When you ask gamers, what are some of the best wrestling games ever released? Two answers you will hear a lot are WWF No Mercy and WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain. WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain was the final game in the WWE Smackdown series because the next game was the beginning of the WWE Smackdown vs. RAW series. How was the final entry in the WWE Smackdown series? Was it a great game for the series to end on or was it just more of the same?
When it comes to basic matches like singles matches and tag team matches, you have those in the game but also specialty matches including Bra and Panties that you can stick two females in and the winner is the first wrestler that rips off her opponent’s clothes. You also have the Elimination Chamber which was first seen at the 2002 Survivor Serie. One mode that returns is the Slobber Knocker mode from the previous game. All the options that were available for the Slobber Knocker mode in the previous game are available in this game.
There is realism because you can see from the HUD meters how hurt wrestlers are in case you want to focus on a certain body part to get the victory. There is also realism because smaller wrestlers can not lift the heavier wrestlers so if Trish Stratus tries to pick up A-Train, she will not succeed.
The Create-A-Wrestler mode is back and it’s just as great as it was in previous games. If there are wrestlers on TV that you want to add to the game, you can create them without much trouble.
When it comes to the controls, you can do four different kinds of grappbles from a standing position and you can do four different moves from each grapple. The reversal system uses L2 and R2 as the reversal buttons. You have to guess if your opponent is going to strike you or grapple you next then use the corresponding reversal button.
The story mode is brand new and it’s much better than what was in last year’s game. There are different branching paths that you can take in the game. First, you decide which wrestlers will participate in the Season Mode then you decide who is on which show then your General Manager says they are expecting big things from you and you will be rewarded if you become an important part of the show. When you want to go backstage, you can see if there are any wrestlers to interact with which could cause matches to happen and these matches could have an impact on how that wrestler will respond to you next time you meet them backstage. The same goes for interactions backstage with your General Manager. How they react to you can also impact your position on the roster just like winning matches will.
After a match, you can decide to taunt your opponent, attack your opponent, or show them respect by offering to shake their hands. Your choice will also impact your relationship with that wrestler. You also get a status screen after each match to show you how much money you earn, how much experience you earn, and how many Superstar Points you earn which determines if you’re a Main Eventer or jobber. The money you earn in season mode is how you purchase unlockables.
You can also see your general manager if you want a title shot or a show transfer, and decide whether or not you want to participate in UK tours or get a manager. What I like about the story mode in this game is that interactions don’t feel random like they did in last year’s game. Last year, you could have a diva accompany you during a match, you win the match then the next time that diva talked to you, she laughed in your face having to respond to you. In this game, interactions feel like they are dictated by the history you have with that wrestler.
I have nothing bad to say about the graphics. They look great but they also looked great in last year’s game. When it comes to the sound, there is no commentary or voices. All interactions with wrestlers will show you what wrestlers are saying by text. The entrance themes in the game sound accurate so there isn’t much sound but the sound that is in the game is fine.
The game is a lot of fun and the difficulty of the game is fair. The controls are better than in previous games because the reversal system is much easier to pull off. The story is better because backstage interactions mean something to the story. The graphics are fine but the sound is not that good. I wish the sound could be better but that’s the only flaw I could find in this game. I give WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain on PlayStation 2 9 out of 10. If you have a PlayStation 2 then run out and pick up this game.
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