New video games 'get ready to rumble'
By Josh Zelman
CNN Headlines News
 |
Xbox's "WWE Raw 2"
Story Tools
| TUNE IN! |
For the latest news and video game review tune in to CNN Headline News every Thursday at 8:45 p.m. ET when Erica Hill goes "Big Video Game Hunting."
|
|
(CNN) -- Football season is in full swing, but it's not the only game in town. I talked to Bryan Intihar, associate editor for Electronic Gaming Monthly to get his thoughts on the latest wrestling games for the major gaming consoles.
'WrestleMania XIX' -- Nintendo GameCube
Intihar is a big fan of "WrestleMania XIX." It allows gamers to slug it out while going for the title and features a storyline that takes grapplers from construction sites to shipping yards as they attempt to work their way back in the ring.
Intihar says novice gamers will welcome the game's training mode. He feels, after about 20 minutes of practice, just about anyone will be able to master the moves.
One issue Intihar raises with "XIX" is that it often takes too many attempts to achieve a goal. For instance, unlike real life where one blow can end the fight, in "XIX" it takes repeated strikes to get the same result. He says the developers should embark on a little fine-tuning.
'WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain' -- PlayStation 2
This game hits shelves October 27 and Intihar has yet to wrap his hands around it.
However, he tells me WWE writers reviewed the best wrestling plots over the past decade and packaged them into this game.
Also incorporated into the game are wrestling legends such as Sergeant Slaughter and George "The Animal" Steel. It's a larger than life cast totaling more than 50.
'WWE Raw 2' -- Xbox
"WWE Raw 2" goes on sale September 15 and because it's so new, Intihar hasn't played it. But he tells me gamers create alliances with other wrestlers and when this strategy gets stale, they can turn their backs on their buddies to create rivalries.
He calls it by far the best looking of the three games.
