BreakABone
04-01-2003, 12:27 PM
Yeah yeah, I know there is a WrestleMania XIX thread already started by me recently, but since the game was er "officially" revealed during the WrestleMania XIX event, I guess it was time to take a look at all the stuff that came out of the event.
It’s a pretty rare thing in this industry when a company will not only admit when they’ve failed, but they then turn around and do everything possible to make good on prior broken promises. At THQ’s WrestleMania XIX event this past Sunday, the company did just that. In their initial presentation, THQ made it very clear that they are listening to fans and journalists alike. They want to make sure you judge this game based on what the game delivers this time, and to not let the travesty that was WrestleMania X8 weigh unfairly on this product.
Well, it seems to me (it's a sentiment echoed throughout several hands-on impressions and whatnot) that Yukes/THQ or whoever was as disappointed with WrestleMania x8 just like the gaming community. So much so that they started work on the sequel before the original game itself was shipped.
Second, they’ve developed a new gameplay system that gives you depth without the stifling complexity you’d see in other games. You initiate a grapple with the A button, tapping it for a weak grapple and holding it down for a strong grapple, at which point you can unleash a move or your opponent can counter. The buttons usually have this dual context, even outside of grapples, where they do one thing when tapped, or another when held. Best of all, it gives you a great variety of moves without having to initiate a ridiculous series of button presses to do one move. It’s not the No Mercy grapple engine, but it actually feels a lot faster and easier, and with a similar variety of moves from any given position.
Well, I guess this is the first of the improvements which incorpate elements from both No Mercy and the SmackDown series. I think this will give the game an interesting feel, my guess is slower but quicker moves will be assigned as weak grapples such as head-drag, armdrags, suplexes and the likes. Then the strong grapples will feature more power and trademark moves such as chokeslams, DDTs, and all the other stuff. Also, it's good to see they got rid of some of the dual button presses (it's later on).
We were able to catch glimpses of this progress through the use of some very dynamic camera angles that happen not only during an instant replay, but also as some other moves are made, the camera would pan out and turn around. There was a definite “wow” factor to that effect, which is the last thing THQ is set on delivering. WrestleMania X8 didn’t convey any sense of excitement, but even in this build, we were quite impressed with the level of refinement.
Well if you check the videos over at IGNcube.com , you can see a few examples of this. One example is the fact that the crowd will count the 1...2...3.. aas someone is being pinned. Another example is the finishers which takes an approach similar to No Mercy and SmackDown : SYM combined, it has the overally dramatic camera angles like SYM and the instant replays like No Mercy.
The two wrestlers(UnderTaker and Rey Mysterio) were different heights, and they wrestlers seemed to be aware of that height difference, something we haven’t seen much of in other games. When standing toe-to-toe, Rey Mysterio would look up at The Undertaker, which was pretty interesting. Height and speed aren’t the only differences, as the wrestlers will all have different stats that determine how they will work in a match. Power, stamina, etc. will all play a part. As I played the game, you could see this system in effect, as you needed to be very skilled with Mysterio in order to get the better of Taker. Rey didn’t have as much power or stamina as Taker, and he needed to use that speed to stay out of Taker’s grasp. These stats are augmented somewhat with a “momentum meter” above the wrestler’s name, which changes from the default green to red, as the player starts doing well giving them a small bump to their stats. As a player’s momentum drops, the meter will fade from green to blue, giving them a small loss in stats as well. Gaining the edge in the match and keeping it is going to be an important part of the strategy in WrestleMania XIX.
Well, it's an interesting idea, but I hope it doesn't unbalance te gameplay too much. Even though, it seems fairly accurate, I mean Rey-Rey won't get no victory over the Taker using his power in Rey life?
Fans of wrestling “psychology” will love the new location damage feature. You can target a specific part of your opponent’s body, weakening an arm or leg (or even head) to the point where the victim will start to “sell” that injury during the match, favoring the damaged area. Weakening a specific limb will also give you an advantage when your wrestler’s moveset targets a limb.
Well, this would be a real cool feature and something that hasn't been seen in a wrestling game since No Mercy, I believe even though SYM had hints on it with the leg.
Of course, WrestleMania XIX will be the first wrestling game in this generation to feature blood. The screen flashes red briefly to alert you to the fact that a wrestler has been busted open, and then the juice will start to flow.
