WWE Raw V.S. Smackdown!

[Guest cpac]

They take a step back so that way next year they can talk about all the shit they have included.

[Silence 0]

WWE Smackdown vs Raw

Graphics - 9

Yukes and THQ spent more time on the graphics, all of those unnecessary features and nobodies (Garrison Cade, Hardcore Holly, Mark Jindrak, etc.), and an online mode that's only for a Bra & Panties match and THQ and Yukes have now ended up with a disappointing video game that is a step-down from last year.

 

Judging from what I've read, I don't know if I'll still be buying it or just keep playing HCTP (even though it's an old game now).

[Fökai 0]

Yukes and THQ spent more time on the graphics

 

According to IGN, the best graphics of any wrestling title ever.

 

I guess that's bad.

 

all of those unnecessary features

 

--The new "elimination meter" for the Rumble, which EVERYONE praised?

--A chop system that fleshes out the punch-kickfest from the previous Smackdowns?

--Pre-match battles that makes a match as realistic as the current WWE product?

--The heel/face meter, which...*gasp*...makes the game even more realistic?

 

Misc. WHAT'S NEW:

--Create-A-PPV (eh.)

--Create-a-Belt (cool for multiplayer.)

--Voiceovers and commentary (eh.)

 

Misc. WHAT'S GONE:

--Backstage arena fights in matches (don't care)

--Every belt but World, WWE, IC and U.S. removed from career mode (good.)

--Alternate attire (sucks for that to happen, but I didn't go past RVD and Rock for second attires in HCTP anyway.)

 

and nobodies (Garrison Cade, Hardcore Holly, Mark Jindrak, etc.)

 

The roster is lighter than last year. (41 to HCTP's 54)

 

Sure, they didn't include La Resistance (the now ex-tag champions), Eugene (don't care) and Maven (don't care), but it's full of nobodies either way.

 

and an online mode that's only for a Bra & Panties match and THQ and Yukes have now ended up with a disappointing video game that is a step-down from last year.

 

It's not disappointing because of the gameplay, which has considerably improved, but of the disappointments with what THQ and Yukes promised (primaily, the online mode).

 

This is not a step-down in terms of ANYTHING game-wise, but a step-down in terms of progress for THQ, which already has their wrestling license in jeopardy. They're lightyears behind Electronic Arts, who are my hope to get the new license from WWE, but it's not as if they're still putting out the best wrestling product on the market today.

[Silence 0]

We went through this many times before, but I guess I'll have to repeat myself again.

 

The voiceovers, the commentary, the online Bra & Panties match, the licensed band music (Powerman 5000?! WTF?!) that could most likely play throughout the game, and the chop-battles (which I think the CPU opponents will get into A LOT because Yukes will fuck it up anyway) are the unnecessary features I was talking about because one of those four things seems to be responsible for the low roster (or it could be all the other shit features they added, too), and the inclusion of Holly, Jindrak, Cade, Scotty 2 Hotty, etc. are sad excuses for low mid-carders on Yukes' and THQ's parts.

 

The elimination meter for the Rumble is still good, Create-a-Belt sounds good if it isn't limited, and the grappling system is still in the game.

 

Aside from that, there were apparently many types of matches taken out from what I read (Tag matches being one of them, I think, and possibly HIAC, Last Man Standing, and the Ladder matches) just so Bra & Panties could stay in the game. Bleh.

 

Not being able to change wrestlers from one roster to another in this game really sucks, and there's no excuse for someone like Rey Mysterio only being stuck with one attire.

 

Another sad thing is that Yukes still hasn't given us the option of editing in-game wrestlers easily to keep them up-to-date, but I guess they'll never do that, nor will they ever include defending belts in Exhibition mode again, either.

 

So that's why I'm calling the game a step-down.

[Guest bigm350]

I will get SD vs Raw but not being able to change guys to different rosters is beyond stupid. Also, more wrestlers in HCTP sounds like the novelty of SD vs Raw will wear off quick. I was thinking about trading in HCTP, but after seeing al this I'm going to keep it and probably play it more than SD vs Raw. Unless, SD vs Raw proves these things wrong.

[Guest cpac]

Yeah I was thinking of trading in HCTP too. After reading Ign's review I am having a hardtime trying to justify buying this game. I hate how the reviewer said the story mode is linear with very little branching paths and that you cant to to a different part of the arena to start something with a new wrestler. I also read that wrestlers cant jump shows because of them having specific storylines and voice overs for their respective shows. Well I will gladly trade hearing a wrestler say the same dumb shit over and over again for him to switch shows or set the shows up with who I want on it. I also hate not being able to use Kurt Angle and other Legends in the season mode.

 

The main roster just sucks. I would much rather have Spike Dudley, Paul London, Billy Kidman, La Resistance than fucking hardcore holly, atrain, chuck palumbo, garrison cade and mark jindrak. Also another thing taken out is that you cannot edit wrestlers. I can understand them not wanting us to edit wrestlers completely because than you can just change the wrestler to whomever you want them to be.

