Suplex Saga Update
Suplex Saga development is still underway. We are currently in the asset development stage, which includes art and sound. The core engine is working, though the battle we’re tweaking right now. Our plan is to have a demo ready by the end of Summer. We’ll first be distributing the demos to donators and streamers, followed by releasing it to the public a bit later. As for the full game’s release, that is planned for sometime in 2020. Rpgs, unfortunately, are a pretty big project compared to our previous projects.
Wrestlemania 35
Now to take a detour away from usual game development news. As you know, we’re avid wrestling fans here, and I personally have been following WWE for a long time, since their WWF days. Their upcoming wrestlemania, I will have to say, isn’t exactly interesting me as past ones. Nothing will ever touch Wrestlemania 19, when The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin went at it for one final time. The story build up was incredible, and the finale was a good conclusion to both their feud and Stone Cold’s career.
Coming into Wrestlemania 35, there is not a single match that is giving me hype like previous Wrestlemanias. But instead of just saying it, why don’t I tell you why based on each match we know is going to happen thus far.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale
This is the mini royal rumble for competitors who don’t have a match but allows them to showcase at wrestlemania nonetheless. My biggest disappointment of this match is that Braun Strowman is going to be a part of it. Not because of dislike reasons, but because that man deserves more than this. Braun has been a hot commodity for WWE for ages. He’s always on top, and is nearly feuding with the top contenders. And yet, here he is being thrown into a low end match while the likes of Finn Balor and Seth Rollins get to face top competitors. Braun should be facing Lashley or Brock Lesnar. He is wasted potential, and I feel sorry that he isn’t thrusted into the top spot.
Buddy Murphy vs Tony Nese Cruiserweight Championship
I won’t lie. I haven’t been interested in 205 live or the cruiserweight championship for a long time. The last time it was interesting to me was when Enzo and Neville was feuding. It made the show feel a lot more hot, and it’s a shame both wrestlers are no longer with the company. So there’s not much I can really say about this match. I’m sure both men are going to put on a good show.
Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin
As everyone has already speculated, John Cena or someone more worthy should have been the one to fight Kurt Angle. I respect the story consistency, but this is his retirement match. Let someone that has been special in the business with him be the finale. I’m actually disappointed that it wasn’t Brock Lesnar he was fighting. They had one of the best rivalries I had ever seen back in the day. If there’s one main event that should have happened, it should have been between these two. Nevertheless, Baron should at least come out in a proper wrestling attire. The suit look is embarrassing on him.
The Miz vs. Shane McMahon
It’s a nice short term story to lead up to Wrestlemania. It wasn’t like Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho, where they were friends for quite a while, then after the big ending, you wanted to see Jericho beat Kevin Owen’s face in. The thing is: this match is kind of like throwing two spot wrestlers into the same match. I get why they are both angry, but I really wasn’t sold on the drama that this match is suppose to bring. I’m hoping that this thing all leads up to Shane attacking The Miz cause he was jealous that he had a better relationship with his father than Shane has. It would be a great tie in to the whole Kofi/ Vince angle going on right now. Oh well, I’m sure that isn’t it.
Samoa Joe vs Rey Mysterio
This will be an okay match. Both are good wrestlers. Thing is, I have nothing to be really hyped for. There’s no story between them. They’re just gunning for the belt cause they want to. Simple, but not wrestlemania material.
Triple H vs Batista
A nice follow up from the Evolution reunion. It was a nice burn when Batista delivered that punchline to Triple H, reminding him that he has never pinned him. At first, we all thought nothing of it. Then right on Ric Flair’s birthday, we get the rude awakening of Batista coming back and delivering on that very point. It’s a nice old-style way of starting a feud, and I dig it. These two, being veterans, understand how to start drama. And they did well to the point that I’m somewhat interested in this match. Unfortunately, like a lot of the matches on this card, it was done at a quick notice with no amount of build up to give history. It has history, but it’s piggybacking on their past rather than making something in the present.
