LoneWOlf316's Full Review: WWE Crush Hour for PlayStation 2
Remember the WBF? How about the XFL? What about the movie "No Holds Barred"? Well, these are all things Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon tried that wasn't a solid wrestling venture (except for NHB, which was a terrible movie about wrestling), and they all blew up in his face. Well, this video game is the only truly non-wrestling thing Vinnie Mac has made that is actually good.
The premise of the game is this:
Mr. McMahon has bought up all the networks (a feat that seems more possible by Michael Eisner or Ted Turner), and has put his WWE superstars on all the programs (again, Mr. Eisner is doing that right now, putting the Disney characters everywhere, even giving them two networks to rule, damn evil mouse). And now, McMahon has had a brainstorm. He is going to create a new sport for his superstars to partake in. It is called "Crush Hour". In it, the superstars are given "Mad Max" like cars and they have to blow the living hell out of each other.
Now, before everyone starts screaming that this game is a rip-off of "Twisted Metal", let me give all of you a huge duh and some appropriate retard music. Naturally, any vehicular combat game is a rip-off of TM, we don't need to hear it again.
After you unlock them all, there is a bevy of superstars to choose from, each with a seemingly themed vehicle to them. Austin has his monster truck. 'Taker has his motorcycle. Rock has his "rich prick" sports car. Kevin Nash drives a semi rig (probably 'diesel powered'). Mr. McMahon has his limo. Brock Lesnar has an armored car. Okay, so some of the vehicles aren't exacly perfect, but at least they don't have something like Christian in a Delorian, so that's at least a plus.
The story mode will put you in a season of "Crush Hour" to become WWE Champ. Each race is a little different, there isn't any simple deathmatch boredom (take that "Twisted Metal").
Graphics are really choice. There is little slowdown (it has only happened at once, and that was because all four drivers fired the more powerful weapons at each other at once), and the action feels like it never stops. That is because...
The battlefields on this game are a little small. Sure, you only have up to four drivers in combat at the same time. So you don't need something the size of a small city to hunt down so few competetors, just something small to keep there from being any long, drawn out sniper battles. If you stop, you are the simplest target in the world on that game.
The sound is a alright, save for Jim Ross. Now, I know that JR has paid his due in wrestling, having commentated for over 20 years, but I think that it would have been better if someone like Michael Cole (who's rotten commentary almost ruined SmackDown! 3) would have been doing the commentary. Pity that THQ didn't bother to put an option on to shut Good Ol' JR the hell up.
But, the driver's trash talk comes off a little better. After you kill another opponent, your driver will spout out a catch phrase, or some pretty generic trash talk. You get everything from a very short "Sucka!!" from Booker T. to a 14 second speech from Ric Flair. The only thing missing is a 20 minute promo from Vince, Triple H, or The Rock, who have defined boring promos.
The drivers come out to their entrance music. Well, sorta. You see, Flair comes out to his WWE entrance music, from 1992!! Edge comes out to his theme from two years ago. And I have no clue what the blue hell Booker T. is coming out to, but it sure as hell isn't his theme! Alright, the music could have used some work. At least Howard Finkle's announcing is current.
The controls scream "Twisted Metal", carrying an almost identical control scheme. So TM vets will have no problem adapting to the WWE's style of vehicular combat. Newbies also won't have a problem learning the simple controls rather quickly.
The multiplayer is the only spot where this game really sorta dropped the ball. Where most other vehicular combat titles provide up to four player access, this one only allows for two, which rules out the large party style of gameplay, unless your friends are up for a little tournament.
Overall, loyal reader, if you have $20, and are looking for a new PS2 classic in the making, then "WWE Crush Hour" is perfect for you. Even if you aren't into the WWE, you still might have a blast with this game.
More than 20 WWE superstars bring their Super Cars to bring the pain to their opponents in the streets -- 12 dangerous areas filled with traps and obs...More at Amazon Marketplace
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