WWE Smackdown vs Raw (PS2)
WWE Smackdown vs Raw (PS2)
Developed by: Yuke’sPublished by: THQ
Well here comes the Gooner’s first video game review, and they will be few and far between. I’ve never been a huge gamer, but since I’ve come into some money lately, I finally came around to getting a PS2, with the motivitation behind it being the purchase of the very game I’m reviewing, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw. I’ve played just about every Playstation WWE game, and enjoyed them all. What can I say, I’ve been a wrestling fan since I was little and am easy to please. Still, with this immediate bias toward this game, I can assuredly tell you if you are even remotely interested in wrestling games, Smackdown vs. Raw is the one to get.
While not a significant move forward from the last incarnation, last year’s “Here Comes the Pain”, Smackdown vs. Raw offers moderate improvements in most departments.
The gameplay remains very easy and fun, with all the basic moves and specials picked up by anyone within minutes. But as you spend more time with the game, even months after playing, you learn new little things and combos and will surprise yourself at the moves, taunts and special attacks available in the game and its many gimmick matches. Since the WWE is involved with the game, there is a seemingly endless supply of possible moves to keep the game interesting, especially versus other wrestling games without the knowledge of available moves. A regular singles match in a WWE game is always for many reasons better than anything you can come up with in Backyard Wrestling, Rumble Roses, Legends or anything else.
Aside from the body health icon and “Smackdown” meter, in the new game you can choose to be a clean or dirty wrestler and earn points to doing other specials by how clean or dirty you fight. As well another new bar appears in the Royal Rumble mode, giving you a “ring out” meter letting you know how far you are from being eliminated. You can increase your meter back up by eliminating other opponents.
Storyline season mode in the WWE games are now far better than ever before, mainly because the past modes have been so bad. While after one year the storyline basically repeats itself, there is more going on, it’s actually tolerable to sit through, and you can earn points to unlock legend wrestlers like Bret Hart, Andre the Giant, as well as other loading screens, points to enhance other wrestlers abilities, different clothing, etc.
By far my favorite feature of the WWE games has always been the “Create A Wrestler” mode. There are more options than ever before, with facial sculpting to really get the features down of people you know to put in the game. I’ve already created dozens of friends to beat up in the game – lifelike adaptations, as well as bizarre monsters and characters to inhabit the WWEverse, including Gay Hitler, who is about as awesome as you could imagine.
With all these positives, there are still areas for improvement. The hardcore match feature is no good anymore as they’ve taken away the ability to move from room to room throughout the backstage arena, limiting you to the ring or to one backstage area. They make up for this though with the new “parking lot brawl” where you can throw your opponents through car windows and other such mayhem. There are some glitches in the game making it possible to infinitely destroy an opponent with one move, annoying any friends you are playing with to no end. A few characters look a tiny bit off. The legend wrestlers don’t have entrance videos, some key characters are missing from the game while questionable others made it through. And finally, it would please the living hell out of me if they’d add some truly bizarre stuff to the create a wrestler mode. I’m talking full superhero stuff — capes, giant claws, hammer hands, wolf heads — an early incarnation of WWE Smackdown series had lizard heads. I want them back.
The game overall is similar enough to the last game that if I had paid a hefty sum for it I’d consider myself disappointed. However there’s just too much fun to be had and so many ways to keep the game fresh for a long period of time there’s no way this game could get a thumbs down. — Goon
Comments (52)
Same here. My roommate, The Masked Prick, knows most of the cheap-one-move-destroys-all glitches, but it’s all in good fun.
Posted by Abrenicon on January 18th, 2005No complaints, other than wanting more. The season’s finally worth playing, and the fans in the arena even look awesome (anyone remember Super NCAA for SNES, with the giant blue-void background?)
Anyway, yeah, buy, rent, steal.
wwe
Posted by sahar on February 18th, 2005wwe
Posted by sahar on February 18th, 2005its class
Posted by gare on February 18th, 2005I like taht will you so me some pictures it was good.
Posted by dominic on March 14th, 2005does anyone now how can i download an play smackdown vs raw on my pc????? please if you now something please tell me my e-mail is Nuno_Nunes_13@hotmail.com
Posted by Nuno on March 20th, 2005I don’t think u can get smckdown! vs raw on pc
Posted by ulla on March 25th, 2005Thw smack Vs Raw game is the bomb man. Nobody can make the best game then THQ. I always wacth wwe samckdown. Nomatter how much the game costs I stil buy it.
