WWE 13

Fans of professional wrestling are likely familiar with the historic Monday Night Wars of the mid-to-late ‘90s. When Ted Turner used his billions to lure almost all of WWF’s top talent to WCW, it put Vince McMahon’s back against the wall. Though WWF’s Monday Night Raw lost to WCW’s Monday Nitro in Nielsen ratings for more than 80 straight weeks, McMahon eventually regained the lead with new stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and D-Generation X. Because of the period’s edgy material and more adult storylines, it became known as the Attitude Era. Pro wrestling was never more popular, and THQ hopes to recapture some of the era’s magic in the WWE ‘13 campaign.

Taking place from Steve Austin’s rise in late 1997 to Wrestlemania XV in March of 1999, the game features six distinct storylines revolving around Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind, DX, Undertaker/Kane, and Wrestlemania XV. This historical recreation replaces the Road to Wrestlemania arcs from previous WWE titles. Each storyline includes video packages made by the stellar WWE production team that incorporate classic footage and promos. For younger fans, these pieces are a great way to learn about the backstory of several legendary names. "We looked at [the Attitude Era mode] as an opportunity to teach a younger audience what the Attitude Era was all about, and how these superstars helped raise WWE to the level that it came to be,” says creative director Cory Ledesma.

Giving history lessons about the meaning of “Austin 3:16” is all well and good, but it doesn’t add up to much if the gameplay doesn’t deliver. Many outlets (including Game Informer) criticized WWE ’12 for its nitpicky campaign objectives. Instead of requiring players to win or lose in specific ways, WWE ‘13 instead offers these objectives as optional “historical objectives” that reward players for following the script the same way it played out in real (fake) life. Detail-oriented WWE fans can unlock a treasure trove of memorabilia, including 150 photos and over 100 other bonuses.

Last year, WWE All Stars pitted today’s superstars against legends like Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Rowdy Roddy Piper. For WWE ‘13 to strike those same notes, the roster choices were particularly important. Some Attitude Era stars (like Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle) aren’t available because of their involvement in other promotions, while others (Chris Benoit, Chyna) are absent because of more notorious reasons. Despite this, the massive roster of over 80 superstars is a who’s-who of the era, from main eventers like Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley to mid-carders like The Godfather and Billy Gunn. Ledesma says DLC roster expansions are in the works as well.

Between the ropes, players can flaunt some dramatic new abilities like catch finishers. If you’ve ever seen Randy Orton interrupt Evan Bourne’s Air Bourne finisher with an RKO or Shawn Michaels deliver Sweet Chin Music to Shelton Benjamin during a springboard leap, you know what to expect. With a finisher saved up, you can take advantage of an unwise jump from your opponent by catching him and delivering a devastating attack.

The WWE series has been bursting with content for years, and ‘13 is no different. The full creation suite is returning, including an expanded arena mode. We haven’t seen what the team has in store for WWE Universe mode yet, but Ledesma confirmed its inclusion.

Given that pro wrestling has slid from the pop culture radar dramatically since the late ‘90s/early 2000s, focusing WWE ‘13 on the Attitude Era could be a smart move. Former fans that dropped off in the last decade may be lured back to THQ’s series thanks to the nostalgic campaign mode, longtime fans can look forward to dream matches like Daniel Bryan vs. Bret Hart, and younger fans finally have a chance to learn about the events that turned Attitude Era stars into industry icons.