WWE 13 Debut

If WWE ’12 redefined the wrestling genre – then sit tight and see what WWE ’13 has in store.

Drawing massive inspiration from CM Punk and the revolution he started last year, THQ is mirroring that and has drastically changed its approach to the WWE franchise. While WWE ’12 was a revamp from the ‘Smackdown vs. RAW’ series, not everything could be added in there. Hence WWE ’13 is all set to be the BEST wrestling game ever!

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Key Highlights

Road to WrestleMania is gone – Attitude Era Mode is in!

THQ’s goal here is not to reinvent the past nor is to change things just for the sake of doing so. This single-player mode is an abridged recreation of a memorable time in sports entertainment, allowing players to journey through various storylines as eight of the most popular superstars of that time, including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

The chapter-based saga moves through WWE’s struggle and eventual triumph during the so-called “Monday Night Wars,” which saw the company on the brink of defeat at the hands of a powerful rival, WCW. Told from the perspective of the WWE during that period, matches and in-game cut scenes are supplemented by superb video packages assembled by WWE’s own editors. These short vignettes put matches, feuds and larger industry developments into perspective, not only keeping the overall story going, but giving a bit of a history lesson in the process.

THQ is also mindful that wrestling fans want a fun game. Therefore each match is broken down into a series of main or side objectives, which are clearly labeled when on-screen, can be easily accessed, and will disappear from a list when they are completed.

In general, main objectives are simple (pin your opponent, grab the title), allowing players to advance the storyline simply by winning matches. However optional side objectives are more meticulous by nature, setting more specific victory conditions – asking players to put an opponent through a table, for example. Those looking to get the most out of WWE ’13 will want to pay attention to all the game asks of them.

The OMG Factor

With so many tweaks being made, it’s hard to forget the little details in Wrestling history that might have been missed. Actions like breaking the right with two behemoths, or a mid-air finisher, these actions, can only be enabled by certain wrestlers in specific locations and instances. Much like the appearance of a ‘Finisher’ icon, an ‘OMG!!’ logo will appear above a character’s head when they are capable of executing these devastating maneuvers, which can quickly change the tide of a match – or even end it. The developers are also in the process of creating specialized visual and audio methods of presenting these moments, ensuring they feel as significant in the game as they do on television.

Match Pacing

If you remember the first time that Kane fought the Undertaker, it took The Dead Man 3 tombstones to put his brother Kane away for the pin – why? Because that’s how EPIC it is. Matches on PPV and on RAW have a different feel to it. There’s more energy, more excitement about these big match situations…and THQ has taken note.

Players can now choose between “Quick”, “Normal” and “Epic” – will affect the overall pacing of a fight, independent of AI difficulty. Factors such as momentum, damage, enemy aggressiveness and even kick out and reversal rates will be affected. The difference can be staggering. Quick matches feel lightning quick compared to epic ones, where superstars seem to have limitless stamina – and health. Best of all, this concept will make its way into the single player campaign as well.

With all that said, it’s just a small chunk of what to expect with a finished product. The game is currently in “Alpha” mode, which means another 2 months or so of testing before it gets into polishing mode. Lots more to be revealed and wrestling fans should be über excited. Stay tuned as we bring you more on this as it happens!

The Roster

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WWE

1. Alberto Del Rio
2. Alicia Fox
3. Beth Phoenix
4. Big Show
5. Booker T
6. Brie Bella
7. Brock Lesnar
8. Brodus Clay
9. CM Punk
10. Chris Jericho
11. Christian
12. Cody Rhodes
13. Daniel Bryan
14. David Otunga
15. Dolph Ziggler
16. Epico
17. Eve
18. Heath Slater
19. Hunico
20. Jack Swagger
21. Jinder Mahal
22. John Cena
23. Justin Gabriel
24. Kane
25. Kelly Kelly
26. Kevin Nash
27. Kharma
28. Kofi Kingston
29. Mark Henry
30. Nikki Bella
31. Primo
32. R-Truth
33. Randy Orton
34. Rey Mysterio
35. Santino Marella
36. Sheamus
37. Sin Cara
38. Ted DiBiase
39. The Great Khali
40. The Miz
41. The Rock
42. Triple H
43. Undertaker
44. Wade Barrett
45. Zack Ryder

Attitude Era

1. Animal
2. Big Bossman
3. Big Show (Attitude)
4. Billy Gunn
5. Bret Hart
6. British Bulldog
7. Cactus Jack
8. Chris Jericho (Attitude)
9. Christian (Attitude)
10. Dude Love
11. Eddie Guerrero
12. Edge
13. Godfather
14. Hawk
15. Kane (Attitude)
16. Ken Shamrock
17. Lita
18. Mankind
19. Mark Henry (Attitude)
20. Mike Tyson
21. Mr. McMahon
22. Road Dogg
23. Shane McMahon
24. Shawn Michaels
25. Stephanie McMahon
26. Stone Cold
27. The Rock (Attitude)
28. Triple H (Attitude)
29. Trish Stratus
30. Undertaker (Attitude)
31. Vader
32. X-Pac

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Release Date is set for October 30th 2012 and will be available on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.