Posted at 12:08pm on Thu 5 March 2009 |
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VG_Staff- Posts: 18,023
| Play the Legends of Wrestling demo for a chance to win.
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Posted at 12:08pm on Thu 5 March 2009 |
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Karlius- Posts: 8,520
| The first three bars of Real American kick off and I'm transformed to a six your old boy watching a WrestleMania III VHS and wanting to Wave my big Yellow Hulkamania Finger. (I'm in Awe that even these are included in the crowd, a fine touch). We see the ring entrances and their as real and precise as i can ever remember even down to the mini ring entrances.
I start the game and its so easy just pick up and play. None of those complicated button bashing moves that have over complicated wrestling games and isolated so many over the last few years. No this is a throw back to such games as Wrestlemania Challenge on the NES where I first reenacted this event. But back then the sprites where by no means comparable to the fully rendered item that makes you think it's the real thing. The players moves are realistic and relative. So much so that I scoop slammed the 540LB Andre the Giant Before Finishing the Big Man off with Hulksters Big Leg Drop. Hoo Raaaa!
The battling system is the same as is used in actual pro wrestling up until now. Its a Video Game mentality. You build up the anticipation by a series of moves to work up to the big finish. If someone came into the ring hitting their opponent with their big winner straight away then the essence would be lost. It's a theory that the game encapsulates so very well. Build up the power bars to hit your finisher. Easy. It's just great fun and just takes me back. Can't wait to get the full game to unleash more great great memories! Until then I'm going to relive this one some more! |
Posted at 5:03pm on Thu 5 March 2009 |
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NicoTheUnique- Posts: 1
| The demo (Just like svr 2009 demo) captures the essence of the game, along with finishers, moves and the best fitures in the game, withc lets you feel like what the game will be,and know the basics controls and grapple moves..This is how a demo should be. showing the core of the game while still hiding stuff like ladder matches and so on....and great choise to pick Hulk Hogan and Andre The Gigant, just that match is iconic of evrything Wrestlemania stands for, EPic! |
Posted at 9:09pm on Thu 5 March 2009 |
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vyleside- Posts: 172
| Wrestlemania has always been about 'moments,' from Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant, to Shawn Michaels swinging to the ring at Wrestlemania 12. Every event has that special moment that will live on in highlight reels for years to come.
WWE Legends of Wrestlemania aims to give you, the WWE fan, the wrestlers and arenas so that you can recreate those moments and create more of your own.
Initially, it succeeds. The demo provides Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan, the Wrestlemania 3 arena and even the little ring buggies for the entrances. So far, so good. With Real American ringing in your ear, it's hard to feel anything other than nostalgic.
The problems begin when the game hands over control. Unlike the Smackdown Vs Raw series, the developers aimed to provide a truly retro arcade feel to the matches, meaning that grapples are mapped to X, strikes are mapped to Square and blocks/reversals mapped to Triangle. Strikes and grapples can be modified with the D-pad and by either holding the button for a strong attack or tapping it for a weaker move, but that's as complicated as it gets.
While this is fine in theory, it gives you very little control over what moves you will do. The exact same combination of buttons made be slam Andre, suplex him, headlock him and numerous other moves that Hulk Hogan has probably never even performed.
A great deal of moves also lead into QTE events, similar to God of War. Again, there's nothing wrong with these in theory, the moves in the chain sometimes bear no relation to each other. One moment you'll be mounting the opponent to punch him, only to teleport to your feet to deliver a stomp.
The matches themselves are very restrictive and plodding. Granted, Hogan and Andre weren't the fastest guys in the ring, but the controls feel very sluggish.
Irish whips are little more than quick time events, giving no freedom to innovate as every single move is a canned animation. Even destroying the Spanish Announce Table is little more than a single move with a lengthy animation.
That brings me to an inspired mode the game offers, called 'Relive'.
In the demo, you're given the option to recreate the classic match between Stone Cold and The Rock from Wrestlemania 15. The mode opens with a spine tingling highlight reel, before showing you a list of objectives in the match. Smash The Rock into the Wrestlemania sign, put him through the Spanish Announce Table, hit the Stunner and win the match.
It's a brilliant idea and I couldn't wait to step into the more lively boots of Stone Cold and get stuck in.
Again, every move and situation was a canned animation. Outside the ring, there were virtually no moves, just interactive areas. I grappled Rock near the ring, only to slam him into the apron then roll him in. I grabbed him near the aisle and dragged him onto the stage. The Spanish announce table required nothing more than a button press near the table while Rock was stunned.