Aj Styles vs. Randy Orton
What a missed opportunity of just bringing the AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura feud back. Last wrestlemania, Nakamura gave AJ a lowblow which started his heel turn. There should have been a use of this next PPV to bring it back around so they can settle the score for good. The main problem is that they wasted their heat on the next couple of PPVs, destroying any kind of build up they could have done. Now AJ Styles is fighting Randy Orton for absolutely no reason, and Nakamura so far is without a big match. What a disappointment.
Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
Another throw away match. I’m happy that Roman is back from what could have been a terminal sickness with his leukemia, this match is just another filler. Drew is a mean person, and I know Roman has beef with him, but it feels like this match should have been at a smaller ppv rather the annual big one. I come to Wrestlemania for the story enders, and big climatic matches. Not cause two guys started fighting for a bit and now need to fight at the next ppv that happens to come up. Drew would have been better going against Brock Lesnar, or Braun Strowman. Something big and exciting.
Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins
Anyone remember this?
Yes, that was back when Seth Rollins was with the Authority and Brock Lesnar stared him out the window. Here we are years later, and it’s now Seth scaring Brock out of the ring. So my main question is: what changed between then and now to where he can do that with ease? Oh right, nothing. Seth had to bring a chair just to challenge Brock Lesnar, which should bring home the thought that is in the back of all of our minds: Seth is not a believable foe for Brock Lesnar. He’s a good contender and all, but against the likes of Drew, Bobby Lashley, and Braun Strowman, he shouldn’t be the one facing Brock Lesnar. One of them should be doing it. Not cause Seth is bad, but because they are more believable opponents. Monsters against monsters. And I’m sorry to say, when I think of monsters, I don’t think of Seth Rollins. Still, it should be quite the match to watch.
Ronda Rousey vs Becky Lynch vs Charlotte, Women’s Championship
I have one question in reference to this match: where is Asuka? You know, the woman who also has a Woman’s Championship AND defeated Becky Lynch? Ever since Royal Rumble, Asuka has been pushed out of the picture, while these three women have been in the spotlight. It’s rather insulting to do that, and I feel like this is one moment where either the writers or whoever made this decision, dropped the ball on giving a better match in the women division. It was a fumbled opportunity. I’m sure they’ll all wrestle fine, but this is the last of the matches I really don’t have any interest in. There’s no heat drawing me to it.
Last Thoughts
The above match card isn’t finalized. There’s probably going to be some twist that happens, and more matches to be added. After all, there’s both show tag team titles to feud for, the intercontinental championship, the new women’s tag team titles, Asuka’s women championship to defend, and Daniel Bryan’s WWE title. This is perhaps where my disappointment really comes to show itself. We have had one year to prepare stories and heat for all these feuds and all these belts and not ONE has any kind of story behind it. Not one makes you go “Man, I can’t wait to see the finale”. When you don’t have obvious matchups awaiting at Wrestlemania, you know there’s something wrong with your creative format. And I’m sure this is criticism WWE gets a lot.
Whatever they are doing, they are sacrificing the theater of wrestling; the reasoning we all come to watch it in the first place. This episodic way of doing matches and stories doesn’t give me much to stay for. What’s more saddening is that I am finding the entertainment at smaller wrestling avenues more fun than what I see from WWE. The reason is very simple: these wrestling avenues are using the tried and true method of theater acting. They have characters, they have stories, and they know how to keep you invested in the match. They don’t have a big audience to play to, nor are they trying to stay ad friendly for tv companies. To them, all they care about is the entertainment. So ironically, I believe the “E” part of WWE is what the company has really forgotten about compared to their smaller counterparts. I’m not big on indies, but they are certainly doing one part of wrestling right that WWE is not doing.
Our game Suplex Saga is a callback to that style of wrestling where you are invested in the superstars and the world they are in. And maybe one day, WWE will return to that style of wrestling, too.
- Cordero
