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- Review by Matt Black
Spoiler
Posted on Monday, October 25th, 2010 by Matt Black
Will This Be Your Moment? Or Will It Simply Pass You By?
The months of waiting are finally over, on October 26th WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2011 finally hits stores nation wide. The comparisons to Here Comes The Pain have been stagnant. Can this WWE title really over come what some would argue to be the greatest Smackdown game of all time? I’ll let you know my opinion here.
Now let me get this out of the way first, the game isn’t perfect. It has its flaws and short comings like all prior Smackdown’s before it. While some things have improved some things have gotten worse. Its a mixed bag for sure but what you get out of this game will be heavily determined on how you play it.
While most reviews are long winded where the reader really just wants to scroll to the end and see the final score I’m going to try to take a different approach. As I’m going to name three things that I do and don’t like about Smackdown vs RAW 2011. At the end I will give the game a score out of ten. (Sorry Mike, I don’t like the 5 star system) So without further ado, lets do this thing…
THINGS I LIKE:
- WWE Universe:
I have found that in my 4 days with this game that I have probably spent more time in this mode than any other aspect of the game. Taking the superstars I want and inserting them into the main event feuds that WWE won’t do on TV is fantastic. The moments that happen throughout the mode, although repetitive are tons of fun and add another dynamic that makes you want to keep playing and see what will happen next.
- Online:
Thank God! Last year with 2010, online was unplayable. I mean the lag was so bad it killed my overall experience with longevity of the title. This year is no longer the case. As I have noticed a tiny bit of lag at some points it is no where near as bad as the last years game. I would put it right up there with 2009 in terms of online functionality. For everyone online that likes to skip entrances, I would suggest not doing so this year as allowing the data to load for the game during them makes for a much smoother match experience.
- The Swapped Grappling System:
While everyone was worried about this feature I would like to put all the worry to rest by informing you all that it works incredibly well. The amount of weak grapples have been expanded dramatically to moves that were strong grapples last year. Giving what I feel is a much more fluid motion to your matches. Some of the chain grappling sessions at the beginning of matches I’ve had with co-webmaster Mike Regan have been fantastic.
THINGS I DON’T LIKE:
- Road To Wrestlemania’s Backstage Areas:
Oh these can get annoying quick. Not only is it way too large, there just isn’t enough to do. You can also tell which wrestlers did or didn’t care about the voice over work they did for the game by how they come across when you run into them backstage, with even some people having no voice over work at all.
I found myself rushing through the backstage areas just to get to the next match. While I have enjoyed all the stories in Road To Wrestlemania so far, I could have easily done without the backstage areas this year. Or at least shrunk the size of them in half.
On a closing note on backstage, how sad is it that The Hurricane, who had some of the best voice overs in this mode isn’t a playable character…WASSUPWITDAT!?
- Poorly done, inaccurate Move Sets:
Oh boy…they’re bad. Just plain bad! Easily the WORST move sets I’ve ever seen in a Smackdown game. Duplicate moves everywhere, people doing moves they have never done. Lacking moves they do in almost every match. It’s down right bad. I really don’t know where to place the blame here but I have to point fingers at everyone at Yukes and THQ for letting this slide through QA.
While the problem with each superstar is fixable, its inexcusable that we have to go through and update every single superstars move sets when this should have been done by them well before the release of the game. When you have a game like Here Comes the Pain that was released over five years ago over shadow a game that comes out today, you KNOW that something is terribly wrong.
- Title Defenses in WWE Universe:
How frustrating is this? I mean come on! If you are the number one contender for your respective championship, you should be able to get a title shot on RAW or Smackdown whenever. Title defenses happen on WWE TV all the time, someone on the design team needs to be informed of this fact apparently.
On top of that, once you’re on the PPV the CPU books the title matches. If a title you wish to be defended isn’t being done on that show, too bad. You can’t change it. Even if you set up a match between the number one contender and the champion, its just a regular match. Down right disheartening. I’d really like to see this somehow get fixed, and I’m hopeful that it will.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
While there are countless other things I do and don’t like about the game such as the improved physics engine and the down right horrible elimination of a TON of diva clothing in create a superstar, I won’t continue to bore you with the details.
Overall my opinion is this, another year…another Smackdown. This year they fixed the online and gave single player replayability value which the title so desperately needed. But at the same token, took away things such as freely decided title defenses and some key options in Create A Superstar.
While the game is enjoyable and I like it a lot more than last years game. I don’t see it overtaking Here Comes The Pain, THQ and Yukes still have a ways to go.
FINAL SCORE: 8.5 out of 10
Will This Be Your Moment? Or Will It Simply Pass You By?
The months of waiting are finally over, on October 26th WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2011 finally hits stores nation wide. The comparisons to Here Comes The Pain have been stagnant. Can this WWE title really over come what some would argue to be the greatest Smackdown game of all time? I’ll let you know my opinion here.
Now let me get this out of the way first, the game isn’t perfect. It has its flaws and short comings like all prior Smackdown’s before it. While some things have improved some things have gotten worse. Its a mixed bag for sure but what you get out of this game will be heavily determined on how you play it.
While most reviews are long winded where the reader really just wants to scroll to the end and see the final score I’m going to try to take a different approach. As I’m going to name three things that I do and don’t like about Smackdown vs RAW 2011. At the end I will give the game a score out of ten. (Sorry Mike, I don’t like the 5 star system) So without further ado, lets do this thing…
THINGS I LIKE:
- WWE Universe:
I have found that in my 4 days with this game that I have probably spent more time in this mode than any other aspect of the game. Taking the superstars I want and inserting them into the main event feuds that WWE won’t do on TV is fantastic. The moments that happen throughout the mode, although repetitive are tons of fun and add another dynamic that makes you want to keep playing and see what will happen next.
