The One and Only Smackdown! HCTP Thread

[Downhome 0]

I read somewhere that there is going to be 75 movelists in the game.

If that's the case, it'd be awesome.

Wouldn't the majority of those just be the movelists of guys already in the game?

That'd be less awesome.

 

Hopefully there'll be more than in the last game.

How many was in the last game?

 

Ah shit, one of my koi just died, so I think I'll do a memorial tournament in "Big Bad John's" honor.

 

One of your koi?

[Downhome 0]

"You may also select "Auto Setting" if you want to load a pre-existing set as your own. Here Comes the Pain features 136 pre-selected move sets."

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/456/456294p4.html

Holy God, so there ARE 65+ move sets, besides those of guys already in the game.

 

OMG.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

One of your koi?

 

Japanease goldfish basically.

[Downhome 0]

One of your koi?

 

Japanease goldfish basically.

Ah, ok.

 

I'm sorry I guess.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Ah, ok.

 

I'm sorry I guess.

 

Thanks. BBJ was 5 years old and just a tad under 18 inches long, just didn't survive being moved inside because of the cold.

[Downhome 0]

Ah, ok.

 

I'm sorry I guess.

 

Thanks. BBJ was 5 years old and just a tad under 18 inches long, just didn't survive being moved inside because of the cold.

Not to remain off topic, but an 18 inch GOLDFISH?

 

Must be something in the water over in Japan.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

Ah, ok.

 

I'm sorry I guess.

 

Thanks. BBJ was 5 years old and just a tad under 18 inches long, just didn't survive being moved inside because of the cold.

Not to remain off topic, but an 18 inch GOLDFISH?

 

Must be something in the water over in Japan.

Koi are the greatest fish of all time.

 

Apart from sharks.

[dubq 0]

Ah, ok.

 

I'm sorry I guess.

 

Thanks. BBJ was 5 years old and just a tad under 18 inches long, just didn't survive being moved inside because of the cold.

Not to remain off topic, but an 18 inch GOLDFISH?

 

Must be something in the water over in Japan.

Actually Goldfish grow depending on their environment and diet.. I've seen some pretty f'n huge "regular" goldfish that were raised in a pond outside my sister's house. It's really uncanny how huge these fish can get.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Actually Goldfish grow depending on their environment and diet.. I've seen some pretty f'n huge "regular" goldfish that were raised in a pond outside my sister's house. It's really uncanny how huge these fish can get.

 

Yeah I got some feeder fish that now weigh a full pound, after just a couple of years.

[KingPK 0]

Uh oh, better not let Dutch see all this fish talk.

 

This thing seriously looks friggin' SWANK. And if you pre-order it at EB's site today, you get two day air shipping for free. Just enter the coupon code FREE2DAY when you place the order.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Or this will happen*?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*img is copyright The Flying Dutchman('02)

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

Come on Viciousfish, this thread is begging for your presence.

[Golgo 13 0]

The review is now up at IGN. I'll have it pasted here in a couple minutes.

 

Originally spawned out of the same ideals that created the excellent Toukon Retsuden series, fans of THQ's Smackdown franchise have always kept their expectations phenomenally high. It was, after all, the first McMahon-licensed videogame to be wrestled away from Acclaim's 12-year reign; and the first product that industry insiders continually look towards as the foremost representative of its genre.

 

With every passing season the anticipation of its release continually drives its fan base into an absolute frenzy, and their seemingly endless list of additions and requests only appears to grow longer and longer by the year. Regardless of whether or not those appeals get answered, however, WWE Smackdown continues to sell faster than THQ can even hope to publish it -- with the hype surrounding this year's version, known as Here Comes the Pain, reaching a feverish pitch like we've never seen before.

 

But it's all with good reason really: as THQ has been promoting this fifth edition of WWE Smackdown as its most ambitious wrestling project to date. Boasting among other things a brand new grappling system, an expanded career mode, and the inclusion of some of the all-time greats from history of the WWF (WWE), Here Comes the Pain has made a lot of promises to it users. And while the Los Angeles-based publisher and its Japanese development team at Yukes still have several elements to work on for future editions, WWE Smackdown! does more than a solid job of living up to its potential. Then again, with the excitement surrounding this sucker, it had better.

 

Superstars

One of the most talked about aspects of WWE Smackdown every year is its ever-changing roster. Originally scheduled to include 69 different playable superstars, the final retail version of the game has been paired down by four. Though the removal of grapplers Johnny Stamboli, Nunzio, Hulk Hogan, and the Ultimate Warrior were definitely met rather harshly by the game's hardcore fans, the remaining lineup of 65 WWE personalities is still quite an impressive number to behold. By comparison, the Xbox-exclusive RAW 2 boasts 64 superstars while the GameCube-only WrestleMania XIX promotes 45.

 

In addition to the wrestlers numbered above, it's also possible to play as Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross. Though they can't be unlocked for exhibition or regular season mode in any way, they can be called upon as special tag team partners during a storyline if you play your cards right. Other than those two special characters, however, what you see listed below is everyone that you'll have to work with. Click on any of the names to be instantly hyper-linked to that character's IGN Smackdown biography page.

