Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
Cert: 15+
Genre: Wrestling
WWE SmackDown vs Raw is one of those franchises wheeled out around this time every year. To be fair the developers sqeeze new content into each edition. There's an improved career mode called WWE Universe, a Superstar point system and a free roaming aspect to the game which allows you to brawl off-stage and there's lots of nice little random segways where the likes of Vince McMahon will arrive post-match to declare you have to fight on against another wrestler.
There's a wealth of content here to keep WWE fans playing until SmackDown vs Raw 2012 - the game features 70 wrestlers, divas and superstars and a comprehensive bevy of match types. And the Havoc physics engine is deployed to impressive effect.
However, not all of the new additions to the franchise are satisfying. The backstage brawls look and sound distinctly underwhelming. The commentators repeat themselves with annoying frequency and on more than one occasion when I tried to grab my opponent (or even the referee) my character jumped out of the ring. And like any of these games laying the SmackDown is much more fun on a friend than with an AI character
Rent or Buy: Rent
Gameplay: 3/5
Graphics: 3/5
Replay Value: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
Reviewed By: Bryan Collins
