Vamp

I really like the current showcase format of mixing the original footage with gameplay but I get the impression that a lot of players hate it. I do think it's badly implemented sometimes though. I'd like to feel like I'm at least triggering the finishes. I ignore the blurring because I feel like they'd just AI generic faces onto people otherwise.

There's also a WCW pack with DDP, Luger and oddly Iron Sheik because somebody remembered he was in WCW I guess.

I think more people are moaning about Brock not being in the game. Although it is kinda weird that people will presumably have to play as him in Showcase mode to complete it, but don't have the option to ignore him in exhibition. But I guess it's too late to take him out of showcase. Some of the complaints about the ratings are just weird though. I saw someone complaining that Rhea's rating should be 1 point higher. The teased DLC looks fun. Looks like they're going all in with the legends this year.

Big blue cage has been in for a while, so I'd be surprised if it was taken out.

I kinda wish it was a showcase of midcard matches no one remembers, because apart from Rude and Steamboat (who weren't in the last couple of games) it feels like there's nobody really new or different to unlock. Really could do with some random legendary tag teams so that I can fill out a retro universe despite hardly ever playing tag team matches anyway...

Am I misremembering or was there a game where you could have two special guest referees? I have this memory of a cousin and I being guest referees for a tag match and beating the shit out of the AI until the AI finally fought back and got DQed.

I mean, as terrifying as they were, at least they didn't do them for deceased wrestlers.

I'd imagine Punk is DLC if anything. I can see then holding off on announcing that. I'm somewhat worried that the deep fakes will be in the showcase mode as talking heads. Austin is terrifying and I never want to see it again. It's fascinating watching people get upset that showcase probably won't have a match from every Mania.

Story mode is good if you want to watch your character eat a different speciality from each state they visit.

I'm in two minds about that. Because I entirely agree that nothing really had time to settle but I also think that it gave it a feel of complete chaos which helped with the menace of the Toymaker.

I actually thought it was a possible explanation for the Curator that popped up in the 50th. He is, after all, a retired Doctor that appears to have a familiar face. Anyway, I loved it. Mad as a box of frogs. NPH was great. The self insert rant about how shit the world is right now. The only thing I wasn't really convinced about was the game of catch. That was partly down to the editing I think.

There's a Doctor Who/TNG crossover comic involving Matt Smith's Doctor. Its alright. I know RTD was really into the idea of JK Rowling appearing and doing a Christmas special set in her dreams. Tennant apparently vetoed it. Can't imagine RTD thinking that was a good idea now. It's a shame shows like the Avengers (the proper ones) or Sapphire and Steel haven't made a come back because they'd make interesting crossovers with Doctor Who (if they were any good, which seems unlikely in the Avengers case). We probably dodged a bullet when it comes to Moffat doing a crossover with Sherlock and Doctor Who that people seemed to be clamouring for. I can't imagine how bad that could have been.

Its so weird comparing the Doctor Who 60th lineup to the 50th. We've now got 2 Tennants and a Doctor 0!

In another bizarre turn, DLC is arriving tomorrow apparently. That was revealed during a live stream of Buutcher and the Blade playing Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Because of course it was.

Wasn't there a report that AEW didn't really want a CAW mode and then changed their mind late in the day? I do find it funny that they included call names for so many people without adding in the parts needed to make anyone that looks even slightly like them.

I think it's pretty interesting that Omega and Kahn thought this game was finished before Yukes did. Which makes me wonder what state the game was in at that stage. The actual in ring gameplay is fun although arguably not all that representative of AEW. And they clearly shot themselves in the foot by saying they were inspired by No Mercy and then releasing a game that has less features than No Mercy. Doesn't help that neither their communication nor their release schedule for patches/DLC is up to scratch. If they had been updating the game frequently from launch and released the DLC within the month than they'd have got away with shit communication. If they'd been better at telling the community anything than they'd have maybe gotten away more with their lack of updates. I'm not convinced there'll be an AEW FF2. The relationships between everyone involved seem pretty sour. It's a shame because I do think the actual wrestling bit of the game is more fun than 2k, and has a lot of potential.

To be honest, if they did that people would also be unhappy about characters like Paul Wight and Wardlow and anyone with the bail out ability. And Omega. I'm not sure where you'd draw the line. You could nerf some of their abilities in online only I guess? I think if you did it in all modes wrestlers wouldn't feel as different. Plus, pretty sure they designed the game partly around the idea that you would take your CAW through the BTE mode so that they'd be harder to beat online. But also, you'd have to be a masochist to play an online ranked multiplayer anyway so...

So it looks like the first DLC pack won't be coming out on 25 July like everyone thought but sometime in August/September. Supposedly the release date came from Nintendo e-shop and no date has ever been confirmed by THQ. So far the only place they've discussed that is on their Discord. That may not go down well...

I am. SNW is by far my favourite new Trek series. Helps that it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Part of me wonders if they added the gold attires at the last minute because Omega had promised multiple attires for wrestlers and they realised they'd only done Omega, Brit and the Young Bucks. It doesn't really happen in this day and age anyway, mainly because of the internet, but I feel like this game should have a lot of bullshit unlock rumours but there's so little to unlock that they wouldn't be believable anyway.

Back to the Future did the sensible thing and made a musical. Okay, maybe that wasn't the sensible thing, but it's about a thousand times better than a music (or reboot) of that franchise should ever have been. I still have absolutely no idea how they pulled that off.

I'm no fun because I kinda wish they'd improve the game they've sold before announcing what amounts to an entirely different gaming experience. I also don't understand how they're jumping from 4 wrestlers to 30.

To be fair, the actual gameplay is pretty good. It feels fun to play. Arguably more exciting than WWE 2k23. I don't think basing it on No Mercy is the problem. If anything it's probably the fact that the game hasn't taken enough inspiration from No Mercy. I feel like that game had more CAW options, match options and story options. It's simply a fun game that's completely unfinished. It's pretty evident that it's not finished. It's up to them to actually deliver their on promise to keep updating the game beyond the paid DLC which seems unlikely. Logically you'd think they'd set their stall with a big patch around the time of the next DLC release. I think they might win some people if they deliver the Stadium Stampede around All Out but even with the leak I'm not convinced that they're going to suddenly deliver a 30 player online mode. It seems bizarre to think they're going to jump from 4 to 30.

I won the title in the first block, the second and third block didn't mention the title at all and my character didn't come out with it, then I defended it in the very last match. Very odd. It is a lot of fun though, 3 on 1 matches aside.