But old school Kane using a fucking powerbomb as his finishing move is criminal, he should have the tombstone. At least let us be able to change their moves. I am sorry THQ and WWE you will not be getting my 50 dollars this year on a lackluster product.

[Exslade ZX 0]

The main roster just sucks. I would much rather have Spike Dudley, Paul London, Billy Kidman, La Resistance than fucking hardcore holly, atrain, chuck palumbo, garrison cade and mark jindrak.

....Seriously, those are like the names that everyone lists, and they want the latter taken out. Why? (Yea, I know they're more talented) But the guys that everyone wants to be taken out...they are the ones that were making PPV appearances. They are the ones who were actually wrestling every week. Hardcore Holly was in the MAIN EVENT (SD) at the Royal Rumble, where the hell was Paul London? Frickin A-train was had like a 3 or 4 star match at No Mercy against Chris Benoit, which fits into this games time span. What was Kidman doing? Well..nothing, he was injured, so why should he be in the game? Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak BOTH appeared at Wrestlemania, and even moreso Garrison Cade was getting a singles push (w/ Coach) before his injury. What was Spike doing? Having jobber matches on Heat...that werent even main event. Yea, La Resistance doesn't really fit, because...well they were tag team champions...but even so, they were still jobbers.

 

Yea, I can see why everyone's saying they want to see these people subsituted, yea everyone wants the 'smark favorites' (kinda)...but fact is, ,they weren't doing anything at the time the roster was finalized, and these peolpe that 'suck' were. So the roster's perfectly fine.

[Downhome 0]

I hate some of the changes, very much, but I'll be buying it for one reason and one reason alone. It's the only reason I really buy wrestling games anyway, it's just about the only thing I base my buying a wrestling game on.

 

The gameplay.

 

In the IGN review it states that the gameplay actually improved, and that is one hell of a good thing. Add to that the fact that Bret Hart is in this game, and buying it becomes a no-brainer to me.

[Guest bigm350]

I don't want to shit on this game completely so we'll wait and see. I can see it now; on November 2nd someone will have the game and say " This game is 100 times better than HCTP, its the best wrestling game ever!" I'll buy it, because I'm a mark for the SD series, and judge it myself. But when the reviewer gives last year's game a higher rating than this year's, I don't know, it seems kind of dissapointing, right off the bat.

[Guest bigm350]

I hate some of the changes, very much, but I'll be buying it for one reason and one reason alone. It's the only reason I really buy wrestling games anyway, it's just about the only thing I base my buying a wrestling game on.

 

The gameplay.

 

In the IGN review it states that the gameplay actually improved, and that is one hell of a good thing. Add to that the fact that Bret Hart is in this game, and buying it becomes a no-brainer to me.

It'll be cool to unlock Bret and make HBK and HHH tap to the sharpshooter.

[Ted the Poster 0]

It also provides somewhat of a sense of justice.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

How unfortunate that the one game where they add Bret Hart, they remove Vince McMahon. And that was pretty much the one good reason to have a weak-ass Vince McMahon character in the game anyway.

 

Those two guys just can't ever exist in the same universe, huh?

[slimm44 0]

Absolutely, who cares that guys like Richards and other jobbers are not in the game. Why would you use them anyways? I already said why I would be buying the game but the legends are also a reason for me buying the game.

[Guest GoinHomeSmDay2006]

Just finished IGN's review. Okay here are my two cents about the game. First I really wish they had not brought announcing back as I knew it would be the same as the earlier games. HCTP was great b/c we didn't have to hear the announcers repeat the same damn thing over and over again. I got so tired of playing SYM and having JR or King scream "GORE, GORE, GORE" everytime Rhyno so much as showed his face on the screen. I don't like the exclusion of so many titles from season mode or the fact that you can no longer customize the rosters of each show. The loss/lack of many of my favorite superstars to play as/beat on is ridiculous. I could care less about the music from real bands as I usually listen to my own CDs anyway while playing (especially now that announcing is back). Also the fact that the season mode is more linear really sucks ass. I have been looking forward to this game for close to 6 months now b/c my HCTP got ruined by my kid. I still intend to get this game mostly for the create features, but I am doing so with my fingers crossed. In saying that though, it looks like I am going to also shell out an addition 20 bucks to get the newly lower priced HCTP again just in case.

[PsychoDriver 0]

Just finished IGN's review. Boy what a buzzkiller... It's very upseting that they took out alot of small but fun features (stats, titles, roster switching, backstage areas ETC) but added a few pointless features (the always subpar commentary, voice overs, un-needed music, weak online mode etc) It's almost like they were trying to screw this game up...

 

If I hadn't have had one of the dreaded Ps2 killing copies of HCTP. I wouldn't be buying this at all.

 

Well, I can only hope they added a ton of new moves and pumped up the CAW enough to make it worthwhile.