Well actually it seems like the screen will flash red, and the wrestler will feel his head before falling onto the mat then the blood will start flowng, but I hope they work on the system. From the IGN movies, it seemed like Taker got busted open with a spinkick and Rey with a punch. Seems to be some weak times to get busted open.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a wrestling game without the trademark finishing moves, and the game looks to deliver them in a somewhat new way. With every punch, successful grapple, and reversal you land, your adrenaline meter fills. When completely full, one “special” bar (out of three) will light up. Pressing A and B at the same time will initiate your special “mode” which lasts for a limited amount of time, around 10 seconds or so, and will put a fascinating glow around the wrestler’s name. The wrestler will give a signal, such as The Undertaker dragging his thumb across his throat, signaling the demise of his opponent. Hitting the A and B buttons again when in the proper placement for the move will use that wrestler’s finisher, but if you run out of time before you pull off the move, you’ve wasted a special bar.
Now this seems to be a bizarre mixture if I say so myself. It's basically like WrestleMania x8's which was influenced by the SmackDown series and the AKI games.
You can stockpile specials (like WrestleMania X8), but then you have to press A+B (not all the combinations are gone, No Mercy) to taunt or signal for your finisher, then you press A+B within a time limit to complete the move. It sounds bizarre and weird, but also offers some strategy, I mean if you are a coward once the person's name start glowing, run for the hills.
Speaking of the finishers, they look fantastic. Each is incredibly realistic and has that distinctive look you’ve come to expect. The Undertaker hoists his opponent up for the “Last Ride”, even tugging them by the trunks, just like on TV. There are few moves quite as spectacular as Mysterio’s “619”, as he slingshots himself through the ropes horizontally, whipping around and kicking the victim in the head. The wrestlers have multiple finishers as well; Undertaker also sports both the “Tombstone Piledriver” and the “Choke Slam”, and Mysterio has the “Top Rope Hurricanrana” and “Sit Out Face Slam”.
The story mode has had people talking, where Vince McMahon fires you, and you have to gain your revenge. You will battle McMahon flunkies in a variety of locations, using the environments to your advantage. You’ll be able to climb all over objects to try and gain the upper hand.
The story mode still sounds weird, but hey, atleast it's not at a lost to Season mode.
As you progress, you’ll earn cash which can be spent in the WWE ShopZone, unlocking more costumes, wrestlers, features and more.
Well this feature was taken bareboned from No Mercy, in No Mercy, you earned cash via Survival and Season mode, and used it to open up all the secrets even though some could be unlocked other ways. I thought it was a cool system since you can buy whatever you wanted when you wanted without going through specific tasks.
The arenas weren’t all in place yet, but we did get to see brief glimpses of the “RAW” set, and it looked very accurate. As for the WrestleMania set, the WWE had several hard and roaming cameras in place to get the arena from every angle, but THQ won’t just rely on that footage. They’ll actually be getting a lot of information from tapes of events and shows, so they can review them over and over again to make sure they get it right. After seeing the WrestleMania event live, the arena looked spectacular, and seeing that translated into the game should be very impressive.
Er, well, I wonder how many arenas there will be, and I thought the WrestleMania XIX set looked great, better than x8.
Overall, the game was surprisingly polished for an early build, feeling fresh and new, and I am enthusiastic about the new direction in which THQ is taking the title. If the rest of the game is as refined as this brief glimpse, fans should have no problem dismissing the failed WrestleMania X8 in favor of this new entry to the series.
http://planetgamecube.com/impressions.cfm?action=profile&id=560
Sidenote: Rick gave WrestleMania x8 something like a 6.0 in his review and I think he was also burnt by the game so to see him have faith in the game is cool.
Fun: Above all, THQ wants this latest WWE title for GameCube to be considered one of the most entertaining wrestling titles that its ever produced.
I found WrestleMania x8 fun, but mainly as a multiplayer title, I'm pretty certain not many people (if any) shared my feeling on this game at these boards.
Depth without complexity: The devlopment team is working to boost gameplay strategy without making the end result tiresome or tedious.
I'm guessing they are shooting for something similar to FirePro or AKI n64 games where it was easy to learn, but hard to master.
Organic gameplay: As an example given during the THQ presentation, CPU opponents will learn the player's attack patterns and adjust its own tactics accordingly, in addition to providing more realistic and seamless animations in the process.
