WWF Raw Updated Preview

In the past, THQ has relied on AKI and Yukes to develop its wrestling games for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, respectively, but the publisher has opted to bypass those developers in favor of some new blood for its upcoming Xbox wrestler, WWF Raw is War. This time out, Anchor--the developer behind the excellent Ultimate Fighting Championship game for the Dreamcast--has been selected to take on the task of developing an original wrestling game for the Xbox. Of course, there are a few differences between the action in the octagon of UFC and the squared circle of the WWF, but Anchor has adapted the pace of the UFC into a wrestling game that isn't quite as slow or methodical as AKI's No Mercy but doesn't really match the faster, more arcadelike speed of Yuke's Smackdown series. In fact, Anchor seems to have stumbled on a recipe that blends a little of both worlds, which should go a long way in appeasing fans who have a preference for either simulation or arcade-style wrestling games.

I'm talking to you!

The philosophy of creating a balanced game that doesn't lean toward any particular gameplay style extends to the types of modes that are available in WWF Raw. There are no table matches, there are ladders but no ladder matches, there are no casket matches, and there are no other match types that would seem a little too over-the-top for the casual wrestling fan. Instead, in the exhibition mode, you'll see matches that are a little more basic, such as one-on-one, tag team, two-on-two tornado tag, triple threat, fatal four-way, battle royal, two-on-one handicap, and three-on-one handicap matches. In the tornado tag match, you and a tag team partner take on another tag team, but the tag rules no longer apply, so all four men are in the ring at once. A triple threat match pits three wrestlers against each other, and whoever pins another wrestler for the three count first wins the match. The fatal four-way match is similar, but four wrestlers participate. In the battle royal match, four wrestlers can also participate in a contest to eliminate each other by pinfall or by disqualification. Wrestlers who have been eliminated in a battle royal match can remain at ringside and attack any other wrestler who happens to fall outside the ring. Lastly, the handicap matches let you take on two or three opponents at a time.

This seems a bit unfair.

Before starting any of these modes, you have a few options that change the stipulations of the match. First, you can decide if it's going to be a normal or hardcore match--the major difference being that you can pin another wrestler anywhere in the hardcore mode, whereas in a normal match, you can pin them only in the ring. There are options for changing the time limit for the match, as well as the count-out time limit when a wrestler leaves the ring. You can also toggle pins, submissions, rope breaks, disqualifications, and outside interference off and on to suit your preference. If the exhibition mode isn't enough to get you excited, WWF Raw includes other features, including a separate title match mode.