Gaming Trend

Gaming Trend Review

by Tim Wilson

One of the best video gaming memories I have is of staying up late with my brother and playing Nintendo’s Pro Wrestling on the NES. Even though the graphics were crude by today’s standards, the thrill of pulling off a special move against your opponent or smacking them to the mat with a perfectly-timed clothesline was still a rush. Technology has come a long way since those days, so I was eager to jump into the modern world of wrestling with WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009. The game promises several improvements over last year’s version, so is it worth the upgrade? Fight your way through the crowds to a ringside seat for this review. The match is about to begin. Ding ding!

Professional wrestling has always been about spectacle, and WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 does not disappoint. Each wrestler is depicted in sometimes creepily accurate video game form. Though you have the option to skip them, it is well worth watching each wrestler’s entrance cut scene in the story mode at least once. Instead of a generic audience of two-dimensional silhouettes, audience members are depicted realistically during these scenes – some of them holding signs, shouting your wrestler’s name, or bowing down in a “I’m not worthy” gesture. Each wrestler’s signature theme music is depicted, and if you squint you could almost believe you were watching the real thing on television. THQ did a terrific job of bringing the WWE experience from the television set to the 360.

There are a few issues, however, when you get to the actual gameplay. Animations still look great, and each move is portrayed well enough to occasionally make you grimace with sympathetic pain. Unfortunately the clipping issues that have popped up in previous versions are still here, and some moves/graphical assets seem to be directly recycled from last year’s version. Those who were hoping for a finer layer of polish over last year’s graphics will may come away a tad disappointed. On the other hand, if you’re not a die-hard fan of the series these minor complaints will probably not dampen your fun.

As already noted, THQ did a fantastic job bringing the visual flair of television wrestling to the game. I was happy to see that they kept the audio to the same high standards. You’ll hear the same songs and soundtracks you’re familiar with from the television presentations, and the voice acting is performed in almost all cases by the actual personalities involved. The announcers are also voiced by professional commentators, making the match narration sound very realistic. Some of these voiceovers can occasionally get repetitious, but the overall quality is high enough that you likely won’t mind.

If the audio has a weak spot, it lies in the general sound effects, which are rather generic and weak. Those looking for the sounds of bones crunching every time a body falls to the mat will be disappointed. I kept anticipating a little more “oomph” when I pulled off a particularly brutal move. While it’s not a significant distraction from the gameplay, it’s a little disappointing considering the high quality of the soundtracks and voice acting.

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 uses a similar control scheme to last year’s game, and that’s a good thing. The left and right analog sticks control movement and grappling, with the other buttons pulling off a deep array of complex moves. These moves are deceptively simple at first, but once you get the hang of them you can pull off some really cool stuff -- removing a turnbuckle cushion, for instance, and slamming your opponent into the bare metal, or body slamming them from the ropes. As you pull off moves and fill your meter you can even pull off your wrestler’s signature move. These moves are typically easy to enact thanks to on-screen tips that will remind you how to do them when you have enough power to pull them off.

One thing that took me some time to get used to is the fact that in many ways you don’t have direct control over your wrestler at all times. You’re basically fighting for the advantage to pull off a move, and once that move is enacted the animation just sort of plays out. It was a little jarring for me after playing games like Fight Night in which your on-screen persona basically responds to every command. While fans of recent wrestling games will be familiar with this type of gameplay, I felt it worth a mention for those, like me, who are new to the genre.

The good news is that the controls are easy enough for a beginner to hold their own against the early AI, but deep enough to allow for experienced players to pull off some really complex sequences. It will take some practice, however, to really learn how to best take advantage of your opponent when you see an opening and counter them when they try to pull a move on you.

If one word could describe WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009’s gameplay, it would be: thorough. THQ packed in almost every game mode you could imagine, and then some. The best and most interesting of these is called “Road to Wrestlemania.” This storyline mode can be played with seven different  WWE superstars, each with their own plotlines. Two of the wrestlers, Rey Mysterio and Batista, can also be played co-op.

