WWF Raw Is War for Xbox

The long awaited first WWF title for Xbox has finally arrived, and it's not all that it was hyped to be. Released on February 13, 2002, Many, including myself, were exited about playing WWF Raw. Well, got home and got grounded for few days. So basically, I couldn't play video games. Well, now that I have finally played it a few days ago, I'm somewhat disappointed. The game wasn't everything I expected it to be. It has a good engine and a great create a character mode, but there was a few things left out. I'm sure by the next WWF title for Xbox, these things will be filled in. Even with these things missing from the game, I don't see why it has been getting average and below average ratings.........

Gameplay

Raw plays like a mix between Attitude and the Smackdown games. It's kinda faced paced and the wrestlers look a little more lively then in Attitude. It has the same grapple system as Attitude. Press the grapple button and if you touch the guy first, your in control of the grapple. Toss opponent into ropes, go behind opponent and do an attack while grappling. Once you do the move, if your opponent presses the buttons for the right kind of reversal, your move could be reversed. In my opinion, this works better then Attitudes grappling as your don't have to keep pressing buttons. Flying off the ropes is done by pressing a button, not done automatically like in Attitude. Basically, Raw has a great engine and works well.

Superstars

Raw may not have as many superstars as SmackDown! 2, but it has everyone shown on tv. All the most popular wrestlers like; Triple H, Stone Cold, The Rock, Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho are featured. Even not as popular people like; Raven, Perry Saturn, Molly Holly, Tajari, Albert and Rhyno are here. Every character comes with different strengths, weaknesses and moves. I believe the same ability point system is used in Raw as in Attitude. Points are given for offense and defense in all types of maneuvers including, grapples, off the ropes, running and others. The higher the point number, the better it is. You can choose this for creating a wrestler. Everyone has their exact moves they used in the show from a few months ago as of what I have seen.

The superstars in Raw haven't gotten more realistic looking yet! A few guys look perfect with no mistake but most have a few problems. Austin walks weird and has big knees. Triple H's skin is pale from the neck up. Taka Michinoku's face looks a little weird. Otherwise, most of them look not so bad with a few things that could have been fixed. It seems that THQ or Anchor, whichever made the characters, focused on making the top guys look the best, but screwed up a bit.

Entrances

What a feature of Raw! These are the best damn entrances I've seen in any wrestling game ever! The look like Attitudes where it shows the wrestlers walking out down the ramp with the crowd cheering or booing, lights and crap, getting in the ring and going on ropes raising arms or whatever. However, it's ever improved from Attitude. On the titantron screen it shows the entrance movie and pyro's have been added. The crowd don't look the greatest but the signs are pretty cool. Depending on how much the superstar was liked at the making time of the game, determines the amount of camera flashes and cheers from the crowd. One cool thing is that X-pac gets loud boo's just like in the show no matter what. The theme songs sound great and it feels just like your watching the popular monday night tv show! Oh ya, and one more thing. When your opponent is entering the ring you can interfere in their entrance and attack them like in the show!

Create a Wrestler

Yet another great feature of the game. It could have been a little better put works. You can choose anything about your created wrestler. Things like, fan signs, amount of camera flashes, what pyro is used or none, what lights go on, many moves, and a good sized selection of attire including some other extras. My favorite parts of the CAW mode is that you can choose many finishing moves for your guy, not just one. The other being how you can create an entrance. Select many pyro's, camera flashes, ramp lights, stage lights, spot lights, ring light, audience light, theme song, entrance movie, entrance to the ring, what items you'll carry out to the ring with you and so much more. When you win a title in the Title match mode, you can use the belt for a created wrestler to walk to the ring with. The only thing that could have been better about the CAW mode is, adding more for cloths and body types. Even though, this is the best CAW mode I have ever tried.

Maneuvers

Many new move have appeared in Raw, however a few have been taken out. A lot of the stuff you see on tv that most wrestlers do but have no name are in Raw. One example being, when an opponent is on the top rope with his/her back facing you, you can push them off and they go flying outside. Many new types of moves have been added. Running off the turnbuckle moves can be done like the stuff Rob Van Dam uses. Fighting on the ring apron as well as going on it can be done. A cool thing to do is stand and the apron and flip over the ropes which can be done in many ways. Some moves don't look to good. One example is the Swanton Bomb done by Jeff Hardy. I have never seen the move during actual play, but in the CAW move demonstration, it seems that the wrestler lands on there face, not good. Moves and weapon attacks actually hurt the characters now. They can be down for a while from a finisher or a weapon hit.

There is tons of weapons to be found. Each time you pick up a new one during a match, it gets opened up in the WWF Museum and can be used for a created superstar. Weapons range from a damage ranking of E - A with A being powerful. In a disqualification match, certain weapons used in the ring will cause you to lose the match by disqualification. That I found to be a good idea in trying to have a more realistic wrestling game. I'm happy with the way the weapons work in Raw.

Title Match

This is the career mode of Raw. Personally, I found Smackdown's career to be better. This is where you choose a title to go for, fight in a number of matches which depends on the belt your going for, and when you win the belt, you unlock stuff. I haven't gotten much unlocked yet, but winning the Hardcore title unlocks Shane McMahon. This mode could have been improved. The matches will take usually 4 - 10 minutes and you can't save in between matches. So that means, when you start a title match, you have to fight all matches before you can save. You have only 4 chances and once you are beaten 4 times, it's over. The last one you fight in all series' of matches is going to be very hard, even with the difficulty at easy. Once you win a title though, you'll feel good because it is hard. I've only gotten the Lightheavy Weight title and Hardcore title since I got it on the day it came out.

Matches

I had heard that was only a few match types and was worried, but it ain't as bad as I thought. In the exhibition mode you'll find, a singles match, tag, tornado tag, 4 man battle royal, 3 and 4 ways, handicap 2 on 1's and 3 on 1's and king of the rings. All those matches can be done with hardcore rules and you can select if you want managers or not. Personally, I would have loved to have 6-man tag matches, steel cages, hell in a cells, and TLC matches. At least they put tables ladders and chairs as regular weapons. I'm not totally disappointed with the array of matches, but they could have added the matches that get the crowd hyped, oh well.

Graphics

Raw has the best graphics out of every wrestling game ever made easily! The wrestlers look real, move realistic, the crowd looks decent, the titantron videos and raw intro at start of game look tv quality. The entire arena can't get more realistic looking in a video presently. Some wrestlers walk stiff, but most look really good and move real. The game is clean and clear, pixel free and looks great. Not much else I can really say.

Sound & Music

Now this is where the game couldn't possibly get more real. It sounds great. The wrestlers don't talk and there's no commentary which is a minus, but the game works without it. The music playing while having a match is pretty pointless. I doesn't really fit the game and gets somewhat annoying after a while. I don't know what was worse, Raws in game music or Smackdown's. However, the titantron music makes up for that as it sounds just like tv! It would have been perfect with no music, commentary and the wrestlers able to talk.

Final Comments

Alot of reviews I've read didn't like Raw much but I found it pretty good. You might like it, might not. Rent it first.