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WrestleMania 21 Hands-On
Date Added: January 31, 2005
Story By: Andy Steven
It's been a while since Xbox wrestling fans have had something to cheer. That may change this March when THQ and Studio Gigante release WWE WrestleMania 21 exclusively on Xbox. Featuring 45 superstars, more than 20 arenas, a story-driven career mode, and superb graphics, WrestleMania 21 has quite a lot going for it. While I've had the opportunity to enlighten readers about many of WM21's features, this is my first chance to talk about the gameplay experience itself.
The pro reversal system at its core is nothing new. The triggers are used to counter strikes or grapples, but the Pro Reversal system has taken things a step further. Just about every move has a unique counter, meaning that there are more than 200 reversal animations. Quite frankly, it's a sweet display during a match. In the latest build, new reversal icons have been implemented to flash on screen during the moment you can reverse a move. It's much clearer now -- as opposed to earlier builds -- how long you have to reverse a move. Some moves are literally as quick as the blink of an eye, while others keep the reversal icon up for several seconds. The two higher difficulties remove the visual cue, minimizing reversals.
The control system is pretty simple, allowing for four types of grapples using just two of the face buttons (by either tapping or holding A or B). Because the controls are so easy, it doesn't take long before you can star pulling off just about any move in your superstar's repertoire. The majority of signature moves from each star can be found along with two different finishers, which can be engaged by hitting A and B when your Heat Meter is full.
There's a lot of good to be found in WM21. All of the standard weapons, such as crowbars and chairs can be pulled from under the apron along with numerous other tools of the trade, which can be purchased at the Superstore with cash earned from victories. There are several different rope moves and rope physics are pretty solid, creating a greater sense of realism than the Raw series. Perhaps the biggest aid is the graphics, which rival anything seen in previously wrestlers. The lighting helps characterize each arena, the blood drenches clothing, even hair. There are realistic facial expressions, and excellent animations, some of which continue to surprise me.
For all of its good, there are still some trouble spots for WM21. Currently the wrestler AI is a mixture of good and bad, with the CPU making some wise and aggressive decisions at times, but in other instances acting like Forrest Gump on a slow day. That's stuff that can and should be fixed well before release. There are still minor graphical glitches and touches of slowdown when more than two wrestlers are in the ring, but again, these are the types of things addressed in the final months of development.
Authenticity is a vital aspect of any WWE game and WM21 is certainly aiming to nail the entrances, look, and mannerisms of each wrestler. The finishing moves have a bit more flair than seen in earlier videos and appear to have a tad more impact than before. Though WrestleMania's roster may be a little slimmer than its PS2 counterpart, there's still a good selection of superstars that should put a smile on a few faces. Hell, they've got Eugene, and that's a bit unexpected and certainly welcome.
Outside the ring, WM21 offers a career mode where you can take a created superstar and raise them for newbie to World Champ. Unlike the chaotic and somewhat senseless Raw 2 career mode, WM21 is heavily scripted. Think of it more like Def Jam: Fight for NY (that's a good thing), which very deliberate cut-scenes, and specific rivalries that blossom through the course of play. It doesn't hurt that the superstars all lend their voices to make the locker room chatter all the more believable.
WM21 has two months to go before release and judging by the most recent build, Studio Gigante is going to be fine-tuning this grappler until the last possible moment. The basics are all there -- great counter system, awesome graphics, realistic models, intuitive controls, online play -- but there's still work to be done. Expect to have authentic music for the majority of superstars, plus commentary from Jerry Lawler, when the final product hits store shelves. The sound, among several other elements, isn't quite optimized at this point, but again, Studio Gigante has the ground work. If it can smooth out the rough edges, WrestleMania 21 should give fans exactly what they want.
