Smackdown! VS. RAW: 2009 Review
By: Dr. Feelgood
Introduction:
I am reviewing the game Smackdown! VS. RAW: 2009 (often referred to as SvR: 09) for the Xbox 360, although it is available for the Wii, PS2, and PS3. SvR: 09 is a professional wrestling game based on the storylines of the professional wrestling company, the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). The game features many of the WWE’s famous superstars and wraps them in one game. The Road to Wrestlemania mode is a story mode where you play as a one of many optional WWE superstars and play in a storyline created by the WWE, somewhat based off of real WWE storylines. Although there are many WWE superstars to choose from, you can also use an old feature that has returned: Create a Superstar, where you can create your own wrestler and edit his/her abilities and attributes. All of this and much more will be discussed in my review.Also, there is one thing that I have realized about SvR: 09: you don’t have to like wrestling to enjoy this game. Something about that game is so much fun. Hopefully my review will expose that answer. Enjoy!
Controls and Game play:
SvR: 09’s controls are rather simple. You use the four main letter buttons for some basic actions: The ‘X’ button to use basic actions, such as punches and kicks; The ‘B’ button to use an Irish Whip (sling your opponent across the ring); The ‘A’ button to get on top of a downed opponent and use punches, head butts, and chin holds; and you use the ‘Y’ button to use your finishers or signature moves. You use the right analog stick use grappling moves, such as special punches, kicks, submission holds, or pins. The left analog stick is to move, and the left and right triggers are used to reverse. Those are the basic controls.
This game can be played with one to four players. The game has many modes to play in. The basic multiplayer mode is Exhibition mode (which is my favorite). You can do anything from One on One matches to Two on Two matches to 30 man Royal Rumble. You can play these matches as any of the WWE superstars or any of your created superstars, which I will cover later in the review. You can do these matches on Xbox LIVE, as well.
John Cena elbowing Mr. Kennedy
Road to Wrestlemania:
The Road to Wrestlemania is the story mode for the WWE superstars. You play storylines for the following superstars: Triple H, CM Punk, John Cena, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, and the first multiplayer storyline, Rey Mysterio with Batista.
These storylines go through several weeks leading up to the WWE’s main event: Wrestlemania, where you duke it out with your arch nemesis that you have made from the Road to Wrestlemania storyline.
Create A Superstar:
SvR: 09 has returned with the Create a Superstar (CAS) mode. With this mode you can create a wrestler, create how they look, make their entrance, create finishers for them and even create a move set (you can edit move sets and finishers for WWE superstars, also). Although you can make your characters look really cool, their graphics are poor compared to the WWE superstars.
Your created superstars start out with no abilities, and overall experience level starts off really low. To raise your stats, you must put your character through Career mode.
A Created Superstar
Career Mode:
Career mode is the mode where you improve the stats and abilities of created superstars and even WWE superstars. In this mode you go through a series of championship paths, eventually to have won every championship. Once you defend your championships enough, your character can be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. From Career, your character can go from level 36 to level 100. He/She can earn the ability smash someone’s throat with a chair. Your character can become the fastest or the strongest, or the most charismatic character in the game.
Online play:
Online play is very similar to Exhibition mode. You can do One on One matches, Two on Two, Triple Threats, Fatal Four-ways, and handicap matches. The more Ranked matches you play, the higher your online rank increases. You can also do Player matches and Private matches, but those do not increase your rank.
Graphics:
For an overview fighting game, the graphics are pretty good. Aside from the Created Superstars, the WWE superstars look pretty good. Blood will stream from their head and onto the mat when injured in the cranium enough. But the graphics are not the most important thing as we all know.
John Cena and Triple H in an Exhibition Inferno match
Sound:
The game sounds good. During matches, the announcers will talk the whole time, relating to the match you are playing. You can hear the sound of bones crunching under the intense pressure of the game. The voice-overs for the WWE characters are pretty good, sounding very similar to the actual WWE superstars. Also, for the entrances and the menu screens, the game plays the WWE superstars’ theme songs, such as Triple H’s song, “The Game,” by Motorhead.
Replay Value:
The replay value for this game is pretty good. There is always something to do. From dozens of different Exhibition matches, to Road to Wrestlemania’s many storylines, top creating a Superstar, to Career, to Online play, this game is worth the $40 (probably $30 for the Wii) you can get it for at a GameStop.
Overall:
I love this game. I truly do. I find myself being entertained for hours straight by this game. I highly suggest to anyone who enjoys video games. My friends whom don’t even like wrestling want to get this game. You don’t have to like wrestling to enjoy this game. Thank you for reading my review.
Overall score: 9