- Online:
Thank God! Last year with 2010, online was unplayable. I mean the lag was so bad it killed my overall experience with longevity of the title. This year is no longer the case. As I have noticed a tiny bit of lag at some points it is no where near as bad as the last years game. I would put it right up there with 2009 in terms of online functionality. For everyone online that likes to skip entrances, I would suggest not doing so this year as allowing the data to load for the game during them makes for a much smoother match experience.
- The Swapped Grappling System:
While everyone was worried about this feature I would like to put all the worry to rest by informing you all that it works incredibly well. The amount of weak grapples have been expanded dramatically to moves that were strong grapples last year. Giving what I feel is a much more fluid motion to your matches. Some of the chain grappling sessions at the beginning of matches I’ve had with co-webmaster Mike Regan have been fantastic.
THINGS I DON’T LIKE:
- Road To Wrestlemania’s Backstage Areas:
Oh these can get annoying quick. Not only is it way too large, there just isn’t enough to do. You can also tell which wrestlers did or didn’t care about the voice over work they did for the game by how they come across when you run into them backstage, with even some people having no voice over work at all.
I found myself rushing through the backstage areas just to get to the next match. While I have enjoyed all the stories in Road To Wrestlemania so far, I could have easily done without the backstage areas this year. Or at least shrunk the size of them in half.
On a closing note on backstage, how sad is it that The Hurricane, who had some of the best voice overs in this mode isn’t a playable character…WASSUPWITDAT!?
- Poorly done, inaccurate Move Sets:
Oh boy…they’re bad. Just plain bad! Easily the WORST move sets I’ve ever seen in a Smackdown game. Duplicate moves everywhere, people doing moves they have never done. Lacking moves they do in almost every match. It’s down right bad. I really don’t know where to place the blame here but I have to point fingers at everyone at Yukes and THQ for letting this slide through QA.
While the problem with each superstar is fixable, its inexcusable that we have to go through and update every single superstars move sets when this should have been done by them well before the release of the game. When you have a game like Here Comes the Pain that was released over five years ago over shadow a game that comes out today, you KNOW that something is terribly wrong.
- Title Defenses in WWE Universe:
How frustrating is this? I mean come on! If you are the number one contender for your respective championship, you should be able to get a title shot on RAW or Smackdown whenever. Title defenses happen on WWE TV all the time, someone on the design team needs to be informed of this fact apparently.
On top of that, once you’re on the PPV the CPU books the title matches. If a title you wish to be defended isn’t being done on that show, too bad. You can’t change it. Even if you set up a match between the number one contender and the champion, its just a regular match. Down right disheartening. I’d really like to see this somehow get fixed, and I’m hopeful that it will.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
While there are countless other things I do and don’t like about the game such as the improved physics engine and the down right horrible elimination of a TON of diva clothing in create a superstar, I won’t continue to bore you with the details.
Overall my opinion is this, another year…another Smackdown. This year they fixed the online and gave single player replayability value which the title so desperately needed. But at the same token, took away things such as freely decided title defenses and some key options in Create A Superstar.
While the game is enjoyable and I like it a lot more than last years game. I don’t see it overtaking Here Comes The Pain, THQ and Yukes still have a ways to go.
FINAL SCORE: 8.5 out of 10
- Review by Mike Regan
Spoiler
Posted on Monday, October 25th, 2010 by mike regan
Mike reviews WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011
Reviewing video games is hard. No matter what score you give the game someone is going to be unhappy with you. If you give it to high of a score your accused of being a fan boy and being on THQ’s payroll. If you give it a low score you are called some pretty horrible things and your house is egged. So every year before WWE Smackdown vs Raw is released I sequester myself in a room with the game and a carton of Pepsi and hash out writing the review. It also doesn’t help the fact that I am such a huge wrestling and wrestling game fan. But this year we will be doing a few things differently when it comes to our review of the game. We will have 3 reviews of the game. Matt Black, Brad Ward and myself will be writing our reviews and posting them separately during this week. So between the three of us you will get a fair and balanced look at the game from the prospective of 3 of the biggest wrestling gamers currently on the internet. Anyway here is my review of WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011.
In the past I have been accused of purposely leaving out the negatives of the game in my reviews. To be fair I don’t see that being the case but I will be doing something differently for this year I will start off with the issues I have found with the game in quick easy to digest bullet points.
1. Commentary is bad. Its not so much that the quality of its bad but the execution of it leaves a little to be desired especially compared to the work done on the UFC 2010 game in that area. Commentary in this years game lacks any real flow from moment to moment in the match. So instead of telling a story like real life WWE commentators attempt to do each week on TV programing your left with cut and paste sound bytes that may or may not fit the particular situation you find yourself in. For example, I was playing as John Cena defending the WWE title against Randy Orton at a PPV after Cena defeating Orton in a hard fought match Michael Cole said something along the lines of “If he fights like this on Sunday he will defend his title for sure.”
