Video game review: WWE ‘13

WRESTLING games have been an up and down affair in recent years, never quite managing to offer that explosive killer hook that game franchises often need.

WWE ’13

£39.99, PS3/Wii/Xbox 360

In WWE ’13, developer Yuke’s has crafted a new story mode based around the “Attitude” era of the sport, arguably the most prolific years of the company’s history.

The mode is almost like a playable documentary of the sport’s scrape with bankruptcy and the efforts it made to claw its way to the top of the TV ratings. You will play through the rise of Degeneration-X, the introduction of Stone Cold Steve Austin and the brutal hardcore matches of Mick Foley. Control-wise you can still pull off the usual array of grapples, strikes and high-flying manoeuvres that result in a dazzling spectacle.

Even the match commentary by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler and Jim Ross has been recorded from the actual matches on the show, giving each bout an authentic edge.

Aside from the Attitude mode, you can create your own wrestler and take part in a wide range of game modes including Hell in the Cell, Royal Rumble and more. You can choose to play offline for up to four players locally in a tag or four-way match, as well as taking the fight online.

With a range of ring, wrestler, and event creation tools, and the extensive Attitude mode on offer, there’s plenty here for WWE fans to enjoy, even if the core mechanics haven’t changed much.