WMx8 Review (IGN)

[TheGame]

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June 07, 2002 - Looking for the best wrestler available for GameCube? THQ and developer Yuke's have worked non-stop for the last year to bring you the GCN exclusive WWE WrestleMania X8. It features the most comprehensive wrestler list, a rousing set of match types, and a unique Battle for the Belts mode to heighten its multiplayer replay value.
Unfortunately, X8 is not without its problems. Fans expecting a stunning sequel to the highly respected No Mercy on the N64 will be disappointed with the grappling engine. Fans of Smackdown! on the PS2, however, may find the intense counter system pleasing. Where does our opinion fall? Read on.

Features

Completely new game engine developed by Yuke's focuses on reversals and counter attacks
Stunning roster of 42 WWE superstars including former WCW stars play as The Rock, Booker T, The Hurricane, Ric Flair, and many more
Three main game modes including Exhibition, Path of Champion, and Battle for the Belts
Choose from several match modes including Single, Tag, Handicap, Triple Threat, Fatal 4 Way, Battle Royal, and Royal Rumble
A respectable list of match types including Hardcore, Cage, Hell in a Cell, Ladder, Table, TLC, and Ironman
Six of the 42 superstars must be unlocked in the single-player Path of a Champion mode
Authentic entrances and signature moves, including the deadly People's Elbow, Walls of Jericho, "Stone Cold" Stunner, and many others as well as numerous double team moves
Create-a-Superstar mode lets fans craft their own grappler with many options
Impressive visual effects including cloth effects, motion captured animations, specular lighting for "shiny" clothing, and real-time damage to weapons
Four-player support for frantic multiplayer matches
Win and customize your own belts and save to memory card to face off against a friend in a title match
Gameplay
A large portion of the GameCube audience no doubt comes from the Nintendo 64 where several of the most highly regarded wrestling games were released. WrestleMania 2000 and No Mercy are still preferred by many, even over recent next-generation titles. Based on that idea, we presumed that THQ and Japan-based developer Yuke's would follow suit and release an improved, upgraded sequel to these titles. With the promise of a completely new engine and a cast of wrestlers including former WCW stars, we were pumped. Instead, WrestleMania X8 is a sort of disappointing hybrid between Smackdown! and the reversal maneuvers from the N64 -- the only thing that seems to have carried over. If you weren't a fan of the No Mercy grappling engine, then you don't have as much to lose if you were hyped for X8.
How does the X8 fighting engine work, exactly? As we noted, the grappling is very arcadey in the vein of Yuke's other wrestling title Smackdown! Just Bring It! Using the A-button on the GCN controller you have five front grapples, five rear grapples, and a few miscellaneous ones like the evade and grapple, performed by pressing the X and A-button simultaneously. In the evade and grapple, your wrestler will dodge from the front of your opponent to back, whereupon he/she will perform a hold or throw. There is no pre-grapple as seen in the previous N64 versions and Xbox's WWF Raw. This doesn't leave as much room for moves and, equally, control over what you're doing. Like Smackdown! it feels very twitch and arcadey. WrestleMania X8 is definitely slightly slower than Smackdown!, so it doesn't feel like a button-mashing fest, but it's a huge departure from games like No Mercy. To pin opponents, you will see a blinking color meter next to your name. You want it to be red hot while your opponent's is icy blue. At this point your chances of pinning -- and success in modes like Royal Rumble -- are high.



The central part of the fighting engine revolves around counter moves. There are separate buttons and commands for reversals of strikes, grapples, and specials. Basically how it physically works is dependant on GameCube's R and L triggers. Press R and your wrestler will counter a strike, leaving you the opportunity to strike back. Of course, there's nothing that stops your foe from doing the same. Likewise, the L-trigger will counter grapples. To defend yourself in a signature move situation, you have to perfectly time a simultaneous press of both the L and R triggers. You are also able to defend yourself against weapons and flying attacks with the strike counter. The counter system is very handy, and is in fact what will make or break your WrestleMania X8 experience. Once you really nail your timing it drastically ups the intensity level of the matches. One swing of a chair could potentially shift the momentum of the match completely.