THE GOOD:- Extremely great graphics. Best in the series
- New comers such as Chris Masters, Muhammad Hassan, Carlito, and more
- Improved CAW mode
- Improved voice overs in season mode
- All new GM mode which can be quite addictive
- Amazing move sets and game play as ever
- Improved cage match
- More move sets!
- Now you can choose a voice over for your CAW from 5 different 5 voiceovers!
- All new stamina feature (if it gets annoying you have the option to turn it off!)
- Options has been improved
- All new sleeper mode system
- All new possum feature
- All new momentum system
- Power Irish whip has been added
- Create a PPV mode
- Buried Alive match
- And alot more great features!
THE BAD:
- 3 Hogans! Why 3??
- Extremely dull AI
- EC match in SVR was better. At least it had some sound effects in it
- Season is good at first but it gets repetitive (like the usual)
- Soundtracks in this game are horrible like the usual
- And most dissapointing thing is THQ/Yukes took out 3 Stages of Hell mode
SUMMARY:
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 is not just another wrestling game. It actually defines the genre, thanks to lots of improvements and tons of options. It's not the perfect wrestling game but it's damn close. You don't have to be a wrestling fan to appreciate the challenges put forth in this excellent title.
There's no use slamming the old wrestling games. This is new territory. Where we try to caution you about annual sports titles and how little they improve year-to-year, suggesting you wait out a season or two until some major changes have been implemented, WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 is ripe for the picking. If there is a better wrestling game on the market I'll eat my
words. I hear digital text contains very few calories.
WWE SVR 2006 is a lot more challenging in many respects. The AI has been tweaked but it's still a bit of a disappointment as the characters tend to perform in too similar a style. The AI may be more difficult to dominate but you can change that by adjusting the slider options. The trouble is that all of the AI characters are affected by those changes. At least you have the various multi-player modes to look forward to.
Strategy must be exercised carefully in this game. There are a lot of decisions to make which requires a lot of forward thinking. Instead of being able to keep your opponent under control with a couple of your most powerful moves, you are now going to be forced to use a different technique. A Momentum and Stamina meter have been introduced to make the game play more realistic. You aren't going to have unlimited ammo anymore. Keep using all of your top-level moves and eventually you're going to be drained of energy thanks to the Stamina meter. If you continue to use the same moves repeatedly you will bore the audience and lose Momentum, making you more sluggish and vulnerable to hits. You've got to make a conscious effort to keep things fresh and interesting.
New moves will make you want to experiment with the game play. There is a new sleeper hold, the ability to play possum, the Irish Whip and grapple moves that are totally customizable for each character. The only grapple elements you'll have to share are submission holds and the dirty and clean grapples. Other grapple options include martial arts, power, speed and old-school. Remember the Hulk is a playable character and you've got to respect his old-school style. I wouldn't want to argue with those pipes.
The Season and GM mode let you see the world of professional wrestling from a different perspective than just watching it on TV but it does get repetitive like I said after a while. The GM mode is deep and contains a lot of text and menus but if you want to run a multi-million dollar business you're going to have to get used to doing a lot of paperwork. In the GM mode the bottom line is ratings. Get the ratings and you're earning big money. To do this you have to hire the best performers, er
I mean wrestlers that you can afford. You'll also have to script events and create rivalries to titillate your audience.
Character creation is much more comprehensive than it used to be. Not only can you customize each character's grapples but you have tons of physical options to choose from. You can even trade your creations with other players online.
Multi-player modes can be accessed both online and offline. Online you can play against five other players while you can only duke it out with three others online. From tag team to battle royal matches, the game doesn't miss a trick - or a match. It even includes the Buried Alive match where you have to wrestle your opponent out of the ring and into a waiting coffin whereupon you proceed to bury him with tons of dirt that just happens to by lying nearby. Hey, it's all about ratings.
Wrestling for the championship belt is the tour de force of the online matches. Stats are recorded and stored for all players so you can check out the history of the players that you're going up against. It can be intimidation to say the least if you're up against a multiple title holder. There are a few online omissions that would have really completed this game such as a buddy list and the ability to communicate during matches. I guess you can't have everything.
Closer and closer to graphical perfection, the characters are virtually photo-realistic. You won't have any problem recognizing any of the wrestlers unless they are fabricated. The animations are, (and I hate to use this word when referring to the movement of trucker-sized guys) graceful. Shots of the crowd make it appear as though you're watching the real event on TV. The voice overs are even better than some of the stuff that passes for acting on the actual WWE broadcast. The commentary leaves a lot to be desired. It tries too hard to emulate the excitement of the game rather than just being a component of it.
Graphics= 5.0
Controls= 4.5
Soundtracks= 1.5
Replay Value= 5.0
Life Span= 5.0
Fun Factor= 5.0
Overall= 4.5
If you're an SD/wrestling fan or liked the previous SD games then this game is a must buy. If you're unsure then rent it first and see for yourself. One thing for sure is that this SD game is the best out of all the SD games I have ever played!
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