I bought this game with high hopes. I was thinking it would be the greatest game ever. While it is very good, it could have been a whole lot better. My main complaints are that several things available in Smackdown 2 have been taken out. Like create-a-pay per view and the ability to defend your titles against friends in exhibition mode. Also, there is a real lack of wrestlers in the game. There is about 35, and Smackdown 2 had over 50. Also, the story mode has been changed GREATLY. You no longer have an infinite lasting career. You start out, and the game just shows several cutscene's where you choose what you want to do, then fight a match. This seems cool at first, but after seeing the same movie dozens of times it gets very very very very very very repetitive (And no, you cant skip them either). Now the game does have some great things about it. Like an enhanced Create-A-Wrestler mode, more moves, and the ability to have 8 people on the screen at once. But I dont think this is enough to make a great sequel.
And finally, the gameplay, which has not changed much at all. Th only diffrence is a more useful Square button that can be used for reversals. It makes it slightly more realistic. But the fact that wrestlers will usually get up within 3 seconds of a move (sometimes even get up before you do) makes this game more arcade-like. Some like it that way, and some dont.
Overall, this game is a DECENT effort and is worth a purchase.