2. I know this was a big bullet point for this game but honestly the backstage areas in Road to Wrestlemania is executed badly. For one, the areas are huge and spread out which would normally be a great thing except if there really isn’t anyone backstage populating the areas. You basically have 6 other WWE Superstars hanging around backstage from which you can interact with in someway. Another issue I had with the mode was the camera used for the mode. I am not sure if its the way screen moves while you move your character or the fact that your character is too close to the screen but after only playing this mode for a brief time I did find myself a little queezy from motion sickness. I am a huge first person shooter fan and I play them all the time so its not that things like that effect me normally. The actual stories themselves are excellent and clearly a step up over previous years. Standouts this year is Christians and the Undertakers storyline. I found myself rushing to the arena entrance to proceed onto the next storyline element and match completely bypassing most if not all of the backstage segments.
3. Controls. While I am overall satisfied with the control changes that were made this year I do have 1 nitpick which may actually be my own fault. You see in previous years to pick up your opponent all you had to do is press the B button on the Xbox 360 controller. Now this year they changed it where you have to press the B button to pin and to press up on the right stick to pick up your opponent. I have lost count how many times I have went for a pin when all I wanted to do was pick them up from the prone position. On the other hand controls have been touched up and enhanced and it has been improved over last years game. While I mentioned some of the problems I have had with the new control scheme but overall the controls this year has improved over what we had last year. Controls do feel more intuitive and with the return of the tutorial you will find yourself putting a world of hurt on fools in no time.
4. I am not a huge create a superstar user. I mostly make maybe 1 or 2 CAS a year and last year I downloaded a ton of the many great CAS that was made by the community. I did notice that THQ removed the transparency option which does eliminate some functionality that was found in last years game. Perhaps there was a technical reason or perhaps it was just a simple oversight. But at any rate it is a noticeable loss. Also lost this year is several moves from the move list. In previous years, THQ’s Bryan Williams explained that moves were removed from the game because they simply didn’t match the quality of the other moves of the game. So they replaced those moves with new motion captured moves that matched the quality. This year however, there are several moves that were removed but no replacement to be found. Basic moves like the standard leg drop finisher or shining wizards or the buzz saw kick. Also missing this year is moves from the games biggest unlockable Rob Van Dam. Namely the split leg moonsault. Matt mentioned the move sets in his review and I have to agree with him on that regard. I will say though I really digged the improvements in the Superstar threads section. While it still doesn’t allow you to truly edit the in game WWE Superstars as much as you would like it does help make the game unique to each individual. I spent hours in this mode alone.
5. Lack of user created title matches in exhibition or WWE Universe. This would seem to me to be a no brainer for a wrestling game and the restriction placed on the gamers to play WWE Universe at a PPV to compete for a WWE Title is unwelcome and unfortunate.
Now with that all of the way I can get on with the rest of the review.
Graphics: Visually WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is a stunning game. The character models are incredibly life like and even surprise the WWE Superstars themselves on how close they resemble the real life counter parts. Where this game is lacking is the framed animations which cause the game not to move as smoothly as it should. The new physics engine is a wonderful new feature this year and really does add a air of unpredictability to the game especially in the TLC and ladder match. Where human flesh and bones meet steel and wood with awesome results of destruction. The havok engine is the star of this years game and it adds a ton of fun to this years game.
Online has been given a complete overall this year and it truly has been improved over last years offering. While its not quite perfect with the lag but for the most part THQ and Yukes have nailed the online this year. The big inclusion this year is the online Royal Rumble which after playing a match online with 5 of my buddies I can safely say that it is a great experience. They have upped the player count to 6 year with up to 12 players playing online in the Royal Rumble. One thing that I noticed and was confirmed by THQ’s Marcus Stephenson is that during online play it is recommended that you watch the entrances completely without skipping because a lot of data and info is loaded at the beginning of the match and if you skip the entrances you will find the beginning of the match will start with lag. Also with the way THQ has improved the community sharing this year really shows the commitment by THQ to clearly listen to the fans feedback. This year creators will be able to share their create a superstars with the world and with the new ability to finally edit the download community creations this really puts the games online feature set over the top.
WWE Universe to me is the number one reason to buy this years game. I play a lot of single player exhibition matches and the ability to have some story line based moments to happen naturally during the game play that resulted from my actions earlier is a welcome and awesome new edition this year. While its not perfect, I would like see more variety of moments that happen during the course of playing the game but over all there more then enough times that the story elements that occurred made me mark out. More important than that is the future potential of this mode and I am very much looking forward to what THQ/Yukes can come up with next year.
Also this year the game features a huge 70+ roster with pretty much all of the current big names. While there are some exceptions with some of the more recently signed WWE Talent but with the promise of future DLC this game features most of the big names you see on weekly WWE TV. Speaking of DLC, this years game features a brand new focus on a extensive DLC campaign featuring WWE Legends like Lex Luger and the British Bulldog and current WWE talent like Nexus and Layla. Next year I would like to see THQ focus even more on expanding the longevity of the game with including more DLC than what is featured this year. Really the skies the limit in that regards.
Overall, this years game may not be the end all be all of wrestling games but what THQ has done has improved on last years game biggest faults. Regardless of what score I ultimately give this game those of you hardcore fans will buy the game regardless. But for those of you who are on the fence for this years game I highly recommend at the very least a rental to check out the awesome WWE Universe mode as well as the incredible new physics engine.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 Screenshots
Graphics: 5
Sound: 3
Gameplay: 4
Replay Value: 5
Tilt: 4
Overall: 4 Stars
Mike reviews WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011
Reviewing video games is hard. No matter what score you give the game someone is going to be unhappy with you. If you give it to high of a score your accused of being a fan boy and being on THQ’s payroll. If you give it a low score you are called some pretty horrible things and your house is egged. So every year before WWE Smackdown vs Raw is released I sequester myself in a room with the game and a carton of Pepsi and hash out writing the review. It also doesn’t help the fact that I am such a huge wrestling and wrestling game fan. But this year we will be doing a few things differently when it comes to our review of the game. We will have 3 reviews of the game. Matt Black, Brad Ward and myself will be writing our reviews and posting them separately during this week. So between the three of us you will get a fair and balanced look at the game from the prospective of 3 of the biggest wrestling gamers currently on the internet. Anyway here is my review of WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011.
