WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007

"The Champ Is Here?"

WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007 is THQ/Yukes/WWE latest attempt to score another huge wrestling hit, and like other games in the SmackDown! series this game was a huge hit. But gameplay wise, is this game better than it's predecessor WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006? Does this game live up to what 2006 left off?

Let's start with the Story Mode, perhaps I'm used to the storylines of the DoR series, but WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 07 has several storylines you can play through: From Candice and her magic to fueding with MNM for the Tag titles. This game has a vast array of storylines, it's a shame some are really bad. You either start on Raw or SmackDown, and when you finish a season you go through it again this time a member of the opposite brand.

GM mode, I prefer this over Story mode, but I feel like it was made easier this time around, granted your Superstars this year aren't all people with popularity below 60. Last year all you had to do to start a rivalry is have them compete in matches week after week, this year you have to put your rivalrys in storylines, eg: Battle of the Titans, where heavyweights compete against each other. Your probably thinking "That doesn't really make it easier..." Well here it is, this year allows you to edit how you play. You can turn Morale off, which makes managing a show much more easier. And then once you complete a year you can turn two new features one of them allows you to play without money and the other one can make the AI accept any trade you offer it. Granted you'll probably only playing GM mode for the Infinite EXP, but if you're like me you probably play it cause it's fun.

Now time for the actual game

Graphics are amazing at least for the 360. Models look great and plenty of Superstars look like how they did around the games release. Pyros look good. That's pretty much what you'll are the Superstars.

Music. Last years music was a bit questionable, don't believe me? Do you remember the song that said "Crush... Crush, Kill... Kill, Destroy... Destroy" Thought so, this year includes no songs made just for the game. The songs are either theme songs they used for past Pay Per Views (Enemy by Godsmack and Lonely Train by Black Stone Cherry) and several others (Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace and Money in the Bank by Lil Scrappy) I found the music enjoyable until the point where you've heard the same song for the 20th time.

The roster is up to date with the Superstars employed at the time. Last years I must say had an outdated roster. I do have a few gripes. First of all when the game starts Booker T is World Champion, not as his King Booker persona, yet his titantron is of King Booker with the music of Booker T. MNM are Tag Team champions, yet at the same time Nitro is the IC Champion. With Booker as champ you would think one Kurt Angle would be under the SmackDown brand, but he with Daivari are under Raw. Again small things that probably only bug me.

The GamePlay, I must say that it changed drastically. No longer are you pressing A + Left to do a Suplex, it's all up to the analog sticks. Move it left and you do a move, right you do another. Hold the Bumper with the analog stick and you do something. Totally revamped. Hit detection is weird at times like when you're running up a ladder you totally miss your opponent and yet he falls anyways. This year also introduces Hotspots like bashing your opponents skull on the steel steps to crushing your opponent between ladders. They're fun though a few work a bit awkward. Back to hit detection, this is my one gripe and you'll probably never notice it. But hit detection for the Divas are terrible. Now I don't know if the PS2 version does this but when the Divas are wrestling they don't actually make contact. Example Melina is doing her Facebuster during the move she makes no actual contact with her opponent. Again you probably never wrestle with the Divas so you'll probably not care. Oh yeah most of the announcing from Cole/Tazz and Jerry/JR are recycled from last year with a few new lines

Time for everyones favorite aspect of a video game: Glitches.

I'm sure the ones who played "WWE Wrestlemania 21" are still a bit scarred. This game has it's share of glitches, but they're not as bad as "WWE WM21". The first one, in the Royal Rumble match, when the announcer announces the 2nd entrant, Chimel says the same thing he would say for the first guy. Another one is again with announcing. When either Lilian or Chimel says on a created Superstar "From Las Vegas, Nevada" They'll say "From Las Vegas Nevada... From Nevada" Small again. There's also one where when playing with a created Championship the game will freeze causing the title to be lost.

That pretty much wraps up the review, my gripes are mostly are small. Overall this game is not terrible on the Xbox platform it's a huge improvement from the Raw series and WM21. For the PS2 I'd rather play 2006.

I give this game the score of the last digit of this year,

A 7 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/01/07