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WWE SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008 is the latest instalment of Yuke’s
and THQ’s famous wrestling series, and the first on the
PLAYSTATION3. Create your wrestler from a seemingly endless list of
possibilities, or select your favourite from both the current and
past WWE, WCW and EWO rosters and do what they do best – fight for
the title.
While the game options may be familiar to veterans of the title,
there are lots of different game modes available. From the Main Menu
there is Play Now (self explanatory), Exhibition, Game Modes, Create
Game Modes and Online.
Exhibition Mode allows you to play One-on-One, Two-on-Two, Triple
Treat, Fatal 4 Way, 6 Man, Handicap and Royal Rumble. Each of these
modes has lots of different options such as weapons, cages and
tag-teams, which you can tweak until your heart’s content. The Game
Modes section includes 24/7 Mode, Tournament Modes, Hall of Fame and
Shop. 24/7 Mode is where you follow the career of a wrestler
day-by-day. Using a calendar for events, Mobile Phone for messages,
Laptop for progress and a Magazine for information you select the
events that you would like to do and manage your player. You must
take care of all aspects of life including Girls. Tournament Modes
contain King of the Ring, Beat the Clock, Quick Play Tournament and
Create Tournament. As you are able to create your own tournament
this game is virtually never ending.
Create Game Modes enables you to Create Moves, Create a Stable,
Create a Superstar, Create an Entrance and Create a Championship.
This game really is in your hands with so much to customise you
really can make this game unique. You are also able to play with
these characters online.
There are lots of moves to remember. Most involve holding down two
different buttons at the same time. Other moves such as stretching
wrestlers’ arms and legs use the Right Analogue Stick. By moving the
Analogue Stick in a rotary motion you create more tension on the arm
or leg that you are holding. The Right Analogue Stick is also used
to throw punches and to head-butt when you are sitting on top of
another player. These controls add another dimension to the game.
Weapons such as Chairs, Tables and Bats can be used in matches. You
must check the rules to see if you are allowed to use them otherwise
you will be disqualified, although you may prefer to knock the
referee unconscious so that there are no rules and then use the
weapons!
Graphically the game is very appealing. It is obvious that real
attention has been paid to skin texture. The scenery is also done
very well and you can clearly make out the crowds faces and even
read banners that they are waving. The big screens behind the crowd
are also very clear and responsive. Unfortunately, the
previous-generation issues of Polygon Clipping and Frame-Rate
troubles still persist.
Each Wrestler has their own music and to enter the ring but there is
no music when actually wrestling. This does not matter as the whole
point is to add atmosphere with sound effects. These sound effects
work well and add depth to the game.
All-in-all, this is a great Wrestling game that fans have been
waiting a year for. There are so many features to play about with
that even an experienced gamer would not get bored for a very long
time. While it may not revolutionise the formula, it marginally
improves in last year’s Xbox360 offering –
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2007 – by being a good first-step
into that which the Current-Generation can truly offer, and that, I
believe, was worth the wait.
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