Although THQ
have a strong hold on the wrestling market in the console world, the
series has always been quite good, although there have been a few
gnawing issues with gameplay which slightly tarnishes the series.
Thankfully unlike previous instalments, THQ have actually upped the
ante of this franchise and have smoothed out the gameplay, included
some cool online elements and even included a Divas storyline for
Road to Wrestlemania to name just a bit of the love that the
developers have given this game. Some of the wrestlers included are
Matt Hardy, JTG, Kofi Kingston, Natalya, Dolph Ziggle, John Cena,
Undertaker, Randy Orton and the Edge to name a few of the stars. Yes
sir, it's a Wrestlemania festivus!
Features
-
CREATE-A-SUPERSTAR REDESIGN – The franchise’s renowned
customization interface delivers a new look, improved graphical
quality and a host of new parts, allowing players to create
Superstars who are comparable in quality with their WWE
counterparts. Take creation one step further with a new Paint
Tool to detail created Superstars with original tattoos, logos
and other unique designs.
-
SHARE THE
CREATIVITY – Share created content with the WWE Universe by
uploading created Superstars, entrances, finishing moves,
highlight reels, created storylines and more. Utilize the
keyword search engine to view created content from around the
world and download for use both offline and online.
-
SUPERSTAR
THREADS – For the first time in franchise history, create
alternate ring gear for Superstars by customizing the colors of
shirts, logos, face paint, elbow pads, boots and much more. Save
the alternate looks for use throughout the game and online to
show off the Superstars in grand fashion.
-
WWE STORY
DESIGNER – Embrace a directorial role to create and customize
unique storylines. A brand new cut scene creation interface
includes talent and location selections, dialogue writing,
camera angles, Superstar emotions and much more. Construct each
night’s show card with matches, unique match stipulations,
interference events, and other story twists and turns.
-
ROAD TO
WRESTLEMANIA – The popular story-based mode returns with key
updates and new storylines, including a first-ever Divas
storyline and a Create-a-Superstar storyline.
As soon as the game
loads, you're immediately thrown into the professional world of
wrestling, thanks to the slick interface of the game. Of course it
helps when the soundtrack for WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2010
is pumping and from there, you really need to decide just where to
start. The gameplay of this game is extremely varied and contains a
plethora of gaming options from traditional single matches which
include one on one to Royal Rumbles. This my friends is pure
wrestling fun as you throw, hold and pummel the absolutely living
daylights out of your sweaty competitors. A new edition to the
franchise is the Championship Scramble which puts five superstars in
a ring who need to duke it out for supremacy for the title. Very cool
indeed!
Our favourite from
past games thankfully returns with Road to Wrestlemania that is
basically a career mode for the professional wrestler where you pick
one of the wrestlers and make your way to the top. It's a hard slog
but the Road to Wrestlemania is quite entertaining and features a
decent story behind this game mode. For those who like to see sexy
female polygons, than you're in luck with the Divas who now grace
this mode with their very own storyline. There is even a career mode
where you can create your own wrestler and fight your way to the
top, although for us, this is no way as fun as Road to Wrestlemania but
still cool. I must admit that the customization options in this game
are quite ridiculous in terms of the control it gives the player in
creating their very own superstar.
Of course, the star
of the game, besides the wide gamut of gameplay modes and wrestlers
is the gameplay itself which translates quite well to 21st century
consoles. The control system works quite well on the controller with
just enough shake, rattle and roll (Force Feedback) to know when things
are going good or bad. The most noticeable feature in the game are
the manoeuvres which now flow quite well and is reminiscent of EA
Sport's NBA Live 10 franchise where the gameplay doesn't stop just
because you're trying something new. Whether you're performing runs,
holds or reversals, the game gives the player full control, however
if you've never played this franchise before, than expect a rather high
learning curve. Of course, there is always the tutorial.
As mentioned earlier, THQ have really improved their online aspect
of this game and although you can battle and challenge players from
across the world, you can even create your own stories, thanks to
the Story Designer and I'm really looking forward to this once
gamers have mastered it. It does take quite a long time to create,
however through some effort, the results will be quite impressive.
Whether you're adding intro music or creating your own mean facial
expressions for those involved, this is definitely a winner when it
comes to replay value.
Graphically, the
game is similar to the previous title, however the player animations
seems smoother and less clunky. The Divas of course look great and
the polygons on all characters make for some realistic gameplay that
at times it looks like TV. Best of all, the characters look like
their real-world counterparts, especially their intros which is
flawless. There is some issues with the collision detection of the
game which is a little frustrating but it's good to take it out on
the referee but then you'll need to start again.
When it comes to
sound, the voice acting is quite over the top and suits the genre as
does the kickass soundtrack which is oozes with WWE. You especially
notice this when you play Road to Wrestlemania as the big names of
the wrestling world come to play with their voices. Let's get
READY to RUMBLE! On a quick note between the XBox 360 and
PS3 version, there is no difference to the gameplay or the graphics
and both consoles work quite well. There are some slightly faster
loading times on the 360, however as per usual, THQ ensure that
neither owner of both consoles are disadvantaged.
Conclusion
Once again THQ have
done something that we were not expecting and have shaken up
the franchise with a variety of twists and turns. Although the
gameplay displays more fluidity and hence makes the control system
much more enjoyable, the star of this current instalment is the
Story Designer that not only makes the franchise more interactive
but creates a true gaming community. Showtime!