Road to Wrestlemania follows your chosen character through a series of bouts, complete with the backstage drama fans have grown to love. You will guide your wrestler through various fights, while between matches you’ll get to see storylines and rivalries unfold through cutscenes. While the storylines all share some common elements, such as competing in increasingly challenging bouts, the storylines all differ making each career path worth playing through. The storylines are fairly short—two or three hours of gameplay each—but with seven to play through it makes for a fairly beefy single-player experience for a wrestling title.

The game also boasts an astonishing number of match types – over 70 in all! Each primary mode – One on One, Two on Two, Fatal Four-Way, 6-Man, Handicap, etc. can be played in a number of sub-categories such as Ladder Match, TLC, Steel Cage, etc. Suffice it to say, you’ll likely not get bored with venues and game types anytime soon.

The game also boasts a Career Mode, which allows you to choose one of dozens of WWE wrestlers or create your own. You’ll start out as a bottom rung athlete, and work your way up to WWE superstardom. Along the way you can unlock new match types and boost attributes. While the Career Mode is lengthy and will keep you quite involved if you wish to take a wrestler all the way through it, it can also get a bit tedious. I preferred the shorter but sweeter Road to Wrestlemania for my single-player fix, but the Career Mode at least provides some deep solo play after the storyline mode is finished.

A new game type in this year’s version is the gimmicky but funny Inferno Match. In this game mode, the ring is surrounded with flames. As you pull off moves, the temperature increases, allowing you to drag your opponent into the flames and set him on fire. While it’s a little silly, it’s also a lot of fun cooking your friends to death. I doubt it will become a standard for wrestling games from here on out, but the fact that THQ found room to add a new game type with all the ones already included is pretty impressive.

Another new feature is the use of “Superstar Abilities.” These are powerful special moves that vary by wrestler and can be pulled off by using various button presses in specific situations. Examples include the “Fan Favorite,” in which a wrestler can incite the crowd for a momentum boost (and to dampen the morale of his enemy), and the moves which regenerate limb damage.

There are other game options that I haven’t even touched on, but it’s just as well since a thorough discussion of the game would take several pages. Tag team modes have a special focus this year, making the game great for some pick-up co-op play. There are various creation modes which will allow you to construct your own finishing moves, wrestler entrances, and move sets. You can even edit highlight reels with a powerful set of editing utilities that allow such things as transitions, sound effects, graphic additions, filters, slow motion effects, etc. Finally, there are extensive online options – ranked matches, quick matches, and the like. If it’s ever been in a wrestling game, it’s likely an option in WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009.

After all this, is the game worth buying? That will depend on how big a fan you were of the last game in the series. If you’re new to the series, or just looking for a few extra bells and whistles over last year, then you should be happy with this year’s version. It doesn’t differ from the fundamentals of 2008’s entry, but offers a more complete package. If, on the other hand, you were expecting a major leap forward in the series, then you may want to pass. The game isn’t much better than last year’s version from a technical standpoint. The Road to Wrestlemania may be worth the price of admission for some, but the Inferno Mode and Superstar moves aren’t big enough additions in and of themselves to warrant a purchase if you’re on the fence.

Still, there’s no question that WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 offers about as much gameplay as you could possibly hope for in a wrestling title. From the 70 game modes, 10-15 hour storyline modes, lengthy career mode, and robust online play, this is certainly a title you could expect to pick up and play for quite some time to come.

It appears when looking at the sheer number of options available in this game that THQ tried to make the end-all be-all to the wrestling genre. While they did not quite succeed in this endeavor, it was a valiant effort. Unfortunately with this much quantity there are bound to be some drawbacks in quality, and it’s true that the developers cut a few corners by recycling elements of last year’s title. As pointed out previously, it’s tough to make a recommendation that will work for everybody. Those who own last year’s version may not find the new content compelling enough to plunk down another $60, and that’s certainly understandable. However, there’s no question that while not the perfect wrestling title it aspires to be, WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 is the best wrestling title available at the moment. If you’re new to the genre or just want everything last year had and then some, then you should have a great time climbing in the ring with this one.

Gaming Trend Score

80

1. Graphics: 80
2. Audio: 75
3. Controls: 80
4. Gameplay: 80
5. Value/Replay: 85
6. OVERALL:80