WWE Crush Hour
Score: 65% ESRB: Teen Publisher: THQ Developer: Jakks Pacific Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: Think Twisted Metal meets wrestling, and you've just imagined WWE Crush Hour. It's almost that simple, and its looks match that concept. Fights take place in large arenas (not huge, but big enough), and instead of wrestlers, you have overly exaggerated combat vehicles. These vehicles are ornately decorated, and have the subtlest of cel-shaded looks to them. It's all glamour, though, as it may seem like you have fifty different weapons on top of one motorcycle, but you only have one primary weapon at your disposal at all times. As in wrestling, when each wrestler's car enters the ring, they are met with their theme music. These tracks can get old after you hear them for the hundredth time, but they give the game a little character. The commentary, on the other hand, is absolutely dreadful, and is a cold reminder of the early console football games that first had play by play announcements in them.
Gameplay: As stated before, WWE Crush Hour is Twisted Metal with a pro-wrestling makeover. Or better put, downgrade. This game couldn't even hope to compete with a game like Twisted Metal, but don't throw it on the trash heap just yet. As Twisted Metal has its own devout following, so does pro-wrestling, and anyone who appreciates the popular TV show will enjoy watching their spandex-clad heroes hop into the cockpits of some of these monster machines. There are over 30 pro-wrestlers that you can choose from. Among them are The Rock, Stone Cold, The Undertaker, and Triple H, just to name a few. With 32 different wrestlers, each driving their personal vehicle of destruction, it would seem the replay value would automatically be high. However, upon closer examination, you will find that most of these cars have pretty much the same stats. A lot of the drivers are members of tag team duos, and the only things separating their cars from each other are their looks. The main focus of this game is the Season mode. There are Exhibition and Multiplayer modes, but driving through the core of the game will yield the most satisfaction. Even this mode, though, will give way to few moments of complete joy. The season is basically a bunch of Exhibition matches set up in a row where you can unlock new maps and hidden characters. Each map has a different goal to complete in order to win the match. There is some variety here, but you'll find little more anywhere else in Crush Hour. Most are typical Death Match type maps where you have to get a certain number of kills in order to win. Others have every player trying to collect a certain number of items on the map, and yet others are variations of keep-away.
Difficulty: WWE Crush Hour isn't a very hard game. The AI is decent enough, and usually fun to play against, but in the end it's just a little too easy to come out on top every single time. The only handicap would be to choose one of the less talented characters, but this usually boils down to a matter of personal choice, leaving the difficulty to be based upon which superstar the player likes the most.
Game Mechanics: Winning a match in WWE Crush Hour is as simple as driving and shooting, with little variation on this concept. Each car has one primary weapon that they keep at all times. They also have one special weapon, which can only be used after a power bar fills up over a certain period of time. Other weapons have to be collected from the map, and they have limited ammo. These usually run along the lines of grenade launchers and missiles. Nothing special, but they get the job done. For fans of wrestling, WWE Crush Hour is a nice break from the usual regime. But for others, it will just be another watered down Twisted Metal clone. Hardcore wrestling fans should definitely rent this game, but for everyone else, let the buyer beware.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
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