Kendall Boyd: We are scheduled for an early September release
IGNcube: Do you have a roster list for all the wrestlers in the game?
Kendall:
Triple H
The Rock
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Brock Lesnar
Undertaker
Kurt Angle
Hulk Hogan
Rob Van Dam
Chris Jericho
Booker T
Goldust
Rey Mysterio
Edge
Kane
Chris Benoit
Shawn Michaels
Big Show
Scott Steiner
Bubba Ray Dudley
D-Von Dudley
Stacy Keibler
Trish Stratus
Victoria
Eddie Guerrero
Ric Flair
Matt Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Lita
Christian
Torrie Wilson
Batista
John Cena
Hurricane
Randy Orton
Chris Nowinski
Vince McMahon
Stephanie McMahon
Test
Chavo Guerrero
Dawn Marie
Tajiri
Al Snow
Rikishi
William Regal
Lance Storm
Goldberg [are all playable]
Non-playable characters include Jim Ross, Jerry "the King" Lawler, Earl Hebner, and Nick Patrick.
IGNcube: Will all of the wrestlers be available from the start or will some have to be unlocked?
Kendall: All of them will be available from the start of the game.
IGNcube: Do you have any secret wrestlers in the game?
Kendall: No, but the money you earn through story mode will allow you to unlock various items like arenas and costumes and even defeated bosses from the story mode at the Shopzone, which is hosted by Stacey Keibler.
IGNcube: THQ's previous GameCube wrestling title has been criticized for lack of depth. How has the development team worked to correct this?
Kendall: The development team knew the challenge from last year's product and really responded with a great deal of depth. They have created a story mode that is completely unique to any of the wrestling titles we have developed in the past. It has all of the drama you would expect from a actual WWE program.
IGNcube: What is the main mode of play? Can you break down the story mode and how it works?
Kendall: There are actually a few different modes of play. The main would be the story mode, but then you can also participate in various King of the Ring tournaments to acquire all of the WWE belts. We have a basic exhibition mode that includes everything you would expect in a wrestling game like tag team, triple threat, handicap, royal rumble and fatal four way matches. Then we have a four-player multiplayer with all the various match-types like hell-in-a-cell and TLC etc. Plus we have added a new tutorial mode hosted by Al Snow - and he treats you just like a newbie would be treated on MTV's Tough Enough. As I mentioned before we also have the WWE Shopzone as well. The Story Mode itself is quite unique. Basically Vince McMahon has stripped you of your WWE status and kicked you out of the WWE. But once you have left, who else to give you an offer that you can't refuse but Stephanie McMahon? She gives you a proposition to get back at her father where it counts - his pocket. The player will fight their way through various points in the city that Vince owns. And your mission is simply to destroy everything he owns. Once you have hurt Vince enough, he will have no choice but to face you at WrestleMania, but of course there will be many twists along the way.
IGNcube: Is there a create-a-wrestler feature? How detailed is it? Can you give us a couple of examples?
Kendall: The CAW is a pretty big improvement from last year as well. We have added a lot of the parts and skins that the Yukes team is famous for. You can even decide if your character is a "face" or a "heel". They are probably the premiere developer when it comes to CAW features.
IGNcube: What kind of matches will be available to players?
Kendall: These are just a few...Ladder Match, Table Match, TLC, Cage, Hell in a Cell, Iron man, and Hardcore.
IGNcube: What arenas, if any? What locations can wrestlers fight in?
Kendall: There are two true different types of environments that players can fight in. In the story mode, we have the city environments and in-ring we have multiple arenas like SmackDown!, Raw, most of the pay-per-views and of course WrestleMania.
IGNcube: How does the title play when compared to last year's GameCube game? Has the grappling system been tweaked? Is it faster?
Kendall: I think everyone will notice all of the big improvements and nice subtle changes we have added immediately. But the biggest part of the grapple system would have to be the implementation of Superstar specific attributes and location specific damage. Another feature that has been tweaked is the reversal system that is triggered by the two shoulder buttons on the Cube's controller. These new adjustments has really added a wealth of strategy to the game and the fans should be very pleased.
IGNcube: Do you have full wrestler entrances in the game? Can you give us a couple of examples? And is it possible for the players to customize their own entrances?
Kendall: Yes and Yes -- during the CAW you can create your own customizable entrances. Without a doubt my favorite has to be Hogan. He comes and a plays up the crowd wearing his boa and everything. The fans will love it.
IGNcube: Will there be an FMV sequences or DVD-like extras on the disc?
Kendall: Yes and yes. We have FMV sequences in the story mode, and the extras include Superstar profiles that will give the player an idea how to utilize each Superstar once they get into the ring.
IGNcube: Does the game run in progressive scan or Dolby Pro Logic II?
Kendall: No and no.
EDIT: Fixing their typos.
EDIT II: And the new EGM describes the controls as "extremely reminicist of No Mercy for N64".
Hey, you give me No Mercy controls and deep CAW and the Story Mode can be as horrible as you want it to be. I never play the story mode more than twice anyway.
Wow, you mean I can wrestle with Steph or Stacy Kiebler or Torrie Wilson or Jeff Hardy or Dawn Marie or Al Snow or Funaki, but not Rhyno or Jamie Knoble or any FBI member?
And even in WWE video games, you can't push a cruiser division.
The following post expresses the opinions of a raving Jerichoholic. He is biased, opinionated and bitter. You have been warned.
It's been said before, but I think I'll say it again.
Hmm...I have to destroy Vince's assets.
I'll bankrupt the XFL! No...
I'll have The World shut down! No...
I'll destroy the integrity and drawing power of anything that even vaguely resembles WCW! Oh, fuck it. I'll just send the flagship show of the company on a downward spiral by destroying all but one main eventer and making all others bow before him and give him verbal blowjobs.
Wait a second...d'oh!
The preceding post expressed the opinions of a raving Jerichoholic. He was biased, opinionated and bitter. You were warned.
Wow, you sure have said a lot between then and now, Schippy!
Back on topic, I still don't believe I want or need to blow up Uncle Vince's boat, but as long as the game retains even a hint of the classic AKI series I'll buy it and enjoy the crap out of it. It definitely seems more promising than the last Wrestlemania game, not that it would take much.
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