Post by Big Pete on Sept 27, 2020 15:38:37 GMT
Time to follow up on the Mario thread.
S
WWF No Mercy - Basically by virtue of being the final AKI game. It was the same AKI game as before but now with tables (!!!), ladders, backstage arenas, special guest referees, iron man matches, KAIENTAI and non-disappearing weapons so you could constantly peg the steel steps into your opponents face over and over again. CAW mode was expanded to the point that memory cards actually had a worthwhile use and the campaign modes all had narratives that mirrored the TV product. It was great, except when they had Richards sub in for The Big Show.Always find myself coming back to this game, whether with mods or without.
WWE SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain - Still the height of the SmackDown series. The character models still look amazing to this day, every move is wonderfully animated and they did a great job of making each playstyle whether it be mat-based, power-based, high-flying, grappling etc. mean something. The new grappling mechanic gave you even more ways to inflict pain. It was great to see the Elimination Chamber on PS2 which didn't seem likely and the backstage arenas were a riot.
A
WWF Wrestlemania 2000 - The Acclaim series turned me off the idea of WWF video games so this game was completely off my radar until I picked it up on a lark. Good god if it wasn't one of the best surprises I've ever had in gaming. It was everything I loved about Revenge except now with a fully fledged CAW and Season mode. I wasn't an avid WWF watcher back then, so this really informed me on what was going on and the idea of sub 50 minute matches ending in a count out sounded so awesome. This used to be a great game to rent as well because all the saves would be crazy. I remember one where the entire game was seemingly dedicated to Meanie and everyone had all these bizarre costumes. It was kind of fun trying to decode who everyone was without resetting their CAWs. Also love those low quality music themes, Real American still doesn't sound right unless the bit-rate is incredibly low. Also love that AKI entrance, so so good.
WWE SmackDown: Shut Your Mouth - The true follow up to KYR. A revamped season mode with an open world design that allowed you to interact with random wrestlers backstage and start your own angles. It seemed like Yukes really poured a lot of energy into this, making sure each wrestler controlled authentically. Then when they could find room to make the game fun they'd give players these fun little easter eggs like being able to jump off the SmackDown fist. One of the best rosters of all-time and the credits remain the best in the series. The 32 CAW slots was huge and it also didn't take up 4MB of your 8MB memory card.
B
WWF SmackDown 2: Know Your Role - At the time of it's release, it was actually neck and neck with No Mercy. Season mode and choice of gimmick matches certainly gave it an edge, but the excessive load times hurt it. Still, after years of sub-par video games, it was nice that the WWF had two quality titles that were very easy to pick up and play.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2006 - It's been years since I played it but I primarily remember it being a nice step up from SvR and GM Mode was a great addition that gave the game some much needed longevity. I'm keen to go back to it, especially after watching that Woods/Breeze series on UUDD.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 - I was amazed by the graphics for the 360 version, it was one of the first examples of that generation really impressing me. I didn't enjoy it as much as 2006, the new control scheme threw me for a loop and I just wasn't as into the WWE around this time, but I still put some decent hours into it back in the day.
WWE 2K19 - I was pleasantly surprised by this. I thought they were largely just re-releasing the '12-'14 style games but the newer games have more logic to them and do a better job of simulating the action you see on TV. Ridiculous roster, crazy amount of content and the CAW system is as good as it's ever been. I just hate how you unlock wrestlers in this game, especially since it's designed to get you to pay. It did lead to the 1001 matches of Brock Lesnar which was a crazy journey to be a part of, but a game shouldn't force you to grind like that. I've had some great matches on here, a recent TM61 vs. #DIY was really fun to playthrough but it's just missing that magic of those top tier games.
C
WWE Wrestlemania XIX - A much better attempt at copying the AKI design. They implemented the light and heavy grapple giving the game some more depth. Unfortunately instead of Season Mode, they gave us some weird Beat-Em Up Revenge mode where you kill construction workers to get to Vince. It works much better as a multiplayer game and it still has the only ******** match, Rob Van Dam vs. Booker T vs. "Sean" Michaels in a ladder match.
