Legends of WrestleMania (PS3) Preview
Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 03.16.2009
Hands-On: The demo version is here and I go hands on with Hogan vs Andre and Austin vs Rock!
The release of Legends of Wrestlemania is just around the corner. I recently spent some time with the PS3 demo, so here are my thoughts.
The demo allows you to play a singles match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, with the option to choose Bobby "The Brain" Heenan as a manager. The gameplay itself is very different from Smackdown vs Raw. You have one button for strike attacks, which vary depending on the direction pressed on the D-pad and whether you tap or hold the button. Grapples work the same way, by tapping or holding the X button and pressing a direction on the D-pad. This same functions work for strikes and grapples on downed opponents. Circle button is used to pin your opponent when he is on the ground. Triangle is used to block (if you press forward on the D-pad) or reverse a move (if you press back on the D-pad).
The gameplay felt very basic. Playing as Hogan, he had about 8 grapple moves, a couple of punches and 3 or 4 attacks for downed opponents. It felt like a throwback to simpler times. The game features many moves in which you need to perform a sequence of timed button presses, for things like reversing a move, or even nailing a finisher. When you have your meter full, you can press square and X to perform a finisher. In Hogan's case, it initiates a series of timed presses. You need to make a press to punch your opponent several times, another for the big boot and a final one for the Running Legdrop. Although I never missed a press, I guess that if you miss one your opponent will get a chance to reverse out of the move.
The demo also allows you to play a "Relive" match between Stone Cold and The Rock. Before the match you get a cool video clip that introduces you to the match itself and you then take a look at various objectives that will earn you points. Objectives ranged from destroying the Spanish Announcer's Table, to winning the match as Stone Cold and all of them had a certain amount of points you could earn.
The graphics look really great, as every character looks larger than life and well detailed. The managers do a lot of cool things, from getting up on the apron to argue, to putting their client's boot on the ropes during a pinfall. However, there is no referee, and it felt awkward to see pinfalls counted without a ref! Other realistic details where thrown out the window, since Hogan could manhandle Andre, lifting him in a variety of slams and suplexes like a sack of potatoes. In other words, size doesn't seem to factor into the equation.
If you where looking for a simpler, user friendly wrestling game, Legends of Wrestlemania could be it. Stay tuned for a full review soon.
I tried to 360 demo and must say... I wasn't impressed or disappointed with this. It fell in the middle, and now I really do not know what to expect. I feel this game will be one of those hit-or-miss titles that only half of wrestling fans will like, while others charge the message boards and whimper.
Posted By: Travis (Guest) on March 15, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Hmm I hope the move lists aren't that limited, especially for created characters. The lack of a ref also seems retarded, no realism for weight classes I could go either way on, since there was a point in the SvR's that they took it such an extreme that the superheavyweights were completely invulnerable to featherweights. Still there is such a thing as a happy medium.
The timed presses seem like theyre just latching on since they became so popular after GoW, true they used to get a lot of complaints about how the longer moves felt disconnected since they were/are basically a mini-cutscene but I don't see how covering the screen with a few pitifully easy buttons really does anything to change that. It feels ok when you have to use the analog for moves that involve spinning or rocking and the like though.
Posted By: Nerull (Guest) on March 16, 2009 at 01:39 AM
Bring back AKI. It's been all down hill since
No Mercy. No Mercy = thumbs up. Everything else = thumbs down. I paid over $100.00 for No Mercy, and I would be willing to pay $10.00 for any of this garbage they have out now. Graphics don't make the game, game play makes a game. Yukes can suck my ass.
Posted By: Guest#6167 (Guest) on March 16, 2009 at 01:44 AM
Haha over a $100 for No Mercy!
PRICELESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Posted By: Woz8005 (Registered) on March 16, 2009 at 11:58 AM
"Although I never missed a press, I guess that if you miss one your opponent will get a chance to reverse out of the move."
"but I don't see how covering the screen with a few pitifully easy buttons really does anything to change that."
I think the button in the middle of the screen pops up for both players, and whoever hits the button first wins. I tried the demo on the 360 as well, and I got to say that I am definitely middle of the road on the controls. I applaud them trying to change up the game to vary it from SvR, but this is the best they could come up with.
Posted By: Todd Vote (Registered) on March 16, 2009 at 01:24 PM
The characters had more than 8 grapples each, but they were affected by whether the opponent was groggy or not.
Also the game did note the difficulty Hogan had/has in lifting Andre by making the move itself slow in the lifting and making Hogan move as though he was carrying a heavy opponent. Meaning it makes him do what would happen in No Mercy if you were X-Pac and tried to lift Rikishi.
Posted By: Blanky (Guest) on March 16, 2009 at 08:21 PM
this game is garbage.
yukes is the devil.
Posted By: dudes (Guest) on March 20, 2009 at 07:20 AM
i played this game at a friends house today, and was immediately impressed by the graphics and the control scheme that deviated from the svr setup. sadly, the novelty wore off after a match or 2 and i was bored out of my skull. this game is pretty disappointing in my opinion. wwe hasn't produced a decent game since svr06.
Posted By: Ric Switzer (Guest) on March 27, 2009 at 10:59 PM
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