WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth Review

Overall Rating

Many Wrestlers,
HUGE create a wrestler option,
Many matches including Tables, Ladder, Last Man Standing, Hell In A Cell and altogether Tables + Ladders + Chairs match,
MASSIVE Season Mode,
Mmmmmmm, Divas,
Very real graphics,
Now fairly cheap in stores across the country,
Quite addictive even when you are bad at it,
Fairly amusing and addictive Season mode,
Very Original and Authentic,
No Rey Mysterio but wicked looking Brock Lesnar,
Mmmmmmm, Divas, have I said that already?

Season mode is out of date,
Uses old stories like the NWO return,
TOO much wandering around doing naff all,
Very bad computer A.I,
NO BLOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some stories are not very good,
Some decisions you make don't effect your status or rivalries with others,
Some hairstyles are weird,
Arms go through Chests,
Hair goes through Shoulders etc.,
With the new WWE Smackdown game (Here Comes The Pain) coming out on the 7th November 2003 (UK) and the 27th October 2003 (U.S) this one could be bettered,
Not so many 'Cool' in date wrestlers,
NOT ENOUGH DIVAS!!!!

This 2nd installment to the Smackdown! series has clearly evolved from the likes of the ropey graphics of Smackdown! Just Bring It.

More wrestlers, more match types, bigger season mode, more backstage areas and better graphics are just some of the improvements this 2nd game has included.

THQ has obviously approached this game with a very serious attitude as it follows the WWE mad storylines from the last couple of years so well it seems like YOU are an actual wrestler.

The move animation is amazing and the attention to detail of the wrestlers is incredible, especially the Create a Wrestler option where you choose from thousands of moves and clothes to make the ultimate warrior.

As good and real as it is, it isn't brilliant.

Downers include older storylines, some weird hairstyles, slightly too real making it a bit slow, easy mode is too easy, crud computer A.I, normal mode is just right but pro and Smackdown! difficulty is IMPOSSIBLE I mean IMPOSSIBLE for an amateur.

The 2 BIGGEST downers are the fact that there is too much walking around doing nothing, hoping to bump into someone and the old problem of Arms going through Legs, Chests etc.
If this problem will EVER be sorted is a huge question.

Overall it is extremely addictive, commentary is okay, HUGE game, better than Just Bring It. But realistically it is worthwhile waiting for the next one, WWE Smackdown Here Comes The Pain released 20 something of October 2003 in America, and 7th November 2003 in the U.K.

Overall = 8 or 9 /10
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, but compared to the new Here Comes The Pain, it isn't essential.