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WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007
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Graphics & Sound:
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is another installment in what many consider to be one of the top wrestling franchises of all time. Developed by Japanese studio Yuke’s Media Creations, and published by industry stalwart THQ, this steroid-filled slam fest makes a strong case for itself this year.
Graphically, this title is quite well-done here.. Many wrestlers are near picture perfect representations of their muscle-bound, spandex-wearing phenoms seen on cable TV every night. They even have a wide array of facial animations throughout the game, although the hair does look a bit off. Of course, the intros are a staple of any wrestling event, and it’s no different here. They are extremely flashy, loud, with all kinds of pyrotechnics, lasers and more going off as the entertainers prepare to enter the ring. There are a few issues with clipping, and those classic long-winded animations can leave your wrestlers looking rather goofy as your move finishes it’s pattern. Also, the crowd in this day and age of fully realized, 3D-models is just plain laughable, with shallow representations displaying limited animations. But really, the strong points shine through in regards to solid motion-captured animations and gorgeous textures, so all in all, this category fares very well despite a few hiccups.
Soundwise, the soundtrack has many top-rated artists delivering songs, such as Three Days Grace, Godsmack, Nonpoint, and GhostFace (from WuTang fame), to name a few. These are an assortment of rock and hip-hop tracks well suited for such a raucous title. Along with the kicking music, the voiceovers are also quite nice, with tons of talented impersonators, but I’m not quite the same wrestling aficionado I once was (more “Hulkamania” than “NWO”), so I may not be the best judge on official voices. The announcing teams of Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross, along with Tazz and Michael Cole, do a splendid job of conveying the action, with all their built-in hype working wonders. Finally, the sound effects are pretty good as well, although some of the action is muffled by all the chaos surrounding the actors (yes, it’s fake!!! *gasp*), although you can tweak a few things with the audio controls to maximize various effects.
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Gameplay:
The meat of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is presented in a number of different game modes. Season Mode plunks you through numerous intertwining stories, unfolding like a badly-acted, beef cake version of a soap opera. Betrayals, gang-ups, love trysts and more heighten the palpable tension, although it can get pretty goofy more than not. Along with this is the General Manager mode, where you can act like Mr. McMahon, wheeling and dealing wrestlers to different venues, selecting writers to throw in zanier scripts and more. And like most “Coach modes” like this, you can jump into any event and go toe to toe with the very wrestlers you write the checks for. The GM mode does leave you feeling a little detached from the action, and at times relies on rather gimmicky notions ( like the struggle against rival brands) to fill in depth. Most of the fun is to be had as an actual wrestler, and there is no better way to do that than the Create-A-Wrestler modes. You can customize a ton of options from moves, appearance and personal intro (more explosions!).
The various match options are also, well, un-matched. You can fight in RAW and SmackDown obviously, but also HEAT, VELOCITY and Saturday Night’s Main Event, via a plethora of modes. These
include your standard Singles (with manager options), Tag Team, Backstage Brawls (taking place at a bar/parking lot), Battle Royale, Royal Rumble (yessss!) First Blood (bleed first, you lose), Steel Cage, Hell in a Cell and many, many more. Some of the roster also includes many notable stars, including but not limited to: Batista, Ric Flair (isn’t he like 90?), Booker T, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Lita, Kurte Angle and The Undertaker - over 40 current wrestlers in all. Add to this a stable of Legends like Bret Hart, The Rock, and Mr. Perfect, and you have a ton of wrestlers to enjoy. Needless to say, you won’t be tired of any match offerings here, for quite some time.
Now, let’s finally get down to the real substance of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 - the in-the-ring action! The heart and soul of any wrestling game is the grappling system, being able to manhandle your opponent is key into pulling off devastating finishing moves, leading to that all-important pin. Using the right analog stick, you initiate contact with your adversary, and by how hard you move it, will initiate tons of different moves, from quick holds to more powerful ones, and then you can lay waste with some spectacular slams and so forth via Ultimate Control, new to this year’s installment. The latter allows for some variations in mid-sequence, changing up from a suplex to a pile driver, rope drop and more. Also new are environmental Hotspots, such things as pounding some face into the ringpost, tables, steel steps and anything else that will leave a mark. If this doesn’t do it for you, you can always hop into the crowd and pull out some nastier stuff, like signs, chairs, speakers and more deadly objects. The action in general is pretty dang enjoyable - after all, what can you criticize about careening around a ring, throwing up classic clotheslines and foot stomps, all while in front of thousands of screaming fans? ....yeah... I can’t think of anything either.... it was a rhetorical question... never mind...
Along with the deep single-player options are a good compliment of online options, for up to 4 players (six players offline) and you can utilize many of the standard modes here as well. You can challenge title belts, trade superstars and so on. |
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Difficulty:
This title will daunt novice wrestlers, or those not privy to games in years past, of the even the real life parallel. Still, there is enough of a gentle learning curve to help the most inexperienced player, and you don’t need your room covered in Stone Cold Steve Austin posters to compete either. Mastering the various moves takes a while even for the most hardcore fans, but once you start understanding the concept of quick grappling versus strong grappling, and when to launch into a throw, a slam etc, it becomes pretty simple.
Of course, all of this is complicated with some wonky A.I. Your own tag-team partners apparently were pounded too much in the head, because they often leave you hanging. Your opponents don’t fare that much better, as often times they will get you in a tough spot, unable to break out of a hold, and beating you endlessly. However, with a bit of luck and timing, you should be able to reverse it right onto them, pummeling them into the next world. Or you can just pound on the game pad like I do and yell obscenities at the screen. Obviously, this may not be an option for those of you with finicky neighbors or small children, but hey, whatever works, right? |
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Game Mechanics:
The camera, for the most part, is pretty smart about positioning, and can be adjusted in many different ways. Controls are generally responsive and coincide with their respective moves, but occasionally get off the track or cut in an animation, resulting in some frustrating mashing of the buttons. This also relates to the collision detection issues, missing wildly, while connecting elsewhere. Trying to line-up for some more acrobatic moves is probably the greatest challenge, and too bad too, because it’s also the coolest thing in my opinion. You have to love those crazy masked wrestlers who pioneered this art, eh? Folks like Rey Misterio Jr. and Ultimo Dragon. The aforementioned Mr. Dragon sure was the bomb in those N64 titles...eh?
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is another solid title in the proud wrestling video game tradition, one that dates back to the Atari 2600, and spans the decades in between with many smash hits. This title combines excellent visuals and sounds, with a hearty amount of game modes with adrenaline-filled drama. While there are a few issues with the A.I. and graphical synchage, no wrestling fan should go without this sucker, and it at the very least warrants a rental or two from your local Hollywood or Blockbuster. |
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-Tybo, GameVortex Communications AKA Tyler Whitney |
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