WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain

"It was a good try!"

After all the hype, I was ready for this game. But is it really better than the SYM? Let's find out:

Graphics: 9/10
Still great. The character models and facial expressions are great. Many of the character models are so real-looking, if I glanced at this game, I woukd think wrestling came on early. There are two things that lowered the score to a 9, though: the horribly done teeth, and that some of the wrestlers faces don't look exactly correct. For example, Triple H's face looks like more like a monkey's than Triple H's.

Sound/Music: 7/10
That techno-rock crap still plays when you wrestle. Since when does that play in real life? I also find that commentary and ring announcing are gone. They could have fixed the commentary, not taken it out. And why did they take the ring announcing out? It was at least OK the way it was before. They should put it back in. Also, they have screwed up a few themes: Rob Van Dam, The Dudleyz, Kane, Rikishi, Stacy Keibler, and Lita's themes are just some that are incorrect. There is no excuse for this. Otherwise the sound FX are great.

Season: 10/10
The storylines are great this time, and they don't just stick you in random matches until the PPV, they put you in matches that actually make sense. Also, I like the way you can unlock things in ShopZone. MUCH better than having to get them at certain PPVs. Also, you earn that money and experience, as well as superstar points, by winning matches. And even though season mode only lasts a year, you can continue it and keep all the superstar stats and title holders. Just a completely revamped, better, season mode.

CAW: 6/10
Just like last year's, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is that it is very in depth. The bad thing is that they continue to put goofy crap in there that nobody is going to use. If they can put super-saiyan hair in there, they need to put some decent, normal hair in there too.

Matches: 9/10
All of the matches from SYM are in, save I Quit and KOTR, as well as three new types of matches: First Blood, Bra and Panties, and the Elimination Chamber. Bra and Panties is somewhat of a novelty and is hilarious to watch. First Blood is not really very fun because it is too easy. Now, the Elimination Chamber is awesome, except that the ref's count for the pin isn't counted out loud. It is a six-man match where you eliminate a wrestler by pinfall or submission in a huge steel cage. Two men start out and about every minute or so another wrestler comes in until all six are in. You can climb the cage and jump off of it, but you can't go out of it, at least not without doing something special that is actually a glitch. But there just aren't enough new matches.

Gameplay: 9/10
They totally re-did the whole gameplay thing. You can target specific areas of the body and hurt them. The submission system is all-new, too. You engage in a tug-of war button-pushing contest to decide if you give up, escape, or get to the ropes. The only problem I have with gameplay is that the computer is just still not smart enough, and it reverses too much, and then just stands there. I know they say Rome wasn't built in a day, but they had over a year to do this.

Roster: 3/10
This is what killed it. This roster is lacking newcomers: La Resistance, Gail Kim, The Bashams, Dawn Marie, Shaniqua, Jamie Noble, Rosey, Nidia, Johnny Stamboli, Nunzio, and Spanky. It is also lacking others in previous games: Molly Holly, Billy Gunn, Billy Kidman, Shane McMahon, Bradshaw, Faarooq, Spike Dudley, and Chuck Palumbo. It also is missing a few people on TV, such as Tommy Dreamer. And the legends aren't that good. They don't have their right entrances or music, and some of them I don't think of as legends, like Hillbilly Jim. Even though WGTT is in, that still doesn't make up for all the hole in this roster.

Replayability: 10/10
It is so much fun to play multi-player and in exhibition mode, but no two seasons will be the same, so you can definitely keep having fun there.

Final Verdict: 8/10
Pros: Elimination Chamber, Better Season Mode, and Better Graphics
Cons: Missing Roster, No Ring Announcing or Commentary, and still-frustrating CAW mode.

Rent or Buy?:Buy
Any hardcore WWE gamer will want this game, but you can rent it is you want. But even if you rent it, HCTP is so fun that you won't want to give it back. All in all, this game has brought this pain-in an awesome way.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/30/03, Updated 11/29/03