In the past I have been accused of purposely leaving out the negatives of the game in my reviews. To be fair I don’t see that being the case but I will be doing something differently for this year I will start off with the issues I have found with the game in quick easy to digest bullet points.
1. Commentary is bad. Its not so much that the quality of its bad but the execution of it leaves a little to be desired especially compared to the work done on the UFC 2010 game in that area. Commentary in this years game lacks any real flow from moment to moment in the match. So instead of telling a story like real life WWE commentators attempt to do each week on TV programing your left with cut and paste sound bytes that may or may not fit the particular situation you find yourself in. For example, I was playing as John Cena defending the WWE title against Randy Orton at a PPV after Cena defeating Orton in a hard fought match Michael Cole said something along the lines of “If he fights like this on Sunday he will defend his title for sure.”
2. I know this was a big bullet point for this game but honestly the backstage areas in Road to Wrestlemania is executed badly. For one, the areas are huge and spread out which would normally be a great thing except if there really isn’t anyone backstage populating the areas. You basically have 6 other WWE Superstars hanging around backstage from which you can interact with in someway. Another issue I had with the mode was the camera used for the mode. I am not sure if its the way screen moves while you move your character or the fact that your character is too close to the screen but after only playing this mode for a brief time I did find myself a little queezy from motion sickness. I am a huge first person shooter fan and I play them all the time so its not that things like that effect me normally. The actual stories themselves are excellent and clearly a step up over previous years. Standouts this year is Christians and the Undertakers storyline. I found myself rushing to the arena entrance to proceed onto the next storyline element and match completely bypassing most if not all of the backstage segments.
3. Controls. While I am overall satisfied with the control changes that were made this year I do have 1 nitpick which may actually be my own fault. You see in previous years to pick up your opponent all you had to do is press the B button on the Xbox 360 controller. Now this year they changed it where you have to press the B button to pin and to press up on the right stick to pick up your opponent. I have lost count how many times I have went for a pin when all I wanted to do was pick them up from the prone position. On the other hand controls have been touched up and enhanced and it has been improved over last years game. While I mentioned some of the problems I have had with the new control scheme but overall the controls this year has improved over what we had last year. Controls do feel more intuitive and with the return of the tutorial you will find yourself putting a world of hurt on fools in no time.
4. I am not a huge create a superstar user. I mostly make maybe 1 or 2 CAS a year and last year I downloaded a ton of the many great CAS that was made by the community. I did notice that THQ removed the transparency option which does eliminate some functionality that was found in last years game. Perhaps there was a technical reason or perhaps it was just a simple oversight. But at any rate it is a noticeable loss. Also lost this year is several moves from the move list. In previous years, THQ’s Bryan Williams explained that moves were removed from the game because they simply didn’t match the quality of the other moves of the game. So they replaced those moves with new motion captured moves that matched the quality. This year however, there are several moves that were removed but no replacement to be found. Basic moves like the standard leg drop finisher or shining wizards or the buzz saw kick. Also missing this year is moves from the games biggest unlockable Rob Van Dam. Namely the split leg moonsault. Matt mentioned the move sets in his review and I have to agree with him on that regard. I will say though I really digged the improvements in the Superstar threads section. While it still doesn’t allow you to truly edit the in game WWE Superstars as much as you would like it does help make the game unique to each individual. I spent hours in this mode alone.
5. Lack of user created title matches in exhibition or WWE Universe. This would seem to me to be a no brainer for a wrestling game and the restriction placed on the gamers to play WWE Universe at a PPV to compete for a WWE Title is unwelcome and unfortunate.
Now with that all of the way I can get on with the rest of the review.
Graphics: Visually WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is a stunning game. The character models are incredibly life like and even surprise the WWE Superstars themselves on how close they resemble the real life counter parts. Where this game is lacking is the framed animations which cause the game not to move as smoothly as it should. The new physics engine is a wonderful new feature this year and really does add a air of unpredictability to the game especially in the TLC and ladder match. Where human flesh and bones meet steel and wood with awesome results of destruction. The havok engine is the star of this years game and it adds a ton of fun to this years game.
Online has been given a complete overall this year and it truly has been improved over last years offering. While its not quite perfect with the lag but for the most part THQ and Yukes have nailed the online this year. The big inclusion this year is the online Royal Rumble which after playing a match online with 5 of my buddies I can safely say that it is a great experience. They have upped the player count to 6 year with up to 12 players playing online in the Royal Rumble. One thing that I noticed and was confirmed by THQ’s Marcus Stephenson is that during online play it is recommended that you watch the entrances completely without skipping because a lot of data and info is loaded at the beginning of the match and if you skip the entrances you will find the beginning of the match will start with lag. Also with the way THQ has improved the community sharing this year really shows the commitment by THQ to clearly listen to the fans feedback. This year creators will be able to share their create a superstars with the world and with the new ability to finally edit the download community creations this really puts the games online feature set over the top.
