Released in October 2003 for the PlayStation 2 by Yuke’s and THQ, Here Comes the Pain (often abbreviated as HCTP ) was the sixth entry in the SmackDown! series. It didn't just improve on its predecessor ( Shut Your Mouth ); it perfected the formula. Nearly two decades later, it remains the benchmark against which all modern WWE games are judged. Why? Because it understood the three pillars of a great wrestling game: The Roster: A Time Capsule of Ruthless Aggression The roster of Here Comes the Pain is its first major triumph. Released at the peak of the "Ruthless Aggression" era, it features a legendary lineup that straddles the dying embers of the Attitude Era and the rise of the next generation.
In the sprawling history of wrestling video games, a few titles stand as monuments. For the "Attitude Era," there was WWF No Mercy . For the arcade generation, there was WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game . But for the golden age of the Ruthless Aggression Era—specifically the year 2003—there is only one undisputed champion: WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain . Smackdown - Here Comes The Pain-
You have icons like You have the golden age of the SmackDown Six: Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Edge, Rey Mysterio, and Chavo Guerrero. And you have the monstrous new guard: Brock Lesnar (the cover star), John Cena (in his "Doctor of Thuganomics" rookie year), Batista, and Randy Orton. Released in October 2003 for the PlayStation 2