 

A-Train

Batista

Big Show

Booker T

Brock Lesnar

Bubba Ray Dudley

Charlie Haas

Chavo Guerrero

Chris Benoit

Chris Jericho

Christian

D-Von Dudley

Eddie Guerrero

Edge

Eric Bischoff

Goldberg

Goldust

Hurricane

Jazz

John Cena

Kane

Kevin Nash

Lance Storm

Lita

Matt Hardy

Randy Orton

Rey Mysterio

Rhyno

Ric Flair

Rico

Rikishi

Rob Van Dam

Rock

Rodney Mack

Sable

Scott Steiner

Sean O'Haire

Shawn Michaels

Shelton Benjamin

Stacy Keibler

Steph McMahon

Steve Austin

Steven Richards

Tajiri

Test

Torrie Wilson

Triple H

Trish Stratus

Ultimo Dragon

Undertaker

Val Venis

Victoria

Vince McMahon

 

Animal

George Steele

Hawk

Hillbilly Jim

Iron Shiek

Jimmy Snuka

Nikolai Volkoff

Roddy Piper

Sgt. Slaughter

Ted diBiase

Undertaker

 

Now despite the slight advantage that Smackdown holds over its brethren in terms of numbers, we can't help but feel as though there's a ton of established superstars that should have (but didn't) make the final cut. Bradshaw, Farooq, Maven, Shane McMahon, Sylvan Grenier, and Rene Dupree are but a few of the many established wrestlers currently enjoying WWE storylines that were overlooked entirely. And though it's common knowledge that the WWE has final approval over all its videogame lineups, the fact that those grapplers are missing still leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths.

 

Another sore spot for the roster are the roles given to the WWE women. Originally expected to be included in the season mode alongside the men, the game's expanded roster of females ultimately ends up becoming nothing more than exhibition fodder. Granted, you'll be able to assume the role of a couple of women for a singles or tag team match at certain points in your career, but there's no option to control them for an entire season on their own. Gail Kim, Molly Holly, Ivory, and several of the other established female wrestlers join some of our male requests as grapplers who have sadly been omitted.

The 11 included legends were definitely an interesting idea; and it is a nice way to counter Acclaim's solid-selling Legends of Wrestling series that was mysteriously absent for 2003. Unfortunately this particular segment of the roster quickly loses its novelty appeal after a few short experiences. Being able to control the Old School Undertaker, the Road Warriors, and Roddy Piper can be cool for awhile, but when looking at their value to the game in comparison to adding 11 more of today's active superstars, it's seems like an unfair trade-off.

 

But you shouldn't find yourself discouraged by this roster-based nitpicking. As despite our complaint list above, the 65 grapplers under your control behave and wrestle exactly as they're supposed to. With few exceptions, each wrestler on the roster has every single move they've ever used and do so with the same amount of frequency that you've seen on television. From Brock Lesnar's amazing (but botched) shooting star press to the standing elbow that The Undertaker uses for his grapple setups, it's all pretty much in there. They're definitely the most accurate depiction of WWE personalities we've yet experienced.

 

Easily outdoing last year's version in terms of match types, Here Comes the Pain should offer fans plenty of wrestling alternatives. Separated into eight central categories, players will be able to select from singles, tag team, and six-man tag team contests in addition to handicap bouts, hardcore matches, the Royal Rumble, Survival Mode, and Main Events. Much to our surprise, however, the "I Quit" competition and King of the Ring tournament that were found in last year's Shut Your Mouth have been expelled from the lineup entirely.

 

In their place, THQ has introduced three new match types to better fit with current WWE storylines. The most basic of these, known as the First Blood Match, takes advantage of the game's new damage system pretty effectively; allowing players to use whatever moves and weapons they'd like until their opponent begins to bleed, it's a fun and mindless way to challenge one another to see who can split the other one open first.

 

The second new match type is the famed Bra and Panties contest. Available only to women (with the exception of Stephanie McMahon and Create-A-Wrestlers), the Bra and Panties match works like any other competition; with the only difference being your goal -- which is to rip the clothes off of your opponent and leave her in nothing but her underwear. To accomplish this, all you have to do is press the D-Pad down and the X button at the same time when grappling or pinning an opponent and you'll have the chance to go after her shirt or her pants; depending on how quickly you press the button; your grapple meter will move in either your favor or your opponent's (more on that later) and you'll either fail or succeed. It's an interesting novelty match for sure, but not exactly the groundbreaking new mode all the advertisements are making out to be.

 

One feature that far exceeds the billing, however, is the all-new Elimination Chamber. First introduced at the 2002 Survivor Series, the Elimination Chamber is a massive cage-like apparatus that incorporates six wrestlers at once. But rather than send them in all at the same time, four of them are housed in glass tubes that open up one by one as a clock ticks down. Victories can come by either pinfall or submission and which wrestler is left standing when it's over wins. Luckily the videogame interpretation has captured this mode flawlessly; complete with breaking glass, the ability to climb on top of the tubes, and some frantic close-up action. Plugging in a multi-tap and using six players at once is highly recommended.

 

Of course there are returning staples to keep you busy as well. Ladder matches, cage matches, Hell in the Cell, hardcore street fights, slobber knockers, ultimate submission bouts, and various other instruments of destruction can be yours for the taking; With the further ability to customize these match-ups so that they can be transformed into tag team, triple threat, and fatal four way bouts, player shouldn't worry about running out of things to do. It's just too bad about the King of the Ring and "I Quit" omissions, though: as it would have been a great addition to have two pre-existing modes in there that could allow you to reenact the events of the '99 Royal Rumble and give you an opportunity to build your own tournaments in game. Oh well.

 

Environments

If you've played a Smackdown game before, then you're probably already familiar with the fact that you can travel backstage and continue the action. What you may not realize, however, is just how interactive these new environments can be. There are six backstage areas in all and each one of them includes a myriad of different objects and items that can be picked up and manipulated. Television sets, iron bars, wooden sticks, trash cans, sledgehammers, and a ton of other such weapons of mayhem are scattered all over the ground. But that's just the beginning of what you can find.

 

What's undoubtedly the coolest aspect of these background areas, though, are the deformable environments. While they aren't on the same level as War of the Monsters or Godzilla, the backgrounds can definitely start to resemble a war zone. Walls and windows will shatter, cars in the parking lot will be destroyed, and tables and other such furniture will break into a thousand pieces.

 

Additionally, there are a number of vehicles and climbable areas that you can explore too and every stage has a unique selection of what to choose from. Though admittedly the vehicles are next to useless (the motorcycle and bulldozer are funny conversation pieces, but have almost no use whatsoever), the structures that you can climb on top of actually prove to be pretty valuable. The Times Square stage, for instance, allows you to leap off the billboard in front of the WWE restaurant and you can even grab a hold of a ladder that's attached to a helicopter circling the premises. Needless to say, these arenas are far more entertaining than they used to be.

 

The arenas themselves have all been updated to reflect last year's Pay-Per-View sets and are considerable improvements over Shut Your Mouth. Pavement areas outside the ring are slightly bigger and allow for better movement and evasion from your opponents as well, and there are even a couple of new moves that can be performed from the outside the ring that you couldn't do before. Hell in a Cell contests and cage matches offer a little more room to maneuver too and it's a lot easier to tell what's going on because of this.

 

Our only real gripe in this department is that Yukes still hasn't fixed the wonky collision problems experienced when throwing someone onto a table or into the crowd barrier. Characters will sometimes just magically appear on top of an invisible floor laying down on their backs because the engine isn't sure if they should be sitting against a wall or laying in front of it. Not only does it look weird, but it can affect some of the moves and timing you're trying to perform as well -- making the flow of a match far less fluid.

 

Gameplay

The most improved aspect of Here Comes the Pain is undoubtedly the new grappling and counter system. Still resembling the old way of doing things on the surface, Yukes has done an excellent job of balancing its old school mechanics with a fresh control philosophy. Though it isn't on the same level as the ultra-deep Dreamcast version of Fire Pro Wrestling in terms of its configuration, the game's new approach is still a distinct step up from what it used to be. Critics who have given the series a hard time because of its earlier mechanics may want to rethink their position after playing this one.

 

Smackdown's changes themselves are actually pretty simple: in previous versions of the series, players were given minimum, medium, and maximum grapple attacks based on what kind of condition their opponent was in (normal, dizzy, or groggy). In Here Comes the Pain, however, the system has been changed so that gamers can guess less and strategize more. But rather than require you to hold a button for a certain amount of time or dizzy your opponent before performing a maneuver, HCTP enables you to use the Dual Shock's accurate D-Pad functions for a more precise and effective attack.

To use it, simply initiate the type of grapple you want to perform: Up and Circle for Power, Down and Circle for Submission, Left and Circle for Signature, and Right and Circle for Quick. Once the type of grapple you've chosen has been initiated, you can then press another direction on the pad a second time in combination with the grapple button to perform a different type of maneuver. Regardless of what condition opponents are in, the move you wanted to perform will be pulled off -- as long as you managed to do so before opponents could do one of their own.

 

As we mentioned earlier, the Bra and Panties match activates a slider bar that illustrates who is winning the grappling struggle between two women as they fight to tear each other's clothes off. The submission system works much in the same way. If one player grabs another in a bear hug, for example, the slider bar appears at the top of the screen with the name of both men on each side of it. Depending on that character's submission rating, a certain number of seconds will go by before the hold is automatically withdrawn; and it's within that time frame that the player is given the opportunity to make his opponent submit or get reversed if he's out-tapped. The trick is to hit any button on the controller as fast as possible -- which is hopefully enough to keep up with your opponent who is doing the same thing. It's a clever and interactive way to break up what was previously a foregone conclusion -- and one that's a lot more fun that it sounds.

 

While we're close to the subject of player ratings, the system that Yukes and THQ have devised this year makes for a much more realistic simulation. Eliminating the previously used offensive and defensive ability points from the earlier game, the developers have decided to build their superstars more like a sports team: with numeric ratings on a scale of 1 to 10 in five different categories. Strength, Submission, Stamina, Technique, and Speed are the attributes in question and each one affects a different aspect of your character. So while Ric Flair may lack the strength and speed to keep up with someone like Rey Mysterio, his submission, technique, and stamina ratings are so high that he should be able to outlast Rey-Rey for a hard-fought win.

