Fire Pro Wrestling World PS4 Review: 5 Ups & 2 Downs

3. Real Wrestling Feel

A byproduct of World's strategic approach, Fire Pro matches actually play out like genuine wrestling bouts; or as much as small-scale, sprite-based fighting can. You aren't navigating a wonky set of combat sport mechanics when playing FPWW, but creating your own, true-to-life bouts in this fun, pixel-based world.

This is particularly true in terms of pacing. There's a real ebb and flow to these bouts, and you can't just come out and start dropping major bombs from the first second. When the bell rings, you'll typically start with simple lock-ups, tests of strength, exploratory grappling exchanges, and a few strikes. Things build thereafter, with moves and holds escalating as the contest progresses.

Signatures and finishers come towards the end, when it's time to start taking advantage of your opponent's fatigue, and that's inevitably where the game's funnest, most dramatic moments come. Epic, New Japan-style closing stretches are easily replicated. When Okada finally hits that Rain Maker, it's because you've genuinely earned it rather than filling up an arbitrary momentum bar, and hitting that point is incredibly satisfying as a result.

Movement feels and looks a little clunky to behind with, but it's hard to beat Fire Pro's pure wrestling experience in full flow.