WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw

"The definitive review of "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!""

When it comes to wrestling games, THQ and Yuke's are the definitive choice. Having multiple wrestling titles featured on the N64, PS2, Gamecube, and the Xbox, THQ simply eliminates all opposition in the genre, especially when it comes to the WWE franchise, as they have the experience that many other companies are lacking. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is the sixth installment of the popular series, and since its humble beginnings the series has undeniably been subject to a great deal of change and transformation. That being said, "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" pretty much offers exactly what the previous games did, only with an updated roster and a few minor additions here and there.

"WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain", the previous installment in the series, was praised by gamers and wrestling fans alike as an excellent representation of the real thing. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" seems to take the "if it's not broken, don't fix it!" approach, as it is clearly evident that basically everything featured in the prior games make a return. While this may not be considered a bad thing, it does however make the game very similar to its predecessors, and for that reason, it may not be worth your money to upgrade to "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" if you already own the previous games.

Needless to say, "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" introduces a wide range of new features. The game now includes active commentary, and for the most part, this is very well done. The arena in which you are brawling in will determine what commentators will announce the progressions of the match, and the voices you hear during the game are the same voices you hear while watching it on TV, Tazz and Michael Cole for the Smackdown arena, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler for the Raw arena. In addition to the inclusion of commentators, the game finally features authentic voice acting from the superstars themselves. Disappointingly, the voice acting quality overall is quite poor, and it somehow seems that it was very rushed. The voice acting by many superstars was dull and not believable, but it still was a good addition to the game which would no doubt be praised by the legions of wrestling fans who were begging for it over the course of the series.

Rest assured wrestling and gaming enthusiasts, all the match types from the previous Smackdown games make a return, including a long overdue rehash of the Royal Rumble, which is now a lot less frustrating than it was beforehand. It was disappointing, however, to see that many of the other match types remained untouched, even some of the dominating flaws contained within the previous Smackdown games were just transferred to "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw". While on the topic of flaws, interestingly enough the games A.I. comes to mind. Remember in the previous Smackdown's when your opponent sometimes froze and did nothing, your tag team partner didn't help you out when you were in trouble, and when you were knocked out on the floor and two CPU characters remained, where one would climb the ladder to claim victory while the other stayed perfectly still and did nothing to stop this character? Well, they're back! This time around, however, the shoddy AI is a lot less prevalent, but when something occurs with the A.I. right at the climax of a match, you can't help but be frustrated.

For those who don't follow any branch of professional wrestling, you may be surprised to hear that there are literally hundreds of different match types out there. It's not only single and tag team matches anymore; there are numerous matches ranging from Bra and Panties Matches to the Elimination Chamber. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" features basically every match type you can think of, and with a multitap, you can battle it out with up to 5 of your friends in various types of matches. A new match type introduced to this game is the Parking Lot Brawl, and this is essentially ‘fighting to survive' and using the vehicles surrounding you and your opponent to your advantage, allowing you to beat your opponents head through a windscreen to notice a rush of blood erupting from their face.

Pleasing to the avid gamer and wrestling fan alike, you can now create your own belts, and compete against your friends to win these belts. The Create-a-PPV was put back in this years installment of Smackdown after missing from a few of its predecessors, and this intertwines directly to the Create-a-Belt feature, as you can create a Pay Per View and battle it out for these belts. There are also many small tweaks that ultimately increase the experience and quality of this game. Simply put, "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" boasts high replayabilty and is a downright excellent multiplayer game.

"WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is the first game in the series to offer online play. Wrestling game fans have been dreaming of an online mode ever since the ps2 network adapter was released. I'm not going to beat around the bush; the online mode in this game is extremely lacking. You can only compete in a 1vs.1 single match and a Bra and Panties match, not even a traditional tag match, and there are very limited options on offer for online play. Considering how far games have come in terms of Internet play, this is no doubt a disappointment. There is a plus side how ever; lag is very limited, leaving for a smooth and realistic experience, and as well as this, you can fight with the wrestlers you created in the Create-A-Wrestler mode.

