Review: Fire Pro Wrestling

Howdy folks!

Once again, I went flying blind into yet another game, not knowing what I was to find and had been pleasantly surprised by this title.
The game is simple enough: Wrestling but with your avatar. The game features many different styles of wrestling moves, clothing and even takes into detail of the players introduction music, prop, movements and taunts in the ring. The navagation of the dashboard is a little annoying but the most used will definitely be at the top. Customisation is definitely a big plus for the game; with a near Avatar Editor likeness, players can create their very own look and feel for the wrestler to be, even to go as far as to create a different avatar just for the game alone.
With your moves, taunts and costume now in place, the tutorial automatically takes over and you are placed in a ring with a near dummy AI to fight against. While the tutorial is quite helpful, it leaves out other key things that will help win you victory in the later fights.

Campaign, while slightly repetitive, becomes increasingly challenging and addictive. Even in the early first fights, judging an opponent by level alone is a silly move. For example one opponent early on "Grandma and Granddad", you think because of their low level and names they will be easy. However, if you do not upgrade your wrestler with better moves, attacks, grapples and experience, these two will destroy you in the ring.
Multiplayer is featured and while the online process is slow, it works well for in country gameplay. Areas of larger distance can tend to lag and throw you or your opponent from the game.
With this game now released, it has also released a new feature for Microsofe Studios newest system, Avatar Famestar. Actions in-game will cause your "fame" in-game to increase for unlockables and better equipment (Other titles now share this feature. The only known one to me so far is Full House Poker), however the process of the fame is slow and often can be useless.

With this all in mind, the games well set gameplay, audio, voice acting and jokes of stereotypical wrestling moves and taunts, this game is definitely not a shy over this coming Summer, a nice gap filler between the gap of  larger brand name games coming out in the weeks to come

Out of 10, I gave Fire Pro Wrestling an 7.5/10

Good Points
+ Great customisation
+ Tutorial is definitely helpful
+ Addictive gameplay

Bad Points
- Multiplayer can ruin the experience
- Leveling system is slow
- Introduction of Avatar Famestar = pointless

Fire Pro Wrestling is out now for 800 MSP ($10)