WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

[Steve_OS]

WWE(R) Legends of WrestleMania(R) Playable Demo Now Available for Download via Xbox LIVE(R) Marketplace and PlayStation(R)Network

New World Wrestling Entertainment(R) Videogame Property Offers Consumers Game Sample Prior to March Launch

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 5, 2009-- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) today announced the WWE® Legends of WrestleMania® playable demo is now available for free download via Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, as well as PlayStation®Network for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The playable demo will allow players to participate in an exhibition match with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan using the WrestleMania III arena. Players can also watch a highlight reel of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock from WrestleMania XV before completing in-ring objectives to faithfully relive their historic match. WWE Legends of WrestleMania is scheduled for release on March 24, 2009 for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system.

“Our playable demo for WWE Legends of WrestleMania will allow consumers to embrace the game’s unique look and feel in several ways prior to our scheduled launch on March 24,” said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president, publishing, THQ. “We look forward to seeing how our fans will relive, rewrite, and redefine WWE history with this brand new videogame experience.”
“As we approach launch, we are pleased to offer a free downloadable demo for WWE Legends of WrestleMania,” said Nelo Lucich, senior vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “The game’s incredible roster and key features are certain to attract a wide audience.”

[boomhauertjs]

I haven't watched wresting in about 20 years, but I may have to at least check out the demo.

[JiggidyJames]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Reading what you have to do during the match seems interesting. I'll find out if it is in a few minutes.

Limited Impressions:

Much better than I thought.

Defenitly not "sim".

Seems like there's too many buttons in different situations for me. Probably come to me with time. Might be easier (or the same?) for people who played this year's SDvR.

Submissions suck. I put on a Boston Crab, gave it a crank and it was released.

Kicking out of pinfalls has this meter. I have no idea how it works.

Reversals use that "press this random button" system. Is that from SDvR?

Why does my opponent have to be groggy for me to grab a weapon from underneath the ring?

I'll probably give it another try later. Not bad, though. Demo has JR and The King on commentary and a video package for the matches.

[CanuckJ]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Right now its only available to xbox live gold members, from what I'm hearing it will be available to silver next week sometime.

[cake612]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Definitely going to give this a try when I get home from work. Which wrestlers are available?

[cake612]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Nevermind my bad skimmed through the press release on first look.

[vernond]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Is it just on 360 or is the ps3 out today too? It's Thursdays right for ps3?

[TimmeH]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

First impressions: It's frickin' impossible to beat someone with a manager! Every time I think I have Andre beat, Heenan gets involved.



So far I'm having fun though

[WazzuRC]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

I'll be downloading this as soon as I get home!

[Sausage]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

I have to say this just became a day one purchase for me. I love the control scheme and the chain combos are great.

The pace of the gameplay is nice. I know it is early but the grapple mechanic is similar to "No Mercy", but not as deep. There are combinations of weak and strong grapples, as well as strikes.

A few maybe concerned about the chain combo button, but it does not block your view nor get in the way of gameplay.

Will add more later. So far so good.

[TimmeH]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Been playing the demo for about an hour now, so here's some of my impressions:

In the demo, you can either have an exhibition match between Andre & Hogan with Heenan being a selectable manager, or you can "Relive" the Austin-Rock match as Austin and try to complete the objectives that you are given in the match.

As I stated earlier, it's really difficult to defeat wrestlers who have a manager in their corner. The manager gets on the apron to try to distract you, give their client a pep talk to increase their energy, or pull their foot onto the ropes as you're making the cover. They'll also grab your foot if you bounce off the ropes in their direction. Although it can be a bit frustrating, it's also very fun. I had to lay the smackdown on Heenan so I could cover Andre for the three-count.

The gameplay is VERY different from SVR. The game goes for more of an arcade feel(although I feel SVR is already has an arcade feel haha), and it does a good job at it. There's not nearly as many moves to cycle through, but you can't tell too much during the match. I remember one point where it got annoying after Rock hit me with like four straight Samoan Drops lol. The "quick time" grapples are actually pretty fun. I expected it to ruin the gameplay, but it's not as easy as it looks, and it adds alot of back and forth action. The only downside is that the moves used in the quick time grapples don't really link well together.

The AI seems much smarter. They won't just hover over you when you're down. They're always on the attack. Counters are ALOT better than SVR. Sure, there are counters in the game, but it's not every other move like SVR.

Graphics look good. I was actually thinking it'd look a little better, but oh well.

Commentary is very hit or miss. JR & King comment on the story between Rock and Austin a bit, which is cool. But they'll go silent for minutes at a time. I don't know if they just didn't put all the lines in for the demo, or if that's just how it'll be. I'll say this, at least the commentary isn't annoying like SVR. When JR/King are silent, you really don't notice until they start talking again, and then you go "Oh, I haven't heard them in awhile" lol.