 

When all these factors are used in conjunction with the new weight-detection system Smackdown's wrestling matches truly start to resemble those seen on TV. Though it does need to be mentioned that although this long-overdue weight idea is a welcome addition, it's still not without its problems -- namely when performing Smackdown finishers. As despite the fact that grapplers are broken up into four different weight classifications to keep Stacy Keibler from lifting Kane, the nature of the Smackdown finisher allows players to still perform lifting moves on bigger opponents if they activate it. It's a minor gripe, yes, but one that should definitely be addressed in time for the next one.

 

Two more new additions for Here Comes the Pain include the limb-specific body damage and two-button reversal system. Incorporated into the engine because of the previous game's tendency to end matches as soon as a Smackdown was performed, the limb-specific damage adds a very important dynamic to grappling; as submission artists will actually have to work a body part over if they want to make someone tap -- the days of taunting your meter to its limit only to perform a finisher and get the cheap win are finally over.

 

But the same could be said about last year's cheap reversal system as well. Separating the general reversal key into two for both strikes and grapples, the relocated counter system (now on L2 and R2) eliminates a lot of the random "Square pushing" that wily Shut Your Mouth players loved to expose. Because of this switch it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a strike and grapple when facing certain opponents (namely The Rock and Goldberg), but it adds a lot more depth and strategy to a game that's best described as an arcade experience.

 

For all of the game's increased depth and added moves for each wrestler (about 20% more for each), however, the enemy A.I. still needs some tweaking. On the positive side, the computer varies its moves a lot more than it used to and shows increased aggression over previous installments (it's definitely the hardest of the bunch); but for all of its sound and fury, veterans should walk all over it in only a matter of days. You'll get plenty more satisfaction from the multiplayer hands-down.

Also problematic is the occasional bug that sees referees standing in the middle of the ring refusing to count when somebody is pinned. To be fair it only happened twice over the course of about 700 matches, but hey: if it happens, it needs to be mentioned. At least the refs will realistically only disqualify you for using a foreign object if they're actually looking at you; not if they have their back turned or if they're out cold on the mat.

 

Other minor quibbles are the same ones that we had last year: with certain moves not being able to be stopped because their animations takes too long to finish or they can't be interrupted. There are occasional collision problems too, and it can result in your punches, kicks, or weapon strikes missing an opponent entirely when it shouldn't. When compared with how often this happened in earlier prequels to Smackdown, however, the frequency has been noticeably improved.

 

Truthfully all of these issues don't take that much away from Here Comes the Pain in the long run; serving as nothing more than minor annoyances rather than glaring omissions. Either way, it leaves a little something more to focus on for next year's follow-up

 

Season Mode

In reality (or for what passes as reality), Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment has always been about presentation and marketability. His popular roster of wrestlers enter the ring with unique and elaborate introductions and follow a multitude of different gimmicks and storylines in an effort to put on the best show possible. Once they're in the squared circle, WWE personalities become larger than life caricatures that are trying as hard as they can to sell the idea that they hate their opponent with all their being. Backstage, however, it's another story entirely: as most of these giant wrestlers actually turn out to be pretty good friends and enjoy a close-knit family-like environment. To its credit, Here Comes the Pain does a great job of capturing this and makes some significant leaps over its predecessor.

 

In possession of over 200 different storylines, the season mode in Here Comes the Pain was written by actual WWE writers. The majority of the plot devices that power this feature mostly come from the history of the WWE and WWF anyway. Contract signings, screw jobs, backstabbing tag team partners, championship tournaments, and gimmick-laden main events can make your first year in the business pretty damned exciting. Want to reform Degeneration X and feud with McMahon's Corporation? You can! Didn't think you'd be attacked after a PPV main event while walking backstage in an attempt to steal your hardcore title? Think again! From Shawn Michael's awesome sky-wire entrance at WrestleMania to Steve Austin blasting a nemesis with the hose from a milk truck, you'd be surprised at what THQ has left in store for astute and determined players.

 

After one full year on the circuit your season mode automatically ends; but players will be given the chance to import all of their records, titles, and stables into a new season should they want to continue. And while it's awesome to know that game keeps track of every wrestler's title history, win/loss record, and their most common opponents, it's the beginning of year two where the season mode begins to show its weaknesses. On the one hand, you have the fact that the CPU actually remembers your feuds and partners for some storylines (which is great), but then seems to forget them entirely the subsequent month. We had Vince McMahon on a mission to destroy us all month long but we could visit him backstage at the PPV where it was supposed to happen only to receive an extra Superstar point because he had confidence that we'd take the victory in the main event. Huh?

 

Another little snag is that by year two, a lot of the same storylines will begin to repeat (don't be surprised if you're nailed by a mystery man with a hammer every single February), and for every one or two new plotlines that expose themselves, three or four you will have experienced the previous season. At least Yukes did away with the god-awful first-person exploration mode that ate up load times and our souls in the previous games -- now moving from the arena to the backstage area is as easy as selecting it from a locker room menu. You can upgrade your attributes and buy unlockables in the Shopzone here as well, and even view your win/loss record if you're curious. It's all very user friendly and despite its later repetition, quite addictive.

