WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw

"Smackdown vs. Raw = Smackdown HCTP 5.5"

Intro

Every Year THQ brings out a new Smackdown Game. In this year's new title, Smackdown vs. Raw, they've added brand new features but some features just don't have the effect of what other features provide.

Gameplay (9/10)

I've always loved the Smackdown Series, don't get me wrong, this is the best wrestling series and in my opinion better than Raw 2 (Xbox) and Wrestlemania XX (Gamecube). The control system does not need to be altered and is one of the best around. It is pretty much the same as last year and that part of the game should stay the same.

However, they have added various features to the game, some fairly annoying and some great. When you first go into a Singles Match you can get random Mini-Games at the start, which includes a Shoving Contest and a Stare-down contest. The aim of it is to choose the power and then stop the meter to get a perfect hit. It can take a bit of practice to get it right. If you feel annoyed about this, you can simply turn it off in the Options Menu. You also have a Chopping contest and a Spanking Contest, which work exactly the same.

Another one of the biggest features in this year's game is the introduction of Dirty/Clean Tactics. Basically it works like this, to fill the Dirty Tactics Meter, use weapons, complain to the ref, expose the turnbuckle and hold a submission after a Rope Break. For the Clean Meter, you can use diving attack, taunt, kick out after a 2 count and counter weapon attacks. This is one feature, which is great to this year's game. When you finally fill the meter……….well, find out for yourself.

Most people have thought over the years that the Royal Rumble was just too short. So to counter this, THQ decided to add a Ringout meter. The Ringout meter works like this, get your opponent onto the turnbuckle and grapple them and by causing pain in your fingers tapping the buttons, you can drain you opponents meter. If you're a wrestler like Big Show, Kane and Batista, you can use a grapple move to throw them out. Obviously, if you're wrestlers like Tajiri, Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero, you don't have much chance of staying in the Rumble long.

This obviously makes it more realistic but I don't like the rumble anymore because of it. I actually fear it now. I've mastered it in the previous games, but not this year's.

Superstar Voice-overs (5/10)

Over the years, fans have demanded Superstar Voice-overs and I wasn't one of them. So, What does THQ do? Well, Put it in. The Voice-overs are used for nearly every single superstar. Which is great, but they sound terrible. The superstars sound as if they've put no effort into it whatsoever and sound as if they are reading it from a script with the occasional alteration in the wording. They also sound as if they have been recording it in a long hall. I also think that the introduction of Voice-overs limits the amount of things they could have done in Season Mode.
Season (6/10)

Every Single Year, Fans demand for a more in-depth Season Mode and the fact is, THQ are just not providing it. The disappointing thing about it is, It's getting worse!!!

I completed the Season Mode in just 4 days and that just about sums it up for you. I'm not going to tell you what the story is in Season Mode but what I will say is that it just repeats it self all the time and you just get bored after a while. There are only 4 different endings.

Basically, you make about 5 decisions at the start and make absolutely none after that. At the start, you have two choices, which is the first 2 endings for say, Raw. The other 2 endings happen on Smackdown.

Create Mode (8/10

With the Create-a-wrestler pretty much the same. I won't talk about that. There are two modes re-introduced in this year's game, Create-a PPV and Create-a-Belt Mode. While I have no complaints about the Create-a-PPV Mode, I have just one complaint about the Create-a-Belt Mode.

In this mode, you cannot defend them in Exhibition, you can only defend them in the PPV mode. When you defend them, most of the time, the computer defeats you.

Also, in Create-a-Stable, you can now have a stable of up to five.

Matches (9/10)

There are no new matches in this year's game but I would have liked to see the Casket Match return. One of the major things you do in this year's game is the online play and this was very disappointing. You can only play Singles Matches and Bra and Panty Matches but THQ promises that this will be their biggest focus in next year's game.

In the Hardcore Matches, you now have only one backstage area, which is ridiculous. There are different things you can do backstage but it is very limited.

Roster (10/10)

There are fewer wrestlers in this game due to the fact they keep on disappearing in real life. As this is realistic, it does mean you have millions of wrestlers to create. I have no complaints here however.

Conclusion

Overall, if you always wanted to create your own belts and like small mini games and like a challenge, buy this. If not, then stick to last year's it's pretty much an upgrade from Here Comes the Pain.

Overall Score (7/10)

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/02/04