WWE '12 Preview
When it comes to fan service, few developers do things quite like publisher THQ and developer Yuke's. The Smackdown vs. Raw series has been both pleasing and annoying wrestling fans for years, adding a wealth of new features every year but slowly starting to crumble under the weight of it all - sub-par visuals and animations based on old technology became more and more glaring. But THQ and Yuke's are back, this time with 2011's yearly entry just named after the WWE itself, and with this new game backed up by an improved game engine and under-the-hood technology, WWE '12 is starting to shape up to have the biggest improvements in the history of THQ's wrestling games.
Now, as I always state in these articles covering the WWE, I'm not really a fan of wrestling anymore; something about recent years' ramping up of acting and the decrease in athletic and acrobatic prowess just lost me. That said, I always go to THQ's WWE-themed events with an open mind and with the games' fans in mind. The first thing I want to say about playing wrestling games is that sometimes it feels more like the real thing than the real thing, and that's mostly because in the games, the wrestlers appear to actually hurt each other much more. In the real world, the superstars are trying to hurt each other as little as possible while still making every move look as impressive, flashy, and often painful as they can. In the video games, there's no holding back or special tricks done to reduce injuries. That huge splash off the top turnbuckle, that chair right into the forehead, and that cranked leglock all look especially painful. In fact, I often suggest to those who dislike the WWE itself to actually try the video games, since the drama can usually be skipped and you can get straight to the action.
And there's a hell of a lot of action here in WWE '12, too. The developers have been piling up gameplay modes so much, that the main menu is actually almost too crowded; nested menus of matches and gameplay modes often go three-deep with up to a dozen or more choices inside some of the bottom levels. And they've only piled on more this year, with the ability to create your own ring entrances, ring designs, and more. There are now ten separate creation modes that let you put together your own superstars and divas, your own TV schedule, hell, you can even remove all of the built-in/licensed wrestlers and create your own league, all with its own wrestlers, shows, finishing moves, and more.
But the biggest change happens once you get in the ring. The superstars this year look more lifelike than ever, with smoother textures for their skin, better animations for nearly everything they do, a more TV-like presentation (mostly achieved by simulating a real broadcast's camera angles more closely), and a much-improved crowd that doesn't copy/paste the same person two or three times every twenty feet. I noticed that there's some antialiasing going on, too, smoothing out the jaggies that have become an increasingly bigger issue in this generation of HD games and (otherwise) unprecedented eye candy.
Road to Wrestlemania has changed quite a bit this year; instead of having separate short storylines, this time there's just one, split into three main parts - but it's much deeper and more involved than any single one of the old storylines, making it the perfect starting point for casual fans or for fans looking for something closer to a long story arc on the broadcasts. The game casts Sheamus as the Villain, Triple H as the Outsider, and your created superstar - "Cass", as he'll be called, as the Hero - and you play through each guy's story in linear succession until you get to Wrestlemania. It might seem more limiting on paper than last year's multiple storylines, but the final product here has a lot of unique voice work by the superstars themselves and feels much closer to what a real WWE storyline would be like. The whole thing is apparently supposed to take about twelve hours to complete, but it'd be a crime to stop there considering the wealth of other modes to play around in.
One of those modes is WWE Universe, the game's more open-ended "career" mode, and it has been revamped for this year's outing. While I didn't get a good look at all of the changes going into it, nor did I spend enough time in it in SvR 2011 to know what these changes mean for serious fans, word is that it's been subtly improved in several ways to make things deeper and more like the WWE's storylines. And in case you didn't know, Universe is the mode where the the WWE goes on with or without you, a perpetual schedule is set up, and you simply play what matches you want. As long as you keep coming back, the game just makes up more schedule and simulates all of the goofy and exciting things that happen in the WWE. Rivalries and friendships are made, the TV shows and PPV events continue, and the whole, well, universe of wrestling can be simulated pretty much forever with any amount of custom content (wrestlers, rings, entrances, moves, and more) that you set up. This year, you can delete the WWE's shows entirely and just make your own whole wrestling organization, even out of entirely uniquely created superstars, and apparently this year a little less randomness is thrown in so storylines are more cohesive and focused. Champions emerge and eventually fall, and the drama continues on - and you can play any match in the timeline as any superstar, for as long as you have the time to sit down, watch, and play.
THQ has announced that ex-WWE superstar and current UFC heavyweight fighter Brock Lesnar is coming back to wrestling in video game form, as he'll be in WWE '12 under the Legends banner. Now, that doesn't mean the real Brock is quitting his current mixed martial arts career and going back to pro wrestling - although it's certainly possible that he will one day - but he does apparently receive a hero's welcome inside the game itself.
When it comes to opening up a world of options to players, very few games are quite as dedicated to the fans' own creativity as THQ's WWE series is. With a varied and solid base game that includes many dozens of superstars, a slew of match types and modes to play on, and lots of offline and online action, WWE '12 looks to be the hardcore fans' best bet this year - just as in past years - and that's not even counting the creation modes. When you add those in, this becomes a wrestling fan's dream game, and while there are always little things that could have been improved on, this yearly franchise tries the hardest in the industry to keep you coming back year after year. From what I've seen, WWE '12 will be no different. You won't have long to wait and find out, because the game's set for release on Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii on November 22nd.