WWE Universe to me is the number one reason to buy this years game. I play a lot of single player exhibition matches and the ability to have some story line based moments to happen naturally during the game play that resulted from my actions earlier is a welcome and awesome new edition this year. While its not perfect, I would like see more variety of moments that happen during the course of playing the game but over all there more then enough times that the story elements that occurred made me mark out. More important than that is the future potential of this mode and I am very much looking forward to what THQ/Yukes can come up with next year.
Also this year the game features a huge 70+ roster with pretty much all of the current big names. While there are some exceptions with some of the more recently signed WWE Talent but with the promise of future DLC this game features most of the big names you see on weekly WWE TV. Speaking of DLC, this years game features a brand new focus on a extensive DLC campaign featuring WWE Legends like Lex Luger and the British Bulldog and current WWE talent like Nexus and Layla. Next year I would like to see THQ focus even more on expanding the longevity of the game with including more DLC than what is featured this year. Really the skies the limit in that regards.
Overall, this years game may not be the end all be all of wrestling games but what THQ has done has improved on last years game biggest faults. Regardless of what score I ultimately give this game those of you hardcore fans will buy the game regardless. But for those of you who are on the fence for this years game I highly recommend at the very least a rental to check out the awesome WWE Universe mode as well as the incredible new physics engine.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 Screenshots
Graphics: 5
Sound: 3
Gameplay: 4
Replay Value: 5
Tilt: 4
Overall: 4 Stars
- Review by Brad Ward
Spoiler
Posted on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 by Brad Ward
Brad Ward weighs in on WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 which is THQ’s most ambitious Smackdown Game yet.It has been 7 years since i have formally reviewed a WWE Smackdown game, I felt since then the series has been much of a roller coaster and hard to really pin point to what the games identity truly is. This year the game really finds its moment in the history of wrestling games because WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is not about what the game tells you to do, it is all about what is YOUR MOMENT. So the thing that really stood out to me in this years game which has been a constant evolution through ought the years, but has been finally been fully realized is that the game is all about YOUR choice.
Creation options is something that this game has no shortage of and everywhere you turn it is all about what YOU want YOUR experience to be. So like in past years there is a full featured Create a Superstar Mode with a ton of parts and options to customize your superstar. The created superstar mode this year has not changed an awful lot from years past, but they have added some more parts and makeup options to add to your created superstar. One part of the CAS system that I really like is they have improved the layer system this year, so now you can freely move, delete and view your layers and even select design independently from the part they were applied to. One negative however is that for some designs, you can no longer use the transparency option.
Editing how your superstar looks is not the only way you can edit your CAS, you can also customize the move sets and there is a whole slough of pre created move sets from current WWE Superstars and In game legends. Also there is a ton of move sets for superstars not making an appearance in the game or superstars who did not make the cut for whatever reason. There is some disappointment found in the create a move set system, as it appears that a handful of moves have been removed, and there is even some duplicate moves in the signature slots.
I understand that is okay sometimes, because some superstars do not have a large arsenal of moves, but I am sure most superstars have at least 2 finishers and 2 signatures that standout. For the casual fan who follows their favorite WWE superstar, the movesets do the job pretty good and you will see moves like the Attitude Adjustment, Tombstone Pile Driver and even new moves like the Cobra and Futureshock DDT. All of the WWE Superstars Finishers for the most part are properly represented with the exception of Ezekiel Jackson. Here is a list of the alternate movesets :
1. Gregory Helms
2. Charlie Haas
3. Jaime Noble
4. Shane McMahon
5. Paul London
6. Brian Kendrick
7. Lance Cade
8. Trevor Murdoch
9. Big Daddy V
10. Elijah Burke
11. Boogeyman (I Think)
12. Hardcore Holly
13. Val Venis
14. Kung Fu Naki
15. JBL
16. Carlito
17. Umaga
18. The Great Khali
19. Mr. Anderson
20. Trish Stratus
21. Brock Lesnar
22. Goldberg
23. Kurt Angle
24. King Booker
25. Jeff Hardy
26. Samoa Joe
27. AJ Styles
28. Ric Flair
29. Eddie Guerrero
30. Roddy Piper
With the ability to create our own finisher continues from years past and we can now choose the turnbuckle as a spot in the create a finisher, with a ton of different moves that can be done off the top of the turnbuckle, including the Pepsi Plunge. You are also able to once again edit the attires of WWE Superstars and WWE Legends, but this year there is a lot more different hot spots to change the colors of the WWE Superstars.
While we cannot change the parts of the superstars, with the added hot spots for changing colors on the superstars it will keep our game current in the ever changing WWE Universe. What would a WWE Superstar CAS be without the entrance, the entrance designer works just as good as it has in past years, and they have added a whole bunch of new pyrotechnic selections and there is about 8 or so generic music selections for your CAS.
While it is all fun and good to edit how your playable superstar looks, is represented and plays, something I always wanted to be in charge of my own WWE Universe. This year with the newly added more the WWE Universe is at your fingertips, think of it as exhibition + Career Mode + plus Smackdown 2 story mode with voice overs. It really is a combination of a bunch of different things as you get to control whether people are good or bad, who is champion and you get to play every event in the WWE calendar from WWE Superstars to WWE Wrestlemania, and is never ending. It is really the equivalent of the dynasty mode in Madden or a Franchise mode in NBA 2k. Not only do you get to play every match in the WWE calendar, you also get to view how people are ranked in a Power 25 like ranking system, view your champions and view the latest news update going on in your universe.
