The WWE has a long history of making games, even back when it was known as the WWF. The WWF/WWE games are the pinnacle of fighting games, and the Smackdown series is easily the most beloved fighting game series of all time. Smackdown: Just Bring It is rated T for Teen and will be judged with a plus or minus compared to Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth and Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain. The first mark will be compared to SYM. The second goes to HCTP.

Graphics: *** 1/2

The graphics are very good considering the PS2 had just come out when this was released. (Well, actually about a month or two before, but you know...) The moves look realistic and it was the first time the Smackdown series could have facial expressions and went as far as tossing on the tattoo on the Undertaker's neck, which earns it a few points. (-) (-)

Sound: **** 1/2

The music is great, and every superstar has their actual song (as well as some optional ones such as the song "Glass Shatters" by Disturbed), only the second time in history this has occured. The first was in WWF: Attitude. The reason this is not five stars is because of the commentary, which is absolutely horrible. (+) (+)

Game Options: ****

This game was the first to try to correct fatal errors. There were more matches than Smackdowns 1 and 2, and the dreadfully awful casket match from Smackdown 2 was gotten rid of (which makes it the only match in the history of wrestling games not in at least two games.) Alas, most modes were really toned down, though its style allowed Smackdowns 4 and 5 (and Smackdown 6 soon) their ideas, which are a cross of Smackdown 3's and Smackdown 1's. (-) (-)

Story: ***

The story mode really only deserves two stars, but it got an extra because of the things Story on Smackdown 3 did to get Smackdowns 4 and 5 (and soon 6) farther along. This was the first game to attempt an actual story and was the only game to do experiments with some things temporarily (such as keeping a title after you win it in Story) that made a full-time debut in Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain. Not even Smackdown 4 did that. (-) (-)

Difficulty: *****

The difficulty was at its best in this game, at least until Smackdown 6, which promises to change wrestling games forever. The game was much more adjustable than the other Smackdown games, and even matches with lower carders while playing as huge stars could be very difficult. (+) (+)

Controls: *****

They're idential to those in Smackdowns 4 and 5, so what do you expect? (=) (=)

Characters: ***

The game tossed in some low carders who weren't even appearing on TV with a bunch of big name characters, which was great. Why's it so low then? Well, a lot of the characters are stuck with similar moves, and some people should have made it in but didn't. Also, exactly what is the lead singer of Limp Bizkit doing in this game?(-) (-)

Extras: ***

The extras are for the most part great, but it is painfully annoying what you have to go through to get some of them. Each card on a special screen in Story tells you how to unlock something, but it doesn't say what. Also, most of the things you have to do are long and complicated, like having to unlock every single secret to play as two certain people who aren't even worth the trouble. (+) (-)

Create A _____: ***

Um... okay. How can it have such a low score? Well, it was the first in the series to not allow you to use premade body parts of characters. You couldn't even use anything any of the characters in the game used for appearence. This got quite annoying, but the main problem was that all of the Create Mode options for this game were downright annoying. Add the fact that all of the option you were given were quite annoying to go through, and that you didn't have many actual names of wrestlers to use for when the announcer announces your entrance, and this creation's creation isn't worth the trouble. (-)(-)

Fun Factor!: ***

Despite this, the game is rather fun. Unfortunately, because of the flaws in the create mode, the fun behind creating that usually exists in Smackdown games is kind of ruined. (-) (-)

Overall: ***

It's not a bad game, just unfortunately not a very good one. The game may be worth renting, but I wouldn't buy it if I were you. Save your money for Smackdown vs Raw. (-) (-)

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