Software:WWE WrestleMania 21

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WWE WrestleMania 21
WWE Wrestlemania 21.jpg
NTSC cover art
Developer(s)Studio Gigante
Publisher(s)THQ
Director(s)John Tobias
Designer(s)Matt Cianchetti
Mike Vinikour
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
Genre(s)Professional wrestling
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

WWE WrestleMania 21, also known simply as WrestleMania 21 or Wrestlemania XXI, is a professional wrestling video game released exclusively for the Xbox in 2005. It was published by THQ and developed by Studio Gigante. It is based on WWE's pay-per-view event of the same name. It is also the successor to Raw 2. The game was the last WWE game released on the original Xbox. WWE Wrestlemania 21 was the last game to be released by Studio Gigante.

Gameplay

WWE WrestleMania 21 includes superstars from WWE Raw 2 and new wrestlers, including: Charlie Haas, Jackie Gayda, Lance Cade, René Duprée, Shelton Benjamin, and Eugene.[2] The game features a new reversal system dubbed the Pro Reversal System.[3] This feature allows for simpler functionality with reversing an opponent's move.

Development and release

WrestleMania 21 was first announced by THQ just before E3 2004, stating that the game would be replacing the Raw video game series.[4] Microsoft accidentally sent an older broken version of the game to the disc manufacturer resulting in gamers being unable to connect to the Xbox Live service upon release until a downloadable patch was made available soon thereafter.[5]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic56/100[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM5/10[7]
Eurogamer3/10[8]
Game Informer5.75/10[9]
GamePro4/5 stars[10]
GameSpot4.5/10[11]
GameSpy2/5 stars[12]
GameZone4/10[13]
IGN6/10[14]
OXM (US)6.8/10[15]
X-Play2/5 stars[16]
The Sydney Morning Herald2/5 stars[17]
The Times2/5 stars[18]

Despite an upgrade in visuals, and a fully voiced career-mode, the game was met with very mixed reception due to its gameplay. Rather than being an upgrade of a pre-existing game engine, it was virtually built from the ground up,[19] as well as containing numerous glitches that crippled the gameplay experience. In their review of the game, GameSpot mentioned that the hit detection was horrible.[11] Among various other problems such as a slow and unresponsive AI taking away from the difficulty, or drastically decreasing the length of a match. A Create-a-Wrestler mode lacking a variety of moves, and items for the wrestler being created. While specialty matches are included within the game, they are only playable in 1 on 1. Among other problems, VideoGamer.com mentioned that the game had sloppy controls.[20] IGN gave the game a rating of 6 out of 10, praising the high quality visuals, but like other reviews took issue with the flaws in the gameplay.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "WWE WrestleMania 21 Release Information for Xbox". http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/920641-wwe-wrestlemania-21/data. 
  2. Ekberg, Brian (March 3, 2005). "WWE WrestleMania XXI Feature Preview". http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wwe-wrestlemania-xxi-feature-preview/1100-6119675/. 
  3. Goldstein, Hilary (January 21, 2005). "WrestleMania 21: Pro Reversal System". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/22/wrestlemania-21-pro-reversal-system-2. 
  4. Perry, Douglass C. (November 17, 2004). "Wrestlemania 21: First Shot". http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/18/wrestlemania-21-first-shot. 
  5. Clayman, David (April 25, 2005). "WrestleMania 21 Patch Released". https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/04/25/wrestlemania-21-patch-released. 
  6. "WWE WrestleMania 21 for Xbox Reviews". http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/wwe-wrestlemania-21. 
  7. EGM staff (June 2005). "WWE WrestleMania 21". Electronic Gaming Monthly (192): 106. 
  8. The Masked Unit (June 9, 2005). "WWE WrestleMania 21". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_wrestlemania21_x. 
  9. Zoss, Jeremy (June 2005). "WWE Wrestlemania XXI". Game Informer (146): 132. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/20AE31BC-FF8E-4D4D-A75E-E61F2959ABA9.htm. Retrieved 25 February 2015. 
  10. Manny LaMancha (April 21, 2005). "WrestleMania XXI Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/44528.shtml. Retrieved 25 February 2015. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 Navarro, Alex (April 21, 2005). "WWE WrestleMania 21 Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wwe-wrestlemania-xxi-review/1900-6122726/. 
  12. Leeper, Justin (April 20, 2005). "GameSpy: WWE WrestleMania 21". GameSpy. http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/wrestlemania-xxi/606295p1.html. 
  13. Hopper, Steven (May 8, 2005). "WWE Wrestlemania 21 - XB - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/wwe_wrestlemania_21_xb_review. 
  14. 14.0 14.1 Clayman, David (April 19, 2005). "WrestleMania 21". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/04/19/wrestlemania-21. 
  15. "WWE WrestleMania 21". Official Xbox Magazine: 76. June 2005. 
  16. Speer, Justin (May 31, 2005). "WWE WrestleMania XXI Review". X-Play. http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/51865/WWE_WrestleMania_XXI_Review.html. 
  17. Wilcox, Mike (July 9, 2005). "Fear play". http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/fear-play/2005/07/06/1120329497667.html. 
  18. Kendall, Nigel (June 25, 2005). "Wrestlemania 21". The Times. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/puzzles/article1697114.ece. 
  19. Leeper, Justin (January 28, 2005). "GameSpy: WWE WrestleMania 21 (Preview)". GameSpy. http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/wrestlemania-xxi/583418p1.html. 
  20. Orry, Tom (November 7, 2005). "Wrestlemania XXI Review". VideoGamer.com. http://www.videogamer.com/xbox/wrestlemania_xxi/review.html. 

External links