Posted by Rameez on April 2nd, 2005aint played it yet
Posted by adam on April 13th, 2005Great Game! but they need to put in more legends and you should be able to use them in season mode. also they should put in the inferno match, casket match. they should even do a mode where if you complete it you get all the legends plus you have a legend season mode with all the old arenas like ceasers “wrestlemania IX” there are so many legend wrestlers i would like to be in the game: doink the clown,demolition,natural disasters,nasty boys,money INC.,bam bam bigalow, ultimate warrior,macho man,yokozuna, owen hart,giant gonzales,bushwackers,the rockers,koko b.ware,big boss man,king kong bundy,jake the snake roberts,nation of domination,the brood, Sergeant Slaughter,Psycho Sid,acolytes(APA),degenration-x,razor ramon,lex lugar,hulk hogan etc. they should also put in the managers like legend undertaker with paul bearer masked kane with paul bearer, mr fuji with yokozuna miss elizabeth with macho man and sensational sherri with shawn michaels and many more.
Posted by Archi on April 19th, 2005im sorry if this is abit long but i had to get it off my chest. and im not even a hardcore fan anymore i miss the old days with hulk, and andre.
excellent game could do with a bit more like all the titles more matches more legends all of both rosters dont just leave some out. stupid. but a great game should make season mode longer different story line for each supastar including the legends they should be able to be used in season mode. create a belt and ppv is great fun, like i keep saying it needs more legends, the legends made the wwe HOGAN
Posted by Lee on April 19th, 2005i think this game is good but it does have a bad side 2 it, it doesnt have wrestlers that are there now like eugene or lita n snitky but most of all it dont have jeff hardy and hulk hogan no really you cant have a wrestling game with out hulk hogan now can ya and also we nned more titles like the tag teams and the cruiser wieght and also they need aul bearer and miss jakie with rico and haas and on the entrance of cenas he needs 2 actully talk
Posted by Mykel on April 22nd, 2005smackdown vs raw
Posted by gregorio on May 1st, 2005smackdown vs raw
Posted by gregorio on May 1st, 2005Will there be another wrestling game for PS2. Because, the rumors are that there want be anymore! Please someone answer. Aight Peace.
Posted by max on May 2nd, 2005I think its good but u need more lengeds,mangers,more titles,more matches,more modes but no goldberg,brocklensar,classisyfreedyblassie,and wcw , nwa,tna,Ecw people and im only 11 and im the won who is asking please make it the best game with HULKHOGAN.
Posted by George on May 5th, 2005The game is very good but the wrestlers from legends of wrestling 1, 2, and showdown you need to have more cool matches like.. steel cage match, barbed wire match, the inferno match, and you need Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, A sumo match, a bald big show, and make us make our own matches and please put HULK HOGAN!!!!!!!! Thank you.
Posted by George on May 5th, 2005if you want Hogan why dont you just get the last Smackdown game? the rosters change in the games as they do in reality.
Posted by Goon on May 5th, 2005this game is awesome but the only thing that sucks and thats that it doesnt have tag and cruiserweght titles.
Posted by gamefan on May 5th, 2005I played WWE Smackdown vs Raw and I beat the hole game.This is the Best game Ever!
Posted by Jamie Smith on May 15th, 2005I like smackdown .vs. raw because My best friend Jamie Smith Beat the hole game for me.
Posted by Ruben Redfox on May 15th, 2005the smackdown vs raw needs more people on it
Posted by dominique Jamerson on May 19th, 2005hi iam egyption ilove brocklensar
Posted by eslam on May 20th, 2005you should make your game 19.99ea.so more people can get it
Posted by jamie on May 25th, 2005the game is very good
Posted by yassin on June 3rd, 2005I love gold berg
YEEEE!
Posted by Rui on June 5th, 2005it’s a good game!!
I love it!!
SmackDown! vs Raw is good but it needs way more titles and more people like hulk hogan and better legends like Jake The Snake Roberts, Owen Hart, and Sting. You should be able to put titles on the line like on SmackDown! 2.( I like that game but the graphics are bad.) You should also go backstage more like on SmackDown Here Comes The Pain. It should have Two Player season like SmackDown! 2 and you should be able to go out in the crowd like on SmackDown Just Bring It! You should be able to walk backstage in season like on SmackDown! Shut your mouth. It would be cool if all the games were put into one. If you wonder how do I know about all the games. I got all the SmackDown games except the first one SmackDown!( But I played it)
Posted by Aaron on June 29th, 2005I LOVE THE GAME BUT IT NEEDS MORE DIVAS IN SEASON TO GET THEM AS YOUR MANAGER AND HAVE SEX WITH THEM
Posted by HARRY on July 8th, 2005better gaphics,better legends,better fun
Posted by andy on August 12th, 2005I think the game on a scall to 1 to 10 it would be about a 5 because the game graphics are good and everything but it ia also missing a lot of stuuf. For example it is missing a whole lot of people such as hulk hogan,steve austin, hurricane,rosie,heindinrih,lita,muhammad,christy hemme, and alot of other people. But there are also some good features like u can create ur own belt, there are some better moves in Create-A-Move-Set, and there are better things in Create-A-Superstar. If u were 2 create another wwe game u should put in a Creat-Your-Own Finisher or sumthing like that. And one more thing put in all the belts and matches like casket matches. Well thats all i have 2 say bye.
