Wrestlemania XXI - new article scan

[GreatWhiteNope]

[GreatWhiteNope]

Just noticed - the bottom right pic in the cluster of independent arena pictures looks like the Manhattan Center.

 

Perhaps that's the setup WWE told the developers they would be using for the ECW Pay Per View?

[Lightning Flik]

Interesting, and I must say I'm actually highly into seeing this game more now. Getting to wrestle in the indies before the WWE, might be kinda neat.

 

Also, I like how they've added voices for your own created wrestler (sure, you have to choose, still though) which is an upgrade. I think they forget to mention though that you can rip your own theme music. Minor mishap.

 

I must say that whoever wrote this knows quite a bit about wrestling, as it was built to explain why us fans like it.

 

Still thanks for the read GWN.

[Art Sandusky]

Hey, that Orton/Christian match shot is the most realistic of the whole spread. A chinlock.

[Guest Coffey]

I can just tell by the pictures that the animation in this game is bad. I hate being so negative, but at least I won't feel let down when I get to play the game or see movies of it and realize that I'm right.

 

It doesn't matter how realistic John Cena or Randy Orton look if they walk like they have something up their ass still. Look at the Pedigree picture! Seriously.

 

I was reading the right paragraph at the top of the picture...what Gamecube wrestling title has pleased critics? I must've not got the memo....

[Scroby]

I really hope THQ just isn't trying to use just the graphics to impress people again. I hate when companys try to out do the last game with a new graphic engine and don't take the time to make the real changes that had to be made to make the series a LOT better than the previous game. I'm just hoping for a SMART A.I. that knows who its suppose to attack and help out, better gameplay, and no more sweep the legs, pin, repeat combo's.

[Ripper]

I was reading the right paragraph at the top of the picture...what Gamecube wrestling title has pleased critics? I must've not got the memo....

The last two Gamecube titles have pleased the critics. I mean, they still had their faults but they were/are good wrestling games. Wrestlemania X8 however....well....the least said about that the better.

[Guest Coffey]

Wow, I guess the "critics" have had so little to work with lately that they've damn near dropped their standards.

[Red Baron]

graphics and fancy shamcy things are all nice and dandy, but lets hope the gameplay is good, and glitch free.

[Ripper]

Wow, I guess the "critics" have had so little to work with lately that they've damn near dropped their standards.

What was wrong with the last two gamecube games...in terms of gameplay(had to save it there) I mean, Revenge will go down as one of the worse ideas in the history of wrestling games, but besides that....

 

Gamespy Review Gamespy 4/5

GameSpot Review GameSpot 8.2/10

GamePro Review GamePro 4.5/5

Game Informer Review Game Informer 8.25/10

Gaming Age Review Gaming Age 16/20

 

those are pretty good reviews.

[Exslade ZX]

I really hope THQ just isn't trying to use just the graphics to impress people again. I hate when companys try to out do the last game with a new graphic engine and don't take the time to make the real changes that had to be made to make the series a LOT better than the previous game. I'm just hoping for a SMART A.I. that knows who its suppose to attack and help out, better gameplay, and no more sweep the legs, pin, repeat combo's.

I don't even believe they are doing it this year? Or if they are...they're only publishing it, and it's a whole new company making it, so its not like it's 'THQ' that's making teh game however..

[Guest Coffey]

Wow, I guess the "critics" have had so little to work with lately that they've damn near dropped their standards.

What was wrong with the last two gamecube games...in terms of gameplay(had to save it there) I mean, Revenge will go down as one of the worse ideas in the history of wrestling games, but besides that....

 

those are pretty good reviews.

My biggest complaint with the games were that they weren't fun. It couldn't entertain my friends and I. We all played Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain for quite some time, but felt like Raw Vs. Smackdown let us down.

 

And I hardly give two shits was some jobbers from Gamespy or Gamepro or whatever else magazine/e-site rate a game. Ask the people who play the games, not businesses.

 

Someone needs to tell these cats that it's not about graphics before it's too late.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski]

Only 35 playable wrestlers and 5 legends. What's up with that? Soon, they'll make games with 5 highly detailed wrestlers (HHH current, HHH older, current Undertaker, old Undertaker, and Jericho to job.)

[MarvinisaLunatic]

I didnt think this was coming out on the Gamecube..??

[DerangedHermit]

I didnt think this was coming out on the Gamecube..??

It's for the Xbox.

[Skywarp!]

This is why we don't need 3 WWE games every year. How much can possibly change? They say "We really think we've nailed down that 'No Mercy' control scheme this time, with a more sophisticated reversal system" 3 times every year.

[Exslade ZX]

This is why we don't need 3 WWE games every year. How much can possibly change? They say "We really think we've nailed down that 'No Mercy' control scheme this time, with a more sophisticated reversal system" 3 times every year.

That's why, they only release one game a year, technically. Every year they don't 'aim to get a game like No Mercy' but instead, aim to 'get a game out for each console to please the masses'. That simple. Can you imagine how pissed some people would be if say, a game came out for X-box and PS2 but not Gamecube? Or if for those that get more then one, the same game came out for all consoles?

[Mole]

Since I can't remember No Mercy that much, what about the controls were so great?

