If there's any type of fan that demands perfection in their games, it's wrestling fans. While Nintendo can get away with using a first person perspective with Metroid Prime, and Square can do pretty much anything with their Final Fantasy series, wrestling fans won't put up with radical changes to their wrestling games. They know what they want, and they want it right away. THQ is set to deliver to these fans this winter with the fourth installment of their popular Smackdown! series, Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth for PlayStation 2.

This year's edition is much more than just a new Smackdown! with an updated roster. Not only will you get the chance to play as the best and brightest that the WWE has to offer such as Stacy Keibler, Ric Flair and Hollywood Hulk Hogan, but you'll also be able to compete in a vastly improved season mode. If you've been following the WWE for the past couple of months, you'll know that they recently had a brand draft to seperate the roster of wrestlers in the company. In order to make the story mode true to life, you too can enter in your favourite wrestlers into the WWE Draft Pool in order to select them for a specific brand! The story mode also includes multiple character paths as well as the traditional backstage segments that we all know and love. In fact, Smackdown!'s new story mode is set to be on par and possibly even surpass the great modes found in THQ's N64 wrestlers, such as Wrestlemania 2000 and No Mercy. While both of these games possessed fantastic story modes, Shut Your Mouth looks to up the ante by giving the gamer even more control over their destiny in the federation.

THQ have also upped the visuals and aurals for SD!SYM, with a ton of new animations for all of the wrestlers along with double and triple team manuevers, as well as play-by-play commentary with Jim Ross, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Tazz and Michael Cole. While the graphics aren't up to the calibre of WWF Raw on the Xbox, they are improved over Smackdown! 3, with improved lighting and altered faces for many of the WWE superstars. The details in some of the new characters is absolutely stunning, such as the massive tatoo on Brock Lesnar's back, or the humbling short, short skirt of Stacy Keibler.

But don't think that these are the only things that have improved in the game. As always, Smackdown! offers a whole new set of match types, such as Elimination Tag, Captain Fall Six-Man Tornado matches and a "Slobber Knocker Anywhere" match, affectionately named after one of good ol' JR's favourite catchphrases. The Captain Fall Tornado match is an interesting concept, something that hasn't been done in just about any wrestling game or in an actual wrestling match either. In a Captain Fall match, one wrestler from both three-man teams is designated to be a captain, and the only way to win the match is if the Captain is pinned by someone on the opposing team. It's a very unique match that will surely delight many wrestling fans, and maybe it's a building block for something we may see in WWE programming in the near future. From what we played of it at E3, much of what was criticized in Smackdown! Know Your Role has been altered as well, especially the pacing of the match. No longer do the matches seem to whiz by, but now have a concentrated and set pace to them, which is a very welcome change to anyone who's been hoping for something that's a little more realistic.

Finally, what wrestling game would be complete without a Create-a-Wrestler (CAW) mode? While previous Smackdown! games have had some solid CAW modes built in, SD!SYM is looking like it'll blow the competition away. Not only will it introduce a new dynamic layer system, but it will also provide the player with a great thumbnail system, allowing even more CAW options! While it's too early to speculate what else might be included into Smackdown!, THQ tells us that fan favourite Diamond Dallas Page will be included in the game despite retiring, and there might be a chance that newcomers such as Deacon Batista and John Cena will also make the cut.

From the build that made an appearance at E3, Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth is looking mighty fine. It's great to see THQ going in different directions with their wrestling games, and while the Smackdown! series isn't for everyone, those who are fans of the series will definitely be thrilled about all of the advances made in this latest installment.

··· Reno