One thing that was really impressive to me in the WWE Universe mode is how the matches you play in quick play, play now mode integrates into your WWE Universe. The presentation in the WWE Universe is in a class by its own, because you will be playing a match and then all of the sudden, someone will do a mid match run in or you get Mr. McMahon trying to screw you over in classic Mr. McMahon fashion. The mode really is why a lot of people will be coming back to the game and make the wrestling game keep putting it in their system.
The road to Wrestlemania mode this year returns and we get to play as Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Christian and the choice of John Morrison, Kofi Kingston, R – Truth, Dolph Ziggler and your created superstar to face the Undertaker. As far as picking YOUR created superstar, it really has to be yours as if you download one off the community creations, it cannot be used in that mode, so you either need to write down the formula or make something from scratch.
The road to Wrestlemania story lines this year are a mixed bag. While they do present a story that is on level with the quality found on WWE television, something is just missing from them. To start off missing from them is the pyrotechnics and show intros which really added to the presentation in last years game. My belief is that with the addition of the somewhat open world featured in the game took away from the presentation of the road to Wrestlemania mode. They do use the open world as a interface to start matches, speak to figures of authority and do some random tasks that the game presents you with.
The mode features full voice overs for the superstars involved in not only cinema tics but also found wandering in the backstage area as well. The confrontations you have with the superstars are entirely up to you, but are encouraged because if not all of the challenges are completed in the game, you will not unlock key superstars such as Stonecold Steve Austin. Confrontations begin by either pushing a superstar or initiating a conversation. Some of the downfalls of the road to Wrestlemania are not enough to make or break the purchase however.
Added to this years game is also a full physics system, as we now see people realistically interacting with objects in the environment from the TLC match with the tables, ladders and chairs so now people will realistically crash and burn into ladders and the ladders will snap in half to the tables shattering into a million pieces to the chairs denting when you whalop your opponent with it. Also if you have an actual table match and you try to put your opponent through a table the table will buckle if your opponent is not beat up enough yet, which makes for some really realistic and interesting table matches.
This year instead of having table finishers, you are able to aim your finishers and grapples as well with the left stick which works not just for table matches, but works great for regular matches as well and the superstars will interact with the ropes and other parts of the ring as well. The Hell in a Cell mode this year got a huge upgrade this year, as the Hell in a Cell structure is just as big as it is in real life, there are more ways to damage your oponnent with the cell as well, as a new way to get out of the cell with breaking out of the side panels of the cell, which does a better job of keeping the action confined within the cell then previous years. The Hell in a Cell also has finishers this year as we will see moves like the Sweet Chin Music to the chokeslam being done as finisher on the edges of the cell. Backstage brawls has been upgraded this year too, as you can now fight in the parking lot, two different locker rooms, gm office and catering. The different brawls areas are taking from the open world backstage area.
The Grappling system has received a huge change this year as now instead of having to apply the RB or R1 modifier for strong grapples, they are now done by getting your opponent into a groggy state. This can be done a variety of ways such as corner clotheslines, ground pick up , brawler combo strikes and reversals. Tree of Woe position has been added to the turnbuckle positions as well the ability to lift your opponent up to the turnbuckle for a grapple such as a suplex. Much of the same gameplay returns with the signature finisher combo being attached to the Y button when you achieve full momentum. The targeting system has been moved to clicking the left stick and works quite well. There also comes a point where you have to tap the a button to get out of groggy state.
One great thing about the last couple of Smackdown games is they have not removed any match types, instead they have added upon them with a great new feature called match creator, which works very seamless with exhibition and WWE Universe mode. You are able to change a variety of options like environment, if you want post match celebrations, time limit and even the option to win by a finisher. So if you want you could make a match so you could win by submission at backlash in a inferno match ring. The options and combination’s are endless and will help with keeping the game from becoming out of date.
The online system this year has gotten an upgrade with the possibility of having an online Royal Rumble. Up to 6 people can play in the ring at a given time and up to 12 people can be connected to the session. So there will be 6 people or so waiting in the queue and is like a ladder or tournament mode in other fighting games. We have not had a lot of time with the mode but it has a lot of potential and should be a lot of fun with some friends.
Also as mentioned you can have up to 6 people in one match, including the Elimination Chamber. They have also added the WWE Shop where you purchase all of your download able content and there is a Fan Axxess pass where you get all of your DLC for free, ability to unlock everything and custom badges and icons for your WWE Prestige Profile. Like a lot of games these days a code is required to play the online mode, so on the back of your manual, is found a code to access online axxess, which gives you access to the multiplayer mode online. By itself if you obtain the game used is $9.99 for online access and $9.99 for Fan Axxess.
When you upload community creations and win matches you get prestige and there is 4 or 5 different overall rankings that start with trainee and end with legend. One huge thing they have fixed this year is you can now edit all creations locally on your Xbox 360. There is still a lack of online leagues this year but I am sure that will be remedied in future years, however we have leader boards that are broken down by match type, so it is not just an overall leader board ranking now. From the few matches i partake in they were lag free and played quite well. Just remember though that could change, but as of now the lag is non existent.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is oh so close from being the new Heres Comes the Pain but there are a few key components that stop it from achieving that such as some elements like some move set issues, presentation lacking in the road to wrestlemania modes and few odd presentation issues in the the game like the spinner belt still being shown in the pre match and the ability to defend belts in exhibition at anytime is slightly dissapointing.
However those things aside does not ruin the overall experience of how the game plays. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is very fun WWE Smackdown game to play and plays very well and is stays at the level of being a very competitive wrestling game. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is a product of the craft of THQ’s relentless pursuit of perfection, through the years with the Smackdown series they have always stayed as the champions of the wrestling game industry, even with having despair on their faces, WWE Smackdown series I believe has healed the wounds of past Smackdown games and this is the series MOMENT of Brilliance.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw fans this is YOUR MOMENT.
