Dark Drakan
02-10-2008, 04:40 PM
Let's be honest. The current wrestling scene has become a little... stagnant. For eight long years the Smackdown games have ruled the consoles, but if this year's disappointing update is to be believed its days are numbered. The series is crying out for a makeover, and without any sign of serious competition that isn't going to happen any time soon. So forgive us for getting excited, but TNA Impact is EXACTLY what the genre has been crying out for.
Although WWF No Mercy is widely regarded as one of the best wrestling games ever, its strategic approach to the sport was largely ignored by the Smackdown series. It's an approach that will be revived, though, because Impact is a much truer recreation of the sport. TNA is slightly different from the WWE, and not just because it's set inside a hexagonal ring. It's a much faster sport than McMahon's creation, and the game should reflect this by focusing less on the grapples that underpin every Smackdown bout and more on athletic moves and super fast strikes.
Sting the merciless
Even though the franchise isn't as big as the WWE powerhouse, TNA's amassed a fair few wrestling stars. Ex-WWE wrestlers Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Jeff Jarrett and Rhino will all join a twenty-something strong roster (Booker T joined too far into the game's development, which is a little unfortunate) that includes legends of the sport like Samoa Joe and Sting. TNA's unique Ultimate X and King Of The Mountain matches will also feature, along with the standard mix of one-on-ones, tag matches, triple threats and fatal four ways - all of which can be taken online.
The usual story, exhibition and multiplayer modes will be included, plus a series of management mini-games that allow you to unlock new moves and enhance your wrestler. It all adds up to one meaty package and from what we've seen there's no reason why TNA can't topple the WWE games to become the ultimate grappler on the 360. "Oh it's true. It's damn true..."
Impressive stuff - and not just because Smackdown vs Raw had a pretty duff year. Every wrestler looks like his real life counterpart and the new matches mean that TNA Impact offers something we've never actually seen before in a wrestling game.
http://img101.imagevenue.com/loc852/th_58014_screenshot_192198_122_852lo.jpg (http://img101.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=58014_screenshot_192198_122_852lo.jp g)
Although WWF No Mercy is widely regarded as one of the best wrestling games ever, its strategic approach to the sport was largely ignored by the Smackdown series. It's an approach that will be revived, though, because Impact is a much truer recreation of the sport. TNA is slightly different from the WWE, and not just because it's set inside a hexagonal ring. It's a much faster sport than McMahon's creation, and the game should reflect this by focusing less on the grapples that underpin every Smackdown bout and more on athletic moves and super fast strikes.
Sting the merciless
Even though the franchise isn't as big as the WWE powerhouse, TNA's amassed a fair few wrestling stars. Ex-WWE wrestlers Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Jeff Jarrett and Rhino will all join a twenty-something strong roster (Booker T joined too far into the game's development, which is a little unfortunate) that includes legends of the sport like Samoa Joe and Sting. TNA's unique Ultimate X and King Of The Mountain matches will also feature, along with the standard mix of one-on-ones, tag matches, triple threats and fatal four ways - all of which can be taken online.
The usual story, exhibition and multiplayer modes will be included, plus a series of management mini-games that allow you to unlock new moves and enhance your wrestler. It all adds up to one meaty package and from what we've seen there's no reason why TNA can't topple the WWE games to become the ultimate grappler on the 360. "Oh it's true. It's damn true..."
Impressive stuff - and not just because Smackdown vs Raw had a pretty duff year. Every wrestler looks like his real life counterpart and the new matches mean that TNA Impact offers something we've never actually seen before in a wrestling game.
http://img101.imagevenue.com/loc852/th_58014_screenshot_192198_122_852lo.jpg (http://img101.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=58014_screenshot_192198_122_852lo.jp g)