shadowtiembi's Full Review: WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain for PlayStation...
Hands down, "WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain" is the greatest wresting game out there for the PS2, and possibly the greatest wrestling game for any system.
To fans of the previous Smackdown installment, the controls will feel familiar. There is, however, one huge improvement -- the square button is no longer used to block/counter attacks. Instead, L2 counters striking moves, like punches, kicks, and the rather-illegal-yet-quite-enjoyable steel chair to the head. R2 counters all grapples. No longer will square button-mashing (you know who you are) be your path to victory. You need to recognize what attack is coming towards you, and quickly act upon it. And every move can be countered, from the basic bodyslam to the wrestler-specific signature moves.
Graphics look similar, though slightly better in this version of Smackdown. Entrances are all there, and all improved (though some lesser-known grapplers are given generic entrances). The animation looks less jerky going from hold-to-hold, which makes for a more realistic-looking match. Music, for the most part, is acceptable. The in-game stuff is the standard rock Smackdown fans have become used to. Nothing that will amaze you, but on the bright side, it won't make your ears bleed. What WILL tick some fans off (myself included) is that not all of the wrestlers' theme songs made the cut. Rob Van Dam doesn't come down to Breaking Point's "One of a Kind," Victoria has an instrumental song that sounds damn-near identical to a certain TaTu song, Kane's old riff is in, and the one that upset me the most...The Dudleys enter the ring without Powerman 5000's "Bombshell." It's not a major part of the game, but hardcore fans will notice it.
This game came out last November, so unfortunately for wrestling fans, the game is already pretty dated. Newcomers like La Resistance, Mordecai, Akio and Sakoda, Gail Kim, etc...you won't find them in this game. Unless...
The create-a-wrestler feature is still in, and as unbelievable as always. With enough work, you can make anyone you want, and make them look as if they aren't a CAW at all. Of course, some people have a knack for this feature while others don't, so for the CAW-impaired, I recommend http://www.cheatsforplaystation2.com/hctp/cawindex.htm
There are a few new additions to the Smackdown series, sucg as the Bra & Panties match, which honestly isn't all that great at all. Two fully-clothed women attempt to rip each other's clothing off until one is left in provacative undergarments. It's funny the first time, but after that, you'll spend most of your time with the new Elimination Chamber mode. The biggest and best new addition to the game is the body part-specific damage. A little icon will appear next to your name that looks like a person. As each part of the body gets injured, that part will go from blue (healthy) to yellow (injured) to orange (it hurts, mommy, it hurts) to red (for the love of God, kill me now). This is great for submission specialists like Benoit and Jericho. Keep working that lower back, Y2J, and you'll have your opponent tapping out in no time. This adds to the realism; anyone who's played the previous Smackdown games knows how annoying it can be to have your wrestler mysteriously submit to an armbar after 10 minutes of solid wrestling action.
Finally, the season mode. You won't have to walk through the labyrinth hallways like you did in the previous Smackdown game; rather, before each event begins, you can look at a list of possible locations -- locker room, parking lot, backstage, etc. If another wrestler is there, you can choose whether or not you want to interact with him (and occasionally, her). The season mode differs depending on who you choose, with some storylines available only for certain wrestlers. Still, after you've played through it a few times, you'll notice the repetition. The true replay value is in Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain's multiplayer mode.
The bottom line (regardless of whether or not Stone Cold said so) is that WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain is THE wrestling game to have. For now. We all know that, come November, a new WWE game will be out for the PS2, with even better features, newer wrestlers, and slightly better graphics. But this game does so many things right, that you'll easily be playing it right up until the next one is in your hands.
Exclusive story mode with original storyline developed by WWE staff writers. Unique Superstar abilities featuring real-life attributes of strength, su...More at Amazon Marketplace
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