WWE WrestleMania 21

Inconsistencies such as the out-of-date player roster (why are Jazz and Nidia still there, yet characters like Heidenreich, William Regal and Torrie Wilson aren't), the fact that only four wrestlers are ever allowed on screen at once (why not six, or eight?), and that the list of unlockable legends is limited to say the least (no Hulk Hogan!) [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

THQ's new development team really put the polish on the games visuals and sound, but failed to polish up the final product.

Like previous efforts, WrestleMania 21 has some nice eye candy in the ways of character modeling and mo-capped animations, but it ultimately fails where it counts the most...in gameplay.

The franchise is clearly in need of an overhaul to address those core gameplay frustrations. [June 2005, p.76]

It might suck WWE die-hards in with its slick, true-to-form presentation, but they'll be quickly turned away by the clunky gameplay and repetitive nature of the game itself.

The game, while pretty, really took a nose dive in the gameplay department. Looks can't save a crappy game, and that is proven once again here.

"SmackDown" owners will laugh at the lack of options, but WWE Wrestlemania 21 is still the best grappler on Xbox. [GamesMaster]

While it's apparent that Studio Gigante toiled away long nights to perfect character realism, it's equally obvious that perfecting the remaining chunk of the game didn't keep them quite as occupied.

WM21 is a polished turd, it looks amazing and plays like sh.t.

Wrestlemania 21 had the potential to be so much more, but ultimately all those little niggly things that are forgivable on their own add up to nothing more than a slightly above average grappler.

It'd be great if the career mode had more storylines or branches to foster a return to the career mode every now and then. As it is, the game is more visually and aurally impressive than engaging playwise.

Even with the smooth online matches, motion-captured animations, and detailed entrance segments, the game quickly reveals itself as all glitz and little substance, not to mention the serious A.I. problems.

Studio Gigante's take on Wrestlemania is fraught with bugs, glitches and options that appear in the manual but aren't anywhere to be found in the game itself (auto targetting system).

Perhaps if it had been delayed to iron out the bugs, Wrestlemania 21 could have been a champion. [June 2005, p.132]

I am disappointed to say that the online play is at the top of the list for much needed rework. The online should have been one of the best areas in the game, but instead turned out to be sloppy.

Wrestling fans may find some enjoyment here, but for others, your best bet is to dig out that N64 and play the brilliant WWF No Mercy - the game that Wrestlemania tried so hard to be.

Surely not pushing the Xbox anywhere near to its limits and it fails to capture the essence of WWE, feeling outdated and sluggish to play. Best avoid this one until a real next-gen wrestler comes along.

Not even the flashy visuals can help THQ's latest from its sluggish action, dull story mode and lagging online play.

Be sure you're Live before even thinking about playing. [June 2005, p.88]

But pick up the controller and this one hits the mat hard...and I mrean very hard. [June 2005, p.106]

Probably a good blast if you're playing your mates after the pub has shut and the choices are limited.

While it gets better as you persevere, the game overall isn't as strong as we would have liked.