 

Creation

Always one of the series' big selling points, the Smackdown create-a-wrestler feature is the last refuge for gamers who didn't get the rosters they were hoping for. Originally borrowing its ideas from Acclaim's long dead WWF Attitude, THQ has one of the best character builders around (matched only perhaps by EA's newest Tiger Woods title). While its core components remain the same, the Here Comes the Pain version of Create-A-Wrestler is its most extensive ever -- offering nearly everything that last year's version had and more (except in hairstyles, which for some strange reason are fewer in this game).

 

Of particular note this year is the all-new morphing technology. Allowing users to manipulate the 3D model of every body part imaginable, players will be able to construct much more realistic and believable characters. Though faces, noses, eyebrows, shoulders, stomachs, and several other selections could always be edited before, this much more advanced version of the approach not only makes character creation faster -- but more accurate as well. And one of the most requested features to CAW, the inclusion of teeth, has almost been fulfilled (sometimes a bizarre tooth-like substance is in there, sometimes it's not).

 

Also new to the mix this year is inclusion of sheer garments and clothing (think Christian's old shirt). These see-through bits of attire can act as independent pieces of clothing or an extra layer, adding a whole new level of depth to characters that still have somewhat painted on clothing for costumes (though it is less obvious than before). Best of all, you can now select any edited piece of clothing to be worn as an entrance garment only -- giving players full reign to come up with goofy getups before disrobing in the squared circle.

 

Our only real complaint is that it seems beyond the entrance attire, sheer, and face morphing, that THQ didn't think to add much else to 'move edit' portion of the game. Providing us with only three new original songs over last year and a handful of new introductions, the hopes that we could create a less generic-looking roster were slightly dashed. Surely this latest edition is the most robust and functional version of the bunch, but seriously: we've been listening to some of these songs and watching a lot of these old entrance animations for years -- give us something more to chew on.

 

Graphics

Here Comes the Pain have made a lot of admirable strides in the last year or so, and the visuals certainly account for that. Said to have re-animated 80-90% of the moves for each wrestler, a more realistic number is probably more around the 40% mark. Though it's not as radical as the previous number, these newly animated motions help to create a much more realistic wrestling game. Grapplers no longer bounce like fleas when they're hit with powerful moves; and the length and duration of their "hurt" animations match those that we've found on television.

 

Character models have also seen improvement with an increase in their polygon count, and the textures used for their faces are as close to the real thing as they've ever been. Pyrotechnics for wrestler intros look terrific (especially for the Goldberg and Triple H) and the 3D crowds make a huge difference when compared to last year.

 

But as we mentioned earlier, there are still quite a few clipping problems -- and this translates into the player grapples as well. So it's not uncommon to find one player's arm passing mysteriously through another player's chest. Other bizarre occurrences, like occasional animation stutter or a wonky camera angle can make for some pretty hilarious looking sights. The new blood and dynamic camera effects, however, look awesome.

 

Sound

Fans of the WWE will probably have mixed feelings on the audio presentation this year. Though it sports most of today's current wrestler themes (with the exception of Victoria, Rob Van Dam, and Kane), the legend characters don't have any of their music at all. Definitely one of the most identifiable aspects of the legends in the first place, it's a sore disappointment to play as The Old-School Undertaker or the Legion of Doom and not hear their trademark introductions.

 

Another big surprise this year is the lack of commentary and ring announcing. And while we don't miss this omission in the least (let's face it, it was damned awful), players who don't want to make up their own dialogue could be in for some silent times ahead. Another group who will probably be scratching their noggins, are the technophiles left wondering as to what happened to their Dolby Pro Logic support -- because this game doesn't have any.

 

Despite its somewhat behind the times approach in this department, Here Comes the Pain still manages to produce some pretty believable sound effects for the standard PS2 surround sound. The player themes that are accurate sound really good as well, and the different foley used for in the ring and outside of it were definitely appreciated (earlier builds had us worried that concrete would sound like the mat). Hearing the crowd chant our wrestler's name was awesome.

 

Closing Comments

To claim that THQ and Yukes have managed to turn the status of this series around is an understatement. Selling almost 5 million copies combined over its previous incarnations, Smackdown would have done well even if its developers had decided to do nothing but sit back and update its roster. Luckily for the game's fans, however, THQ actually listened to its consumers and went back to the drawing board to produce an effort sure to please the masses.

Not without its own collection of issues that still need to be fixed for next time, WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain is still one of the best wrestling games we've ever played. Though we personally feel at IGNPS2 that our Xbox colleagues rated their version of the WWE a little too highly, we'll go on record by saying that Smackdown kicks RAW 2's ass all over the parking lot -- regardless of its identical score.

 

With its ultra-improved gameplay mechanics, enhanced visual engine, smarter career mode, and established create-a-character feature, Yukes and THQ are definitely the track to success. Not quite on the same level as the legendary Fire Pro or Giant Gram series just yet, Here Comes the Pain could mark a turning point for its franchise and signal the beginning of something great. Wrestling fans should love it.

 

Presentation - 8.9

Whether you're backstage or in the ring, Smackdown does an awesome job of convincing you that you're in the WWE. But though we love the improved load times can anyone tell us why Snuka wears boots?

 

Graphics - 7.6

The new animations give Smackdown a more realistic visual look and the improved facial models and lighting effects are worth writing about. The clipping and occasional stutter, however, are not.

