WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 Review
It's been another year in the world of Sports Entertainment, and there have been numerous injuries, crazy storylines and of course plenty of wrestling. It's time for people to once again be able to re-live their fantasies and become part of the biggest Sports Entertainment company in the world, the WWE, with the latest edition of Smackdown vs Raw.
With the Smackdown vs Raw game being an annual release for a few years now, it would probably be quite easy for Yuke's, the developer, to get stuck in a rut in terms of creativity. This doesn't appear to be the case though, as this year's game actually has quite a few new features, as well as other popular features returning. For those who want to dive straight into the action, there is the option to play quick matches. These have a huge amount of variety, as players will have come to expect, and it's quite easy to jump into that dream 6-man Armageddon Hell in a Cell match.
The heart of the game comes with its other modes though. Road to Wrestlemania returns, now with six different storylines that can be played through. It's definitely a mode that captures the essence of the TV show, as players can take selected superstars, or one of their own created superstars, through a dramatic, and sometimes ridiculous, storyline that will eventually see them attain what they desired at Wrestlemania. It feels like a lot more could be done though, as while there are cutscenes, there is barely any decision making. As long as players win their match, there is generally a cutscene to accompany the victory, and that's basically it until the next show. Sometimes other characters leave phone messages, but aside from that, there isn't really much else. It's a shame, because the actual content is good, but it feels like watching a TV show, as opposed to actually being involved with it.
A more hands-on and perhaps generic option is Career Mode. Here, players choose a superstar and just go through the WWE winning literally every belt. There are generally four other superstars vying for the title, and each of them must be beaten to attain enough stars to gain the No. 1 Contendor slot, and then, the title. There essentially isn't anything else to the mode, it's just fight after fight after fight. It does allow players to improve their created superstars though, and unlock new abilities for them to use.
The actual gameplay is pretty decent. Players have a wide range of moves they can perform, which range from weak to strong. There are essentially two types of moves though, striking and grappling. Striking moves are performed quickly, and they are mostly punches and kicks. Grappling moves are longer, and involve throwing the opponent somewhere or performing a move on a specific body part - these generally do more damage. Wrestling is strongly associated with grappling, and to convey this, the right analogue stick is loaded with different moves that can be performed. Each direction performs a different move, and by pressing R1 + a direction on the stick, it's possible to go into a different type of grapple, which in turn allows for even stronger moves. It's still not the most fluid system to watch, and it can get a bit frustrating sometimes, but it does the job.