Posted by Drake B. on August 20th, 2005people people people.
half of you who come on here complain about it not having wrestlers that didnt even DEBUT until after the game was made….
Posted by Goon on August 20th, 2005I think the game is pretty good but it needs alot of improvment. I mean when your in a hardcore match there not enough rooms and the weapons are crappy, and what ever happened to hogan and jeff hardy put them in as legends damnit. Put more call names and you should be able to create your own entrances and special moves. Other than that the game is good like I said.
Posted by Tara Roosevelt on August 23rd, 2005Jeff Hardy works for TNA wrestling who the WWE hate, theres not a chance in hell they’ll be considered for ‘legends’ until they’re retired. You’re only going to see 80s stars like Jake the Snake or big stars like Austin who are still on good terms with WWE…
Raw vs. Smackdown 2006 comes out in Nov, and looks like it should blow this one out of the water.
Posted by Goon on August 23rd, 2005your all gays!
Posted by snake on August 25th, 2005WWE Smackdown VS Raw is so shit! Smackdown VS Raw 2006 is going 2 b betta!
Posted by snake on August 25th, 2005well obviosly there will be another game. . . DUH. it is called smackdown vs raw 2006. there will be alot of new stuff added to the new game. i herd that there will be more ring attires because people were complaining about seeing rey mysterio and eddie gurrero and people that come out in different colours every show being the same colour. I personally think that is a good idea. there is going to be alot more endings in smackdown vs raw 2006 then the game that they have now.
Posted by Brendan on August 28th, 2005not everyone will have different attires, it’ll eat up too much space for other new features/upgrades. major characters will have different attire, people like Rene Dupree and Gene Snitsky (if he’s in the game) would not.
Posted by Goon on August 28th, 2005fuck off
Posted by gy on September 10th, 2005thanks for sharing
Posted by Goon on September 10th, 2005these are the legends they should def put in there without a doubt: hogan, austin, savage, warrior, bret hart, nash and hall(nWo),LOD,the rock. im not a foley fan or rock but i guess they’ll be in there and they should. but the first ten i said def should be in there, if they have room they should put brock,goldberg and steiner even though they anit legends im sure people wouldnt mind it,i wouldnt mind seeing sting but that wont happen cause he was never in wwe. i agree with the person that said put demolition,natural disasters,nasty boys,money INC jake the snake roberts,Psycho Sid,(degenration-x at least the music so people can create there own dx), but all those tag teams would be good ads espically with the lack of tagteam wrestling anymore. even legendary mangers would be good ad like miss elizabeth,sensational sherri,heenan. that would be the perfect game something for every1.but the ten guys i named first should really be in it,cause im sure 90 percent guys i named every1 creates them anyway!
Posted by john on September 10th, 2005this game rocks so much man i wish i had tis games
Posted by DANIYAL on September 12th, 2005who has this games??????
Posted by daniyal on September 12th, 2005I WANT A CASKET MATCH IN THE NEXT WRETLING GAME…I MEANT I DEMAND A CASKET MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OK!!
Posted by GARVEY on September 13th, 2005you’re getting one.
I think I should put up a news item thing so people stop asking questions that have been answered on several game sites already.
Posted by Goon on September 13th, 2005BRET HART EULEZ!
Posted by Finland Jus on September 17th, 2005they should have those legends in there like warrior and savage. but i don’t know if they can sign the warrior. after the way mcmahon treated him, the warrior has no respect for mcmahon. is it true that on smackdown vs raw if you finish season mode with every wrestler you unlock hulk hogan and if you finish season mode with hulk u unlock steve austin. if anyone knows email at theceng@hotmai.com
Posted by cengiz on September 18th, 2005my corect email is theceng@hotmail.com sorry bout the mistake
Posted by cengiz on September 18th, 2005no to both of those questions.
Posted by Goon on September 18th, 2005FUCK U
Posted by ??? on October 2nd, 2005“Here’s come the pain” is the best
Posted by Gsxr on August 20th, 2009Leave a Reply