TNA Impact!

It comes as a pretty bold move by both TNA and Midway to release a wrestling game that directly challenges the gargantuan WWE Smackdown vs RAW series. That too, on a date that's so close to the release of the latter game. The only reason anyone would do this is if they have a killer app in hand that's sure to blow the competition out of the picture – or if they are suicidal. After playing TNA Impact!, I believe Midway's got a death wish.

When you're going up against a franchise that's been around for years, you need to come up with a product that's either fresh or simply does things better. TNA Impact! does start off with a good idea – you start the story mode as an unnamed wrestler who rubs some guys in the business the wrong way. Long story short, you end up at a shady plastic surgeon's clinic in Mexico with a chance to start afresh. Thats where you create your own character and start from scratch.

I was frankly quite impressed with the storyline, and looked forward to fighting my way to the top. But unfortunately the gameplay kicked in.

TNA Impact! uses a basic control system that may be familiar to those who have been playing WWE games for a while. The thing is that the moves are a bit too basic. No matter what superstar you select, your basic set of moves never changes. Sure, every character looks different and has his set of signature moves, but just having special moves are not initiative enough to keep coming back.

The longevity of the game is further marred with a limited roster of featured wrestlers. There are just 25 wrestlers with similar moves, so it's not that exciting a proposition. Fans of the TNA franchise will find all their favorite match types like Ultimate X, etc. in the game, which can be quite entertaining.

Going back to the character creation mode, while I definitely didn't expect to see the level of detailing I was used to in the WWE games, the options here were pretty slim. Everything is offered as a preset. You can select a broad nose or a slim one, but you can't adjust the size manually. Clothes and textures are quite limiting in comparison. Sure, you'll get a good-looking wrester in the end, but he won't be exactly what you have in mind, especially if you're a master customizer.