Sam HersheyTime for the Undercard: The Wolf's Den Reviews Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
September 23rd 2008 15:34
Okay folks, we are FINALLY going to get to some reviews around here and boy do I have a double dose of ring action for you...Our undercard is going to be Fire Pro Wrestling Returns and for our main event we have...for the PS2 TNA: Impact! And don't worry, this card won't suck as bad as most of the other wrestling cards out there (WWE Raw this week, I'm looking right at you!)
GAMEPLAY: Okay, let's get one thing clear here, If you are looking for arcade style gaming like what Smackdown VS Raw gives you look elsewhere, this game is all about timing. Okay, with that said the controlls are tight, you won't go for a move and run for example, you tell the game to do something and...unless it gets reversed, the game does it.
In a wrestling game though you want more than good controls, you want a long list of victims, a lot of places to beat them down and a lot of ways to do it...sorry, I mean a big roster, lots of venues, and a variety of match types. and this game DOES NOT let you down on ANY of those fronts, the roster is not big...it's HUGE, wrestlers from Japan, USA and even some female wrestlers...Heck, they even have some real life wrestlers in the game. Of course due to Copyright issues they can't use the accual names, but it pretty clear who they are (example Sting is renamed The Scorpion)
For venues you'll have what look like back lots, you have town halls, expo centers and big time arenas, an icon shows which venues have trons and therefore which venues will do intros
As for Match types, you have all the usual matches plus some taken to new heights...Barbed Wire Matches in both USA and Japan Style (In USA Style the ropes are merely wrapped in barbed wire, Japan the ropes ARE Barbed Wire). Not to mention the matches where the ring is rigged with C4 Explosives (Yes, that is not a huge typo, run the fight to the time limit on these matches and the C4s explode) All the matches you could ever want are here.
Which brings us to the create features...some of them are very easy to use...renaming a wrestler (example changing the USA wrestlers so they have the names we know them as) no problem, making a custom belt? Kane has a harder time with most cruiserweights. Creating a Ring? An established talent will take longer against a local then you will to get something good
The CAW Feature isn't too hard either, some things make take you a few minutes but nothing major...unless you want a color other than black and white...still working on how to do that.
And don't get me started on the Create a Logo feature...still working on to get lettering down let alone pictures.
There is no Career Mode but there is a Matchmaker Mode of play to take it's place (It's kinda like GM Mode) Can't say I blame this on them though. With so many wrestlers across so many rosters do you have any idea what a NIGHTMARE it would be doing a career mode?!
Graphics: Okay I will be flat honest, an SNES looks like it could have done these graphics, now, before the comments gets flooded with hate, I am fully aware that FPW is not known for it's graphics, and I as a gamer am FULLY able to overlook graphics if the gameplay and controlls are good, and as a gamer, this game is definatly one where the lack of graphic quality can be overlooked. As a critic though I must tell the makers that many consoles have come and gone since the SNES...maybe a slight upgrade wouldn't hurt...heck, look at Street Fighter, look at how they've upgraded graphics and are still 2D.
All and All this game is pretty good, and for the price tag you could do a LOT worse. A few issues, but nothing major that will stop you from enjoying this game.
When it comes to Fire Pro Wrestling Returns the Den sends out: 3 Wolves
Coolnesses (Things that increased the size of the pack)
LOADS of Wrestlers
Create a Belt/Ring are REAL easy to use
Renaming wrestlers VERY Easy
Various Venues
Bogusnesses (Things that decreased the size of the pack)
Graphics need upgraded BADLY
CAW somewhat hard to use (If you want more colors than black and white)
Create a Logo is all but impossiable to use
Players used to the Arcade style controls of most USA Wrestling games may not have the patience to learn the controlls
The Wolf Den Reviews
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
GAMEPLAY: Okay, let's get one thing clear here, If you are looking for arcade style gaming like what Smackdown VS Raw gives you look elsewhere, this game is all about timing. Okay, with that said the controlls are tight, you won't go for a move and run for example, you tell the game to do something and...unless it gets reversed, the game does it.
In a wrestling game though you want more than good controls, you want a long list of victims, a lot of places to beat them down and a lot of ways to do it...sorry, I mean a big roster, lots of venues, and a variety of match types. and this game DOES NOT let you down on ANY of those fronts, the roster is not big...it's HUGE, wrestlers from Japan, USA and even some female wrestlers...Heck, they even have some real life wrestlers in the game. Of course due to Copyright issues they can't use the accual names, but it pretty clear who they are (example Sting is renamed The Scorpion)
For venues you'll have what look like back lots, you have town halls, expo centers and big time arenas, an icon shows which venues have trons and therefore which venues will do intros
As for Match types, you have all the usual matches plus some taken to new heights...Barbed Wire Matches in both USA and Japan Style (In USA Style the ropes are merely wrapped in barbed wire, Japan the ropes ARE Barbed Wire). Not to mention the matches where the ring is rigged with C4 Explosives (Yes, that is not a huge typo, run the fight to the time limit on these matches and the C4s explode) All the matches you could ever want are here.
Which brings us to the create features...some of them are very easy to use...renaming a wrestler (example changing the USA wrestlers so they have the names we know them as) no problem, making a custom belt? Kane has a harder time with most cruiserweights. Creating a Ring? An established talent will take longer against a local then you will to get something good
The CAW Feature isn't too hard either, some things make take you a few minutes but nothing major...unless you want a color other than black and white...still working on how to do that.
And don't get me started on the Create a Logo feature...still working on to get lettering down let alone pictures.
There is no Career Mode but there is a Matchmaker Mode of play to take it's place (It's kinda like GM Mode) Can't say I blame this on them though. With so many wrestlers across so many rosters do you have any idea what a NIGHTMARE it would be doing a career mode?!
Graphics: Okay I will be flat honest, an SNES looks like it could have done these graphics, now, before the comments gets flooded with hate, I am fully aware that FPW is not known for it's graphics, and I as a gamer am FULLY able to overlook graphics if the gameplay and controlls are good, and as a gamer, this game is definatly one where the lack of graphic quality can be overlooked. As a critic though I must tell the makers that many consoles have come and gone since the SNES...maybe a slight upgrade wouldn't hurt...heck, look at Street Fighter, look at how they've upgraded graphics and are still 2D.
All and All this game is pretty good, and for the price tag you could do a LOT worse. A few issues, but nothing major that will stop you from enjoying this game.
When it comes to Fire Pro Wrestling Returns the Den sends out: 3 Wolves
Coolnesses (Things that increased the size of the pack)
LOADS of Wrestlers
Create a Belt/Ring are REAL easy to use
Renaming wrestlers VERY Easy
Various Venues
Bogusnesses (Things that decreased the size of the pack)
Graphics need upgraded BADLY
CAW somewhat hard to use (If you want more colors than black and white)
Create a Logo is all but impossiable to use
Players used to the Arcade style controls of most USA Wrestling games may not have the patience to learn the controlls
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