In July of 2007, a tragic event took the wrestling world by storm. No, it wasn't Vince McMahon's limo explosion. No, it wasn't Bobby Lashley being drafted to the Raw brand. You all know what event I'm referring to and the implications: the WWE's Wellness Policy became strictly enforced and several wrestlers were suspended for abusing steroids and other medications. Backstage drug use was toned down and many wrestlers became noticeably smaller.THQ took notice of this and has given fans something new: the Wellness Policy. Within the match options menu, players can choose to turn off the Wellness Policy, creating drastic changes to the wrestlers' appearances. Instead of the models we've seen in previous Smackdown games, wrestlers will look more like super heroes stolen from the pages of a comic book. They're bulkier, much larger, and able to pull off moves we will probably never see in the ring. The "action figure" physiques are somewhat unrealistic, but that is why THQ made it an option and not the only choice.
"We had a focus group test the new models and received a mixed response. Some people liked the idea of larger than life wrestlers, while others thought they were outlandish and cartoony," said THQ Director of Graphic Design Todd Wellington. "This was an idea we considered putting in previous games, but the timing just wasn't right...or appropriate."
We had a chance to get a quick demo of the new option and noticed that the graphics and grapples are reminiscent of Def Jam Vendetta. It's an interesting, yet controversial addition to the series and we're not sure if it will receive as warm a welcome as other changes to this year's game.
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