4 / 5 stars
+ WWE Universe Mode is so much fun
+ Editing community creations
+ Realistic lighting on character models
+ Realistic physics
+ Match Creator with endless possibilities
+ Christians Totally Awesome Road to Wrestlemania Mode
+ Online Royal Rumble and 6 guys on screen online
+ More match types for Divas
+ Rob Van Dam in a WWE Video Game!
- Some Moveset Inconsistancies
- Some lacking presentation in road to Wrestlemania
- weird title belt defending in exhibition
Brad Ward weighs in on WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 which is THQ’s most ambitious Smackdown Game yet.It has been 7 years since i have formally reviewed a WWE Smackdown game, I felt since then the series has been much of a roller coaster and hard to really pin point to what the games identity truly is. This year the game really finds its moment in the history of wrestling games because WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is not about what the game tells you to do, it is all about what is YOUR MOMENT. So the thing that really stood out to me in this years game which has been a constant evolution through ought the years, but has been finally been fully realized is that the game is all about YOUR choice.
Creation options is something that this game has no shortage of and everywhere you turn it is all about what YOU want YOUR experience to be. So like in past years there is a full featured Create a Superstar Mode with a ton of parts and options to customize your superstar. The created superstar mode this year has not changed an awful lot from years past, but they have added some more parts and makeup options to add to your created superstar. One part of the CAS system that I really like is they have improved the layer system this year, so now you can freely move, delete and view your layers and even select design independently from the part they were applied to. One negative however is that for some designs, you can no longer use the transparency option.
Editing how your superstar looks is not the only way you can edit your CAS, you can also customize the move sets and there is a whole slough of pre created move sets from current WWE Superstars and In game legends. Also there is a ton of move sets for superstars not making an appearance in the game or superstars who did not make the cut for whatever reason. There is some disappointment found in the create a move set system, as it appears that a handful of moves have been removed, and there is even some duplicate moves in the signature slots.
I understand that is okay sometimes, because some superstars do not have a large arsenal of moves, but I am sure most superstars have at least 2 finishers and 2 signatures that standout. For the casual fan who follows their favorite WWE superstar, the movesets do the job pretty good and you will see moves like the Attitude Adjustment, Tombstone Pile Driver and even new moves like the Cobra and Futureshock DDT. All of the WWE Superstars Finishers for the most part are properly represented with the exception of Ezekiel Jackson. Here is a list of the alternate movesets :
1. Gregory Helms
2. Charlie Haas
3. Jaime Noble
4. Shane McMahon
5. Paul London
6. Brian Kendrick
7. Lance Cade
8. Trevor Murdoch
9. Big Daddy V
10. Elijah Burke
11. Boogeyman (I Think)
12. Hardcore Holly
13. Val Venis
14. Kung Fu Naki
15. JBL
16. Carlito
17. Umaga
18. The Great Khali
19. Mr. Anderson
20. Trish Stratus
21. Brock Lesnar
22. Goldberg
23. Kurt Angle
24. King Booker
25. Jeff Hardy
26. Samoa Joe
27. AJ Styles
28. Ric Flair
29. Eddie Guerrero
30. Roddy Piper
With the ability to create our own finisher continues from years past and we can now choose the turnbuckle as a spot in the create a finisher, with a ton of different moves that can be done off the top of the turnbuckle, including the Pepsi Plunge. You are also able to once again edit the attires of WWE Superstars and WWE Legends, but this year there is a lot more different hot spots to change the colors of the WWE Superstars.
While we cannot change the parts of the superstars, with the added hot spots for changing colors on the superstars it will keep our game current in the ever changing WWE Universe. What would a WWE Superstar CAS be without the entrance, the entrance designer works just as good as it has in past years, and they have added a whole bunch of new pyrotechnic selections and there is about 8 or so generic music selections for your CAS.
While it is all fun and good to edit how your playable superstar looks, is represented and plays, something I always wanted to be in charge of my own WWE Universe. This year with the newly added more the WWE Universe is at your fingertips, think of it as exhibition + Career Mode + plus Smackdown 2 story mode with voice overs. It really is a combination of a bunch of different things as you get to control whether people are good or bad, who is champion and you get to play every event in the WWE calendar from WWE Superstars to WWE Wrestlemania, and is never ending. It is really the equivalent of the dynasty mode in Madden or a Franchise mode in NBA 2k. Not only do you get to play every match in the WWE calendar, you also get to view how people are ranked in a Power 25 like ranking system, view your champions and view the latest news update going on in your universe.
One thing that was really impressive to me in the WWE Universe mode is how the matches you play in quick play, play now mode integrates into your WWE Universe. The presentation in the WWE Universe is in a class by its own, because you will be playing a match and then all of the sudden, someone will do a mid match run in or you get Mr. McMahon trying to screw you over in classic Mr. McMahon fashion. The mode really is why a lot of people will be coming back to the game and make the wrestling game keep putting it in their system.
The road to Wrestlemania mode this year returns and we get to play as Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Christian and the choice of John Morrison, Kofi Kingston, R – Truth, Dolph Ziggler and your created superstar to face the Undertaker. As far as picking YOUR created superstar, it really has to be yours as if you download one off the community creations, it cannot be used in that mode, so you either need to write down the formula or make something from scratch.
