WCW Backstage Assault

"This game is the recipe for a trip to the plastic surgeon!"

WCW Backstage Assault isn't a bad wrestling game, come to think of it. Sure, there are a number of flaws, but overall, I thought that it didn't fail to impress. The game has lots to discover, a great environmental system for which your two superstars have a knockout brawl. I'm not so much of a particular fan of these WCW PSX games (especially Nitro, which was terrible), but when I purchased this game for an even 15 quid I wasn't too disappointed. Sure, I am a hyped wrestling fan and all, and this game is worth of a good play. However, I do think that this game could be one of those 'hit or miss' types. For wrestling fans, you'll either hate it or you'll love it. But what this game displays is all a bunch of originality, good moves, and several characters. I have enjoyed this game quite well I even made a guide for it. But that's something else.

Released in 2000 for the now ageing-Playstation, WCW Backstage Assault is a one-of-a-kind wrestling game. There's no ring. You control wrestlers from all different view points. From Birds-Eye to behind both grapplers, or looking up Kimberly's skirt. There is a ton of stuff to do. There's the Hardcore Gauntlet mode, in which you can venture to do battle with a number of different WCW Stars to get your hands on the Hardcore, U.S. or World Heavyweight Championship, or the Torch match, one of my favourites, or creating your own Superstar. All these modes, I think, could have been improved, but from what we have, it's not too bad. A storyline for the Hardcore Gauntlet would be interesting. More edition options for the CAW would have been better. So we do have a good startoff to each mode that the game includes, but to put a point of evaluation over them all, they're not as good as they could be. But it was a gem overall.

From first looks you may think that this game might look awful, but there is a saying 'do not judge a book by its cover'. This game is an example of how true that proverb is. The graphics did look horrible and could probably make Roddy Piper's stomach look like a model's dream. The gameplay, however, is good, and music is hard and the Tron videos for the superstars do look rather awesome on the big screen.

Gameplay - 7/10

The first point to talk about with a wrestling game is the overall wrestling system. As I said before, you have different camera views. Which is kinda good and kinda bad. Well, it may look in Birds-Eye view when you climb a crate as Billy Kidman and are just about prepared to slam Chavo Guerrero with the Shooting Star Press. When all of a sudden, it turns to a view of behind a pile of tires and you're suddenyl confused of the viewpoint. When you finally figure out which way to direct Billy, Chavo's back up again. This has happened to me a number of times before, and it was frustrating and annoying. But unique too, as I haven't played any other games with switching views and this, therefore, makes the camera look as professional and realistic as a TV Broadcasting. I liked it in general, truth be told.

The Create-A-Superstar section of the game isn't as totally rocking as I expected it to be, but there is a lot of stuff you can edit for an existing superstar, or the ones you have made yourself. It's a pity you can't change the colours of a pair of boots you really like and are forced to switch to a different pair, or sometimes the colour you're looking for doesn't even exist! Oh the irony. The moves don't look very good either. The polygons in the shapes of the character models either look like they are magnetised together and are not hooking for a hiptoss or something, or sometimes go straight through. Totally unrealistic. However there are a lot of good moves you can flash off with a superstar, and after all, it's not graphics that count. So it's not totally hopeless after all.

And onto the Hardcore Gauntlet - lots of fights in a row with no rest. Wow. That's motivation. Well, I guess it's not bad, but personally, I get bored after putting up two or three fights if there is nothing to keep you addicted to the mode, which this game lacked in its entirety. A STORY LINE between the superstars. Like WWF Smackdown 2, which had a blend, yet decent story line for their season mode. In fact, why didn't this game have a season mode? After all, I wouldn't have minded playing a Superstar's career if their entire career consisted of visiting the boiler room and clonking a guy on the head with a metal pipe each week. In fact, I'd rather enjoy that =)

The controls are kind of awkward. It's a bit frustrating to get used to moving around in different viewpoints for the first two or three times. A few button combinations are a bit bad to use, for example, Irish Whip, which sometimes cannot work because you have to hit two buttons at once while you are in a tie-up. But as far as pulling moves goes, it's better than the Acclaim titles, as you're only hitting one button at a time for one move, which was a big relief, and something I liked about controls for wrestling games. So that's great.

