WWF War Zone

"Easily one of the greatest sports games for PSX"

When I first got my Genesis, a few friends lent me a couple of WWF games. The fact that they were practically the same as each other made me want to burn the games very badly. Then, when I had my PlayStation replaced with a PSone(The smaller one), an angel came. It was in the form of WWF War Zone. This is, in my opinion, the greatest wrestling game ever on the PlayStation. Sure, it can't compare with games like WrestleMania XIX, but this is a great game. It has stood the test of time, and is still fucking great today!! Read my review to find out why.

GRAPHICS- 10/10
I was impressed with the menus in the game, and this is just the menus. When you get inside the game, and step into the ring, you will be astounded. The graphics are simply amazing! I'm talking intensive care amazing! The wrestlers look exactly the same as on the TV! OK, not in height and weight, but they just look awesome! You can recoginise who is who(If you've been watching WWE when it was WWF in 1997- 1998), and they actually wear their costumes. Of course, this game obviously has the advantage over games like WWF in your house because it is in 3D. But I've never seen such so little effort put into the wrestlers looking good and they turn out looking great!! There is only one little flaw though... the faces. Some wrestlers faces look great, and actually look real(Example, the Undertaker). But some wrestlers mugs are just plain gay!

But otherwise the graphics in this game are the stuff of dreams, if you're living in 1997.

MUSIC/SFX- 10/10
This is an important, and memorable feature of the game. Music- little there are- sound perfect. Even just the menu music is great, as it will set the mood for your wrestling match. Also, instead of having FMV entrances, it is replaced with the wrestler's real theme music at that time. The real DGenerationX theme is there. The real Stone Cold theme is there- it's all there! Now, the in game music. The most important feature of this game is that it has no music in the game- just real commentary! It comes from the mouth of the WWE owner, Vince McMahon, and everybody's favourite commentator, Jim Ross! It's great! They actually say what moves are excuted, and not some shit all the time like 'That was a slobber knocker!!' I love the way they describe the wrestlers as they approach the ring! It's all good!!

As for SFX, grunts, groans, and real wrestler quotes like 'Rest in peace!' and 'Get outta my way!' are present. That's why this deserves a perfect 10.

GAMEPLAY- 9/10
There are some great modes to mess around in, and play in. You can create your own wrestler, give it's own look and skills. There is a training mode, so you can take out your anger on the fat bastard in the ring with you. There are very cool one player games, the most challenging is the challenge and tag team modes. Challenge mode is a career style game- just fight your way to the top and capture the IC and World Heavyweight Championship belts. Perhaps the best game mode in the entire game is four player WAR- it's four players in the ring, no holds barred, and the winner is really the last man standing. It's addictive, very addictive!

Controls for character moves are dead easy- just press down, forward, X for any wrestler and they'll perform a move. It's that easy, I don't know why people complain about it! The finishing moves are the real challenge to perform, especially Ken Shamrock's Ankle Lock(I could never pull that move off).

OVERALL- 10/10
Without a doubt in my mind, this is one of the greatest games I have ever played! WWF War Zone is a classic, must have game! It has stood the test of time, and is still one of the greatest wrestling games ever. Well done and thank you to THQ for making such a great game.

BUY, RENT, OR BURN?
Buy, definetly. It's not worth renting because you'll want to keep it, and then have charges pressed against you, for overdue game rental. Is that what you want?? No, but you do want to buy WWF War Zone!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/24/03