WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It

"They made it better.. yet also made it worse!"

It's true, it's true!

It might be one of the most anticipated games of all time, going toe-to-toe with such sequels as Metal Gear Solid 2 and from the previous two Smackdown's it's quite understandable. But unfortunately the game just simply doesn't live up to the hype it received. And the things that people waited patiently for end up dragging the game down.

Story Mode

First off is Story/season mode. THQ have made huge improvements to it but have also made it suck at the same time. If you pick a male non title holder then it will ALWAYS start with Vince McMahon telling you about a tag-title shot and you get a choice of taking it or telling him to stick it. From then you can wander around the backstage area and pick who your wrestler helps and fights with. Why does this suck? Simple! After you wins a belt the game ends! You have to pick ''new game'' and the champion to defend the belt and the game ends again! It doesn't continue like the previous games! (granted in some cases it will let you have one title defense and then end but that from what I've played that's it) Then you pick another wrestler and Vince asks you about the title match again it's annoying. Picking a Female wrestler does the same only a different scenario from the men. If it wasn't for the fact you could walk backstage and book the APA whenever you wanted the Story mode would be terrible!

The story might offer more than one scenario but most of them can be completed in 3 to 4 matches which is frustrating and if it wasn't for the other features I'd have given it less than 8.

Exhibition matches

Now this is where it excels. 70+ match types including a 8 man battle royal and 6 man tag. there's almost everything from Smackdown 2 (yet to see the casket match) and more. Tag team TLC and Ladder matches and Referees add to the fun. Enter the ring in a tag match when your not supposed to and he'll throw you out the ring!

Play by Play

Someone please shoot Michael Cole! I understand he can be put up with on the Television show but in the game he is completely irritating. Well actually take X-Factor's old theme tune and times it by 1000 and you'll get the idea about Michael. He says the same thing 12 times a fight and screams ''Hurry , hurry'' when your in a position to ''smackdown'' your opponent. Tazz on the other hand is a pretty good commentator! There's the occasional ''This think this match is (pause) Good'' but compared to ''(wrestler name) (pause) is a nice person'' it's ok! Unfortunately those pauses happen a lot during sentences! And for some strange reason they're not in 3D anymore like we've all see in screen shots, They're 2D like Jim Ross and the King from Smackdown 2 and you can't beat Michael when he calls a 'Clothesline' a 'Litacanrana' (yes I have heard him so this in the game)

Create-A-Wrestler

Now this is the best yet! More option than Smackdown! 1 and 2! Everything is changeable! Want Jericho's entrance, Rock's Titan-Tron and Undertakers music? Fine. Don't want anyone music? There's others to chose from! You could also make a pretty realistic RVD (complete with the R-V-D taunt) Also you can watch the titan-tron from CAW and listen to the themes or watch the entrance theme to see what you'll look like!

It's a shame that Story and Michael Cole (well his script) let the game down because it really should have gotten a 10! THQ listened to the complaints of ''it would be better if you could...'' or ''why can't you...'' but unfortunately to do it they had to shorten some things. One is forced to think. Did THQ make the story mode bad so they'd have something to upgrade so they can make and sell Smackdown 4 or was it an honest mistake?

*note this review is not to flame the game (I did give it an 8) It's just that I was extremely disappointed with Story mode!*

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/17/01, Updated 11/17/01