As much as I want to believe this, I don't know if anybody's ever gonna nail it on the head.
Presentation: The company is giving serious attention to enhancing the intensity of the crowd, the dramatic camera angles, and the in-game sound effects.
I already explained some of this.
The "wow" factor: THQ is generally determined to make gamers' jaws drop when they step into the ring for themselves later this year with a never-before-achieved level of polish and WWE spectacle.
I just hope they know that bells and whistles won't "wow" anyone if the game is a disappointment.
This single match demo allowed two players to duke it out in a timed grudge match between Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker. The point of the hands-on experience was to get a feel for the several new gameplay elements that the development team is designing in addition to appreciating the new graphical presentation. [/qupte]
[quote]Using the GameCube controller, the current control scheme breaks down as follows:
Initiate Weak Grapple: Tap A + direction
Initiate Strong Grapple: Hold A, then press A or B + direction for either a strong grapple or strike variation
Strike Attack: B + direction
Grapple Reversal: L button
Strike Reversal: R button
Special Move Reversal: L + R buttons
Pin: A + down
Kick Out of Pins/Submissions: Wiggle control stick
Run/Get In and Out of Ring: Y + control stick
Pick Up Weapon: X + Control Stick
Initiate Special Move: A + B, then press A + B again to perform during a 10 second limit
As returning Wrestlemania gamers can see, some moves will be familiar this year, while others are fresh. The new weak and strong grapple system is a nice feature that definitely adds depth to the gameplay, as we were able to tell the advantages to getting off a quick and light grapple versus the more slow and powerful slams to the mat.
The pin button has changed, as the buttons to pick up weapons. I don't get the wiggle business though, you actually got to work to break out of pins and submissions?
We left this morning's event wishing that we had even more time to enjoy with the already fun yet early build of the game, but we didn't leave empty handed. THQ was gracious enough to let us share the WWE love with you by snagging a ton of super-sweet direct feed footage of the game in action for the very first time.
Werll, they also seemed to be impressed by the game.
http://cube.ign.com/articles/391/391575p1.html
http://cube.ign.com/articles/391/391570p1.html -Low-Res
http://insider.ign.com/articles/391/391726p1.html -High-Res
I'll add other's impressions from the game as well as other screens and movies later.
It’s a pretty rare thing in this industry when a company will not only admit when they’ve failed, but they then turn around and do everything possible to make good on prior broken promises. At THQ’s WrestleMania XIX event this past Sunday, the company did just that. In their initial presentation, THQ made it very clear that they are listening to fans and journalists alike. They want to make sure you judge this game based on what the game delivers this time, and to not let the travesty that was WrestleMania X8 weigh unfairly on this product.
Well, it seems to me (it's a sentiment echoed throughout several hands-on impressions and whatnot) that Yukes/THQ or whoever was as disappointed with WrestleMania x8 just like the gaming community. So much so that they started work on the sequel before the original game itself was shipped.
Second, they’ve developed a new gameplay system that gives you depth without the stifling complexity you’d see in other games. You initiate a grapple with the A button, tapping it for a weak grapple and holding it down for a strong grapple, at which point you can unleash a move or your opponent can counter. The buttons usually have this dual context, even outside of grapples, where they do one thing when tapped, or another when held. Best of all, it gives you a great variety of moves without having to initiate a ridiculous series of button presses to do one move. It’s not the No Mercy grapple engine, but it actually feels a lot faster and easier, and with a similar variety of moves from any given position.
Well, I guess this is the first of the improvements which incorpate elements from both No Mercy and the SmackDown series. I think this will give the game an interesting feel, my guess is slower but quicker moves will be assigned as weak grapples such as head-drag, armdrags, suplexes and the likes. Then the strong grapples will feature more power and trademark moves such as chokeslams, DDTs, and all the other stuff. Also, it's good to see they got rid of some of the dual button presses (it's later on).
We were able to catch glimpses of this progress through the use of some very dynamic camera angles that happen not only during an instant replay, but also as some other moves are made, the camera would pan out and turn around. There was a definite “wow” factor to that effect, which is the last thing THQ is set on delivering. WrestleMania X8 didn’t convey any sense of excitement, but even in this build, we were quite impressed with the level of refinement.
