WWE '12: 20 Things I'd Like to See in the Upcoming Video Game

Hello folks! Welcome to my 50^th article here on Bleacher Report!

SmackDown vs. Raw is a game series which, for me, has become stale, boring and downright horrendous.

A new franchise has been announced, effectively rebooting the series, and hopefully airing out a lot of the problems that have plagued the series for years.

Since the upcoming video game WWE ’12 was announced, I started thinking about all the things I’d like to see in the debut title of the revamped series.

I believe I make a valid case for each point, outlining the ways in which THQ could make the perfect WWE game.

Some you may agree with, some you may not—so just sit back, relax and enjoy the read. Please feel free to comment with your own opinions.

Varied Entrances

One thing that has annoyed me for years about the franchise is that the entrances are as stale as they come.

Granted, they are very realistic in terms of the movements the character makes, but it is always the same.

Surely they can make it so that each character has three entrances they use at random?

This would make it more dynamic and it would certainly stop me from turning them off after I have seen them once.

This should apply to tag team entrances also.

Realistic Cutscenes Post-Match

-WWE.com

This is a must for me.

Each character needs to have his post-match cutscene tailored to him or her otherwise this, like the entrances, becomes stale and boring.

There are a multitude of different things a superstar does after a match so why not incorporate them into the game?

It doesn’t even have to be that complicated.

Attacks should also be more varied post match, with the ability to choose how the superstars attack one another.

More Control over the WWE Universe

Last year an option called the WWE Universe was added—in fact, it’s the main reason I bought the game.

But when I started to try and mould my superstars into storylines etc, the game wasn’t having any of it. I couldn’t put titles on who I wanted or vacate them.

This needs to be revamped in a big way in WWE ’12, because although the WWE Universe is an excellent idea on paper, the execution of what should have been an extremely dynamic mode of gameplay, fell flat last year.

Maybe by giving the player the option to create feuds, rather than trying to work them out would be a better way to go about things—give the player full control.

I found it extremely annoying last year, to create a tag team, only to have it broken up by the WWE Universe.

The Ability to Put a Superstar in More Than One Stable

I think this was possibly the most annoying thing about last year’s game.

Only being able to put a superstar in one stable at a time was a big middle finger to everyone who has loved wrestling for years.

I wonder how many people wanted Edge in Rated RKO and Edge and Christian? How many people wanted Kane in The Corporation, the Brothers of Destruction and Kane & X-Pac?

I know I did.

By allowing people to put superstars in more than one stable, not only are you making a hell of a lot of people happy, but you are allowing for more twists and turns in storylines, as superstars become conflicted with loyalty.

To Be Able to Change a Superstar's Attire

This is yet another big change I want to see.

Though it is only small I would be a lot happier if I could change the attire of the selected Superstars.

I wanted nothing more than to put a nexus T-shirt on John Cena last year to make up my own little storyline, only to find that I couldn’t.

In the old N64 game, WrestleMania 2000, it was possible to give any superstar any attire.

They bombard us with claims that this is the best franchise regarding the “Create a Wrestler” feature, yet it isn’t even possible to put a T-shirt on Cena.

Sort it out THQ!

Modding

There are many people who hack into the game and make their own arenas and old Superstars to the highest detail.

Why not give the option to do this legally?

Not only would it save them a lot of time and effort regarding DLC, but it gives budding youngsters the opportunity to display their skills.

Many examples of mods for the last instalment can be found on Youtube, including classic Triple H, Rock as a baldo and the L.O.D.

Why not make this sort of thing available to the public, allowing them to keep up to date with the current WWE storylines?

Real-Time DLC

If they aren’t going to allow modding to take place on a normal console, then they need to keep up with the WWE themselves.

I realise this would be an extremely tall order, but when you buy the game, Cena has an orange T-shirt. What’s all that about? He then changed to purple, which the DLC was released for, just before he changed to red. Keep up THQ!

Is a DLC pack every month too much to ask for? Who here would pay 5 dollars every month for updated attires, wrestlers and arenas? I know I would. I wouldn’t even think about it.

Attires can’t be that hard to make and that month’s PPV arena can be added. It would bring so much to the game.

It wouldn’t impact on the following year’s instalment either, as they could stop the updates when the new version is released, forcing people to buy it if they want to keep up with WWE programming.

Better Commentary

-WWE.com

Commentary on these games suck. It always has.

It sounds stale, they repeat the same catchphrases, and they don’t sound natural.

If Fifa can provide realistic commentary then why can’t the WWE? Not once have I thought that the commentary on Fifa is stale or boring, and Martin Tyler still says things to this day that I haven’t heard. It flows, and is extremely responsive to what is happening on the football field.

Why can’t WWE commentary flow, reacting to what is happening inside the squared circle? The only explanation I can think of is that they don’t spend enough time on it.

If Cole makes me want to break my TV on WWE ’12 then I’ll know they’ve done a good job.

More Moves

They’ve taken out an obscene amount of moves over the past few years—slowly whittling them down until almost every Superstar has the same moveset barring a finisher.

It’s all very well putting “Create” options into the game to create moves and Finishers, but I would imagine most people spend most of their time trying to recreate moves that should have been in the game in the first place.

If the new game gives every Superstar a decent repertoire like they used to, then there will be no room for complaint.

Backstage Fighting

This needs to be improved upon heavily.

All I’ve wanted to do for the past 7 years is to be able to drag my opponent up the stage, through the curtain and into the back.

The fact that I can’t do this makes me as angry as R-Truth when he wasn’t given a premium parking spot.

Let us drag them through the crowd to the concession stands in the hallway, fight on the stairs as I make my way up the arena, dragging Mysterio behind Rhodes like he should be on a lead.

