i called my cat a fatty. then she bit me. and alot others. but i can't
think of em right now. lol.
"I would rather hurt a man than love a woman." - Mick Foley
It is with those words we begin the review for my new favourite wrestling videogame of all time. Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 is the game that we have been waiting for since No Mercy back on the N64. It is by far the best game in the entire Smackdown series since it started to be released annually way back when and feels substantially more than a collection of minor improvements. 2010 delivers a strong experience that is hardy to its core without losing a single punch of amusement, at times playful, at others it’s brutal, but at all times it will capture your attention whether you’re into wrestling or not.
A funny tv spot for Smackdown Vs Raw 2010
At the heart of the game, the grapple engine is more fluid and responsive than it’s ever been. Such is the refinement that I doubt I’ll ever be able to go back and play the older Smackdown games after being spoilt by what I consider to be one of the best control schemes for a wrestling video game ever. There is an improved mixture and flow of signature moves to finishing moves which can be accessed by taunting your opponent and also by wrestling well. It makes the matches more realistic because you’re unlikely to pull off a finishing move before a signature move (for example, Rock Bottom is a finishing move; The People’s Elbow is a signature move). Not only does the flow of the matches seem a lot smoother, the production is closer to what you would find on the television.
The HUD has been taken down and more cinematic angles are used to look more like what you would find on your TV screen, even the little WWE logo flashes up in the bottom left hand corner of the screen after a match before fading out. The game succeeds in capturing the look and presentation of the shows it’s trying to imitate. The graphics are largely the same as 2009 but there is an overall level of polish making it a superior update. The crowd looks great with character models not doubling up half as much, they all hold up signs depending on who is in the ring, and all the stadiums and backdrops look absolutely authentic. If you love your wrestling, you’ll love the look and feel of this game.
"I have balls the size of grapefruits, and come this Sunday you'll be spitting out the seeds!" -- Vince McMahon
The Road to Wrestlemania makes another appearance after its success in last year’s game. It has six new stories to follow and all of them are as good, if not better, than what you would find throughout a season of watching real wrestling. There is also a new Diva story and a heartfelt tribute to Shawn Michaels (which is actually my favourite story of the lot). The co-op story feature Triple H and Cena is worth noting as well. Playing through all six stories is going to take you quite some time and the rewards are there to justify the lengthy playtime. You’ll unlock alternate costumes, objects, and of course, other wrestlers.
There is still a heap of match types and to tell you the truth I really can’t think of a single match type that wasn’t represented. From elimination chamber to hell in a cell, it’s all here for you to take part in, and while it feels pretty much identical to last year, at least the Royal Rumble has been fixed up making it feel exciting to play and almost brand new again. I would even go so far as to say that the Royal Rumble mode is back to being my favourite mode of the lot. I probably play it more than just about everything else. Eliminating players boils down to a mini game, both offensive and defensive, and you really feel like you’re in control instead of it being down to chance and not really explaining why you might have gotten thrown out the ring. It really does make everything feel fairer and brand new.
A collection of
scenes you can choose from in create a story
mode
There is a huge roster, some great superstars and some forgettable ones that I wouldn’t exactly stamp with the superstar brand just yet, but there is plenty for everyone. As far as I could tell you can’t import your SVR 2009 roster or Legends of Wrestlemania roster which is something I was hoping you could do, but I hope they have some memorable legends being offered for download soon. The rings look great, the controls and action are remarkable, the commentary and crowd all look and feel as you would want them too. A lot has been put into the making of this game and it shows. By yourself or with a buddy you’re going to have a blast.
"I'm gonna stick your head so far up your ass you’re gonna have to cut holes in your nipples to see!" -- The Rock
Now while we might be winding up the game-play part of this review we haven’t even talked about the amazing community options that are available this year. The CAW (create a wrestler) options in the past have almost warranted their own disc they were becoming that deep, and while 2010 has scaled things back a little, it has done so because it offers true 3d objects to be placed on wrestlers rather than everything feeling like a paintjob that rests on the skin of the player. It comes with the trade off that you can’t have as many objects but with everything looking so good, I didn’t mind in the slightest and I don’t think you will either. The new paint tool allows you to create any picture or logo you have the imagination or talent to build, and you’ll be able to place it just about anywhere on the wrestler’s body. It’s like Forza, you’ll be crap at first but stick with it and you’ll end up making some impressive pieces.
Not only can you make your very own kick-arse wrestler, you can create your own custom move set, but for new players prepare to feel intimidated. There are literally hundreds of moves to choose from and getting them all to flow and correspond the way you want is something that is going to take some time to master. A bit of trial and error will see you triumph, not to mention a little bit more patience than you’re probably used to giving. Trust me; it will be worth it in the end.
Create a finisher returns and is better than ever, even though it has more options and outcomes, the navigation was easier. I created ‘The Gridlocker’, a reverse Diamond Cutter followed by a dropping elbow. It looks a little goofy but if I was a real wrestler I would look a little goofy, so it suits me perfectly. You can create moves that look like it would kill your average man or you can do silly moves that look like they wouldn’t hurt a fly. Either way, it’s up to you and create a finisher mode couldn’t be easier to work out.
The biggest addition to Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 is the story creator – that’s right, a story creator! You can make your own stories featuring your own superstar or one of your favourites and make your own epic saga like being a real WWE writer! I dreamt of things like this as kid, to see it in action now is a dream come true.
You can have smaller stories that last a week or you can make the story last months, either way is up to you. With so much choice and options available, I felt almost overwhelmed and not knowing where to start, but starting off slowly I soon got the hang of everything and was able to finish ‘The Short Ballad of Man-god’ in just under a week (and it is pretty epic, I’m still tweaking it). The possibilities are almost limiteless and put in the fact that you can download stories, wrestlers, costumes, you name it, off the community servers that people have created and you have a game that will just keep on giving for years to come, or until next year.
You can even search by typing into the search field; want to find a Goldberg that was created by someone out there? Find it, see the rating, download it, rate it yourself, and use it…hell you can even use it in your own stories making it wonderful to download characters that your friends have made and making a story to include all of you.
Potentially whole clans could make seasons of stories that interact with each other and are named so that people can download them in order…I’ve never seen such amazing tools given over to the community with such ease…you’ve made me happy THQ…very very happy. Hell you can even make classic scenarios of the past and bring them into the future…the more I sit here writing, the more I’m ideas I’m coming up with for this game. If I can come up with something, I’m sure the community are gonna go nuts and create some wonderful and weird concepts. It couldn’t be easier either.
Not everything is perfect, loading screens for created content take forever and the servers tend to be a bit slow, there are still clipping and collision problems in the matches themselves and trying to manually target another wrestler in a 2 vs. 1 match for instant, seems to do more with luck than skill. But these are just minor gripes, 2010 is the best Smackdown game of the entire series! I haven’t had this much fun with a wrestling game since back on the n64. It’s good to see 2010 be this generation’s No Mercy. I’ll always remember this wrestling game as one of my favourites and I hope you do too.
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