WWE Universe will take you along for the ride on a year long journey through the pin falls and submissions, Rumbles and Slams, all of the exciting action that you have come to expect from the WWE.
WWE Universe follows the actual year long format used on their professional level.
Each month with WWE Universe, you get four separate episodes of RAW, Superstars and SmackDown, and then of course, one pay-per-view major event. This year’s improved edition of Universe has some differences when compared to last year. There is no longer a ticker at the bottom of the screen announcing the coming attractions. Now you can conveniently navigate to the schedule by selecting WWE Universe in the main menu.
Exhibition Mode has been renamed this year.
The result is the same but look through the menu for the “play” option. Just like Exhibition Mode in the past, this option will allow you to create any match you desire at any time. You probably purchased WWE ’12 to compete on line, or maybe for occasional matches with people you know. You might even follow the Road to WrestleMania. Although the individual wrestlers have rankings in the Universe, utilizing your “play” option opens the door to create any custom exhibition matches you would like.
WWE Universe has many options at your control.
Anything you do when playing WWE Universe will have some control in determining rankings and deciding the participants in matches. Using your “play” mode however gives you complete control of who wrestles who and in what show. When you book a superstar or a diva, they will continue to be booked. There is also a momentum system that tracks your moves. For instance, if you put the same wrestler in the Smackdown show over and over, the game will also. But when you take control in “Play” option, your champion could be different than the WWE Universe champion. You make the choice, let the Universe pick the matches, or you take control.
All titles can be defended in any of the shows.
In previous versions of this game, titles could only change hands in the pay-per-view segments. This year’s edition gives you more control. As long as one of the combatants holds a title, you can declare it a title match. If you wanted Triple H to defend his title against Randy Orton on an episode of RAW, you can. When you are selecting participants for a match, press X if you have Xbox 360 or Square on the PS3 while locked on your champion. This will bring up the Advanced Mode. Once there, press the same button as before to make this match a title match. Confirm your choice by pressing A on the Xbox or X on PS3 and you are ready to rumble for the title.
In play mode a title can be vacated. This cannot be done in the Universe. In the case where a superstar wins a title but then quits wrestling, you can’t merely create a new title or even make the loser the champion. Your option is to put two wrestlers in a regular match and simply assign a title to the winner.
You can override any decision made by the game except for rankings.
You can even overrule title decisions. Finish out any match and if you don’t like the outcome, enter the wrestler’s Superstar Management screen and make the changes. You can create or dissolve tag teams, change relationships, move a wrestler to a different show or assign titles to whoever you desire. The Superstar Management screen also offers another solution to the vacated title problem. Create your own wrestler and stockpile any belts you need to on him or her.
Always expect the unexpected.
Stay on your toes while playing this game. Just like in the actual entertainment we watch on TV, you never know what might jump out at you. Superstar entrances can be interrupted with a surprise beat down, teams may form and teams may break up. Matches can be interrupted and even restarted. Superstars can even turn on each other. This isn’t rare when you pit a good guy against another good guy, or a bad against a bad. The system might decide to have current partners start knocking heads with each other. Yes, a face can become a heel, and a heel can become a face. But once again keep in mind that you are in total control. If you expected the unexpected but don’t like how things are going, you can always quit the match. No updates to rankings, team statuses, alignments or even championships are made until a match is completed. If you don’t like what you see, quit the match and restart it again.
Welcome to the WWE Universe. Enjoy your matches and hope to see you at WrestleMania.
