Surprisingly fun for a generic game.
Unless it is a WWF game, I usually do not play wrestling games. I find most wrestling games to be dulled down versions of fighting. Fire Pro Wrestling is definitely an exception to my usual.
FPW offers a generic line up of wrestlers. You can pick from 16 different organizations, including a free agent pool. The names on the wrestlers are pretty generic, ranging from The Bionic Man to Mauler. I was going to discount this as another bland roster until I discovered the create-a-wrestler option. This game has the most detailed create-a-wrestler I have ever seen. You are allocated 260 points, which seems more than enough at first glance. Everything you enhance on your wrestler takes points. You can customize everything from their recovery time to what attacks are their strongest. You can even customize their AI fighting style. This is definitely the best create-a-character yet.
The feel of the game is not what I expected. FPW reverts to the old Tag Team Wrestling (NES) style of play. Pressing directions at certain times and tapping a button will determine your moves. It is a simplistic style, but also annoying when you hit the wrong button. FPW lacks the ability to run straight. You can only run in a diagonal direction, meaning that your charge moves must be very well placed. As for the graphics, I was pleased with the smoothness of motion.
Overall, I believe this is a should rent title. It is not the greatest, but there is definitely some value to the game. I liked it, but I can not see myself playing it four months from now.
Read GR% Blog