Perhaps the most important part of a wrestling game is gameplay, and Smackdown vs. Raw delivers. Pretty much everything you have seen happen in a wrestling ring on the TV can be emulated in this game. The move sets are once again very impressive, each and every wrestler is customized with their own signature and special maneuvers. The grappling system and reversal system is now as polished as it ever was, though it remains extremely similar to the previous game. The body location specific damage is back in the game, and is now more responsive to the attacks you use. If you repeatedly use submission grapples to hurt the opponent's legs, it will be shown on the damage meter (which is an outline of a human body) or if you use a chair to beat the living hell out of your opponents head, the head will be shown as damaged.

There have been quite a few other notable additions that benefit the gameplay. "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" introduces the Dirty/Clean meter. Depending on who you are fighting with, the way you wrestle will determine the way this meter will change. That being said, using weapons or cheap tactics will raise the dirty meter, and doing high flying maneuvers and big moves will raise the clean meter. Once the meter is full, you can pull off a special attack. Depending on whether it was a dirty or clean meter which was made full, you can pull off a different special, which all in all is a very fun and interesting addition that was put in the game. Yet another addition are the ‘mini-games', so to speak, which can occur during a match. At the beginning of a match, depending on the match type, there is a shoving contest. This determines who has the advantage at the start of the match. During the match, you can have traditional style ‘chop battles' that were made famous by Ric Flair. These additions don't seem like much, but they combine with everything else to ultimately increase the wrestling experience.

The season mode is back and better than ever. Featuring numerous storylines, the season mode is sure to take up a great deal of your single-player time whilst playing this game. Again, the decisions you make and the outcome of a wrestling match can alter what happens with the storyline, leaving for a realistic and fun game mode that should definitely be given a go. As with the previous game, you earn money from wrestling matches, and this money can be used to purchase move sets, clothes and even WWE legends that can become part of the active roster. With WWE legends such as Bret Hart and Andre the Giant, wrestling fans are sure to be pleased. The Create-a-Wrestler mode, which has been an integral part of the Smackdown series, is back yet again. Not much new was added this time around other than a fresh navigation and a few things here and there.

Yet another addition implemented in "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is the Challenge Mode. The main aim of the Challenge Mode is that you are given specific requirements to fulfill, and if you complete this you can access harder challenges, all whilst earning you money that can also be used with the money from Season Mode to purchase various things. This welcome addition can be used by both beginners to get the feel of the game and it is also suitable for returning Smackdown veterans, as some of the latter challenges can be quite difficult.

The graphics push the Playstation2 to its limit. This is one of those games that can be mistaken for being an Xbox game, mainly because of the amazing and breathtaking graphics. The wrestlers in the game look exactly like their real life counter parts; the way they move, the way they look, the way they dress. The wrestlers look very polished up and I have no complaints about this game in the graphics department. The entrances are outstanding, the fans look even better, and pretty much everything else graphics wise has been improved in one way or another. It can be seen straight from the get go that the developers put a lot of time into the games graphics which in turn make the experience feel a great deal more realistic.

At a glance, the soundtrack of "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is very pleasing. For the first time in the history of the series, the game now includes licensed music, with the likes of Powerman 5000 and Breaking Benjamin playing during the menus. It is disappointing, however, to see that the entrance music for a few wrestlers was not accurate to their real-life counterpart, but for the most part you're good to go. The actual wrestling matches still have the tradition rock instrumentals playing as you are brawling with your opponent, and again, there is nothing new about this but there is also nothing wrong with it.

The sound effects of "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" can be described as near perfect. Whether it would be pile driving your opponent to the mat or batting your opponents head with a chair, everything sounds as realistic as you can get. The fans also contribute greatly to the wrestling experience, as they react differently depending on what is occurring in the ring; either chanting for you when you are using signature and high-flying maneuvers or booing you when you are using cheap tactics.

There is no doubt that "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is an excellent game in itself; it is arguably the best wrestling game ever released. The Smackdown series have been known for being friendly to the casual wrestling fan and even the hardcore gamer; and that is one of the very reasons why the series are so appealing to such a vast audience. If you are a casual wrestling fan and are looking to get a new wrestling game to add to your collection, then by all means purchase this game; it won't disappoint. If, however, you are looking for a revolutionary wrestling title, think twice before rushing and spending your money as despite the prettier graphics, updated roster, and various additions, "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw!" is essentially the same game and offers the same things as its predecessor.

Overall: 8.7/10
GameFAQs score: 9/10

-Reviewgamer.com

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/09/05