WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw

"Oh my gawd, its Smackdown VS Raw!"

The Smackdown video game series has come a long way. Ever since the terribly outdated looking WWF Smackdown! to the mega monster known as WWE Smackdown!: Here Comes the Pain there is a new game that sets foot in the door of all wrestling fans. Ladies and Gentleman I bring you my review for WWE! Smackdown VS Raw.

After spending endless hours gathering information about this game both good and bad, this game may not please the likes of every Smackdown series fan. You must understand that the game developers and WWE Superstars themselves have put plenty of time into the making of this game. From the looks of things this game does not upset us all...well at least not me. From the time I popped in the game disc to the time I played a few matches and started season I am impressed.

Almost all of the match types are still here plus the new Parking Lot Brawl. Ring Announcing is finally back and so is the commentary and that is now optional and you can choose the likes of Michael Cole and Tazz or Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Jim Ross. Its all up to you. You can even take your skills Online and battle it out with other Smackdown gamers all over the globe.

The roster (dispite its size and and somewhat outdated at the time of the release) features some of the top superstars of the WWE. The Royal Rumble is finally improved in this game with the addition to the ringout meter, no more tossing people left and right in that match. Animations in this game are dead on, from Rene Dupree's french tickler to Undertaker's spooky ringwalk its all in there. Now lets get down to business shall we ?

Gameplay- 8/10

The gameplay in this game is mostly the same from WWE Smackdown!: Here Comes The Pain so most of you that are used to the controls in that one will fit right in when playing this game. Some of you may have problems during some of your favorites matches (example: Steel Cage) but its not really that big of a deal. The computer A.I. is a little sluggish at times, like he will pull of a wicked chairshot and then just stand there not going for a pin. They have taken out a couple of matches and backstage areas which does not bother me at all, sometimes we can't always get what we want. The ref this time no longer acts like a reverse freak when you try and knock him out to your advantage. The newest additions to gameplay is the mini-games at the start/during the match. We have a Test of Strength, Shoving Match, Stare Downs, and Chop Battles which all rotate each match, there is even something for the WWE Divas in the form of a spanking meter which is pointless but adds a little more to the Bra and Panties matches. Now when doing submissions there is a cool blur action and a meter in the form of 'stop the blue ball in the middle' which adds yet another meter in the game. With all of those meters in a big 6 man battle royal, along with the body damage, clean/heel meter, and name meter can get pretty annoying but you can always turn these things off in the options menu.

Controls- 9/10

Same controls from WWE Smackdown!: Here Comes The Pain so it has not changed too much. The newest control rips a page right out of the Def Jam games in the form of the R3 (Right Analog Stick) to activate your clean/heel meter which is much like a setting up a Blazen Move in a Def Jam game. Also you can now tap L1 to argue with the referee after a two count which is a cool add on.

Story- 7/10

The story part of this review cuts right into the Season Mode, now when choosing your character right off the bat you head off into your respective brand. This time you might wanna turn your television up because the superstars now talk to you with the all new voiceovers. The voiceovers do get a mixed reaction from me, some superstars like Vince McMahon and The Coach are exactly like the real life counterparts, while Eric Bischoff, Edge, and Bastisa really don't put much effort into what they sound like in this game. In season you can now do like a Choose Your Own Adventure book and decide what you want to do during your time in the WWE, choosing plays a major role with the likes of your superstar because he can wind up a face or a heel (clean/dirty) just like todays wrestlers pulling off swerves on the fans. That feature brings a little more to the table for us, however there is some downfalls in season too. Playing your second time in season you may cross the same storylines and superstars over and over again which knocks down a few points.

Graphics- 9/10

While we may never have a perfect Triple H or Mark Jindrak the graphics in this game are still awesome. Undertaker looks like Undertaker, Chavo looks like Chavo, even the CAWs (even though cartoony like other reviews said) make this game look alot like watching an actual WWE program. Yukes added more polygons into the game and you can see it from the time you see the opening movie to the time you beat your first match. The crowd looks the same still but it looks a little better than last time, the arenas look like they did when you ordered a Pay-Per-View to see Wrestlemania 20 (my personal favorite) and even the menu screen greets you with the likes of the WWE Divas on whichever your favorite show is (Smackdown/Raw). The weapons still look the same but it is bareable. The graphics are great and there is no denying that.

Sound- 8/10

The sound in this game doesn't add up to par with the likes of WWE programming but it is listenable. When playing season or when you hear a ring announcer you might notice an echo when you hear it. When doing a chopping move that does not make contact with the opponent the crowd still goes WOO! which makes no sense. All the same CAW music options are recycled from the past games plus a hideous soundtrack with mostly no-name rock stars. But, the rest of the sound pays off for that, a chairshot sounds exactly the way it would when you crack it over someones head, punches sound so real you can almost feel them yourself. Almost all of the actual wrestlers come out to the right music when choosing them due to the fact they finally got rights to use them in this game, so most fans will be pleased to hear that Randy Ortons theme music has made it in, Legends now have music as well, so its back to the likes of rocking to the tune of Bret 'Hitman' Hart or grunting "Ohhhhh What A Rush" to the Legion Of Doom music.

Replay Value- 9/10

There is much more to do than just a season mode now, Shopzone returns from the last game with all new additions like loading screens, side menu screens, moves for CAW, and the always costly Legends are in here. Also there are a set of 60 Challenges for you to complete while you play the game. After doing all that you can work on creating your own superstar in the revamped CAW mode. Oh, you ain't done yet. Create A Pay-Per-View and Create A Belt is back once again and both of these modes are useful when together. You can create-a-belt and then have that belt on the Create-A-PPV mode to be put on the line (Which does require two memory cards to defend a belt) and see who wins the gold, if you win the belt gains rewards in the form of money. After you finished with all of that you can go to Online Mode and pick between a Singles Match or Bra and Panties match, I know its not what we all wanted but its a good start for the online gamers.

Overall Score- 8/10

With the Online Mode, return of the Create a Belt and PPV mode, top that off with all the returning modes and matches its a great game. If you are not a wrestling fan or its your first time using a Playstation 2 then you might wanna rent it first. However if you liked the past Smackdown games you are sure to pick this up. Hope you all liked the review, I'm out.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/05/04