This would make No DQ matches that much better—to be able to make it outside.

Granted, I am aware there has to be some limits in place, but surely what I just mentioned can be done, and surely it sounds awesome?

Disappearing Weapons

One of the most unrealistic things about the SmackDown versus Raw series, is the fact that using a chair, or a sledgehammer too much, makes it disappear, or unusable.

Why does that happen?

I want them to stay there—I don’t want to have to go out to the ringside area every time I hit someone over the head four times with a chair. I

 want that chair to stay there for the rest of the match, regardless of how broken it is.

If they didn’t disappear, you could cover the whole ring with chairs and create a match never before seen.

You know you would.

Realistic Damage

Don't worry, he'll be fine in 20 seconds....

If I Pedigree Sheamus through the announce table, he shouldn’t be able to get up ten seconds later just because I did it five minutes into the match.

Others would argue that this would make the game slow and boring—but what I feel is lacking from these games, is atmosphere.

Nothing would give me more satisfaction than to be wandering around the ring looking for the next thing to strike my opponent with after he gets up after an extended period of time, due to being hit with a sledgehammer or something similar.

This would also add to the realism of the game and make using weapons more serious.

If they do a lot more damage, it would feel a lot better when using them—I want them to do the damage they are scripted to do in the WWE.

Realistic Hell in a Cell

This is one of my biggest gripes about the series to date. I really don’t see why it is so difficult to replicate the actual cell.

Last year it didn’t even have a door!

Just give us the actual cell THQ—this would give it the same ominous look it has in the WWE.

In an ideal world I’d like to be able to choose between the old, grimy cell and the new polished cell they introduced a few years ago.

Revamped Road to WrestleMania

The Road to WrestleMania is a key part of every wrestler’s life, and it is one of the main features of the game.

It just seems like every year it falls short in terms of giving the player an immersive experience. I appreciate the efforts that go into the storylines but we need more going on in terms of cutscenes and story development.

I want to become emotionally involved in my character and I think the story should change depending on wins and losses.

Branching storylines would give the game a lot more depth, and add to the replay factor.

Losing a match should not result in one just clicking a button sending them to a rematch. Let’s have a bit of diversity put into the Road, resulting in different endings.

I’d say four possible endings for each character would be fair.

Revamped Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble is almost perfect and I believe with just a few changes, it will be just that.

The first thing I’d like to address is the fact the one can’t be thrown through the ropes, or exit the ring in any way. I’d like to get some weapons involved sometimes, or let the action spill when it is down to the last two competitors.

If I’m not allowed outside the ring I find myself becoming bored with just mashing buttons to try and eliminate the other opponents.

Add another dimension to the match and it will keep me going back for more.

The second thing I’d like to mention is the cap that is placed on the amount of superstars allowed in the ring. I know it would technically be a hard thing to do but at least raise that cap to ten. This would again, make it more realistic.

I’d also like to see tag teams teaming up for a while throughout the Rumble.

Less Focus on "Create a Superstar"

As long as I can change the proper superstars’ attires, then I really don’t care for this mode.

I buy the game to play with my favourites, not to create someone who doesn’t look as polished as those he’s wrestling.

If people can mod, then this mode won’t even be needed. Nuff said.

More Tag Team Entrances

I went completely mental (in a good way) when Edge and Christian entered using their old music, old attire and old movements in the Road to WrestleMania mode.

However, this was one of few tag team entrances included in the game.

Even if they aren’t allowed to be named because of legal issues—describe them as “Tag team 1” or whatever, I don’t care as long as they are there.

There were not  lot of tag team entrances last year and there were only four stable entrances to choose from which I felt was a bit pathetic.

More Legends

Legends o’clock!

I propose different sections, for the old breed, the attitude era and the current superstar rosters. This would triple the size of any roster seen on previous wrestling games.

Even if they were there as downloadable content, I’m sure most would love to recreate matches from the old days but not be restricted to British Bulldog, Bret Hart and Lex Luger.

This would make a huge game, allow people to create their dream matches, and help those still holding onto the past, to relive the glory days.

With all these Superstars, this would help the WWE Universe mode and it would make me want to create some brilliant storylines.

Better Access to the Environment

This short point is regarding the annoying process of bashing someone’s head into the stairs or something along the same lines.

It is really awkward to do at the moment.

I’d like it to be more fluid and natural, as opposed to being awkward and irritating to execute.

Better Blood

I’d just like to say that I am not some sadistic fella who gets pleasure from seeing the crimson flow—I’ll play Manhunt 2 if I want that.

However, if you are going to include blood in the game then it should look dynamic.

From small cuts to large cuts, it should be random—possibly depending on the type of punishment dished out by the player.

Instead of the blood disappearing on the mat, I want to see it stain the mat in places. It should also leave marks on anything else their head touches—stairs, chairs tables, even the mats surrounding the ring.

Just these small touches would make the blood look a lot more realistic and just add to the whole importance of a no DQ match.

On a side note, if this is to be more realistic, one or two shots to the head with a chair should cause a crimson mask, whereas Pedigree’s should never cause a busted face.

I completely support having the option to turn it off, for children playing, or those who just plain disagree with it.

What Would You Like to See in WWE '12?

I’ve waited years to air my grievances about this game I’ve just never had the platform.

This may have sounded like 20 points of moaning, but I truly believe that if these issues were addressed, then the game would instantly become better.

The reason I did 20 points was because I feel so strongly about the future of wrestling games. From what I have seen of the game up to now, it already looks like they have addressed some issues, such as making it so feet don’t go through heads.

Did you agree with any of my points? What do you think would make the game better?

Please leave a comment below telling me what you think should feature in the upcoming video game. I always reply to all comments. 

Thanks for reading.