I have watched wrestling ever since I was about four years old. Considering the age I am now that is about 20 years of watching wrestling. I have always loved these types of games, and the Smackdown franchise has always been my favorite wrestling chain of games. So, as i usually do, i bought the latest WWE wrestling game. And i must say that i am truly disappointed with this release.
Graphics 8/10
This is probably the only good part to the game. The graphics are super as each of the wrestlers look like their real life counterparts. I also love the wrestler's entrances. WWE games always have the best entrances and this game is no different. Another good thing about the graphics is that the crowd looks awesome. Each member of the audience each has their own face and outfit. The weapons also look better in this game than they did in Smackdown vs Raw 2007. The only problem I have with the graphics is how fake blood looks in the hardcore wrestling matches. The blood is too blocky and too blotchy. Overall I was pleased with the graphics, but what would you expect with any game on the Playstation 3.
Sound 7/10
This is another area of the game I always enjoy. This years soundtrack composes of many types of music which range from rock to hip hop. But the soundtrack is really more of the rock persuasion than anything else. Some artists featured on this years soundtrack are Nonpiont, Puddle of Mudd, Chevelle and Hellyeah. A pretty good soundtrack all in all. Also the game has improved the sound of the weapons, the tables actually sound like wood breaking when you powerbomb someone through them. The chairs, as always, also sounds awesome went you beam someone over the head with them.
The commentators are still as stupid as ever in this game. The biggest problem i have is the glitches and mistakes commentators make. In one match I was Ric Flair doing his Figure 4 Leg Lock and Jim Ross, a RAW Commentator, called it the pedigree, huh???? Also it gets annoying when they keep repeating themselves in matches. In one match Jim Ross said "slobber knocker" like 666899790 times, you get used to it though. Each commentator probably has 10 separate sayings each. Overall the sounds of the game are decent, but can easily be improved.
Replay value 9/10
Like all wrestling games, well sports games in general, the replay value is always high. you can always replay a season with a wrestler, and you can always duke it out with your friends in the exhibitions matches. There are enough modes to keep you occupied for a while. So the relay value is particularly high.
Gameplay 5/10
This is the real blunder of this game, the lack of update concerning the gameplay. After a year has gone by since S&R 2007 came out, 2008 only has ONE!!!!!!, new match type which is called Extreme Rules, which is virtually only a hardcore match except now you can choose what weapons you want to use. I actually like this match since you can set things on fire and demolish your opponents with burning objects. Some weapons include a barbed wire wood plank, tables, chairs, ladders, etc.
Exhibition Mode 7/10
Exhibition feature matches that can be played with either one player vs computer, or player vs player, or in other words you against a friend. The match types in this game are the same as in 2007, with the exception of Extreme Rules Match. This sucks since the game did not update the matches list. They could have included new match types such as the Inferno Match, Texas Bull Rope Match or the Extreme Elimination Chamber. Also they lack to update past matches, the ladder matches and table matches are seemingly the same as they were in 2007. Other match types include the infamous hell in the cell, cage matches, single matches, tag team matches, the elimination chamber, royal rumble, battle royal, and etc, up to six players can be simultaneously on the screen at once.
GM Mode 5/10
In this mode you are the general manager of the show of you choosing (Jonathan Coachman for Raw, Theodore Long for SmackDown!, Tommy Dreamer for ECW) and you draft wrestlers for your show. With the wrestlers you have you make wrestling matches, based on these matches you get a rating. The point of this mode is to get the highest possible rating for your show while beating out the other two brands. In this mode you also get to hire and fire players. Pretty neat mode, but again it was in 2007 and it has been changed minimally.
Season Mode 3/10
This is just like the 2007 season mode in which you pick a superstar from any brand and you fight your way to legend status. In this mode you become entangled into storylines. These storylines help predict what matches you are going to be fighting in. So lets say you got attacked by the Undertaker, chances are you will be fighting the Undertaker in the upcoming weeks. This mode has a bunch of other things you also need to accomplish to succeed such as having a 5 star match.
Create A Character Mode 2/10
I never liked the WWE games approach to this section. There are just to many things you need to do to create a character. After designing your character and giving the character its moves it will take you upwords about 2 hours to complete the entire process. One thing good about this mode is that you can make virtually anyone and anything if you have the patience. I have seen someone make a Pikachu and Donkey Kong using the create a character mode.
Tournament Mode 4/10
Like the mode applies you fight in a tournament. There are different types of tournaments however, like the Money In the Bank Tournament, King of the Ring Tournament and the Beat the Clock Tournament, all whom has the same goal of beating the other superstars until you are the last one standing. Basically in all these tournaments you will fight successive matches until the rest of the wrestlers in the tournament are eliminated.
Roster 8/10
This years roster is probably the best ever. This game has a nice blend of current and legendary characters. Some legends include Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Rick Rude, Sabu and Mankind. Alongside these legends, are a bunch of new guys making their first appearance on a Smackdown game, some of these guys are CM Punk, Elijah Burke and MVP. Each wrestler also has their own style of wrestling. Some wrestlers are brawlers, some are technicians, and some are hardcore fighters. Each category has their own benefits and detriments dependable on which one you are and what match your on. For example a hardcore wrestler like Sabu would be more useful in a hardcore match rather than a submission match since he is a hardcore style wrestler.
Hall of Fame Mode 6/10
The Hall of Fame game mode gives you twelve challenges. This section devotes itself to the greatest matches in the history of the WWE/F. Some matches in this section include Mankind vs Undertaker in the Hell in the Cell, HBK vs Bret Hart in an IronMan Match and etc. If you enter this mode you have to beat the matches that they offer. After you beat the matches you obtain some unlockables. For example if you win the Hell in the Cell Match between Mankind and the Undertaker you unlock Mankind in the WWE shop, which is the store in which you obtaim all of the hidden wrestlers and other hidden stuff.
Matches 7/10
The matches themselves are still fun to play in whatever mode. There are 4 control types. In my opinion they are all hard to master since THQ, the company that makes all of the wrestling games, think its funny to change the controls with every WWE game release. Anyway I say the learning curve is about 3 hours to fully master the controls. Anyway the matches are still as fun as ever. The moves still look cool when they are done and the reversal system is the same as before. There are really no differences except maybe for the controls.
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http://www.epinions.com/content_410717949572 WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 for PSP
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http://www.epinions.com/content_342119124612 Overall 5/10
Overall I would buy this only if you have not played any of the recent WWE games. If you have played Smackdown vs Raw, Smackdown vs Raw 2006 or Smackdown vs Raw 2007, DO NOT buy this game since there is a lack of updates. I would say this is a rental at best.
