INTERACTIVE:

By John Robinson
CNN Interactive Senior Associate Editor

September 2, 1999
Web posted at: 10:43 a.m. EDT (1443 GMT)

(CNN) --"WWF Attitude" has arrived for the PlayStation and it's ready to dish out some pain. As the sequel to last year's hit title, "WWF War Zone", "WWF Attitude" has some pretty big boots to fill. What could Acclaim do to make Attitude better than War Zone? They could add more wrestlers, more gameplay modes and a better create-a-player mode. Well, they did just that and pulled it off with only a few minor problems.

"WWF Attitude" offers more than 30 star wrestlers with special emphasis on the big stars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H. Each wrestler has an arsenal of special moves that are fairly difficult to learn but well worth the effort when you actually pull them off.

In addition to the basic career and versus modes, there are 14 other single player modes to choose from. Multiplayer mode adds another six gameplay options. If that's not enough, the create-a-player mode has been changed so now you can even change the wrestler's eyes and facial expressions. And yes, there are tons of tattoos to choose from as well.

Options galore don't make a video game great, although they help. Gameplay is the backbone of any successful video game and "WWF Attitude" doesn't make any huge changes in the excellent gameplay introduced by "WWF War Zone". Be warned that you actually have to learn the moves to be any good. If you are looking for a mindless button-pushing fighter, you would be well-advised to look elsewhere.

Visually, there is nothing bad to report other than the occasional jumpy animation and some clipping problems. Other than that, the graphics are quite good and build on the previous game.

Like its television counterpart, video game wrestling is often not meant for children. "WWF Attitude" is rated for Teens and there is a good reason for that. While the default settings in "WWF Attitude" are tame enough for everyone to enjoy, it is very easy to change the settings to include harsh language and blood.

Although "WWF Attitude" is a well-executed title, there are a few things that could have been incorporated to make the game even better. The first thing is analog support. Analog controllers have been around for a couple of years now and are a must in sports games. This game screams for analog control. The other problem with the game, and the one that is almost inexcusable, is the lack of vibration. With vibration compatible games being the norm these days, it is disappointing that such a high profile wrestling title doesn't have it.

While "WWF Attitude" falls a little short in the control department, it is flawless in sound. The wrestler intros are hilarious and include the appropriate music and taunting. During the match, you will be treated to accurate sounding grunts and screams. The audience even gets into the action by cheering or booing depending on which wrestler is winning. Announcers Shane McMahon and Jerry "The King" Lawler provide their wacky brand of commentary that does a good job of following the action while adding a few laughs.

"WWF Attitude" is, like its predecessor, a great wrestling game with a ton of replay value. If you already own "WWF War Zone", then you may want to pass on this one unless you are a huge fan of WWF wrestling. If, on the other hand, you happen to be in the market for a PlayStation wrestling game, it is certainly well worth your time to check it out.

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