Smackdown VS Raw WWE Videogame Media Man Australia

Smackdown VS Raw

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is a professional wrestling video game released by THQ and developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators. The game is based on the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It is the latest installment of the WWE SmackDown! series and is the successor to 2005's WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 and has been succeeded by WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 in the Fall of 2007. THQ, YUKE's and WWE officially confirmed the game on March 31, 2006. The game was released in November 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 consoles and was released in December 2006 for the PlayStation Portable system.

The game introduced a few key new features including an analog control system, interactive hotspots, and fighting within the arena crowd (fighting in the crowd was included in WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, but hasn't been in another game since.) The game also included several improvements on the previous game's existing match types and modes. The Xbox 360 version was the first game in the SmackDown! series to be published on any console besides a PlayStation.

Gameplay

Match gameplay

THQ said they would bring a more realistic fighting experience with a new, but old analog control grappling system, enabling the player to throw their opponent anywhere they want with in reason, in contrast to previous preset animations. In the new system, grappling moves are now affected by analog control, in contrast to the button-based system from preceding games. Much like the previous game, one can also move around the ring by analog control instead of using the D-pad.[3] An option to switch to the previous control layout is also possible .[4] The chain reversal system has also been improved and now involves grapples as well as strikes.

The Category 1 and Category 2 move sets are determined by your weight-class now, so lighter wrestlers have access to martial arts or luchadore move-sets, while heavier wrestlers have access to more power moves. In addition, a wrestler can only lift up or hurt with certain strikes, wrestlers one weight class heavier than them or less.

A lot more interactivity in the arenas is also present such as fighting within the crowd. Signs and objects from the crowd can be used to beat down the opponent. One major feature is the inclusion of environmental "hotspots" such as the ring ropes, steel steps and scaffolding which players can interact with. The PS2 version however due to limitations has a restriction on crowd fighting and interaction for specific match types.

The graphics have also improved with each superstar consisting of 20,000 polygons for the Xbox 360 compared to the total of 5000 from the PS2 version of the previous game. Sweat from the wrestlers has now been included in the Xbox 360 version of the game. The game's audio system has been overhauled and features new sound effects in Dolby 5.1, as well as the inclusion of new crowd chants and grunting from the wrestlers. The PSP version of the game lacks commentators and the announce tables at the right side of the ring.

The game features several arenas that WWE held events at in 2005 and 2006. There is also arenas based on each WWE television show.

Match types

Cory Ledesma, creative manager of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, confirmed that the game has no new match types. However, there are improvements in existing match types. The Money in the Bank variant to the ladder match is now added and all ladder matches feature more flexibility in placing the ladders. The player now has to use the analog sticks as hands and arms to retrieve the match's prize. Upon successfully climbing the ladder, the player must reach up with one or both sticks to grab the briefcase or title, then must move the stick around to find a 'hotspot' to hold in position to drain the prize's meter. Once the meter reaches zero, the wrestler pulls the item down and wins the match.

The Tables match has also undergone a complete overhaul, requiring players to build up momentum for a finisher and damage their opponent enough before being able to put them through a table, and making one of your opponents limb red.

Notably, this also marked the first game since WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth to not feature a diva-specific match stipulation with the Fulfill Your Fantasy match from the previous game removed.

Create modes

The Create-An-Entrance mode has been improved with a new preview mode. As well as instantaneous previews of the entrances when the player makes a change, one can also specifically set the timing for camera angles, pyrotechnics and other effects. In addition, the entrance can be created as Basic, in which another superstar's full entrance animations are used, or Advanced, which breaks the entrance into 4 segments - Stage, Ramp, Into the Ring, and In-Ring - and allows you to mix and match animations for each part. Despite the Xbox 360's hard drive and MP3 capability, the game is unable to recognize any music you may have saved onto your hard drive like previous WWE games for the original Xbox did for custom entrance music.

There is also a Create-A-Stable Mode which allows you to make a tag-team, alliance, or a stable with up to five members. This also allows you to come out in the same entrance as your teammates unlike many other WWE wrestling games. Season mode experience points can be spent on several Stable attributes allowing the members to function more efficiently as a team.

Inspired by John Cena's custom spinner championship belts, the ability to create belts with spinning centerpieces in the returning Create-A-Championship mode is now possible as well as the player's ability to manually spin these belts during an entrance.

Release

The official demo for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on September 28, 2006, containing a No-DQ match between Triple H and Kane.

Like the previous game, the game was released on the PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation Portable. While the series has traditionally been exclusive to the PlayStation series of consoles, this game was released on Xbox 360 after a series of lackluster wrestling games THQ released on the original Xbox. This is the first time a game in the SmackDown! series is featured in two different console generations.

A PlayStation 3 version was also planned but was cancelled. The developers publicly announced that they would rather concentrate their resources on other game systems; however, next year's SmackDown! game has been released on the PlayStation 3. There was also consideration over releasing the game on the Wii as the game's developers were waiting to learn more about the system. However, during a video interview, creative manager Cory Ledesma announced there are no plans for SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 to be released on the Wii.

A special edition of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 for the Xbox 360 was sold for a limited time at EB Games and GameStop. This version features the game in an aluminum case along with a bonus disc from The History of the WWE Championship DVD box set and a copy of The Ultimate WWE Trivia Book.

Reception

Though gaming critics have rated this less than the series' previous release, reaction to this game has been generally positive. The game currently has ratings of 80%, 79% and 80% on Game Rankings for the Xbox 360, PS2 and PSP versions respectively.

Roster

SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007 features actual superstars from World Wrestling Entertainment. The roster features Batista, Booker T, Edge, John Cena, Kane, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and The Undertaker to name a few. The game also features legends, some of which are: Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Mick Foley.

Soundtrack

"Alive and Kicking" (Nonpoint)

"Animal I Have Become" (Three Days Grace)

"Bullet With a Name" (Nonpoint)

"Forgive Me" (Versus The World)

"I Ain't Your Savior" (Bullets and Octane)

"Lonely Train" (Black Stone Cherry)

"Money in the Bank" (Lil Scrappy feat. (Young Buck)

"Riot" (Three Days Grace)

"Stitches" (Allele)

"Survive" (Rise Against)

"The Champ" (Ghostface Killah)