First Impressions: "It’s the irresistible force versus the immovable object..."
If there could be a few more "constants" tacked onto death and taxes, the first two on the list would be that wrestling will always have some level of popularity and that games based on wrestling will push a respectable amount of units. Over the years, it seems that even the most lukewarm videogame wrestling efforts have garnered some sort of following, even if they have no real long-term value or were advertised in a limited fashion.
However, this fact rings especially true for Xbox owners, who’ve really just had to like what was given to them. The Backyard Wrestling and Legends of Wrestling franchises have shown some flashes of creativity, but ultimately flat-lined. It has been, essentially, up to stalwart THQ to deliver the goods on the Xbox and most would agree that they have dropped the ball. The first two “RAW” games on Xbox were solid, but ultimately underwhelming. Developed by now-defunct Anchor, Inc., the RAW titles lacked the fluidity of No Mercy on the N64 or the energy of the Yukes developed Smackdown! series on PS2.
To (hopefully) remedy this situation, THQ has hired Studio Gigante – the people behind the fighter, Tao Feng – and taken the “WrestleMania” moniker from the Gamecube wrestling titles (which were heavily influenced by the aforementioned No Mercy).
The promise seems to be that WrestleMania XXI will return to the more methodical, but arguably more entertaining, “No Mercy” grappling format. However, the developers are also trying to keep the system fluid, allowing you to perform Irish whips, strikes or power moves whenever you want; they don’t want you getting into an attacking position or grapple and not being able to get out of it or change your mind on how you want to proceed. Additionally, a “Pro Reversal” system has been implemented and should allow the wrestler being grappled the chance to reverse almost any move, from any type of grapple. The trick to this is that the timing of the reversal is different based on the type and speed of the grapple.
The story mode in WrestleMania XXI promises to be a more fully realized experience, especially when compared to the mish-mash of rivalries in RAW 2 and the total lack of any story mode in the original RAW. One major step Studio Gigante has taken is to add speech from actual wrestlers, much like is used in the Smackdown! series. Granted, even Yukes didn’t make that work very well so it remains to be seen how effectively voice can complement text dialogue. The use of cinematic lighting, fully 3D crowds and WWE style production (shaky handheld camera outside ring, etc.) are also being touted as features that will make the experience more immersive.
From the initial screenshots that have been released, the graphics look to be shaping up quite well, but hopefully there will be some refinements made in the last few months of development. Most wrestlers (that have been shown) are modeled quite well and have accurate ring attire, sweat during the match and give facial animations expressing their jubilation or pain. However, some of the lighting in the arenas and textures for the skin might need to be tinkered with in order to eliminate the ultra-smooth look that these polygonal wrestlers have. Regardless, many of the WWE stars shown look strikingly accurate to their real-life counterparts.
Speaking of the superstars of the WWE, WrestleMania XXI will have 45 playable characters (as well as non-playable character models like Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler), including current stars like the Undertaker, Triple H, Randy Orton and John Cena, as well lesser lights such as the Hurricane and Shelton Benjamin. As has been the trend in recent wrestling games, legends, such as Andre the Giant, will also be included.
The create-a-wrestler mode looks to get an overhaul as well, with the game opting to go for a more “focused” approach where you are guided towards a certain type of wrestler. This is somewhat limiting to how crazy you can make your would-be superstar act and look, but it does (in theory) keep the game more balanced and realistic, not to mention more aesthetically consistent. You can still assign any move to any wrestler, but be prepared to have some of your moves’ potency tempered by your weight class and wrestling style (IE. A giant can’t handle cruiserweight moves too well and visa versa). Rest assured, you can constantly improve your created superstar in the game’s story mode and then take him/her online.
Yes, that’s right, finally… wrestling has come to Xbox and Xbox Live. While it doesn’t promise to have full leagues and online story modes, WrestleMania XXI does look to have quite a few options. The action will support up to four players online, with standard single, tag, three-way, four-way and cage matches all making an appearance. It’s likely that other modes, such as Ladder and Hell in a Cell, will make their way online as well. However, one of the most intriguing features is the ability to create a belt – including its look and name – and then bring it online and defend it. Studio Gigante hopes this “prestige” system will create a small league/community unto itself, where people vie for multiple belts and try and strip people of all their hard work. Voice messaging will also be supported for friend invites or to just get mad at the guy who pilfered your belt.
Either way, WrestleMania XXI looks promising and we’ll have more on the game closer to its release in March.
