The WWE
franchise is back with an exciting all-new edition with WWE '12. The new
gameplay system will make you feel like you're truly in the ring with the most
fluid, dynamic, realistic, action-packed WWE simulation to date.
Doing more
than simply dropping the SmackDown vs. RAW moniker that has prefaced the last
run of WWE games since 2004, WWE '12 aims to refresh the long-running wrestling
series' recent stale leanings with redesigned gameplay and an all-new game
engine. While it still packs a massive roster and is brimming with all of the
over-the-top macho bombast and ridiculous braggadocio hardcore wrestling fans
love, not all of the updates are for the better. It's easier to jump right into
the ring and start hammering away at meaty dudes with vigor, but overaggressive
AI and a near-broken attack counter system sap the fun. Unfortunately, other
problems add to the pile, making it tough to enjoy the game's authentic
trappings.
WWE '12
mirrors the energetic spectacle and cheesy swagger of the television programming
it's based on with admirable gusto. Outside of the ring, there are plenty of
flashy, grand entrances and throngs of cheering fans eager to see endless
combinations of the game's huge selection of wrestling combatants bludgeon one
another in style. When it comes to the matches themselves, the action is
fast-paced and intense. The game's overhauled engine showcases a nice level of
detail in the character models, and the animations are more fluid this time
around when transitioning between attacks and reversals, but it's still rough
around the edges in spots. Collision detection is off at times, and some
transitions are a little too fluid. For example, it's possible to go from
throwing a punch at your opponent to almost instantly being upside down between
his legs in a midair pile driver--weird instances like this can happen so fast
that you don't even know how you wound up being ground face-first into the mat.
Other times, though rare, the game bugs out altogether. One glitch causes a
wrestler to float very slowly toward the screen, through the ropes, out of the
ring, and into the air above the crowd, forcing a reset of the match to restore
order. That said, major bugs are infrequent, and most matches do look realistic
enough to appease followers of the sport.
Retooled
with accessibility in mind, the gameplay flows quickly once the fists start
swinging. Strikes, grapples, and Irish whips are single-button moves that
change with your position, yielding more elaborate attacks as opponents grow
weaker. Whittling your adversary's stamina down opens up room for sweet
signature moves and fancy finishers, and a new limb targeting system lets you
deal damage to specific areas of the body when grappling. Everything works
pretty well, with the exception of defensive maneuvers, which are a major
stumbling block. WWE '12 gives you and your opponent far more chances to
counter each other's attacks, but the window of opportunity to pull off these
crucial reversals has been shaved down to almost nothing. You have a split second
before contact to tap the right trigger to block or reverse. These prompts
don't always appear onscreen when they should either, and more often than not,
hitting the corresponding button at the right time doesn't register.
Your
computer-controlled foes, on the other hand, are adept at countering almost
everything you throw at them (at least on the game's default difficulty). They
adapt to your move patterns quickly too. It's extremely frustrating to get
turned into a slab of battered meat and lose several matches in a row because
every counter you attempt fails to stick--even when it feels like you're quick
on the draw. While you can dial back the AI to a more comfortable setting, the
problem doesn't go away. It does feel satisfying when the tide turns in your
favor, but once things start going wrong, it easily snowballs into a
match-ending catastrophe.
For those
who can tune out the inconsistencies in WWE '12, there's an abundance of play
options to dig into. WWE Universe returns with a never-ending run of matches
and lots of flexibility to tweak the experience to suit your whims. Any number
of matches on the schedule can be simulated or played hands-on, and it's a lot
of fun to hop in and play an interfering role in certain matches. If you just
want a quick game or two, there are a slew of options for configuring one-off
matches. Multiplayer modes are flexible too, and playing against other humans
locally or in online matches is preferable to the irritating AI, though you
still have to face the prospect of rage quits due to unresponsive attempts at
countering.
Having the
freedom to create your own content to play in the game is another area where
WWE '12 shines, since you can craft everything from your own custom wrestlers
and movesets to entrances and storylines. The story-driven Road to
Wrestlemania, on the other hand, is one of the game's biggest disappointments.
It has three lengthy chapters that explore heavily scripted storylines
centering on Sheamus, Triple H, and a custom wrestler you create, but these
matches are some of the least enjoyable encounters in the game. They often
revolve around unclear yet strict objectives, and deviating from them results
in failure.
The
franchise may have been in need of some serious tinkering, but the impact of
the gains made in this next evolution of the series is canceled out by the
leftover problems lingering in the formula. While a few improvements feel like
a step in the right direction and will no doubt hit the sweet spot for some
players, there are crucial areas where WWE backslides. Insidious AI and the
weak story mode are among the bigger culprits, but the fact that such a huge
portion of the gameplay hinges on a horribly imprecise reversal system is a
real deal-breaker.
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