Graphics, the graphics are pretty solid and moves and animations run fluently.
Roster, play as your favourite extremist from ECW including but not limited to CM Punk and Tommy Dreamer.
Replay value, there is always plenty to do, earn a place in the WWE Hall Of fame, take control of your favourite brand, complete challenges and unlock legends, you won't be bored for quite some time.
Extreme! Light a table of fire and send your most hated wrestler crashing through it, bust someone wide open with a steel chair, or go to town with a Kendo stick.
Animation, the title belts look smaller and more sleek looking, and clothes and hair no longer merge.
THE BAD:
Cut scenes in season mode (24/7), some cut scenes don't make sense, I get a message from Shane McMahon asking me to team up with him to face his dad Vince, and then before my next match, I bump into him in the hall way and completely disrespect him. The same applies for shaking hands with my opponent before a match in the hall way, some of the cut scenes are just all over the place.
Lacking roster, the roster is reasonably up-to-date but some of our favourites are missing, no London and Kendrick, no Eddie Guerrero, no Deuce and Domino, no Highlanders, all this results in a very lackluster tag team division with only the Hardy's, DX and Cryme Time left as legitimate tag teams.
Few updates from last year, only Extreme rules match is new to the series.
Lack of attires, only HHH, HBK and Vince have alternate attires.
Commentary, the inclusion of Tazz and Joey Styles as ECW commentators doesn't make up for very disappointing commentary, the same lines as last year are used, which means the same errors and the same rambling. Fix it next year please Yukes.
SUMMARY: Smackdown! Vs Raw 2008 crashes back onto the small screen again this year, now featuring ECW. But that's all that's different about this franchise and last years version, ECW. It plays just like 07, only with revamped controls, and 24/7 mode, which combines last years season mode and GM mode. Not a lot has changed, which is a big, big shame. The commentary is exactly the same as last year, same lines, same bugs, same rambling. There are no new matches, unless you count the Extreme rules match, and matches that survived from last year that return this year haven't undergone any sort of change either. Same animation for buried alive, same animation for first blood etc. There is very little change, and for an annual installment, that ain't good.
With the one glaring weakness of the game out of the way, here's what works well for 08.
Reasonably Up-to-date roster, new characters such as The Sandman, CM Punk, Sabu and other ECW extremists are playable this year, Jeff Hardy makes his return to the series, and MVP makes his Smackdown! Vs Raw 2008 debut. As ever, legends including Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley and the Rock return.
ECW extreme rules match, just like a hardcore match, only you can light tables on fire, (yeah, you read that right), and select what you pull out from the ring (and what's under it) with all new "weapon wheel". This match is very fun to play, with a variety of weapons and all new weapon attacks.
"Hall of fame mode", remember challenge mode last year? It returns this year, only with the very cool Hall of fame theme. Recreate epic events of times gone by, including winning the Royal Rumble as HBK as the number one entrant like in 1996. Rewards include legends and arenas.
Tournament mode, win the king of the ring like King Booker, or beat the clock in the very fun beat the clock sprint and earn a shot at the championship. Not interested? Why not create your own unique tournament, you decide the stipulations, you call the shots.
Create yourself and your friends in Create a wrestler mode, with up to 30 free slots to use.
Unique fighting styles, there are 8 brand new unique fighting styles, including Hardcore, Showman, Submission Artist, Brawler, Powerhouse, High Flyer, Technical and Dirty fighter. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. No two superstars play the same.
There might not be any big differences to last years outing, but there is more than enough to keep you occupied, play a season on either Raw or Smackdown!, run either of the above shows in GM mode, win tournaments, unlock legends, complete challenges, and earn your place in the illustrious WWE Hall Of fame, it's all in your hands. How will you play?
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