Well if you check the videos over at IGNcube.com , you can see a few examples of this. One example is the fact that the crowd will count the 1...2...3.. aas someone is being pinned. Another example is the finishers which takes an approach similar to No Mercy and SmackDown : SYM combined, it has the overally dramatic camera angles like SYM and the instant replays like No Mercy.
The two wrestlers(UnderTaker and Rey Mysterio) were different heights, and they wrestlers seemed to be aware of that height difference, something we haven’t seen much of in other games. When standing toe-to-toe, Rey Mysterio would look up at The Undertaker, which was pretty interesting. Height and speed aren’t the only differences, as the wrestlers will all have different stats that determine how they will work in a match. Power, stamina, etc. will all play a part. As I played the game, you could see this system in effect, as you needed to be very skilled with Mysterio in order to get the better of Taker. Rey didn’t have as much power or stamina as Taker, and he needed to use that speed to stay out of Taker’s grasp. These stats are augmented somewhat with a “momentum meter” above the wrestler’s name, which changes from the default green to red, as the player starts doing well giving them a small bump to their stats. As a player’s momentum drops, the meter will fade from green to blue, giving them a small loss in stats as well. Gaining the edge in the match and keeping it is going to be an important part of the strategy in WrestleMania XIX.
Well, it's an interesting idea, but I hope it doesn't unbalance te gameplay too much. Even though, it seems fairly accurate, I mean Rey-Rey won't get no victory over the Taker using his power in Rey life?
Fans of wrestling “psychology” will love the new location damage feature. You can target a specific part of your opponent’s body, weakening an arm or leg (or even head) to the point where the victim will start to “sell” that injury during the match, favoring the damaged area. Weakening a specific limb will also give you an advantage when your wrestler’s moveset targets a limb.
Well, this would be a real cool feature and something that hasn't been seen in a wrestling game since No Mercy, I believe even though SYM had hints on it with the leg.
Of course, WrestleMania XIX will be the first wrestling game in this generation to feature blood. The screen flashes red briefly to alert you to the fact that a wrestler has been busted open, and then the juice will start to flow.
Well actually it seems like the screen will flash red, and the wrestler will feel his head before falling onto the mat then the blood will start flowng, but I hope they work on the system. From the IGN movies, it seemed like Taker got busted open with a spinkick and Rey with a punch. Seems to be some weak times to get busted open.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a wrestling game without the trademark finishing moves, and the game looks to deliver them in a somewhat new way. With every punch, successful grapple, and reversal you land, your adrenaline meter fills. When completely full, one “special” bar (out of three) will light up. Pressing A and B at the same time will initiate your special “mode” which lasts for a limited amount of time, around 10 seconds or so, and will put a fascinating glow around the wrestler’s name. The wrestler will give a signal, such as The Undertaker dragging his thumb across his throat, signaling the demise of his opponent. Hitting the A and B buttons again when in the proper placement for the move will use that wrestler’s finisher, but if you run out of time before you pull off the move, you’ve wasted a special bar.
Now this seems to be a bizarre mixture if I say so myself. It's basically like WrestleMania x8's which was influenced by the SmackDown series and the AKI games.
You can stockpile specials (like WrestleMania X8), but then you have to press A+B (not all the combinations are gone, No Mercy) to taunt or signal for your finisher, then you press A+B within a time limit to complete the move. It sounds bizarre and weird, but also offers some strategy, I mean if you are a coward once the person's name start glowing, run for the hills.
Speaking of the finishers, they look fantastic. Each is incredibly realistic and has that distinctive look you’ve come to expect. The Undertaker hoists his opponent up for the “Last Ride”, even tugging them by the trunks, just like on TV. There are few moves quite as spectacular as Mysterio’s “619”, as he slingshots himself through the ropes horizontally, whipping around and kicking the victim in the head. The wrestlers have multiple finishers as well; Undertaker also sports both the “Tombstone Piledriver” and the “Choke Slam”, and Mysterio has the “Top Rope Hurricanrana” and “Sit Out Face Slam”.
The story mode has had people talking, where Vince McMahon fires you, and you have to gain your revenge. You will battle McMahon flunkies in a variety of locations, using the environments to your advantage. You’ll be able to climb all over objects to try and gain the upper hand.
The story mode still sounds weird, but hey, atleast it's not at a lost to Season mode.