[Scroby]

QUOTE (Scroby @ Dec 30 2004, 08:28 AM)

I really hope THQ just isn't trying to use just the graphics to impress people again. I hate when companys try to out do the last game with a new graphic engine and don't take the time to make the real changes that had to be made to make the series a LOT better than the previous game. I'm just hoping for a SMART A.I. that knows who its suppose to attack and help out, better gameplay, and no more sweep the legs, pin, repeat combo's

 

I don't even believe they are doing it this year? Or if they are...they're only publishing it, and it's a whole new company making it, so its not like it's 'THQ' that's making teh game however..

 

 

At this moment I still have my doubts, regardless if their publishing it or not, THQ has shitted on the Xbox when it comes to wrestling games.

[Dobbs 3K]

"Since I can't remember No Mercy that much, what about the controls were so great? "

 

What was great was that it was simple. All you had to do to grapple was press one button, or hold it longer to do a "strong" grapple. There was one striking button, and it was easy to do basic things like irish whip, pin, climb the turnbuckles, etc. Plus the system for doing a finisher (where you build up your spirit until it flashes) was easy to understand. Taunting was easy and fun to, because you would flick the joystick in one of four directions to do one of your four taunts/poses.

 

Frankly the only game I've ever liked any better was Fire Prowrestling D for Dreamcast, but that was a 2D game.

[Golgo 13]

Basically. It was so easy and simplistic. Anyone who's ever picked up a controller can get the hang of NM and the other AKI games in no time, yet the engine as a whole was complex and deep like nothing else seen in the US at the time, allowing for strategy, the ability to handle a match your way and back and forth contests. That's obviously what was so good about it, and to this day SmackDown is only just catching up, but still a few steps behind what AKI got right even in their first attempts.

[Ripper]

Basically. It was so easy and simplistic. Anyone who's ever picked up a controller can get the hang of NM and the other AKI games in no time, yet the engine as a whole was complex and deep like nothing else seen in the US at the time, allowing for strategy, the ability to handle a match your way and back and forth contests. That's obviously what was so good about it, and to this day SmackDown is only just catching up, but still a few steps behind what AKI got right even in their first attempts.

I think the Gamecube games have the control scheme ALMOST completely down. I still feel that they have the best overal gameplay...but the presentation could use some help. You give me the smackdown games presentation and animation with the gamecube games gameplay and we got a winner.

[Scroby]

I'm still trying to figure out why no other wrestling game has understood that the AKI wrestilng control were so good they should be used for just about any other wrestling game? Thats one of the reasons why I hate the Smackdown games so much, I tried playing the first one, hell I even bought it thinking the controls would have been similar, I played that game for like two days and never touched it again. No Mercy was just the perfect wrestling game for the U.S. . The Gamecube games that have been released over the past couple of years except for Wrestlemania 18 has almost came close to comparing with No Mercy but there is always a few flaws that make No Mercy better. Day Of Recoking comes close but the season mode was lacking when you couldn't make your own choices, I beleave if DOR let you choose what you wanted to do in season mode it would have been so much better. The set up was all there but the ball was dropped when you just couldn't choose your own path in the game and you were giving the Randy Orton storyline.

[tbondrage99]

You know what I hate? Angles outfit. Hopefully if this is for The X-Box it will be better then that crap fest they called Raw.

[Scroby]

Rey Mysterio's picture sucked in Raw 2 as well, I hope they actually put a picture in there of him.

[Guest JebusNassedar]

Frankly the only game I've ever liked any better was Fire Prowrestling D for Dreamcast, but that was a 2D game.

 

There's nothing wrong with 2D games, damnit! Besides, No Mercy wasnt exactly a crowning achivement of 3D graphics, either.

 

To me, the best part about AKI's WWF/WCW/AJPW games were that there was a complete, realistic roster. In Wrestlemania 2000, they even put Meat (Shawn Stasiak) in game, and The Blue Meanie, as well as other people I hadnt actually seen on WWE TV. Also, most of the time, they managed to nail what the workers actually looked like, especially in the Virtual Pro Wrestling series. Best. Baba. EVER.

 

The problem with AKI making WWE games again is that WWE would have to sign with EA, and I dont support EA in any shape or form, no matter what games they put out. Summary of why availible here. Not written by me, though.

 

EDIT: It's also why I only buy three games a year, if that, and they're all crazy non-pop stuff like Alien Hominid or Astro Boy or Katamari Damacy or similar.

 

As far as WMXXI goes, I'm not yet impressed. 35 workers with the massive roster WWE has is just ridiculous. Unless they're only the people who will actually be on Wrestlemania, I cant see that as a viable wrestling roster. I dont trust Studio Gigante as far as games go, either. I played Tao Feng once, and that was enough to make me cry. Graphically, it looks good, but so did Doom 3, so...

[Eclipse]

I doubt the No Mercy engine will EVER be done right, since the developers are so misinformed about that game. AKI NEEDS to get their hands on a WWE game...

[Exslade ZX]

35 workers with the massive roster WWE has is just ridiculous.

WWE doesn't exactly have, a 'massive roster'.

 

I guess maybe when you factor in all the fluff, aka guys like Steven Richards, Akio, etc. maybe you can say it, but people that are actually used..? hell, it's not even 35 each show. may not even be 20 for that matter, as proven by those 'whole roster battle royals' that end up having like 19 people.