cold-obsessed Showcase mode and a fine-tuned MyCareer, the WWE 2K series finally delivers the best wrestling game since Here Comes The Pain.

MyCareer is better than ever; Huge roster will appeal to all; Wrestlers now sweat - just like the real thing

Showcase mode gets old; fast; Inconsistent presentation; No Bayley; Becky; Charlotte or The Boss - boo

An improvement over last year's WWE 2K15, 2K16 still isn't perfect but it introduces a brilliant roster, an immersive Showcase mode, and plenty of match types to get hot and sweaty with.

After the first 2K-published WWE game , it was clear a serious change was needed. The franchise's previous installments, WWE '13 and WWE '14, were both solid and featured modes built to extract sweet nostalgic enjoyment from wrestling fans.

New reversal system is a smart addition; Showcase mode is a good adventure through Stone Cold's career; Larger; more diverse roster than ever before

MyCareer mode continues to disappoint; Submission system is immensely frustrating; Match pacing continues to be painfully slow