And finally, the wrestling modes. The first blood match is okay. Not much improvement needed there, I guess. The human torch match isn't bad, but I think of it so unrealistic and stupid when a guy gets his torso lit and he looks like the Statue of Libert's torch. For one thing, why isn't he running around screaming for help or anything? And wouldn't his skin just melt if that happened? And the singles mode is decent - you get to explore several areas backstage, even unlock some, and of course, get new superstars on the go, which is a major ups for this game.

Story - N/A

The lack of a story is a sore spot for this game. For an almost, if total, non-existent storyline within WCW Backstage Assault, I have decided not to give it a score. The section where you are able to relive past championship glories is kind of related to it, so I suppose that's alright, but the major concern is the lack of storyline for the Hardcore Gauntlet.

It would have also been better to see a Season Mode with a storyline, which may have boosted this game up to 8 or maybe even 9. Something which Electronic Arts should have considered before releasing the game. No wonder No Mercy and Shut Your Mouth were so successful for their career modes, but that's the way it goes.

Audio/Video - 5/10

Where did they go wrong here? The graphics in this game are not the best I've ever seen for a PSX wrestling platformer. The graphics are bad. Not terrible, but I've seen better. The character models could have definitely been improved. When Ric Flair does a chop I just can't help but think that his foe is on the receiving end of a paper cut. When you look on the back of the box, the graphics don't look as bad as they do on screen. But I do think that it is a big flaw for the game. When the wrestlers move about, you'd think they've all caught a cold or something because they shake about. Like when Goldberg does a jackhammer he's standing there with a defenceless foe in the air shaking like he's doing an upside-down hula dance, and suddenly, down he goes at a speed of 400mph, which does makes some of the moves really unrealistic, and seriously need improving.

However, the Titantron videos are a whole different story. They look just as they do on TV, and I've never seen such fluent FMV for a game, which I totally loved, for wrestler entrances.

The music in WCW Backstage Assault isn't bad, but you can definitely hear the same instruments over and over again. A bass guitar, a pair of drums, and some metal theme to pretty much everywhere you go. It gets annoying when you are creating a superstar because you're listening to that music for ages.

The sound effects are amazing. When you hit a guy over the head with a 2x4 wrapped in steel barbed wire and the 'OW!' sound it makes is good. And the commentary is better than any wrestling game I have played. What I didn't like about Smackdown JBI for PS2 was that you have Tazz blurting out ''Stone Cold Steve Austin...is the best...World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight...Champion we've ever had.'' This one has all the voices running smoothly and fluently, and is some of the best I've ever heard out of a wrestling game. This should certainly impress you.

Replayability - High

I loved playing all the modes. If you complete one mode, you have to go through again if you're in want to get all the secret characters and arenas, which will keep you tied to the game for a while. Playing with 2 Players notches up the score. It's a wrestling game, and you'd expect the replayability to be high, if you are a wrestling fan, like me. All I can say is that the overall quality of the game won't disappoint you, and you'll love to play the game over and over again.

Buy or Rent? - Buy

To get it at such a cheap price was a good bargain for such a great game. If you really aren't sure, I suggest renting it, because you may not be pleased. Depending on how you like your wrestling games, this may, or may not please you. It's worth playing it at least one, but I do think you'll enjoy this game. Not a must-have, but good for a wrestling fan's collection.

Good Things/Pros
- Decent controls.
- Awesome Tron videos.
- Lots of great stuff to do.
- Good match types.
- Decent Create-A-Superstar system.
- Best. Commentary. Ever.

Bad Things/Cons
- Bad graphics.
- No storylines to boost the game's interest faction.
- Annoying music.
- Camera (at times).

Overall - 7/10
So, it's not as good as it could have been. A lot of improvements could have been taken into consideration, but the game isn't bad overall. It's not the best wrestling game in the world, but it is unique compared to every other wrestling game, and it's a great experience to have a shot at.

THE CONCLUSION
Decent wrestling game that EA can be proud of. A big thumbs up, and peace out!

End of Review

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/21/03, Updated 06/19/03