WWE SmackDown!: Shut Your Mouth is a wrestling game that came out in October 2002 for the PlayStation 2. It is the fourth game in the series. I have to say, this is a pretty great game for the pro wrestling fan.

The roster is stacked. You have The Undertaker, The Rock, Kane, Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar, and more to play as in the game. Each wrestler not only looks distinctive, but they also feel unique as well. While big guys like Kevin Nash and the Big Show excel in strength, smaller guys such as the Hardy Boyz are faster in speed. The move sets are tailored for each person.

The graphics are well done. The wrestlers look pretty spot on. For example, Booker T's face is very accurate, even down to his expressions, which are insane. The entrances are also great, although there are some awkward transitions. If the Rock has a championship belt, he'll carry it to the ring during his entrance. The Undertaker has the title around his neck when he rides down to the ring. Almost everyone has their music, except Maven, who has the SmackDown! theme, and the Hardy Boyz, who use a different version of their theme music.

Shut Your Mouth is jam-packed with options to choose from. Exhibition has your typical singles and tag team matches, to others such as Hardcore, I Quit, Steel Cage, TLC, Hell in a Cell, etc. You can also duke it out in Times Square and hit each other with snowballs. I am not kidding. There is a glitch that can let you go on the fist at the SmackDown! stage. You can even jump off of it too. This game has plenty for you and a friend(s) to do.

Some match types have some tweaks. The Hell in a Cell is actually correct. the entire cage surrounds the ring, and you exit from the cell door. Whenever you climb a ladder and you grab the belt/briefcase, you hang onto it for a few seconds then drop down. In the previous games, you just climb the ladder, grab the belt/briefcase, and the match ends. The new changes to these matches are welcome improvements.

The create modes are just as good. Creating a wrestler may be time consuming, but it is fun to make every single detail of him/her, down to creating his/her own taunt, move set, and entrance. You can even create Spider-Man, and there is a unique entrance animation made for Spidey.

The biggest part of Shut Your Mouth is the season mode. You can pick any wrestler you want, or take your created wrestler and have him rise through the ranks of the WWE, going from Sunday Night Heat to Raw. As you progress, you gain superstar points, which can help you get a title shot. However, you only go for certain belts given the amount of points you have. So the season stars with the Brand Extension that happended in 2002. You have the options to draft Raw superstars, SmackDown! superstars, or draft people on both brands. After you're finished with that, you can go explore the arena, go outside and wander through the city and talk to other superstars. It is in a first person perspective. At first it can be kind of cool, but it gets old fast. Whatever you say to other superstars have an impact. If you say the wrong things, you may get punched in the face or insulted. Say the right things, and they'll start to like you.

The season mode in Shut Your Mouth is two years worth of storylines, meaning it's going to take a but of time to get through it. You can be apart of the Vince McMahon/Ric Flair feud, the arrival of the nWo, and make your own allies and enemies. In order to unlock everything, you have to play the season mode, and it is worth it. You can gain items such as new arenas, alernate attires, create parts, and move sets.

The gameplay of Shut Your Mouth is excellent. You use X to strike, circle to initiate grapples, triangle to run, square for reversals, L1 for your finisher(s), R1 to get in/out of the ring, pick up/drop weapons, R2 for focusing on a different wreslter, and L2 for taunting. Reversals have been tweaked since the previous game. In WWF SmackDown!: Just Bring It, it was really easy to counter moves. Now, you have to press square in conjunction with a direction on the D-Pad to reverse grapples and fnishers. Pressing L1 and L2 together allows you to use your opponent's finisher, with a red SmackDown! logo indicating it. The game play is fast, fun, and anybody can jump in and have a good time.

In conclusion, WWE SmackDown!: Shut Your Mouth is a must buy if you're looking for a great wrestling game on the PlayStation 2. I highly recommend it.