Big men in small shorts... (WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 (Wii))

Member Name: ChandlerFord

Product:	WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 (Wii)
Date:	28/06/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Multiplayer fun, career mode challenging, good simulation

Disadvantages: All but career mode too easy, too much control in career mode

I had Raw Vs Smackdown 2008 and it was awful! As I'd played other games in the series, I decided to give THQ another chance this year.

Well, they have done a good job with the controls, last years were unintuitive and awkward. This year most of the movements make sense. So this game has actually been played rather than sworn at and left to gather dust like the 2008 edition.

There are several modes to be played, the first of which is exhibition. Here is where you can set up any match type and win easily. This is the first drawback... exhibition mode is too easy against the computer... typically I can beat the biggest and baddest superstar in the game playing as the most petite diva there is, and in under two minutes. Avoid Exhibition mode like the plague unless you have friends round as the AI here is poor to the extreme.

Next I tried online play. Again there are a multitude of match types and real opponents mean there is a much better challenge. However it's like sitting alone watching the football against going to the pub to watch it... there's no atmosphere at all and win or lose it's tedious.

On to the road to Wrestlemania... and while the AI is not much better than in exhibition mode, the interactive story lines are fun, and give you a sense of purpose.

Finally, the main event... career mode. Here you choose a wrestler and start at the bottom. Competing on all the different shows and pay-per-views for title after title until you hold them all. Some titles are as easy as exhibition mode, others, both individual world titles, are tougher and quite a challenge when you're new to the game. The only issue is you get to unlock a match type every time you become a number one contender, and other than the match to unlock the type, you get to choose the type of match and rules in every other fight... not very realistic if you're a fan of the real thing.

So, a great improvement on last year, but lose Road to Wrestle Mania (it's only fun once) and make career mode more realistic by taking some choices away from the player and THQ could have a winner for 2010.

Summary: A good effort, but still a way to go.