WCW Backstage Assault
WCW Backstage Assault is a professional wrestling video game by Electronic Arts. It was the final World Championship Wrestling (WCW) game released before the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased the company's assets three months later. "Backstage Assault" features commentary by Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The game is distinguished by the fact that all gameplay takes place outside of a standard wrestling ring. This approach was poorly received, and the game sold only 200,000 copies. Gameplay. "Backstage Assault" is vastly different from other games of its genre. Previous wrestling games such as "WWF SmackDown !" and "WCW Mayhem" featured backstage areas as auxiliary fighting locations. "Backstage Assault" took the concept further by removing the ring entirely and having all action take place backstage. Even though there is no ring, fights are still conducted like regular wrestling matches. Players can win by pinfall (covering the opponent while they are laying on their back for an uninterrupted count to three), forcing them to give up using a submission hold, or by knock out. Players can reduce their opponent's resistance by reducing their stamina through successful moves and attacks. As gameplay is limited to only two characters , all matches are one-vs-one with no possibility of outside interference or tag team matches. The game takes place in an arena with seven connecting levels, having fourteen rooms in total. While a match begins in one room, it may end anywhere the players can access. They may visit other rooms if the door is open. Each room is littered with objects that may be used as weapons. There are also other hazards that cause damage if a player runs or falls into them. Players can improvise advanced attacks that normally require a ring in certain areas, e.g. climbing  to higher areas in order to perform diving attacks. Performing a string of successful attacks and counters increases a player's momentum. Gaining full momentum will restore some stamina and allow you to perform a finishing move for a limited time. The primary gameplay mode is called Hardcore Challenge. It consists of winning matches against random opponents until the players can challenge the champion. The number and calibre of opponents will depend on which title (difficulty level) they choose. The players cannot defend the titles they won. Players will earn points based on their performances to try and record  a high score. Losing to the same opponent twice ends their campaign. Progress in this mode unlocks additional wrestlers, levels and moves for create-a-wrestler mode. Hardcore Gauntlet has the player go through seven matches without being able to save one's own progress. A single loss or leaving the mode ends the player's run. While there are no titles, the players can still earn high scores. Exhibition mode allows up to two players to play matches with unlocked levels and characters without emphasis on scoring points. It has three match types. 'Normal' is self-explanatory. 'First Blood ' matches are won by causing player's opponent to bleed, and can only be played on one-player mode with the 'Realism' option turned on. 'Human Torch' matches are won by setting an opponent on fire, and can only be played in two-player mode. Roster. All of the characters are onscreen personalities who appeared on WCW programming while the game was in development. More than half need to be unlocked through gameplay. Each one has four attires with some requiring them to be unlocked by winning a title with that wrestler. Create-A-Wrestler mode allows players to edit  an attire of any in-game character or six pre-set examples in order to design their own wrestlers for game play. Reception. Daniel Erickson reviewed the PlayStation version of the game for "Next Generation", rating it two stars out of five, and stated that "It's a poor title but the potential gives us hope for the franchise's future." "WCW Backstage Assault" received "generally unfavourable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.