Faisal Ghaffar 
AEW Fight Forever is a newcomer aimed at challenging the WWE 2K franchise and while it is unable to change the balance of power, it should be praised for its attempt. It does not boast the features that have become standard for the genre and its single-player campaign is a bit underwhelming, but it has done a good job in various aspects.
The style
One of the aspects where Fight Forever has done a decent job is in the style department, as the animations are energetic and the cartoony character models are quite appealing. The caricatures of the 52 competitors that are available have been well-rendered, with Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega standing out. Not all of them are realistic, such as Chris Jericho, but they still do not seem too off.
Considering licensing agreements, it is not possible to come out with a wrestling game that can match the television show completely, but Fight Forever has still managed to provide some impressive options. But, there are some championships and characters that are missing, such as Dani Garcia and Toni Storm. Regardless, the animations are quite impressive as well, as every punch, kick and bump is close to what you see in wrestling.
The issues
The menus that you will come across are very interesting, but they are not clean. There is a lot of energy in the music, some of which has been performed by wrestlers like Max Caster and Swerve Strickland, but it is forgettable. Fight Forever has very few voiceovers and they are a hit and miss. Road to Elite, the single-player campaign, is the only hit and the rest of them are actually misses. The delivery of Jim Ross, the renowned wrestling announcer is bad in particular.
There are several modes, but the Create a Wrester and Arena ones are a bit too simple. Facial diversity is lacking and the cosmetic department also has slim pickings. This is very disappointing because the creative suite has a lot of assets that can be explored, such as moves and poses of wrestlers.
The action
The in-ring action is of the utmost importance because it can make or break a wrestling game and Fight Forever has been decent in this regard as well, even if it is not the best. The animations are smooth and the movements are quick and the combination gives the action a frantic and unique energy. When it comes to combat, it is not that complicated, particularly if you have played a wrestling game before.
The grapple, kick and punch buttons can be used for various moves and their strength can also be adjusted, depending on whether you hold or tap them. This is quite similar to the recent wrestling games, but its responsiveness and polish is a bit lacking. Some of the attacks will miss occasionally, or the game bugs out. The AI is also quite dimwitted and sometimes just walks aimlessly or stands still, which can be a bit frustrating.
The Verdict
While AEW: Fight Forever certainly has a good start and the animations are fun, but it still has a long way to go to keep up with the WWE franchise.
