However, SVR still has a lot of button mashing involved. In fact, on higher difficulty levels, it becomes a giant pain as you are simply doing it all the time. After being beaten down, you must tap buttons to will your superstar up. On easy, it isn’t so bad, as the AI will layoff you and give you a chance to come back into the fight, as with normal. But on hard, it is so incredibly frustrating and tedious. Granted it isn’t supposed to be a walk in the park on that difficulty, but the AI really takes to extremes. It gets to the point where it is impossible to mount any offence at all. For very experienced players, this might not be a problem. But for people who want a good challenge, this just becomes stupid from the moment your opponent has you on the mat.
Another really annoying aspect of the game is the stamina meter, which can really be SVR's downfall at certain times. Obviously, the more moves you do in the ring, the more the stamina bar is going to drain away. But sometimes you can run from one and of the ring to the other at least twice, and not be able to do anything as your superstar is seemingly 'steamed-out'. It is highly unrealistic at times, and becomes beyond annoying. However, pace your superstar, and it tends to become slightly easier.
Don`t do it Rey!
Modes have returned in full force, and an enormous amount of credit goes to Yukes for making SVR the most comprehensive wrestling title you will see anywhere. It really is a wrestling fans dream to say the least. Every conceivable match type is there for the picking; with basic ones such as tag-matches have a wide variety of different ways to play them out. All your favorites, such as the coveted Tables, Ladders and Chairs match have returned, along with the recent Money in the Bank Ladder match. And these can all be played in an exhibition. Season mode also returns, with you being able to guide a wrestler through the twists and turns of everyday WWE life inside, and outside of the ring. You’ll make enemies, capture titles, meet wrestling friends, and generally get caught up in some seriously whacky storylines.
The General Manager mode has also received an overhaul this year. You can now choose a brand, Smackdown or RAW respectively, and then book all the matches for every show. You can also start feuds, which you will need to hire writers for. Of course, all these flashy gimmick matches and writers don’t come cheap, and the mode realizes that. At the beginning of each mode, you’ll start off with around a six-million dollar budget which you must use for that season. Keep in the budget line, and even make profit, and your job is safe. However, put your brand into debt, and well, you’ll be fired quicker than a superstar can be beaten down in.
But where would SVR be without its well respected Create-A-Wrestler mode? Well, this year it is back and better than ever, with a magnitude of different options. You of course have the standard editing of your characters face and body dynamics, which, by the way, are unbelievably deep. You can also make full entrances too, complete robust pyrotechnical displays. When finished with your wrestler, you can also create a movelist for him/her, depending on your characters body mass. And finally, why not make your very own title? You can design it yourself, and even take it onto Xbox Live to defend.
Speaking of which, Xbox Live is a big draw for SVR. It is immensely fun, and pretty much completely lag free. It’s also very interesting to take your character online and compare it with everyone else’s. The aforementioned defending of your championship is also available in matches, and it gives a great sense of achievement when you manage to defeat your opponent, and take his or her own championship from them. There are a few connection niggles at the moment however, with such difficulties as connecting to certain people plaguing the list repeatedly. Yukes however, are fully aware of these, and are sure to release a patch in the near-future.
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