IGN Reviews Wrestlemania XIX

[Guest The Notorious CRD]

Evil Zone, Berserk, EOE: Eve of Extinction--yeah, some real stinkers and all developed by Yukes. But the Japanese developer has also been busy creating wrestling games roughly since WWF Smackdown!

 

If anything, Yukes unquestionably knows how to make wrestling games. And, publisher, THQ doesn't have much of a choice as Electronic Arts stole away design team Aki to develop it's own Def Jam Vendetta. Not that Yukes is a bad deal as its games have improved significantly over the years and it's rumored that part of the Aki team is at Yukes.

 

Gameplay

Anyone who has played almost any wrestling game from the above-mentioned Def Jam Vendetta to WWE WrestleMania XIX will instantly recognize the standardized control scheme. There is a little learning curve when it comes to the controls if you're not a regular to the world of video game wrestling. However, if you've played almost any wrestler on the N64 you'll feel right at home with the setup.

 

Since there is a lot to take in, a few minutes with the instruction manual won't hurt. Some of the more advanced techniques aren't exactly hidden, but with so many buttons it's not the most intuitive thing out there. For the most part, though, gameplay is pretty straight forward.

 

Almost anyone can sit down, grab a GCN controller and dive right into one of the games many modes of play; modes like, Sweet Revenge (story mode) where we can pick from one of the over 40 wrestlers and play through five different environments and 30 missions. Since this is story mode, it does have scripted cut-scenes where the sparse story unfolds.

 

Call us wrestling purists, but we prefer some of the more mundane modes like Royal Rumble or the extremely robust Create-A-Superstar mode. IGN Cube, Editor in Chief, Matt Casamassina did his best to create an uncanny virtual replica of Steven "The Continental" Horn.

 

Using the built-in character creator tool you can set and modify a load of parameters including appearance (height, weight, skin color, face, and hair), costumes (speedos, work clothes, boots, and hats) and moves. Surely, anyone who is remotely into wrestling will find the latter most entertaining as you can create a killer character some really cool and crazy moves.

 

We also like that THQ and Yukes have offered a lot in terms of fighting locales and events. It's not far from the truth to say that most players interested in WWE WrestleMania XIX are fans of the "sport"--even if just casual fans. With that said, the cache of modes and environments are more than sufficient to impress even the harshest wrestling-gaming critic.

 

Overall, gameplay isn't, let's say, Tobal 2-like deep, but it's as good as this type of wrestling gets and more importantly it's really fun. Keep in mind that this feels more like an arcade-style wrestler with a lot of options, counters and attacks and you'll have a good time, we did. So, yeah, you might have to consult the instruction manual a few times, if this is your first time giving a wrestling game a go, but it's not to the point of being tedious. You can play it, but mostly on a superficial level. The really cool stuff you have to learn sometime or another.

 

Graphics

Eye candy as a whole isn't jaw-dropping gorgeous, but it'll do--especially during gameplay where we're more concerned about not getting leg-dropped than determining the bit-depth of character textures. We did notice that the character models have a strange marionette-like look to them during their fanfare introduction. It could just be an issue with subdued lighting that makes the textures and models appear a bit flat.

 

We do have to hand it to Yukes for including wrestler-trademark fanfare introductions, some complete with video footage or particle effects in the form of fireworks. These over-the-top animations continue from the second the wrestler appears on-screen and even when they enter the ring. Some of the female wrestlers have Steve Ng-approved animations and we're sure he'll watch those over and over again.

 

Effects during matches are kept to a minimal, but you will catch a few scripted mini-cut scenes such as two wrestlers' body slamming another or a really hard-hitting attack such as a clothesline or foreign object. It's infrequent enough to not get annoying yet remain sorta like an Easter egg or bonus for doing really well. Other in-game effects include the obligatory texture-swapping trick that gives the illusion of "battle damage"--in this case a bloody nose or black eye.

 

Sound

Good Music, sound effects and some voice overs -- that's the list of must haves to really match the pace and excitement of a televised wrestling event. Licensed music abounds and is the same stuff you'll hear at any Vince McMahon-sanctioned event. In-game sound effects are carried-over, but are as convincing as a concussion or compound fracture. Some of the wrestler-recorded taunts, sound effects and general audio is really amusing and fits well with the atmosphere adding to the overall appeal of the game.

 

Closing Comments

I grew up on doses of Hulk Hogan, the Iron Sheik and even a little Zeus thrown in for good measure. While I may have grown out of the wrestling craze and moved onto Cars I can't help but to enjoy "XIX." And no, it's not the Video Wrestler in me trying to sneak out.

THQ's Yuke's-developed WWE WrestleMania XIX has a solid gameplay engine behind it. Add some decent graphics and more than acceptable sound and we have the makings of a multi-player winner. Yeah, the single player stuff is fun, but who doesn't wanna kick Fran's ass at some WWE? It ain't no Soul Calibur II, but I'm guessing the WWE player is vastly different from the swashbuckling, sword-wielding barbarian.

 

Presentation: 8.0

Graphics: 7.5

Sound: 8.5

Gameplay: 8.5

Lasting Appeal: 9.5

 

Overall: 8.0

[Guest wwF1587]

when does this game come out? (or is it already out)

[Downhome 0]

when does this game come out? (or is it already out)

It came out today.

 

I'm pleased with this score. For a wrestling game, it's pretty damn good.

[Just call me Dan 0]

They sure painted it in a pretty good light, but this review obviously came from a non-wrestling fan, and it may be a completely different experience for someone like us.

[Guest wwF1587]

when does this game come out? (or is it already out)

It came out today.

 

I'm pleased with this score. For a wrestling game, it's pretty damn good.

damn i must of walked right by it and never noticed... ahh well

[Insane Bump Machine 0]

That review tells me nothing. This is actually on IGN? Wow, that's insanely half-assed.

[Ripper 0]

That is the worse goddamned review I have ever seen on that site.

 

While it has good numbers, they usually go on for pages explaining every minute detail about the game. This guy was just "Yeah..that looks cool...that to..yeah.."

[Eclipse 0]

I can't wait until I get the game. MUST PLAY!

[Red Baron 0]

actually i usualy find a lot of nintendo oriented news on IGN to be a bit half assed, or just plain biased.

 

X-Box and PS2 are biased, but at least the reviews are done well.

[Ripper 0]

I think they usually review stuff pretty well. They do bitch on forever about artifacts on the screen which bugs the fuck out of me (OMG~! The FMV ISN'T DVD QUALITY VIDEO...THIS GAME SUX!!!!) and they are pretty harsh on alot of the games. This one is pretty damn bad though. It didn't even list the negatives like every other review that they do.

[Just call me Dan 0]

Fuck that review, I'm sure within a few days, we'll get more accurate details and impressions from posters here.