WWE: Day of Reckoning - It improves on WM XIX in every facet EXCEPT for the roster which is a disappointment. It was out of Yukes' hands, but between it and XIX, XIX was always the preferred multiplayer game. It was nice to have a proper season mode in place and while it was linear, the Evolution break-up storyline was nice to play through before it happened in real life. CAW mode actually gave the SmackDown series a run for it's money and the licensed soundtrack was great. I never understood why they didn't include the option to have the music play through matches, it would have been so much better than the repetitive commentary track.
WWE Raw 2 - Probably more of a C- but the game has so many features which especially for it's time puts it right up there. Has a SmackDown 2 style season mode which is a plus, the graphics are gorgeous for their time and the roster is stacked. Shannon Moore and Jamie Noble didn't make a lot of rosters, they still found their way on this.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw - If you just look at the roster, the only new faces were Renee Dupree, Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade. If ever they needed to inject new blood into the series, 04 was the year instead they put all their energy into features like voice acting, babyface-heel dynamics and the like which weren't important. CAW was barely improved upon and season was somehow worse as they shortened it. Still not the worst in the series especially since it largely has the same formula as HCTP, but definitely a miss step for the series.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 - This seems to be an unpopular opinion, but I actually liked what this game was going for. No more legends, the game strictly focused on the current day roster so there were a few deep cuts like Jimmy Wang Yang and Jesse to pick from. Road to Wrestlemania was fun to play through as well with six crazy storylines to playthrough. It didn't have the replay value of past season modes, but the original stories were largely better. The only down-side is that the game cut a few features like GM Mode so it felt compromised in places.
WWE '12 - After taking a hiatus from the series, this drew me back in with the promise of new gameplay. It had a similar grapple mechanic as HCTP where you could change your move based on which lock-up you went for. It was OK but the company was in such dire straights, there wasn't a lot of replay value and the story mode in particular was filled with so many boring backstage brawls. It really highlighted how far the series had fallen when the brawls were just so disappointing compared to HCTP and everything that came before.
WWE '13 - Same deal, although THQ had the sense to go with the Attitude theme and lay the legends on thick at a time where the roster was really struggling for star power. It made the campaign enjoyable to play through, but it was one of those one and done type deals and if you're familiar with it, it's not really going to stir your imagination like the past season modes. I feel I'm underrating these, it's been about 7 years since I played either so they maybe worth a revisit.
D
WWF Warzone - I always remember being blown away by how good it looked for it's time. The wrestlers were all to scale, it had commentary and if you had the PS1 version the wrestlers cut promos. CAW mode was a revelation as well and it was my first taste of messing around with character models and creating all sorts of abominations. I just never got used to the gameplay which by default made me a WCW fan because of the AKI engine. I have been meaning to play through it and mastering one character but just can't find the inspiration.
WWF Attitude - I remember this being hyped as the end all to be end all of Pro Wrestling games. Acclaim had learned a few lessons from Warzone and were going to create one of the most authentic games of the generation. The game was delayed several times and when it came out, it was Warzone with a few bells and whistles. The Create An Arena mode was nice for 1999 but if anything I was less inspired with WWF Video Games.
WWF SmackDown: Just Bring It - Such a disappointment after SmackDown 2 gave No Mercy a run for it's money. If the sub-par season mode and roster wasn't enough, then the 4MB save file was the kicker.
WWE Wrestlemania X-8 - The first Nintendo release and Yukes' attempt at making an AKI like. They completely butchered the grapple system, only giving each wrestler four front grapples and the game was just really lacking in modes. It was so disappointing that even those who were working internally consider it a massive flop.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 - I remember this as the biggest disappointment in the series since JBI. I believe I had an issue with the roster and the changes they made to season where they turned it into an RPG where you plan out your week to improve stats. It's actually not a bad concept, but the execution is really wonky since you have little say over your opponents and all your rivalries seem to happen over the phone. I've been playing it again recently and not minding it as much but I can imagine it's only a matter of time before I get sick of it.