 

Sound - 7.4

None of the legends have their intro music and Dolby Pro Logic has been skipped over entirely. On the plus side, the crappy commentary from previous years has been nixed and the sound effects rock.

 

Gameplay - 8.8

Now this is what Smackdown should have been in the first place. The grappling system, weight detection, counter mechanics, and other new elements have few minuses and lots of plusses.

 

Lasting Appeal -  9.4

Repetitive as it may be in the later going, the career mode is still extremely entertaining. The Elimination Chamber is an absolute blast and the CAW feature should keep you busy 'till next year.

 

Overall - 9.1

Edited October 25, 2003 by KingofOldSchool

[A Happy Medium 0]

I put 5 bucks down on mine yesterday, so hopefully they'll get it in later Monday, since the eb at the mall gets shit early usually.

 

If WWE were smart, they'd make sure that no stores release this game on Monday, because then they're audience wouldn't be playing the game all night, which is what I will be doing if I get the game. Could hurt the ratings of RAW. Anyway, Fuck RAW.

[Downhome 0]

Here are my two favorite parts of the IGN review...

 

"In possession of over 200 different storylines, the season mode in Here Comes the Pain was written by actual WWE writers. The majority of the plot devices that power this feature mostly come from the history of the WWE and WWF anyway. Contract signings, screw jobs, backstabbing tag team partners, championship tournaments, and gimmick-laden main events can make your first year in the business pretty damned exciting. Want to reform Degeneration X and feud with McMahon's Corporation? You can! Didn't think you'd be attacked after a PPV main event while walking backstage in an attempt to steal your hardcore title? Think again! From Shawn Michael's awesome sky-wire entrance at WrestleMania to Steve Austin blasting a nemesis with the hose from a milk truck, you'd be surprised at what THQ has left in store for astute and determined players."

 

...and then...

 

"Not without its own collection of issues that still need to be fixed for next time, WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain is still one of the best wrestling games we've ever played. Though we personally feel at IGNPS2 that our Xbox colleagues rated their version of the WWE a little too highly, we'll go on record by saying that Smackdown kicks RAW 2's ass all over the parking lot -- regardless of its identical score.

 

...both of those quotes have me even MORE pumped for this game now.

[Downhome 0]

Dammit!! I paid the entire $60 I have to pay to get his game, I want it NOW!!!!!!!

Why in the world did you pay $60 for it?

[Guest The Decadent Slacker]

I'm leaving for the "city" Tuesday for last minute shopping, & this is the first fucking thing on the list. Glad FYE, Funcoland, KayBee & every other game store in the US is there in some capacity.

[Guest KJ Brackish]

I just paid the last that I owed on my game at work (Game Crazy....w00t w00t....go SLC, UT store # 144905!) anywho...... I CANNOT WAIT TILL THIS GAME COMES OUT.....and tomorrow I buy my tickets to RAW! Live from Salt Lake City, UT Nov 24th! Look for Sect AA Row 1 Seat 1 to be mine! w00t w00t

 

DFA

 

PS: Sorry for being off topic for like 85% of that post!

[Fökai 0]

If WWE were smart, they'd make sure that no stores release this game on Monday, because then they're audience wouldn't be playing the game all night, which is what I will be doing if I get the game. Could hurt the ratings of RAW. Anyway, Fuck RAW.

The most they can do, is fine them.

 

Chain stores usually laugh at the fines, since the turnaround profit (based on the fact that they're the only store in town selling the game before it's offical release) easily makes up for the fine.

[iliketurtles 0]

Man, I guess Raw 2 really does suck compared to SD.

 

This game sounds fucking awesome.

[Guest KJ Brackish]

I bought Raw 2 right as it came out, and returned it to my store two weeks later (so that I could get my FULL refund for it.) Now I rent it each week up until Monday night....where I will sleep restlessly! I cannot WAIT!

 

DFA

[Insane Bump Machine 0]

Ted Dibiase - Interview with a Legend

 

 

October 24, 2003 - "Every man has his price."

That's the catchphrase, the defining moment of the career of one of the greatest heels to ever work the wrestling business.

 

But the Million Dollar Man was always more than dead presidents and a smug smile. Ted DiBiase was one of the most gifted technical wrestlers to ever grace the squared-circle, and the mark he left inside the ring will never be forgotten by any fan who ever saw him slap on the Dream and put an opponent to sleep.

 

The legacy of the Million Dollar Man character is about to live on to a new generation of wrestling fans, as he's featured as one of the wrestling legends in the new game WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain.

 

IGN Sports caught up with the man behind the money to talk wrestling, video games, and how his life changed when he traded in his wallet for the Bible.

 

IGN Sports: What is it like to know that your wrestling legacy now lives on in video game form?

 

Ted DiBiase: It's gratifying to know that you left a mark in your profession. That's something that very few people are able to do. I always tried to be the best that I could possibly be, and I guess they don't keep putting you in games unless you're one of the characters that everybody remembers. It's good to know that you're well thought of. I had a couple of guys call and tell me that I had been listed in two different magazines as one of the top 100 wrestlers of the century, and I thought "Wow!" Things like that are just really cool to hear about.

 

IGN Sports: What's the most memorable moment of your wrestling career that you'd like to be able to relive in Smackdown?