The road to Wrestlemania story lines this year are a mixed bag. While they do present a story that is on level with the quality found on WWE television, something is just missing from them. To start off missing from them is the pyrotechnics and show intros which really added to the presentation in last years game. My belief is that with the addition of the somewhat open world featured in the game took away from the presentation of the road to Wrestlemania mode. They do use the open world as a interface to start matches, speak to figures of authority and do some random tasks that the game presents you with.
The mode features full voice overs for the superstars involved in not only cinema tics but also found wandering in the backstage area as well. The confrontations you have with the superstars are entirely up to you, but are encouraged because if not all of the challenges are completed in the game, you will not unlock key superstars such as Stonecold Steve Austin. Confrontations begin by either pushing a superstar or initiating a conversation. Some of the downfalls of the road to Wrestlemania are not enough to make or break the purchase however.
Added to this years game is also a full physics system, as we now see people realistically interacting with objects in the environment from the TLC match with the tables, ladders and chairs so now people will realistically crash and burn into ladders and the ladders will snap in half to the tables shattering into a million pieces to the chairs denting when you whalop your opponent with it. Also if you have an actual table match and you try to put your opponent through a table the table will buckle if your opponent is not beat up enough yet, which makes for some really realistic and interesting table matches.
This year instead of having table finishers, you are able to aim your finishers and grapples as well with the left stick which works not just for table matches, but works great for regular matches as well and the superstars will interact with the ropes and other parts of the ring as well. The Hell in a Cell mode this year got a huge upgrade this year, as the Hell in a Cell structure is just as big as it is in real life, there are more ways to damage your oponnent with the cell as well, as a new way to get out of the cell with breaking out of the side panels of the cell, which does a better job of keeping the action confined within the cell then previous years. The Hell in a Cell also has finishers this year as we will see moves like the Sweet Chin Music to the chokeslam being done as finisher on the edges of the cell. Backstage brawls has been upgraded this year too, as you can now fight in the parking lot, two different locker rooms, gm office and catering. The different brawls areas are taking from the open world backstage area.
The Grappling system has received a huge change this year as now instead of having to apply the RB or R1 modifier for strong grapples, they are now done by getting your opponent into a groggy state. This can be done a variety of ways such as corner clotheslines, ground pick up , brawler combo strikes and reversals. Tree of Woe position has been added to the turnbuckle positions as well the ability to lift your opponent up to the turnbuckle for a grapple such as a suplex. Much of the same gameplay returns with the signature finisher combo being attached to the Y button when you achieve full momentum. The targeting system has been moved to clicking the left stick and works quite well. There also comes a point where you have to tap the a button to get out of groggy state.
One great thing about the last couple of Smackdown games is they have not removed any match types, instead they have added upon them with a great new feature called match creator, which works very seamless with exhibition and WWE Universe mode. You are able to change a variety of options like environment, if you want post match celebrations, time limit and even the option to win by a finisher. So if you want you could make a match so you could win by submission at backlash in a inferno match ring. The options and combination’s are endless and will help with keeping the game from becoming out of date.
The online system this year has gotten an upgrade with the possibility of having an online Royal Rumble. Up to 6 people can play in the ring at a given time and up to 12 people can be connected to the session. So there will be 6 people or so waiting in the queue and is like a ladder or tournament mode in other fighting games. We have not had a lot of time with the mode but it has a lot of potential and should be a lot of fun with some friends.
Also as mentioned you can have up to 6 people in one match, including the Elimination Chamber. They have also added the WWE Shop where you purchase all of your download able content and there is a Fan Axxess pass where you get all of your DLC for free, ability to unlock everything and custom badges and icons for your WWE Prestige Profile. Like a lot of games these days a code is required to play the online mode, so on the back of your manual, is found a code to access online axxess, which gives you access to the multiplayer mode online. By itself if you obtain the game used is $9.99 for online access and $9.99 for Fan Axxess.
When you upload community creations and win matches you get prestige and there is 4 or 5 different overall rankings that start with trainee and end with legend. One huge thing they have fixed this year is you can now edit all creations locally on your Xbox 360. There is still a lack of online leagues this year but I am sure that will be remedied in future years, however we have leader boards that are broken down by match type, so it is not just an overall leader board ranking now. From the few matches i partake in they were lag free and played quite well. Just remember though that could change, but as of now the lag is non existent.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is oh so close from being the new Heres Comes the Pain but there are a few key components that stop it from achieving that such as some elements like some move set issues, presentation lacking in the road to wrestlemania modes and few odd presentation issues in the the game like the spinner belt still being shown in the pre match and the ability to defend belts in exhibition at anytime is slightly dissapointing.
However those things aside does not ruin the overall experience of how the game plays. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is very fun WWE Smackdown game to play and plays very well and is stays at the level of being a very competitive wrestling game. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 is a product of the craft of THQ’s relentless pursuit of perfection, through the years with the Smackdown series they have always stayed as the champions of the wrestling game industry, even with having despair on their faces, WWE Smackdown series I believe has healed the wounds of past Smackdown games and this is the series MOMENT of Brilliance.
WWE Smackdown vs Raw fans this is YOUR MOMENT.
4 / 5 stars
+ WWE Universe Mode is so much fun
+ Editing community creations
+ Realistic lighting on character models
+ Realistic physics
+ Match Creator with endless possibilities
+ Christians Totally Awesome Road to Wrestlemania Mode
+ Online Royal Rumble and 6 guys on screen online
+ More match types for Divas
+ Rob Van Dam in a WWE Video Game!
- Some Moveset Inconsistancies
- Some lacking presentation in road to Wrestlemania
- weird title belt defending in exhibition
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