In the gaming world, there are very few constants. It takes a lot to consistently bring out sequel after sequel, and at the same time, keep making the series fresh and intuitive. Luckily, developer Yukes have always managed to do that. And this year, they have gone all out to make sure that Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 is even better than any other game in the series. Whilst familiar fans won’t find much radically different, aside from the new analogue control system and lifelike graphics, they will find a game that has been tuned to perfection, and one that results in a fantastic wrestling game.
In terms of the WWE roster, SVR is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the game has over fifty selectable wrestlers, including some of the more well known legends from WWE days gone by. However, given that the roster in the WWE changes almost every week, you are going to see quite a number of wrestlers who aren’t actually in the company any more. Likewise, some of the newer wrestlers aren’t even in the game at all. Having said that, Yukes have done their best to try and keep it as up-to-date as possible.
Gameplay-wise, Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 successfully manages to combine all the traits of past games, and then mix it up in the ring with some added variation. It can be very frustrating at times, but the new analogue control system works like a charm, and is pretty much its main selling point. It at least takes a good thirty-minutes to figure it out, but when you do, you’ll find going back to the old button pressing way of playing is fairly bog-standard in comparison.
Essentially, players can use the analogue stick to execute a wide variety of moves. Along with the right bumper, you can grab an opponent, and then flick the stick in a direction to start whatever move is mapped to that direction. But it also goes much deeper than that, as the longer you hold onto the right bumper, the more the move set changes. So for instance, holding down the right bumper as long as you can and pressing left will bring up the power move-set. Hold it down for a few seconds to the right however, and you can start working on your opponent with quick submission moves, which will slowly but surely wither them down. It is all about your superstars preferred method of attack, which will come into play depending on your attributes. Obviously, a smaller guy like Rey Mysterio will not be able to do power moves, but he will be very agile in the ring, and have the option to use quick moves to tire out opponents.
The sweat system in action....
Another brilliant new edition to the gameplay is dubbed as ‘interactive-grapples’ and this allows you to choose exactly how to execute a move. By clicking the thumbstick in during a grapple, you can hoist your opponent up in the air in a variety of different positions. Bring them up for a vertical suplex, and you’ll be able to carry your opponent around the ring, before slamming them down. You can even choose to throw them forward, instead of a traditional falling suplex. The same applies for such moves as power-bombs and falling power-slams; you can choose what you want to do in those positions.
Submission maneuvers have also been tweaked this year, and now feel much less tedious than before. You’ll have to button mash to get out of most of them, but Yukes have provided a brand new way of stopping some of the more difficult submissions to break. When in something like a triangle-choke for instance, a small bar will pop up in the corner, indicating that you must stop a tiny dash inside of a bigger section to stop the hold. Of course, the section will change in size depending on how worn out your superstar is. You can also stop the bar in some tiny reversal sections, which are difficult to do, but if you manage to time it right, you can reverse the current move and apply it on the other wrestler.
Mysterio from the top....
Yukes have also now provided an extra bit of class in the game, allowing you to use environmental objects to decimate your foes. Walk up to steel steps for instance, and you can smash your opponents head against the cold steel repeatedly. You even control the force of the smashes with the right thumbstick. Not only this, but you can now take the fight in the crowd itself; dubbed the ‘arena hotspot’. Chairs, tables, poles and even weapons from the fans themselves all can be used here, and during hardcore matches, it becomes a great deal of fun to lure your opponent into this area.
Pages
