Just the kind of over-the-top game that should come from World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE All-Stars takes players back to a much simpler time when wrestling games didn’t need to have expansive rosters of a handful of favorites and a lot of others that are just kind of there to fill things out. No, much like games from console generations past, players are given select wrestlers from the WWE’s past and present to choose from and are given a similarly select few match-types to choose from. Players who enjoy games with a flair for the dramatic might just enjoy renting this one, AbleGamers with a taste for some overly dramatized wrestling action might want to stroll on past this one.

The cartoon-like art style of WWE All-Stars shouldn’t really give any players a problem visually. It is a game that can be looked at from a distance although the camera does tend to pan out when there are more characters on the screen. Another visual point of interest to some is that in the Steel Cage match-type, the cage is present directly in-front of the camera through the majority of the match which may prove to be a slight annoyance like a mosquito to some and not at all noticeable to others. Also, hints flash on the screen next to the player’s character’s bars on the HUD – these are not visually accessible; contrast is there, but size and the duration of time in which they appear are not.
Hearing impaired AbleGamers should be aware that they will only have to miss out on the in-ring commentary of WWE All-Stars. During the vignettes, whether they are in the Fantasy Warfare or Path of Champions game modes, they are subtitled in the same familiar way – done in a could-be-bigger white font surrounded by a thin black outline with no dedicated background to make them stand out from their surroundings.

WWE All-Stars owes it’s lower than should-be score to a lack of mobility; as with most current-gen wrestling titles, button-mashing is made to be far too important; kick-out of a pin attempt – mash buttons, try to make your opponent submit – mash buttons, try and climb out of the steel cage – mash buttons, do pretty much anything offensively or defensively for that matter – mash buttons. There is nothing worse than hitting an opponent with everything in your selected character’s move-set plus a folding chair and having the opposition make a miraculous comeback just to end up having to restart the match because once caught in a pin attempt situation the match is as good as over because you’re unable to mash buttons rapidly enough to kick out. Paired with a lack of remap-able controls, a difficulty setting which doesn’t really cut players any slack, and a predetermined feeling of defeat and this is definitely a game that might just make players be glad to be rid of it.

As for the menus and options menu; all that really needs to be said about them is that they are readable, do feature a difficulty setting as well as the ability to turn on/off the game’s subtitles. Other than that, there’s really nothing to see here.

At a glance

Visual;
~Menus are clear and can be easily seen thanks to a higher-contrast color scheme (white on blue).
~Game is vibrantly colored and is mostly easy to see; the more characters appearing on screen at once makes the camera pan out further, and the steel cage is constantly visible in the foreground of steel cage matches. (Not enough of an issue to warrant a point deduction, in my opinion.)
~Hints flash on screen when applicable to gameplay; these “helpful” tidbits do follow the same color scheme as menus which is nice, but the font size employed as well as the duration of time they appear will not help visually impaired players in the least. (-1 point)
Recommended score of 9 out of 10

Hearing:
~Subtitles can be turned on and off in the options menu on the main menu.
~Subtitles, where found, follow the all-too familiar pattern of not employing a large enough font and following the white font/thin black outline/no dedicated background formula. (-1 point)
~In-ring, where the majority of the game takes place, is not captioned. (-0.5 point)
Recommended score of 8.5 out of 10

Mobility;
~Difficulty setting is available from the options menu on the main menu.
~Control scheme is not remap-able. (-1 point)
~Control scheme is cannot be played using one hand only on the gamepad that came with the system. (-1 point)
~Rampant button-masher; to kick out of a pin – mash buttons, climb out of the cage – mash buttons, fight in/out of a submission – mash buttons, really, to anything offensively/defensively – mash buttons. (-4 points)
Recommended score of 4 out of 10