This year's edition of Smackdown vs. RAW is all about customizability and options, options, options. This game needs no introduction. The music, the names, the moves, the arenas, the 100+ match types, the announcers-it's all here.

There is plenty that's new this year. There are 8 fighting styles. Each wrestler has two, and only one can be used in a match. They are brawler, dirty, hardcore, high flyer, powerhouse, showman, submission, and technical. This gives each wrestler unique moves and abilities.

Also included is a new submission and struggling system. When using submission moves, you will have the opportunity to decide how hard to apply the pressure, and will be able to tell if you are losing your grip. Those who are caught in the grip will have the opportunity to attempt an escape; it's confusing and full of randomness, and seems to really be a matter of what condition of the held wrester's limbs are in. Also, during ultimate grapples (grapples leading to the most powerful moves), the two players will have the opportunity to battle-the slam may still occur, it may dissolve into nothing with just a few pathetic hits to the head, or it may even be reversed. This feature is touted as being a big change, but it's mostly annoying. There is little skill, it's difficult to keep track of what's going on. In short, it's more and more button mashing.

Also new is the presence of the ECW, with ECW wrestlers being available for your choosing. A "Hall of Fame" mode features the recreation of huge matches in wrestling history, from the 80s to the present. You have the opportunity to make it a different match. This is more authentic wrestling mania and all around ridiculous amount of options; there are specific wrestlers you must be, specific conditions to meet, and rewards are given.

Last up is 24/7 mode, a mode in which you pick a wrestler with reduced stats and help him work his way to the top. 24/7 features a room with a magazine, a phone, a computer, and a calendar, which are the only things that you can interact with. If it sounds boring, that's because it is. Again, options are numerous-you can check messages (with authentic voiceovers) from people such as your manager, friendly and hostile wrestlers, and Vince McMahon. You can read magazine articles about yourself. I don't know why, but you can. There are also your wrestling stats, your physical condition, and your popularity. Each calendar day can be spent wrestling, taking a day off in one way or another, or training. The training is monotonous. So is trying to wrestle with really poor stats against wrestlers who don't have poor stats. Climbing your way to the top has never been such drudgery. Nor has creating a wrestler ever been. They should not be required to be together.

If you've already purchased an edition of Smackdown vs. RAW, you can afford to miss this. If you haven't yet, this one is fine to pick up. If you love wrestling, you won't mind its misgivings. If you're looking for a good game, I can't recommend it-it's difficult to get your wrestler to slam, grapple, or otherwise hold your opponent. Hit detection is awkward, too-I tried to grab one of two wrestlers that were grappling each other and it wouldn't let me-I could only kick them. If two wrestlers were coming at me it wouldn't let me pick which one to target. Hit detection when running is poor, especially when running up or down. Smackdown vs. RAW has everything to give you the authentic wrestling experience, but it could use a lot of improvement to its actual wrestling.

Dec 15, 2007 | 0 comments
Michael Walbridge