 

Ted DiBiase: One of the most memorable moments in my career actually was an event that was very involved in, but I didn't actually physically wrestle. It's a moment that I see as the real launching point of the character, and that would be the night I boasted that I was going to buy the World Wrestling Federation title. Andre and Hulk wrestled at the first nationally televised wrestling event in years on NBC's Saturday Night Main event in Indianapolis. It was probably one of the greatest angles of all time, where the referee goes down and we put the identical twin referee, Earl Hebner, in the ring. We put the kibosh on Hogan, and I end up with the belt. That really was a defining moment in my career because that led to Wrestlemania IV, and I was off and running.

 

IGN Sports: What's the most important thing about the Million Dollar Man character that you hope they capture in the video game?

 

Ted DiBiase: The essence of the character is greed. The Million Dollar Man is a character whose god is money, and his attitude is that if you have enough money, there's nothing that you can't have. He speaks the loudest with his money, but the character of the Million Dollar Man is one who lets everyone else do the fighting for him. That's why he always had Virgil. He talks big, but when it comes down to it, he ends up being a coward. [laughs]

 

IGN Sports: Was the character one that you created?

 

Ted DiBiase: Actually, I can't take credit for that. The Million Dollar Man character was the idea of Vince McMahon. I have to be honest with you, I think the character is really Vince's alter ego.

 

IGN Sports: Does that mean he has his own Virgil?

 

Ted DiBiase: I don't know, he may have a lot of Virgils. There's always someone running around for old Vince.

 

IGN Sports: I was always curious about your Million Dollar Belt. How much was it really worth?

 

Ted DiBiase: The Million Dollar Belt, I was told, was estimated to be worth about $40,000. Pretty good chunk of change for a belt.

 

 

IGN Sports: What were some of the most memorable things you made people do for money back in the day? Was it tough to keep a straight face?

Ted DiBiase: Oh yeah, I had a lot of fun with that. The one I get asked about the most, without fail, someone always says to me "Remember when you had the little boy dribble the basketball, and you were going to give him the money, but right before he got to 15, you kicked the ball." I mean, oh man, people just hated my guts for that one. They used to yell "You horrible, horrible man!" That was probably the number one of all time. Of course, the reality is, the kid got the money. It was a stunt that was prearranged. What's really funny is often times I think about that kid. I wonder how old he is today. One day I think he's going to walk up to me and say "Remember me?" He's probably like 6-8. [laughs] One of the other ones, and I don't remember if this was televised or if it was for a house show, but I wrestled a match for about 20 minutes, then I had a kid come into the ring and I took off my boot and sweaty sock, then had this kid kiss my feet. Here's the catcher though, that kid was Rob Van Dam. The kid who kissed the Million Dollar Man's feet grew up to be a wrestler.

 

IGN Sports: So if everybody has a price, what was yours?

 

Ted DiBiase: I'm the man with all the money, so I can't be bought.

 

IGN Sports: How about in real life? What was the price you had to pay to be the Million Dollar Man?

 

Ted DiBiase: In reality, I'm a motivational speaker now, and I even wrote a book, "Every Man has his Price", and that book is all about the price that we pay for choices that we make in life. Yeah, there were tremendous sacrifices that I made to be a wrestler and get to the top, just as all of the other guys who made it to the top. It's a long, hard road to make it to the top of your game in any profession. It's a lot of hard roads and a lot of hard miles on road trips that saw us stay at less than glamorous hotels and performing in small places like high school gyms. All the not so glamorous stuff. The times when you're eating bologna sandwiches or eating at McDonalds. It wasn't about dining on champagne and caviar. There's a tremendous price you pay to be successful in the wrestling business, or any business for that matter. The other price that a lot of guys end up paying that's sad and unfortunate, regardless if it's in wrestling or professional sports or the entertainment world, so many of those get caught up in drug or alcohol abuse, and many times, they pay for it with their lives.

 

 

IGN Sports: Now you're out trying to preach to people about those dangers. Can you tell me how you got started in your ministry.

 

Ted DiBiase: I got saved, I gave my life to Christ 11 years ago after I had been confronted by my wife on a number of issues in my life that are between her and I, although it's pretty easy to figure out. In that, I realized that I risked the things that are most important in life for self gratification. When you're out running around and doing stupid stuff, it's all about pumping up your own ego. I just realized that I was risking everything precious in life for stupid, self-serving reason. It was my turning point where I turned to God. I continued in the wrestling business for several more years, then along the way I started sharing the story of how God had changed my life, my attitude, and my heart. I never really believed that it would lead to a ministry, but it ultimately did. When I left the WWF, I really wasn't excited about the business anymore. Then went I went to WCW, I just felt that I was putting in time. I'll be honest with you, I don't like what wrestling has become today. I just really don't like what it has become. There just isn't enough wrestling. It's all hype. My heart for it kind of died. The other reason it may have died, though, is just because I became so excited about what I was doing. When you see people's lives changed, you see drug addicts and alcoholics healed, and marriages restored, things like that, that give you a whole lot more joy than wrestling. Now I'm utilizing what I've done best all my life, and right now I'm here in Indiana and tomorrow night I'm putting on a wrestling program here. Originally Hawk and Animal were supposed to be here, but obviously, due to Hawk's death, he's gone and Joe's not going to be here this weekend, but we have Greg Valentine and Buff Bagwell still coming, and Jim Duggan and the Barbarian are stepping in to take the place of the Road Warriors, and we're going to have another program.

