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::PUBLISHER::
THQ
::DEVELOPER::
YUKE's Future Media Creators
::GENRE::
Sports
::RELEASE DATE::
11/09/08
::PLAYERS::
1-4
::LIVE::
Xbox Live play, Leaderboards, Downloadable Content
::COST::
59.99
::FEATURES::
720p/1080i/1080p, In-Game Dolby Digital
Good: Real Authentic Wrestling Game
Bad: Loading Screens, Mediocre Graphics
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Smackdown vs Raw 2009 Review
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Professional wrestling - a world of bulging muscles, extreme pantomime and scantily clad, surgically ‘enhanced’ women. Based on these elements the whole thing sounds as though it’ll translate perfectly into a videogame.
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One of the most difficult challenges in gaming is the production of an annual title. Sports titles have the inevitable task of creating a new and fresh experience for gamers, even though they typically have the shortest development cycle. Wrestling games, because of their rabid fan base, are some of the most difficult games to iterate. THQ made the educated decision to listen to what fans were clamoring for: more modes, more wrestlers, and more customization.
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a game that can be defined as redemption for THQ. In honor of the franchise’s 10th anniversary, THQ has done an amazing job in re-creating the look and more importantly the feel of WWE programming. From the all-new Road to Wrestlemania, (which chronicles seven different wrestlers on their quest for the ultimate pay-per-view), WWE Highlight Reel to the innovative Create-A-Finisher, and the copious amounts of unlockable content, there is almost too much to do in the game.
Play control has stayed faithful to WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, with some important changes. One of the things added to help make the game more accessible are cues for everything from reversing strikes and grapples to unleashing finishing moves.
Building up the momentum meter is achieved by mixing up attacks, grapples and strikes to gain the crowd’s favor. Once one of the meters has been filled up, you can unleash a signature move or store it. After storing a signature move, you’re free to use it at will, but you can also fill up the meter again to perform a finisher. This balancing act between unleashing signature moves now or saving it for finishing moves adds a little bit more strategy to the matches.
The overall AI is vastly improved over previous years’. The best example of this is evidenced during Tag-Team Matches. Previously, during a single player Tag-Team match, the User would control one player, while the computer would pretty much just stand around, clapping their hands and begging to be tagged in. Tag Team Matches are now high energy, referee distracting, tag-team move performing gems. That’s right folks: Tag-Team Matches are now one of the most entertaining matches to be found in the game.
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