|
After last year’s overhaul of the WWE SmackDown!
series, the prospect of WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2009 may leave
many wondering what yet another annual
 update for the franchise
could possibly offer. With a confident string of brawlers now
available on the Current-Generation – from
Fight Night Round 3 and
Facebreaker to TNA Impact! and
Def Jam Icon -
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2009 certainly has plenty of
competition in the vein of sweaty men in pants, but Yuke’s have been
known to pull-out the stops when the fans demand it.
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2009 is less of an
overhaul and more a refinement of
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2008; and refined it is. The
Control System has been considerably altered from last year’s
outing, cultivating the use of the Right Analogue Stick. Basic moves
are controlled with directional suggestions on the Right Analogue
Stick or the Square Button with modifiers on the Left Analogue
Stick, while the R1 Button handles grapples and hold moves.
Adjustments can be made in a similar manner to Cancellations in
One-On-One Beat-‘Em-Ups using the Right Analogue Stick, allowing for
more complicated manoeuvres and throws. The Circle Button whips your
opponent, R2 reverses moves, the D-Pad offers Taunts and L1 makes
your avatar run. Mapping controls to the Analogue Sticks allows a
precise move set for beginners, whilst tweaks and modifiers satisfy
the depth demanded by the Hardcore audience.
Signature Moves have become more representational of their
Television Show counterparts, especially in that of their
availability. While it’s still wholly possible to utilise these
over-the-top manoeuvres several times in one match, it is no longer
possible to do so while
 you’re on the defensive. The on-screen
furniture now features but two Meters for each player – one denoting
the damage taken to specific areas of the body, and the other a Blue
Meter demonstrating the player’s performance. As this Blue Meter
builds, the player will be given the option to store a Signature
Move by pressing L1 and L2 simultaneously, which can then be
executed with a press of the Triangle Button at the right moment.
Only one Signature Move may be stored at any one time, but a player
can build towards the next whilst storing one. The simplified
learning curve goes someway towards bridging the gap for newcomers,
but more importantly provides a template for how the inevitably long
list of Current-Generation
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw’s
may very well progress.
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2009 features a lot of clever touches,
clearly developed from an extensive knowledge of the subject matter
and format. The Arenas look fabulous, with the front rows of the
audience looking as well presented as the best Character Models yet
seen on Wii in the likes of
Disaster: Day of Crisis, and even
the distant, 2D sprite-based crowds are intricately animated to
present a tangible atmosphere. The game has possibly the shortest
Loading delays of any disc-based title in the series, suggesting a
development team becoming comfortable with the Current-Generation’s
capabilities, and the camera angles taken for powerful moves are
simply fantastic. Executed with precision, they invariably heighten
the tension of a match ten-fold – especially when in single-system
Multi-Player.
A large part of the franchises’ appeal has always been that of the
wrestlers’ ring entrances. Some of the entrances have been recreated
incredibly accurately, with fantastic animation and well chosen
camera angles, whereas others seem to be a basic presentation of a
wrestlers’ live show; simply checking all the right boxes. The
Character Models are undoubtedly the most lifelike yet produced in
the series, yet still retain the misplaced values of the “uncanny
valley”. A lot of animations sequences are shared between
characters, which becomes quite apparent early-on and is somewhat of
a disappointment to say the least. The soundtrack is the expected
collection of Rock and Metal nobodies, particularly leaning towards
the Coal Chamber end of the spectrum. Suitable as it may be, it
won’t inspire anyone to look further into the genre.
The
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw series has reached somewhat of a
turning point. Although still remaining incredibly successful – as
yesterday’s roll-out on six console formats would suggest – it can’t
be said that it’s market has reached new heights with the last few
releases. And so, do THQ keep producing a title for the fans, or
would they be better starting-over with an attempt to attract a new
audience? The large variety of gameplay options available from the
very first Menu Screen the player is presented with will be fairly
daunting to newcomers, and the depths with which the simulation is
presented demonstrate that WWE SmackDown Vs. Raw 2009 for the
PLAYSTATION3 is aimed squarely at those who bought
WWE SmackDown! Vs Raw 2008, or their friends who have only recently acquired a
Current-Generation system. That
WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw is
still leader of the pack is not in question; the likes of TNA
Impact! having done little to stand-up against THQ’s franchise
juggernaut. The real question is exactly what can they do next year? |
