Parents' Guide to WWE Universe

One part soap opera, one part stunt show, the WWE has been the pinnacle of the sports entertainment genre for decades. WWE Universe attempts to bring the action and the showmanship of the WWE to mobile devices in a free-to-play gaming format. The gameplay is basic to the extreme, with players choosing between Light, Medium, and Heavy basic attacks, in a back and forth battle. The latter two of these moves do more damage but run the risk of getting blocked and countered, depending on the luck and level of your opponent. Basic movies build up momentum needed to attempt a Signature or Finishing move. Dishing out damage with these special moves or defending against them is a simple matter of timing and trying to stop a swinging meter in a sweet spot to have the best result.

It's monotonous, repetitive, and surprisingly bland. In fact, despite being labeled with all kinds of different names, all of the basic attacks have the exact same animations. It's head-scratchingly silly to have Roddy Piper go for a "Low Blow," only to see him punch an opponent in the head instead. It's even more disappointing considering it actually has a pretty good look overall and a huge roster of unique characters to work with. Adding to the disappointment is the insanely heavy push for in-game purchases. Opening a case earned in gameplay requires first scrolling though scores of special offers, and pop-up ads show up so frequently and at such odd times, you'll often find yourself having to back up and back out of potential accidental purchases. WWE Universe has the potential to be entertaining but unfortunately winds up down for the count, pinned to the mat under the weight of its shortcomings.