2. WWF Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain (PS2, 2003, THQ)
With Brock Lesnar muscling his way onto the cover, back before he was strong-arming his opponents in the UFC octagon, WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain brought the house down in 2003 with its powerhouse modes and features. Its new grappling system allowed players to choose their wrestler’s moves freely from multiple select categories, each with their own flavor and strengths. With a Season mode written by actual WWE writers, new modes like First Blood, Elimination Chamber, and Bra and Panties, and a simple but effective (and should be revived) progression for stats (rated 1-10 for Strength, Submission, Stamina, Technique, and Speed), getting into the ring for a year’s worth of show-stopping events was never easier or more enticing.
The only substantial disappointment was a roster that forgot to include the likes of Shan McMahon, Farooq, Maven, and Bradshaw, and then lost The Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Jeff Hardy, and others during its production. But even with these gaping holes, this fifth installment remains the most critically successful and fan-favorite outing in the WWE Smackdown! franchise thus far.
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