Amazon.com Review
As the style of professional wrestling on TV has changed, so have the video games. Gone are the days of simple bouts between two men in tights. Wrestling is now a violent soap opera full of plot twists, romance, and intrigue. WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It accordingly contains as much story as it does action. The game features more than 40 WWF wrestlers who participate in 70 types of matches. Superstars like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, and Kurt Angle are joined by characters like Stephanie McMahon, Fred Durst, and Tajiri. Special matches include Falls Count Anywhere, Royal Rumble, Last Man Standing, and TLC (Tables, Ladders, Chairs). Plus there are plenty of secret wrestlers, rings, and matches that can be unlocked, adding to the replay value.
Gamers familiar with the controls of the Smackdown series will feel right at home. The game plays largely the same, with some additional moves and finishers. While having familiar and responsive controls is definitely a good thing, the graphics should not be too familiar on a next-generation system. Unfortunately, the game's character models haven't progressed much from the PlayStation version. However, the improvements in animations and ring entrances are fantastic.
The biggest flaw in the game is the commentary by Tazz and Michael Cole. There are several instances in which the commentary is disjointed and unnatural, and it often fluctuates severely in volume. This is a shame, as the announcers are a big part of pro wrestling's storytelling. Despite this problem, WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It packs more than enough quality gameplay and variety to thrill any WWF fan. --Raymond M. Padilla
Pros:
Classic gameplay with some nice refinements.
Lots of features to unlock.
Great multiplayer fun.
Cons:
Disjointed commentary is distracting and annoying.
Story mode is limited.
Unimpressive character models.
Amazon.co.uk
Those brash bullies from the World Wrestling Federation provide maximum entertainment in the newest release in the Smackdown series. Fans of the earlier wrestling games should feel right at home here: as always, a huge number of stars from the show are on hand to mete out punishment in a variety of interesting ways. Newcomers should have no difficulty either, as the controls are a dream to use.
WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It provides so many battle modes it's hard to keep track of what they encompass. If Hell in a Cell is your thing, then go for it, but don't miss TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) and the Royal Rumble along the way. All are faithfully re-created for your grappling pleasure. And grappling really is a pleasure, as the Smackdown combat system is about as good as it gets. Timing is the key to a good offense: lunge towards your opponent too early and you'll leave yourself wide open, but get it just right and you'll take hold in time to execute one of numerous moves designed to make the audience wince (not to mention your opponent).
Being on the receiving end isn't just a case of taking the punishment, however. A countermove is included to let you return or block punches or twist and twirl out of the path of an incoming hold--top stuff indeed. For an authentic touch, developers have included big entrance scenarios for each of the superstars, complete with signature tunes and Titantron video screen introductions.
The only downside to this really great game is the amount of storage space it gobbles on the average PS2 memory card--4 MB, which seems overly greedy by any standard. This minor quibble aside, Just Bring It is a very entertaining title that should keep the average player occupied for months. --Chris Russell |
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