Rumble Roses XX

Two years ago, Konami released its first and outrageous wrestling game featuring a host of ladies that look like they stepped out of a strip club and decided to wrestle for a championship title. Rumble Roses for the PS2 was actually a solid wrestling game that suffered a few glitches here and there but was competent enough to warrant a second release on the new Xbox 360. Rumble Roses XX is a next-generation version of the PS2 original but, unfortunately, it also brings many of those familiar faults and takes away some other features as well.

Long gone is the game’s story mode that, although bizarre as it was, provided in original oddball look at each character. Rumble Roses XX features the same lineup of characters as the PS2 game. In fact, if you were expecting any new characters you will be in for major disappointment. You do have the option to edit each fetching grappler and you can edit a sample character and make your own (but if you’re expecting the in-depth character creation mode of the SmackDown! games be prepared to be disappointed again). Still, it’s hard to complain when all the characters in question are fun to play and bring their own brand of moves and personalities to the ring. While they’re all basic stereotypes, these ladies are fun to watch. You have cowgirl Dixie Clements, the S&M babe Evil Rose, the pop star-like Aisha, a Japanese cutie named Reiko Hinomoto and even a nurse named Anesthesia. Of course, each wrestler has her own good and evil persona as well as a “superstar” personality.

Unfortunately, the same confusing menu screen puts you in the game immediately and this time the menu screen comes in the form of a world map that separates each venue as well as game mode types. There are various fights that open up different venues and there’s even a fighting game mode called Street Fight mode that’s a two-round nod to fighters like the Dead or Alive series. There’s even an Exhibition mode that allows you to play a number of match types like a Singles match, a Tag Team match, Handicap match, PHM (Pure Humiliation Mode) and Street Fight. Wrestling fans will certainly enjoy the 3-Way Royal and 4-Way Royal and the most fun event called the Queen’s Match (where you wrestle in an island resort and the loser must go through a humiliatingly sexy penalty like spray said loser with a water gun or watch them use a hula-hoop.

Control-wise, Rumble Roses XX uses Yuke’s SmackDown! engine that makes for simplistic controls that allow you to pull off complex moves like pile drivers, close lines and sleeper holds that look ten times better than anything you’ll see on the WWE. Each grappler has her own style and a set of unique moves that correspond to each personality. For example, the “nice” version of Candy Cane has her own moves but her “evil” persona has her fight dirty and finally the “superstar” persona gives Candy Cane some serious high-flying moves. The problem is that even with these specialized moves, the game starts feeling excessively repetitive. Even the scantly clad ladies aren’t able to save the game from the punch-slam-and-pin-and-repeat formula. As long as we’re on the topic of flaws, the load times are not only excessive but really long.

As far as the raunchiness factor is concerned, the game’s M rating is a justified one and not because the game displays anything that goes over edge but when it comes to the bounce factor and the physical tussling, the game certainly doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Really, the revealing costumes and the tease feel more overly done to the point that it’s more tongue-in-cheek naughty than dirty. Even the ability to manipulate the camera for the best possible position during specific moves or the fact that you can photograph your roses in the locker room feels somewhat tacky … well unless you’re a teenaged boy.

Visually, Rumble Roses XX looks a lot better than the PS2 game but not by very much. Sure, the character models display a stunning number of details that really stand out and the environments as well as the crowds look amazing, but there are still some horrible clipping issues. The clipping isn’t as bad as the PS2 version of the game but still this is the 360 we’re talking about. The faces now show more emotion now, though, and the character movements look more natural. The animated cutscenes in the game flow smoothly and the camera works nicely enough although you can move it for some naughty close-ups.

The game’s soundtrack is a mixed bag of original rock tunes and soft hip-hop that’s not particularly pleasing to the ear, but then again it’s not too awful. Of course, you can always use your own tunes that will most likely work better than the ones presented here. The sound effects are decently handled and standard wrestling game sounds of smacks and bodies slamming on the mat. The voices for each rumbling rose aren’t bad either.

In the end, Rumble Roses XX for the Xbox 360 is like a dancer with all the right moves but after seeing all she’s capable of doing it just becomes the same old thing over and over again. It’s not to say that this game is entirely bad, the controls are solid and the game, just like the ladies themselves, looks really good. Yet with very little variety in the gameplay department and no story mode whatsoever, there really isn’t reason to come back for more. If you’re looking for a good fighter with lovely ladies for your 360, I suggest you rent this one and buy Dead or Alive 4 instead.

Gameplay: 6.9
Using the SmackDown! engine, the grappling controls feel excellent enough and you’ll be pulling off some impressive moves with ease. The problem is that even with the Killer Moves and hilarious humiliation attacks you’ll be repeating the same moves often. There is a nice variety of events available at the start and more to unlock but nothing beats the Queen’s Match events.

Graphics: 8.5
This is one seriously detailed game that looks good in motion. While there are some graphical glitches that have no place on the Xbox 360, the gorgeous environments (complete with crowds of wrestling fans that look life-like) and detailed ladies more than make up for it. The animations look stunning and mainly display plenty of flesh but it’s nothing we haven’t seen in DOA Xtreme Volleyball.

Sound: 6.5
From the opening “Yankee Rose” tune to the embarrassing grappler introduction music, don’t expect the soundtrack to really rock. My suggestion is to burn your own tracks to use in this game instead. The rest of the audio is composed of solid smacking of flesh and cute lines from the fighters.

Difficulty: Medium
The game is nicely challenging on the normal difficulty setting and you’ll find some tough opponents in Aisha as well as the Devil Rose. There are some tough match types but the 4-Way Battle Royal is, by far, the most challenging.

Concept: 6.5
There are a nice number of rumbling roses to pick from and a nice variety of match types to play including a fighting game-styled Street Fight Mode. What is missing is a story mode and a better character creation mode with better options than the one that is available in the Edit option. There are many great extras to unlock including more humiliating events for the Queen’s Match (water gun and pogo stick, anyone?) as well as extra costume options (cheerleader outfit and French maid outfits, anyone?). There’s an online multiplayer mode as well and it’s good.

Multiplayer: 7.5
The online multiplayer mode runs at a very steady framerate and is fit for up to four players for when you want to rumble in the 4-Way Battle Royal. You can also exchange snapshots online, which is somewhat creepy but good know.

Overall: 6.7
Rumble Roses XX plays as good as it looks but with very little variety in the gameplay as well as the lack of a story mode makes this a wrestling game that just doesn’t have what it takes to make this a new favorite. Aside from its obvious target audience, wrestling fans looking for the Xbox 360 first grappling game will want to rent this. Yet if you are looking for a game with lovely ladies wearing next to nothing, you would be better off buying DOA for the 360.