[Exslade ZX 0]

but added a few pointless features (commentary, voice overs, un-needed music, weak online mode etc)

Not trying to so much...'defend the game', but I'll just point out, last year, after HCtP was released, there was major complaining about it not being online. Everyone was talking about how great the addition of online will be. (It's the first year, you can't expect online season mode, online royal rumbles, online any kind of match, I mean wow, at least it's up there) I can also remember a lot of, 'What the hell happened to the commentary??' (although that was 50/50 since a lot did want it out), voiceovers have been something mentioned..as being wanted, on numerous sites since like...JBI. And of course...one of the biggest complaints..since well...SD came out, was that all they had was generic, BGM1, BGM2, etc. music. And they should get licensed tracks. And they did. Just not what some want.

 

So basically, all the stuff that people have been asking for for a while now...was added. But of course people are going to complain, because it's 'not what they'd do'. Not saying you, or anyone else in paticular wanted this stuff, but on the many forums/sites stuff like that I've been to the things you mentioned as benig 'unneeded' were things on many want lists a while back.

[PsychoDriver 0]

Oh of course, I rememeber reading all the demands for all that stuff.

 

But from my own slanted point of view, they just removed some stuff I enjoyed and replaced it with alot of stuff I personally couldn't care less about.

 

But It's impossible to please everyone, I suppose.

[Guest Real F'n Show]

It's possible to turn the announcers off, correct?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Well, SVR looks like horseshit to me. I'm saving my money this holiday season.

[Guest bigm350]

I just looked in my local Sunday ads and seen Best Buy won't have SD vs Raw until this Thursday.

[Guest Real F'n Show]

I just looked in my local Sunday ads and seen Best Buy won't have SD vs Raw until this Thursday.

Same here. I guess they moved the release date back two days guys. No big deal really.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I'm not too pleased with this linear story talk, considering on EP a guy from THQ said the exact opposite. Oh well, I liked the gameplay in HCTP so I'm still looking forward to to doing it with a slightly new roster and nice graphics. Bring it on!

[Guest Coffey]

Man, I don't know how to feel about this game in all honesty. I didn't really anticipate Here Comes the Pain, and when I got it, I thought it was fantastic.

 

I don't really care about the roster that much. Who's missing and who's not won't matter in the ultimate scheme of things. What it'll come down to is "will I be able to play this game with friends and have fun?" Well, since the basic game returning is the same, then the answer to that question should be yes.

 

If the storyline is as linear as people are making it out to be, then I'll just play through it once or twice instead of a multiple amount of times. No big deal.

 

I don't plan on ever playing the game on-line, so none of that shit matters to me either.

 

Being able to make a belt and defend it in exhibition games against friends will add instant reply value for me. So, that's a very big plus.

 

I plan on getting the game and playing the hell out of it with a couple of friends. At night, when my friends go home, I'll probably play through the season mode. Unlock all the shit and all that.

 

Then, after a day or two, if the game is still worth turning on, then it's a success to me. Anything to help pass the time when friends come over, you know? I'm not expecting the greatest game of all-time here. Seriously, it sounds like some people are expecting way to much these days. When it comes right down to it, it's just a fucking wrestling game. Right?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

That's the big thing for me too, Coff. I want a game that I'm going to want to keep playing and playing and playing. For example, I just recently bought GTA:San Andreas, and I know I'll be playing that for months on end without ever having to worry about the game becoming repetitive. The piss-poor diversity of HCTP's season mode left me mighty disappointed, and SVR's is apparently WORSE.

 

That be whack, yo.

[Exslade ZX 0]

Well, just be thankful the Smackdown series isn't like that damn TNA game.

 

Oh wait >_>.

 

At least it's something.

[Vyce 0]

After reading that review, and seeing all of this game's failures - and taking one more look at that roster, which is just woeful - I've pretty much decided to wait to buy this game.

 

Until the price drops to no higher than 30 bucks, $20 preferably. Even if that takes several months.

 

I just can't justify paying 50 bucks for a game that seems to be inferior, in just about all the ways that matter to me, than HCTP.

[KingPK 0]

Damn, I was just going to say what Vyce just did. I'm also going to wait until more reviews come out and maybe make this a rental. It'll probably go on my Christmas list, anyway.

[slimm44 0]

I went to Gamespot and checked out a couple video interviews and other vids and I must say I got really excited about the game and forgot all about the negative stuff said about the game. Hopefully I can find it in the next day or two.

[Jericholic82 0]

hmmm should i buy it? just shelled 50 for GTA:SA and Im nowhere near being done with it. and I also havent finished simpsons hit and run yet (which I finally got last month) and I have my season on espn nfl 2k5, and in the middle of a season on asb 05, geez I wont have the time to play a wrestling game.

 

 

I usually buy the new wwf/e title every year (the exception being wwf attitude which I rented but never bought due to wm 2000 coming out shortly thereafter)

 

 

in fact I own

 

Gameboy: wwf superstars 1 and 2, wwf king of the ring

Genesis: WWF Raw

 

N64: wcw vs nwo: world tour, WCW/nWo Revenge, WWF Attitude, WM 2000, WWF No Mercy

 

 

PS2: SD: Shut your mouth, SD HCTP

[dubq 0]

I'm very iffy on this title. Especially after what I've read about the season mode and how much they REMOVED from HCTP [customizing rosters, the tag titles, etc]. I'll probably just rent it or wait until I see it used for $19.99.