Grapple on the Go- TNA iMPACT! Cross The Line Review

At their best, wresting games can be outlandishly euphoric. The successful execution of a flying lariat against an opponent surely rivals the adrenaline rush of a long-range headshot in any first-person shooter.  Yet when ring-based competitions confiscate control from a player, forcing participants to helplessly watch as an assailant moves through a pre-canned attack animation, frustration can ensue. The best wresting titles provide ample opportunities for reversals and give incapacitated athletes a way to quickly get back into the action; this method may not always accurately simulate the sport, but it does make for an enjoyable contest.

Similar to its 2008 predecessor, transitional opportunities in the recently released TNA iMPACT! Cross the Line arrive in half-second flashes. Unlike the console iteration, successfully initialing these reversals using the PSP’s abridged input can be tricky. Players are required to press down on the directional pad which is awkward when the analog nub is used for movement around the ring. Beyond this setback and the removal of a create-a-player option, Cross the Line is a unexpectedly competent port of the 360/PS3 title.

With a dozen matches types, the game’s strength is found in the variation of its competitions. Beyond the requisite one-on-one and tag-team contests, some of Cross the Line‘s creative clashes are undeniably enjoyable. Ultimate X dangles a collectable above the center ring, tempting wrestlers to move hand-over-hand across a thin rope to release it. Inevitably, as players approach the item, they’ll likely be pulled down by opponents, ratcheting up the tension. Full Metal Mayhem allows gamers to beat their challengers senseless with folding chairs, which are conveniently scattered around the venue.

The game’s storyline allows players to step into the boots of Suicide, a face forced to throw a title fight. When the protagonist declines, he’s beaten and sent to a Tijuana surgeon for facial reconstruction. The campaign task players with defeating a succession of fighters in an effort to acquire vengeance and regain his championship status. While the mode lacks the customization found in the console version of TNA iMPACT, the plot retains its fanciful pulpiness and recalls the outlandish intrigue common to the sport.

Cross the Line‘s number of deviations help disguise the tedium of fighting AI drones. While the game has three difficulty settings, computer controlled opponents sporadically act strangely- climbing the turnbuckles when an incapacitated rival is clear out of reach. Like most wrestling games, iMPACT shines in two player mode. The title’s ad-hoc matches were consistently enjoyable and  unexpectedly balanced, since each wrestler has a similar move-set.

Graphically, Cross the Line‘s wrestlers, locations, and load-screen lassies made an admirable leap from home screens onto Sony’s portable. Miraculously, every punch, kick, and Irish Whip animation has been retained, with each strike looking sufficiently fluid. Generally, wrestlers resemble their real-world counterparts, although Samoa Joe’s rotund anatomy didn’t quite mark the hardware jump. Enthusiasts might be disappointed that Hulk Hogan didn’t make the roster; seemingly, his acquisition by TNA was completed after the game was finished. Load times are kept thankfully brief although a menu option to skip ring mandatory (but skippable) entrances would have been welcome.

TNA iMPACT! Cross the Line‘s best moments hail from the gamess gratifying two player bouts. While a laundry-list of modes elevate the title’s single-player matches, the monotony of predictable AI mean solitary gamers may not be enamored by TNA‘s charms for too long. I’d advise waiting for the title to drop to a $20 plateau before stepping into the ring, especially when the console version can be brought for a similar price.