Rumble Roses XX

"With the same flaws as its predecessor, Rumble Roses XX delivers gorgeous gals, but forgets the booze and the keys to the apartment."

Rumble Roses XX by Yuke's Entertainment/Konami is the sequel to the original Rumble Roses, which was exclusive to the PS2. If by some unimaginable chance that you don't already know what this game is, it's an all-women's wrestling game who's core gameplay is reminiscent to those found in the WWE wrestling games (also developed by Yuke's Entertainment).

Gameplay 5/10
Unfortunately, our fears have come true, and the gameplay for Rumble Roses XX is no better than that of the original Rumble Roses. The wrestling system is a simplified version of that in the WWE wrestling games and does a decent job, but overall the simplicity wears thin as there just aren't enough interesting game modes to keep anyone playing this game for very long.

Gone is the story mode, and sadly, it wasn't replaced with anything. Instead, you begin by picking a character, and you are immediately thrown onto this World Map that also plays the role as being the Main Menu of sorts. Here you choose which arena to fight in, and each arena will have a random match type with random opponents. So we don't even get an "arcade mode" where you fight everyone in order and then the boss. What makes this mode terrible however, is that you really have no idea what you are supposed to be doing to unlock stuff, so you will definitely have to scour for guides and FAQs unless you are willing to waste hours fighting unnecessary matches. Worst, even when you know what to do, unlocking everything (which includes getting all the achievements) takes a very very long time. You will have to win a lot of matches, and things get boring quickly. The only bright spot is that the AI is very easy to beat.

As for match types, you have a basic 1v1 Singles Match, 2v2 Tag Match, 2v1 Handicap Match, and a 3 or 4 way battle royal. There's also a Queen's Match that is the same as the 1v1 Singles Match except that the loser is penalized by having to perform something embarrassing; a PHM match that is also a 1v1 Singles Match except that you have to win with a Humiliation Move; and finally a Street Fight mode that is just so awful that the first time you play it is also the last time you play it. You will likely be playing solely 1v1 Singles Matches however, as these matches end the fastest. Tag and Battle Royals are the best for multiplayer, while Queens Matches get old very fast.

New to Rumble Roses is also the customization of the wrestler. It's a shame that this mode wasn't more developed because as it stands right now, it's very limited. I also dislike how changing the physique of a wrestler effects their performance, as you will sometimes lose some moves, and it becomes confusing. The differences are also not as apparent as I would have liked.

Multiplayer-wise, this should be considered solely as a "fun" game as there are simply too many inescapable chains and tricks that disallow any sort of serious competition. Sadly, this makes Xbox Live just about pointless. This game is an enjoyable party game though, as the controls are very easy to pick up, and is certainly fun in short sessions.

Graphics 8/10
The characters are the best-looking female models to date. This game beats Dead or Alive 4 hands down in this department, and though the environments aren't that great, the women are magnificent, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that counts in an all-women wrestling game. There's some clipping issues, and the menus are unpolished, but as I stated before, the women are hot.

Sound 8/10
The voice acting does seem better this time around, but this could be because there is no longer a story mode. The ring announcer is simply atrocious though, being way too over the top, and is painful to listen to at times. What I did enjoy on the other hand, much like with the previous Rumble Roses, was the music. Great music in my opinion.

Final Verdict 6/10
In the end, I'm sad to say that the only part of the game that is truly superior to the original is the graphics. Now, the game isn't all bad though, as it makes for a wonderful rental and party game. Just don't bother picking it up for full price as it definitely won't keep a firm grapple lock on your Xbox's dvd tray.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 05/09/06