The presentation and feel of Wrestlemania is recreated almost perfectly in this game, but it seems that in trying to make it 'easy' for fans to recreate the great moments of the past, they've made everything too rigid and predictable. Ironically, it's the exciting, wild, unpredictable nature of the Wrestlemania shows that created these moments and made them so memorable. You never know what you'll get when Wrestlemania begins, but you know it'll be big. Sadly, this game does the opposite. You know what will happen when you press the buttons and there's no way to change it.
As it stands, Legends of Wrestlemania is a nice idea with its heart in the right place, but if you want to see Wrestlemanias, you're better off watching them on DVD. |
Posted at 10:42pm on Thu 5 March 2009 |
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pblive- Posts: 13,752
| Back in the day, spandex clad heroes met in a square ring and pitted themselves against giants, lizard men and Warriors. Yes, it was wrestling but it was all different back then.
WWE Legends of WrestleMania attempts to recreate the 80's and 90's eras of WWF and early WWE, in particular the huge Wrestlemania events that went down in wrestling history. This demo showcases two of those matches; the first being the all-American Hero Hulk Hogan verses the huge Andre The Giant at a time when Hulkamania was the biggest thing on the planet and the second the cool Rock verses Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The Hulk vs Andre match is a straight forward fight, entry music, authentic moves and very detailed graphics provide good first impressions. I'm hoping that the graphical glitches in crowd detail are sorted out for the game's release but the main characters look great, sweat dripping of their bodies and every hair on Hogan's floppy tache rendered perfectly (well, maybe not quite!).
The fight mechanics are far removed from modern wrestling games, On PS3 Square punches, X throws and Circles exits the ring while holding down buttons provides power moves. It harks back to the 16-bit days of WWF Wrestlemania on the SNES and while those who grew up with only the last 2 generations of consoles may find it a tad simplistic, it does allow for some impressive fights without remembering 101 combinations. In fact the control system owes more to 2D fighters than other wrestling games and a few fights in you'll be grappling in style.
The Austin vs Rock fight differs in that it's a demo of the new Relive mode where you get to relive actual matches and try to maintain the outcome, as well as gaining points for mini objectives during the fight. There is a great video before the match, showing highlights from the event and this gets you in the mood for the fight itself. In addition to special moves, you'll find objects available for you use (chairs, tables etc) outside the ring.
The WWE Legends of Wrestlemania demo offers a good idea of what the full game will be like and, graphics glitches aside, it seems to be a game older wresting fans have been waiting for. |
Posted at 8:32am on Fri 6 March 2009 |
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lockyuk2000- Posts: 190
| I think the Hulks daughter is hawt! |
Posted at 10:09am on Fri 6 March 2009 |
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wbroadribb- Posts: 1
| As a closet WWF fan, I've been looking forward to this game for sometime, and the demo certainly didn't disappoint. The new grapple-based combo fighting system added a new dimension compared to previous games, and gave it an overall more arcade style feel. Meaning it's a lot easier to just pick up and play. Which is great for when your mates come round.
The 3 game modes of Relive, Rewrite, and Redefine offer a wealth of possible outcomes, and with the possibility of putting the Ultimate Warrior against Hulk Hogan in the finished version, this game will be essential for all old school WWF fans. |
Posted at 10:16am on Fri 6 March 2009 |
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manda39- Posts: 1
| all the old faves ...still got a thing about hulk hogan...me play a wrestling game?? I`m rubbish , but the kids `ll like it and probably kill my pc in the process |
Posted at 11:03am on Fri 6 March 2009 |
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Need to go.
| I've been watching wrestling since I was about 5 with my brother. I'm now 22 and he's 27 but still love to play the games. As previously said, I think Hulk Hogan's the man!!! But I did like the Undertaker as well lol |
Posted at 12:42pm on Fri 6 March 2009 |
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graceandowen- Posts: 1
| Being a harcore 'old school' wrestling fan I was really looking forward to playing this demo, it didnt dissapoint either, the Graphics and game play were very impressive. I found it relativley easy to find my way around the controll figuartion and once I had played a while I had it down to a fine art, I am not the biggest Gamer out there but a huge fan of wrestling so this game was certainly the one for me.
It was great to see all of the old familliar faces from wreslemania past ,my only dissapointment was that my wrestling hero was not in the Game, but due to obvious legal reasons Owen Hart is not allowed in present publications.
I found it great that the game is true to the wrestlers characters and it brought back fond memories of younger years (and recent ones) of watching the live shows and now the DVD's. All in all I found it to be a great game, easy to play and very enjoyable. The only downside is that the demo is limited (as always) and I cant wait to play on the real deal. It will certainly be on my shopping list |
