WWE SmackDown! VS. RAW 2009

November 25,2008 - The WWE franchise is one of the most popular names in sports entertainment with its rating still better than most cable television shows, and it is no secret to how many fans flock to every show in various cities. With such a large and devoted fan base, it was about time for THQ and Yuke’s to finally deliver that one true wrestling game that is the most realistic and fluid rendition yet. Needless to say, WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2009 (SVR 09 for short) lives up to that challenge and comes out as being the best wrestling game yet since the N64 days.

SVR 09 excels so well in the simple refinements that make the game run smoother. With previous games often plagued by excessively long load times, boring career modes, and blocky visuals, SVR 09 makes those past games look degrading by improving on all of those troubling areas while adding a few new exciting features that make the total package really shine.

The biggest change, and probably the most noticeable, is perhaps the lack of loading times that often hindered past experiences. Instead of waiting to load an arena, pay-per-view event, or even an opening cinema, now players can jump quickly into the menus and begin fighting in no less than thirty seconds time. The new fast- moving pace really adds to the realism of the sets, making you believe you are actually watching a show as it appears on live television.

SVR 09 is easy and intuitive, and the overall process of pulling off your favorite high-flying maneuvers and body slams has never been simpler. Using the analog sticks, players simply flick the right stick in the direction of the opponent, with various angles referring to stronger grapples. After grappling the opponent, you then push any of the corresponding buttons to unleash a devastating move, which can then be turned into a combo for even bigger damage. Running around the ring, throwing your opponent into the turnbuckles, and flying off the corner ropes are also easily executed by simply holding down the selected button and aiming your analog stick at the desired target.

Pulling off moves and countering attacks is key to victory, since perfectly executing either feat will get you boost points which fill up a meter located under your superstar’s name. When your meter becomes full, it will begin to blink as a way to notify you that you can perform a finishing move. Fans of the WWE will recognize these moves as high-powered, often show-boating, fanfare that are meant to be ludicrously over-the-top and painful. Some of these moves can range from a choke slam to CM Punk’s famous Go To Sleep, in which case you pick up your opponent over your shoulder and drop him face first into your knee. The finishing maneuvers this time around look much more lifelike than  thesimple robotic motions from previous games, and it is oftentimes enjoyable to watch these even when you are on the receiving end of one.

SVR 09 also features a brand new Road to Wrestlemania mode, which lets you venture through a year’s worth of storylines for one of the company’s biggest stars. There are only seven to choose from, but all of them are big enough where you don’t have to worry about never receiving a title shot or starring in a main event. Seven wrestlers seems kind of low however, and it shows often during the career when you are forced to face these same stars over and over again. The game does a good job of creating new and exciting matches for you to compete in, but that doesn’t change the fact that the game has over 30 superstars for you to choose from and you are spent battling only the top seven stars for the majority of the year.

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