As you progress, you’ll earn cash which can be spent in the WWE ShopZone, unlocking more costumes, wrestlers, features and more.
Well this feature was taken bareboned from No Mercy, in No Mercy, you earned cash via Survival and Season mode, and used it to open up all the secrets even though some could be unlocked other ways. I thought it was a cool system since you can buy whatever you wanted when you wanted without going through specific tasks.
The arenas weren’t all in place yet, but we did get to see brief glimpses of the “RAW” set, and it looked very accurate. As for the WrestleMania set, the WWE had several hard and roaming cameras in place to get the arena from every angle, but THQ won’t just rely on that footage. They’ll actually be getting a lot of information from tapes of events and shows, so they can review them over and over again to make sure they get it right. After seeing the WrestleMania event live, the arena looked spectacular, and seeing that translated into the game should be very impressive.
Er, well, I wonder how many arenas there will be, and I thought the WrestleMania XIX set looked great, better than x8.
Overall, the game was surprisingly polished for an early build, feeling fresh and new, and I am enthusiastic about the new direction in which THQ is taking the title. If the rest of the game is as refined as this brief glimpse, fans should have no problem dismissing the failed WrestleMania X8 in favor of this new entry to the series.
http://planetgamecube.com/impressions.cfm?action=profile&id=560
Sidenote: Rick gave WrestleMania x8 something like a 6.0 in his review and I think he was also burnt by the game so to see him have faith in the game is cool.
Fun: Above all, THQ wants this latest WWE title for GameCube to be considered one of the most entertaining wrestling titles that its ever produced.
I found WrestleMania x8 fun, but mainly as a multiplayer title, I'm pretty certain not many people (if any) shared my feeling on this game at these boards.
Depth without complexity: The devlopment team is working to boost gameplay strategy without making the end result tiresome or tedious.
I'm guessing they are shooting for something similar to FirePro or AKI n64 games where it was easy to learn, but hard to master.
Organic gameplay: As an example given during the THQ presentation, CPU opponents will learn the player's attack patterns and adjust its own tactics accordingly, in addition to providing more realistic and seamless animations in the process.
As much as I want to believe this, I don't know if anybody's ever gonna nail it on the head.
Presentation: The company is giving serious attention to enhancing the intensity of the crowd, the dramatic camera angles, and the in-game sound effects.
I already explained some of this.
The "wow" factor: THQ is generally determined to make gamers' jaws drop when they step into the ring for themselves later this year with a never-before-achieved level of polish and WWE spectacle.
I just hope they know that bells and whistles won't "wow" anyone if the game is a disappointment.
This single match demo allowed two players to duke it out in a timed grudge match between Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker. The point of the hands-on experience was to get a feel for the several new gameplay elements that the development team is designing in addition to appreciating the new graphical presentation. [/qupte]
[quote]Using the GameCube controller, the current control scheme breaks down as follows:
Initiate Weak Grapple: Tap A + direction
Initiate Strong Grapple: Hold A, then press A or B + direction for either a strong grapple or strike variation
Strike Attack: B + direction
Grapple Reversal: L button
Strike Reversal: R button
Special Move Reversal: L + R buttons
Pin: A + down
Kick Out of Pins/Submissions: Wiggle control stick
Run/Get In and Out of Ring: Y + control stick
Pick Up Weapon: X + Control Stick
Initiate Special Move: A + B, then press A + B again to perform during a 10 second limit
As returning Wrestlemania gamers can see, some moves will be familiar this year, while others are fresh. The new weak and strong grapple system is a nice feature that definitely adds depth to the gameplay, as we were able to tell the advantages to getting off a quick and light grapple versus the more slow and powerful slams to the mat.
The pin button has changed, as the buttons to pick up weapons. I don't get the wiggle business though, you actually got to work to break out of pins and submissions?
We left this morning's event wishing that we had even more time to enjoy with the already fun yet early build of the game, but we didn't leave empty handed. THQ was gracious enough to let us share the WWE love with you by snagging a ton of super-sweet direct feed footage of the game in action for the very first time.
Werll, they also seemed to be impressed by the game.
http://cube.ign.com/articles/391/391575p1.html
http://cube.ign.com/articles/391/391570p1.html -Low-Res
http://insider.ign.com/articles/391/391726p1.html -High-Res
I'll add other's impressions from the game as well as other screens and movies later.