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TUCKER'S VIDEO GAME REVIEW: "5 Star Wrestling" a/k/a the Daniel Bryan of wrestling video games

Mar 20, 2015 - 3:02:27 PM
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Video Game Review - "5 Star Wrestling"
By Ben Tucker, PWTorch TV specialist


Overall Score (7.5)

Daniel Bryan is a lot like "5 Star Wrestling" for the Playstation 3. If you take a look at him without seeing what he can do in the ring, you would assume that he's some sort of small wrestler that really can't make it against the big boys. But then you see Bryan in the ring and find your first impressions to be completely wrong. Bryan is one of the most technically-proficient wrestlers in the world today, with an array of kicks and strikes while bursting with charisma in spite of his rough-looking exterior.

This is 5 Star Wrestling. For all of the faults that this game has presentation-wise, it is also the most technically-engaging wrestling game since the days of "WWF No Mercy" for the Nintendo 64 and "Fire Pro Wrestling" on the Super Nintendo. The developers at Serious Parody were brave enough to throw the book on wrestling video games completely out the window, resulting in a unique new control scheme that is both refreshing and effective.

This new take on wrestling game control schemes is at once easy to learn and challenging to master. Strikes are mapped to the Cross (X) button, Irish Whips/pins to Circle, finishers to Triangle, and grapples to the right analog stick. Pressing the L2, R2, or L1 buttons alongside the right analog stick introduces new grapples at well, meaning that in certain cases a wrestler has the ability to choose from up to 16 grapple attacks to dish out on their opponent.

On top of this, every wrestler has about a dozen versions of their finishing moves, all of which you can easily be reminded of by the game's helpful in-game move list. While the controls take a while to get used to, they are largely very intuitive. The only exception is the run button, which is awkwardly mapped to the Square button and requires a hand readjustment whenever used.

It's this move variety that helps 5 Star Wrestling stand out from the (admittedly few) third-party wrestling games currently on store shelves. Whereas other third party titles, such as AAA's foray into the game market, focus on having relatively sizable rosters, 5 Star Wrestling puts the emphasis on eight highly-unique superstars based off of real-life talents. Instead of WWE 2K15, where Big Show throws dropkicks and a general pool of moves is shared between the roster members, 5 Star Wrestling's limited characters all feel incredibly different. Curtis Angel (yes, Kurt Angle's clone) has head-based attacks tied to his L2 grapples. Meanwhile, Ragnabrok (a/k/a Brock Lesnar) features power-based grapples that mostly target the back. Each wrestler plays differently and needs to take their opponents's strategies into account.

What makes this even more unique is the game's AI, as Serious Parody has developed the best computer opponent ever seen in a wrestling game. At the start of a match the computer player decides on a strategy to win the contest. This can range from focusing on high-flying maneuvers to working on their opponent's legs. Setting the customizable AI to "unpredictable" is where the game really picks up, making it feel like I'm actually competing against an individual instead of mashing some buttons while waiting for my finisher meter to build up. In many cases winning can require targeting specific body parts. Ragnabrok keeps going for his F5-esque finisher? Then work his legs down and he won't be able to lift you. These aspects truly make 5 Star Wrestling shine.

Outside of the base mechanics of the game, you begin to notice some problems. Yes, the graphics look like they belong on the PS2, and the art design isn't particularly strong to begin with. Animations sometimes look extremely janky with wrestlers occasionally falling out of the ring or momentarily levitating in the air. Throughout my hours of playing I ran into one match-ending bug in a two-out-of-three falls match, button cues incorrectly labeled as a success while the character still fails and lengthy load times, especially when initially booting the game.

The lack of game modes and extras is also notable. There is no create-a-wrestler mode, no online, no weapons, only three arenas and no matches featuring more than two competitors. However, there is potentially the greatest cheesy soundtrack of all time, with all eight wrestlers receiving a cover theme of their real world counterparts. Curtis Angel's "AMERICA" theme is one of the most hilarious songs I've ever listened to in a video game.

Somewhat alleviating this lack of options is the in-depth challenge mode, awarding "star ratings" based on match quality (which often feels arbitrary) and giving coins for fulfilling each challenge's required objectives (e.g. work an opponent's legs to red, hit a certain move, etc.). This mode greatly aids in learning how to use each individual wrestler properly and the unlockables, though limited, become available at a nice rate.

Given the game's $25 price tag, certain people may find the amount of in-game content lacking. But that's missing the point. 5 Star Wrestling isn't about tons of game modes, large rosters, or glistening graphics. It's about gritty, satisfying, technical wrestling that WWE video games haven't supplied for years and at this Serious Parody's labor of love excels. It's easy to pick up, fun to master, and great to play with a friend.

I can only hope that this game is the first of a franchise that presents a true alternative to WWE games, building off of this strong foundation with more game modes, characters, and options. As it stands now, 5 Star Wrestling is like Daniel Bryan; rough around the edges but filled with fighting spirit.

Any questions or comments? Message me on Twitter @BTuckertorch!

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]


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