More of the Same
Another year, another Yuke's developed WWE game. The bar has been set really with THQ's outstanding --- albeit difficult as all heck --- UFC title. Can THQ finally have their WWE game clean up all of their assorted flaws and bugs.
For starters, the clipping is back and depressing. I used to be forgiving, but UFC, which has markedly more grappling, had very little clipping. It is no longer excusable to have this problem, but SD v RAW 2010 still has it in spades. Other than that, the game looks quite similar to how it looked last year. The work put into the visuals of the game each year seems to be minimal as the game seldom looks appreciably better. It looks better over, say, a 4 year span...but year to year, it's same old, same old ville. It's even sadder since TNA (which was really bad) looked truly outstanding. Why that engine can look so good and move slowly but this one cannot is a mystery.
I think the controls, personally, are quite easy. It's flicking the right stick and hitting a button. That is it. It's easy to become good in the game in virtually no time. You're not asked to push 5 buttons at a time to execute a hip toss. I know, complaints abound that the controls are baffling, but I've yet to see it.
The game brings back Road to WrestleMania, where you play any of several superstars (Mickie James, Edge, John Cena/HHH, CAW, and Randy Orton) in assorted storylines that are every inch as good as what you'd see on WWE programming.
No, that is not praise.
The voice acting is still comically horrible. I don't know where they record the dialogue, but a professional studio might be a nice play to try for a change.
The career mode is back and is basically unchanged from prior years. You can level up your guy by focusing on certain skills you wish to perfect. You can get abilities that make you unbeatable (three finishers in a row is a bit tough to beat). It's not bad...it's just been done to death.
The big new feature is create a storyline mode. It is, honestly, a bit of a chore. The Santino storyline you unlock from RTWM is a fun one, but making your own makes you realize you might not be as good as the WWE writers. Which, no doubt, will make you cry.
*weeps*
The game is good. Not great, but good. Still the best pro wrestling game in the US. but not high praise since I doubt an Impact 2 is heading our way ever. It's worth playing, but if you don't really like wrestling, this won't suddenly convert you like, say, an NHL game converts you.