It's not perfect. As I said, the movesets aren't nearly as in-depth. The fact that managers seem to be able to put their opponents feet on the ropes no matter where you are in the ring is weird. Yet, if a manager isn't involved, ropes breaks seem nonexistent regardless of how close you are to the ropes. There's issues like that, but overall, I think the positives are outweighing the negatives. Afterall, it's an arcade game, it's not gonna be pure realism

I dunno, I think that's about all I got for now.

My main worry is that after mastering the controls, the game might become too easy. I'm gonna keep playing and see if that's the case, if not, I think I'm going to end up buying it. The roster is awesome. The nostaligic value is great. I'm glad there's going to be an option to import the SVR09 roster into the game. It's definitely got it's flaws, but that's to be expected with the first game on a new engine. But it seems solid enough to make for a FUN ARCADE game. I bet multi-player will be great

[vernond]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

I have to say this just became a day one purchase for me. I love the control scheme and the chain combos are great.

The pace of the gameplay is nice. I know it is early but the grapple mechanic is similar to "No Mercy", but not as deep. There are combinations of weak and strong grapples, as well as strikes.

A few maybe concerned about the chain combo button, but it does not block your view nor get in the way of gameplay.

Will add more later. So far so good.

Good to hear the positive feedback. I just worry about the replay value mostly. It'd be fun online but the thq games don't have the best track record online and wrestling games are pretty timing based so online lag would be pretty rough.

[TimmeH]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Good to hear the positive feedback. I just worry about the replay value mostly. It'd be fun online but the thq games don't have the best track record online and wrestling games are pretty timing based so online lag would be pretty rough.

Yeah, lag would ruin the real time grapples for sure

[WazzuRC]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

I'm so glad that there are positive impressions. I really want this game to be great so it's very refreshing to hear. I wouldn't call it a first day purchase, but if reviews and feedback come back positive I'll buy it a week or two after release.

[vernond]

Re: WWE Legends of WrestleMania Demo Available, Impressions Here

Been playing the demo for about an hour now, so here's some of my impressions:

In the demo, you can either have an exhibition match between Andre & Hogan with Heenan being a selectable manager, or you can "Relive" the Austin-Rock match as Austin and try to complete the objectives that you are given in the match.

As I stated earlier, it's really difficult to defeat wrestlers who have a manager in their corner. The manager gets on the apron to try to distract you, give their client a pep talk to increase their energy, or pull their foot onto the ropes as you're making the cover. They'll also grab your foot if you bounce off the ropes in their direction. Although it can be a bit frustrating, it's also very fun. I had to lay the smackdown on Heenan so I could cover Andre for the three-count.

The gameplay is VERY different from SVR. The game goes for more of an arcade feel(although I feel SVR is already has an arcade feel haha), and it does a good job at it. There's not nearly as many moves to cycle through, but you can't tell too much during the match. I remember one point where it got annoying after Rock hit me with like four straight Samoan Drops lol. The "quick time" grapples are actually pretty fun. I expected it to ruin the gameplay, but it's not as easy as it looks, and it adds alot of back and forth action. The only downside is that the moves used in the quick time grapples don't really link well together.

The AI seems much smarter. They won't just hover over you when you're down. They're always on the attack. Counters are ALOT better than SVR. Sure, there are counters in the game, but it's not every other move like SVR.

Graphics look good. I was actually thinking it'd look a little better, but oh well.

Commentary is very hit or miss. JR & King comment on the story between Rock and Austin a bit, which is cool. But they'll go silent for minutes at a time. I don't know if they just didn't put all the lines in for the demo, or if that's just how it'll be. I'll say this, at least the commentary isn't annoying like SVR. When JR/King are silent, you really don't notice until they start talking again, and then you go "Oh, I haven't heard them in awhile" lol.

It's not perfect. As I said, the movesets aren't nearly as in-depth. The fact that managers seem to be able to put their opponents feet on the ropes no matter where you are in the ring is weird. Yet, if a manager isn't involved, ropes breaks seem nonexistent regardless of how close you are to the ropes. There's issues like that, but overall, I think the positives are outweighing the negatives. Afterall, it's an arcade game, it's not gonna be pure realism

I dunno, I think that's about all I got for now.

My main worry is that after mastering the controls, the game might become too easy. I'm gonna keep playing and see if that's the case, if not, I think I'm going to end up buying it. The roster is awesome. The nostaligic value is great. I'm glad there's going to be an option to import the SVR09 roster into the game. It's definitely got it's flaws, but that's to be expected with the first game on a new engine. But it seems solid enough to make for a FUN ARCADE game. I bet multi-player will be great

The difficulty also concerns me. I'm sure the demo is on normal but I hope there's sliders to adjust in the retail. I'm not too interested in having squash matches over and over. It should be called Legends of WWE Wrestling Challenge if that's the case.:wink: