The WWE Smackdown v Raw series has stagnated over the years. The yearly releases brought less and less significant updates, and if you played one from a couple of years ago you aren’t really missing out on much if you didn’t pick up the most recent title. It’s not just a problem with sports titles (yes, I’m clarifying WWE games as sports titles), it is becoming more apparent in all genres with developers/publishers rolling out new titles year in year out to cash in on their popularity. It takes a brave person to see that their franchise has stalled and choose to do something about it. That is what THQ have done with their newest title, WWE 12.
It was a case of going back to the drawing board for the developers, looking at what was working in previous titles, what wasn’t and trying to wrap all that up with a new look and a new feel – and it has a new look. When the first screenshots were released of WWE 12 earlier this year I was worried; it did look like it was just going to be another wrestling game with an updated roster and maybe one or two new match modes, but under the hood there have been a lot of changes. THQ’s ‘Predator Technology’ has been used to create a grappling game that not only looks different, it feels different. For those who have been playing the games over the last three years you will feel a little out of your comfort zone for a while. When in the ring the game feels slower, more methodical. The environment feels harder and even though there are still some animation issues that been present over the years there are also a lot of new ones. All move animations can now be interrupted which is a big plus especially during those tag matches. When controlling your muscleman (or woman, no sexism here) you have to think a lot more about how you want to take apart your opponent. One of the best inclusions is the limb targeting system which allows you to tailor your attacks to injure certain body areas of your adversary. Playing as Alberto Del Rio, who uses a cross arm bar as a finisher, you can wear your opponents arm down throughout the match making that body area weaker, so that when it comes to applying the finishing submission your opponent won’t put up as much of a fight. The better players will use this new system to their advantage allowing them win matches easier, even though you could get through a match just by spamming the same couple of moves again and again.
Another new addition to the gameplay is the Breaking Point Submission system. When you coil your opponent into a pretzel trying to tear his/her tendons from their bones the words ‘Breaking Point’ appear on the screen. You then start button mashing as you try to fill up the meter – meaning victory. If you are on the receiving end of a submission you must bash those buttons to reduce the meter. I’m sure this will get abused online as some people are better at button mashing than others.
Road to Wrestlemania, the main story sections of the game have changed drastically also. No longer do you have the choice of several different superstars with different stories, no sir. This has been substituted for a mode that sees you play as a Villain (Sheamus), a Hero (Triple H) and as a created character all throughout one tightly woven together story. It is obvious that this is a mode in its infancy. While it does certain things very well there are also some issues that stop it from being enjoyable all the way through.
In its presentation Road to Wrestlemania, just like the rest of the game, is a revelation. From the camera angles used, arenas, fireworks, smoke, and to a degree the announcers, it looks as close to the product that you see on TV week in week out. It is nice to see Superstars and Divas voicing themselves in the game but it seems to lack a certain buzz; it is obvious that they are just reading from a script and lacks the kind of intensity that you see promos delivered on television. It’s the little things like that that do bring you out of the moment. It’s not just a case of going from match to match, in RTW you get involved in backstage brawls and when in matches you are set certain objectives that help push the storyline ahead, instead of just asking you to win a match. Whilst it does help mix things up from a gameplay perspective some of the outcomes from objectives you have been set do not correlate with what you have been asked to do. For example, I was involved in a 3 v 3 tag match where I was tasked with wearing down the Big Show. For five minutes I battered the World’s Largest Athlete, including using two finishing manoeuvres, and then a prompt flashed on screen telling me to press the Y button. This then took me to a cut scene mid-match where Big Show took out one of my partners who tagged themselves in and was subsequently pinned. I was then asked to take out the Big Show again. I can appreciate that THQ are trying to tell a story but it is unbelievable moments like this that just pull you out of that experience.
After RTW you have the return of WWE Universe which was new last year. This has been refined and is where a lot of players will spend most of their time, especially after completing RTW. Universe is an ever evolving experience that allows you to create the matches you want, playing them or simulating them, creating new feuds, tag teams and champions. With Universe mode on there are moments that can happen before, during or after matches that can help set off new feuds and even if you are playing a glorified exhibition match it just makes you feel that there are things happening in the background. While RTW doesn’t have great replay ability, Universe certainly does and with the DLC that is planned for WWE ’12 (legends pack and diva pack already announced) it gives you a sandbox to keep you occupied until ’13 is released.
Playing online seems to be a lot better this year. Previous iterations of WWE games have suffered from some severe lag whilst in a match that can be extremely frustrating, but at time of writing this review which is before the UK release date the game runs smoothly. I’m not very good online mind you which is why I will probably stay playing against the CPU or having some riotous laughs playing offline multiplayer with some pals, but it is nice to see with the new slate that WWE 12 brings that the online lag issue has been addressed.
Create a wrestler, finisher, logo, entrance and storyline are back this year and are joined by Create an Arena. The Arena creator is a welcome addition allowing players to tailor their experience to satisfy them and also then allowing them to upload to the WWE servers for the world to download and rate. It is something that these games have done well recently, and for someone like me who can never be bothered to create some wrestlers that I would like to see in the game I can just head online and download them from someone else. I’m sure there will be people out there who create some classic arenas from wrestling past and also maybe arenas used by other wrestling promotions.
The roster this year is better than ever with first timers’ including Daniel Bryan and Sin Cara being joined by returning stalwarts The Undertaker and John Cena. Also making a welcome return to the franchise is Brock Lesnar who, after leaving WWE, went on to make a name for himself in UFC. Batista also makes a return to the game even though he has been out of the company since early 2010. Throw in over fifteen arenas, and the choice off the bat in WWE 12 is pretty darn impressive and will allow you to put boots to asses over the next twelve months. With all these competitors to choose from it would have been fantastic if the AI had been improved. Unfortunately you still find tag team partners jumping off the ring apron for no reason, or opponents just standing there awaiting a pounding on the lower difficulty levels, but then reversing everything you throw at them on the harder difficulties. When the rest of the presentation is stellar there are just little issues that bring you back down to the canvas with a thud.
WWE 12 is the start of something. The new gameplay engine helps make the game feel fresh with character models that look fantastic and interact with the beautiful environment they are in, moves that feel like they hurt and a huge variety of match types to keep you going. The new Road to Wrestlemania mode doesn’t quite work but you can understand what they are trying to create with it. Universe is as deep and compelling as it was last year; the roster and DLC characters in the pipeline will keep the game up to date until next year. User generated content also helps with the lifespan of the game – THQ have been bold in changing up a franchise when they didn’t necessarily need to, it would have sold by the bucket load regardless. That bold move has paid off for fans of WWE games and even though there are areas that need improving slightly it doesn’t take away too much from the overall experience. If you are a wrestling fan WWE 12 is a title you need to own.
Title: WWE ’12
Developer: Yuke’s
Publisher: THQ
Genres: Fighting, wrestling
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii
Release Date: November 25th 2011
Pros -
Looks as close to the WWE TV product as possible
Limb targeting helps bring a new strategic approach to matches
Fantastic roster of WWE Superstars and Divas
Lag free online experience (at time of review)
Cons -
Road to Wrestlemania mode takes you out the action far too often
AI is pretty dumb especially at the lower levels
