Many reviewers before me very correctly pointed out the different features of this game. In particular, one of them underscored the fact that playing its demo does not really give you any insight into it, and judging the whole game upon the demo would be a huge mistake, a mistake I made myself. In this respect, another common mistake is to compare `Legends of Wrestlemania` to the more popular Smackdown vs Raw series, both published and developed by THQ. However, being an old school wrestling nostalgic, I eventually set aside my reservations and finally decided to give the complete game a go. Was it worth it? Well, I will say that some aspects of the game surely cleared most personal preconceptions but others just consolidated them.
On the whole, there is no denying that the developing team at THQ have given us wrestling aficionados an unprecedented opportunity to relive and interact with the most defining moments in the history of the showcase of the immortals. In this respect, Legends of Wrestlemania is the only game around that allows you to re-enact adrenaline drenched, capacity crowd matches such as the one featuring The Hulkster and his then gargantuan nemesis Andre the Giant. The career mode ( Wrestlemania Tour Mode) is divided into three categories: Relive, Rewrite and Redefine history. In the first tangent, you will be prompted by a sequence of on-screen button chains to win the fight as it really happened; in Rewrite, you will be wearing the boots of a series of wrestlers who did not get the title or lost at past Wrestlemania events, with a chance of changing their fate; in the last category, you will be given carte blanche and play as whomever you want.
Although the career mode is surely peculiar and innovative, the control scheme is what dampens the mood of the game altogether. The scheme consists of four buttons (strike, grapple, block and action), and the remainder encompasses basic manoeuvres, including chain grapples and reversals (most of them prompted), which makes the game appear dull and repetitive. In other words, when you get down to it and your match is underway, you will realise that flurry of punches and chain grapples are all it takes to fill up your momentum bar and deplete your opponents` energy gauge, building towards your finisher, which is also on-screen prompted. In terms of environment action, there are a few neat features that vary upon the type of match you are playing. For instance, in the `Stone Cold vs the Rock` Relive match, you will need to put the Rock through the Spanish commentators` table and take the fight as far as the entrance ramp. Surely, this is a nice addition and its versatility might just tilt the scales in favour of the positives.
Amongst other features, there is also a second career mode (Legend Killer Mode), in which you will have to take your own created superstar all the way to the top by defeating a series of legends tiers. In turn, wining matches and meeting criteria yield experience points expendable towards your superstar`s attributes - and provided all attributes are limited to four categories, it will not take you too long. What is more, a specific tier of this section is dedicated to superstars ported over from Smackdown vs Raw 2009, a feature that owners of both games and wrestler aficionados might well find appealing.
In conclusion, I definitely recommend to give this game a go. The game also comes with a multiplayer function, which, structurally, is very similar to the Smackown vs Raw one, but is entirely different in terms of gameplay. However, if you feel you are more comfortable with the Smackdown vs Raw control system, you might well consider hiring this game before buying it.