 

 

IGN Sports: You're right, though, about there not being enough wrestling. The shows seem to be all sizzle without the steak.

Ted DiBiase: Well now it's a soap opera, it's not wrestling anymore. Now it's about who's going to bed with who. It's become a sex show and perversion, and to be honest with you, I don't think it's suitable for young people to watch what it has become. You kind of want to shake Vince McMahon and ask him what he's thinking about. Why does he want to appeal to the lowest common denominator, to the sludge of the Earth?

 

IGN Sports: How did you get started in wrestling?

 

Ted DiBiase: I grew up in it. My father was a wrestler, Iron Mike DiBiase. It was always what I wanted to do.

 

IGN Sports: Today, a kid goes on Tough Enough and six months later it seems like they're on TV wrestling. How long of a road was it for you to make it in the business?

 

Ted DiBiase: [laughs] I look at that and I laugh because the true apprenticeship in this business is so much longer than that. That's like saying you can take a guy off the streets and in six months you can make him an NFL player. Bologna! I started wrestling when I was 21 years old, right out of college, and it was years before I actually became what people would call a main event wrestler. Understand, I got into wrestling in 1975, I came into New York one time, and that time I actually had Hulk Hogan's first match in Madison Square Garden. I was the good guy and he was the bad guy. It wasn't until I came back in 1987, that's 12 years later, that I hit it super big. You have a lot of guys getting in the business today who haven't really proven themselves. They're in it for the limelight and the money, but many of them just don't have a high enough level of respect for the business.

 

IGN Sports: Do you have an all-time favorite opponent to be in the ring against?

 

Ted DiBiase: I can't pick just one, there are several that I enjoyed working with. Some of the older guys I really enjoyed because they taught me so much about the business. Terry and Dory Funk Jr., Harley Race, Jack and Jerry Brisco. In my own era, without a doubt, Bret Hart. Jake Roberts was a tremendous, tremendous performer.

 

IGN Sports: Is there one message you'd like people to know from your ministry?

 

Ted DiBiase: Absolutely. John 3:16, not Austin 3:16. [laughs] John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." It's like I tell the atheist: If you're right and I'm wrong, no big deal, we die, go to sleep and never wake up. But if I'm right and you're wrong, you are wrong for eternity. And the thing about it is, you might not have another day. Just like my buddy who laid down and went to sleep. The great joy I have about Hawk is I know his eternal destination. I know where he's going because he gave his heart to Christ, but there are a lot of friends who died that I can't say that for.

 

 

IGN Sports: You said that when you were the Million Dollar Man, you didn't have a price, do you have a price today?

 

Ted DiBiase: I've been bought at a price, and Jesus paid the price for me. He died on the cross for my sin. He paid the price for my eternity. Matthew 16:26 says this, and these are the words of Jesus: "For what does it prophet a man, if he gains the whole world and lose his soul?" So yeah, I've got a price.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

I can't wait to make fat Virgil, and then beat him down with Dibiase. Try to charge me $20 for an autograph, grumble, grumble.

[dubq 0]

Hooray for religious propaganda in video game interviews.

[Invictus 0]

Hooray for religious propaganda in video game interviews.

Well, it's his interview, he can say what he wants in it.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Would it be wrong to create a Satan CAW and beat Dibiase's ass with it?

[PsychoDriver 0]

The 11 included legends were definitely an interesting idea; and it is a nice way to counter Acclaim's solid-selling Legends of Wrestling series that was mysteriously absent for 2003. Unfortunately this particular segment of the roster quickly loses its novelty appeal after a few short experiences. Being able to control the Old School Undertaker, the Road Warriors, and Roddy Piper can be cool for awhile, but when looking at their value to the game in comparison to adding 11 more of today's active superstars, it's seems like an unfair trade-off.

 

Wait a minute wasn't The Legends their #1 reason to buy the game? Lousy hypocrites...

[Downhome 0]

The 11 included legends were definitely an interesting idea; and it is a nice way to counter Acclaim's solid-selling Legends of Wrestling series that was mysteriously absent for 2003. Unfortunately this particular segment of the roster quickly loses its novelty appeal after a few short experiences. Being able to control the Old School Undertaker, the Road Warriors, and Roddy Piper can be cool for awhile, but when looking at their value to the game in comparison to adding 11 more of today's active superstars, it's seems like an unfair trade-off.

 

Wait a minute wasn't The Legends their #1 reason to buy the game? Lousy hypocrites...

That's exactly what I thought about that as well.

[Golgo 13 0]

But the coverage was spread across two completely different sections of the site, with two different writers. The Top 10 Reasons was a part of the sports section, while the countdown and review were part of the PS2 section. So I don't see the hyprocrisy.

[PsychoDriver 0]

But the coverage was spread across two different sections of the site, with two different writers. The Top 10 Reasons was a part of the sports section, while the countdown and review were part of the PS2 section. So I don't see the hyprocrisy.

Ok, I didn't realize they were written by different people, I thought it was just by the IGN Entity as a whole.

 

Well if both were written by different people I can understand the differance in opinion. Still comes off a tad weird though...