Customizable Wrestling Experience
The customization options in WWE ’13 are expansive, almost to the point of being a bit overwhelming. WWE Universe offers even more control this time around, letting players piece together regular shows and pay-per-view events. Created superstars, arenas, stories and moves have access to a metric ton of customization options as well. Chances are, if you can imagine your ideal wrestler, you can create him/her/it. Then, afterwards, you can place your unique wrestler in standout environment with a move set not attached to any one of the wrestlers seen on the extensive roster. You can also custom tailor the experience itself via a list of options. WWE ’13 allows you to play around with options, such as weight detection, which dictate whether Rey Mysterio can lift The Big Show.The tools are all there just waiting for the player to pick them up to craft their ideal wrestling scenarios. If for whatever reason that isn’t enough, the online portion includes a community which is eager to share their own creations for others to grab, if they so wish.
NOT
Inconsistent Audio
WWE ’13 has some imperfections (just like every other game) and this is easily noticeable in the audio department. The volume level of original audio and other in-game audio can differ greatly, creating instances where the player’s ears are barraged momentarily out of nowhere. The inconsistencies don’t end there. The next one isn’t so much a glitch as it is an annoyance. The “F” in “WWF” is muted in the audio clips due to trademark issues, which results in an awkward disruption of the flow of audio.
Various Glitches
While I did state that WWE ’13 received an extra layer of polish since ’12, it still has its issues. Certain animations may perform awkwardly and the game’s physics can have various outcomes. In one match, the broken stairs my opponent carried into the ring, randomly twirled up into the air and far out of the ring following an elbow drop from the turnbuckle. At most, these are minor distractions and nothing game-breaking.
Verdict
WWE ’13 has slightly updated all aspects of its predecessor with one extremely notable departure for the series, the removal of Road to WrestleMania. Attitude Era is here (here to stay, hopefully) and it’s an absolute delight, especially for wrestling fans old enough to appreciate the iconic matches from the 90s. Coupling this wonderful new blast from the past mode shines so bright that it almost makes the rest of the game feel a bit too standard, despite the various tweaks and updates. Glitches in the audio presentation and animations can be found here and there, but it doesn’t detract much from the overall experience. Truth is, there are two people that will enjoy WWE ’13: those that loved WWE ’12 and those who are easily sucked into the nostalgia contained within the Attitude Era.
[Editor’s Note: WWE ’13 was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
