WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 – Wii Review

Aside from Create-a-Finisher, you can also create your very own custom grapplers.  The Create-a-Superstar feature is as robust as ever, allowing players to create original characters as well as real wrestlers that are not in the game.  Unfortunately, a lot of the attires still look like they’re stuck to the wrestlers’ bodies, but something like this was to be expected given the Wii’s graphical limitations.

The biggest draw in SmackDown vs. Raw this year would have to be the WWE Story Designer mode.  “It’s Your World Now” is the game’s tagline, and rightfully so.  This year, SmackDown vs. Raw lets you create your very own storylines.  This mode is essentially what the GM Mode of years gone by should have been.  You choose the scenes, the matches, and the cast, and you build your story from there.  The world of the WWE is literally in the palm of your hand, and thanks to all the unique preset options, you can do what you please with it.  Want to give one of the smaller wrestlers a shot at the World Title?  Perhaps you’d like to end the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.  Or maybe you’d just like to make a love angle between CM Punk and Kelly Kelly.  You can literally create any story you set your mind to, no matter how serious or how goofy it may be.  You pick the situation, the scene (backstage, in the ring, etc.), and the participants.  Once that’s done, you can write all of the dialogue yourself.

Unlike its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts, the Wii version of SmackDown vs. Raw lets you include created wrestlers in your storylines an infinite number of times.  The other consoles’ versions only allow 10 created wrestler appearances, which is a bit of a letdown.  Wii owners playing around with WWE Story Designer can incorporate all the created Superstars they want.  So, those wanting to create a WWE vs. TNA story can have at it.
Created storylines can span 10 years, so you won’t really have to worry about hitting a roadblock due to too many scenes.  There’s a limit to the number of matches you can include in your story, but chances are you won’t fill up all the empty match slots.  The biggest flaw with Story Designer would have to be the fact that only two stories can be saved.  This is only an issue with the Wii version, and it’s a real shame, because Story Designer is a highly addictive and engaging experience that gamers will want to play around with for a long time.

THQ stated that the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 would all be getting the same SmackDown vs. Raw experience this year, and while that’s almost entirely true, one big feature was left out of the Wii version: online play.  This omission is strange to say the least as it was included in last year’s game.  As a result of this, you are not allowed to share your created wrestlers or storylines online, which is a real bummer.  The fact that user-created content can’t be uploaded and downloaded is probably a bigger letdown than the fact that players can’t compete against each other online.  THQ never mentioned why online play was stripped, but hopefully this doesn’t happen next year.

Graphically, the game is pretty good for a Wii title.  Superstars and Divas look like their real-life counterparts.  Collision detection is on par for the most part.  (Though there were a few times when a glitch caused wrestlers to grapple thin air and remain in a grapple state until a “move” was performed.)  The game may not look as good as the versions found on other consoles, but it does the trick in terms of visuals.
The sound in SmackDown vs. Raw is really a mixed bag.  All the wrestlers’ entrance themes are present, which is great.  Where the sound lacks, however, is in the crowd reaction.  The game does very little to emulate the authentic excitement that invades a WWE event.  The crowd sounds dead the majority of the time, and this really takes its toll on the sound department.  Additionally, the commentary is still flawed.  With no excitement in their voices, the commentators sound like they’d rather be elsewhere.  There are a few moments in Road to Wrestlemania where the commentary picks up, but things aren’t very different than they have been in previous years.

SmackDown vs. Raw contains so much content that it is bound to keep you entertained for months.  Practically every match type imaginable is present in the game, and those who get a group of friends will be playing this game for a long time.  For those who like to create, the game will definitely keep you enthralled for much longer.  Story Designer mode is one of those features that you can easily spend an entire day with, only to go back to it the following day.  It’s just that engaging.

Ultimately, SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 on the Wii isn’t the definitive version of the game, but it comes close.  The removal of online play is a questionable move on THQ’s part, and there are still a few problems that continue to plague the series such as problematic targeting and clipping issues, but wrestling fans who own a Wii can rest assured that this a true SmackDown vs. Raw experience.  Even with its flaws, it’s worth the price of admission.

The Good:

• Countless match types and an expansive roster.
• Edit modes are still as robust as ever.
• Story Designer mode offers seemingly endless possibilities.
• Three different controller options, all of which work well.

The Bad:

• No online functionality.
• Only two created storylines can be saved.
• Targeting opponents in multi-man matches can be problematic.

Score: 8.5

Article from Gamersyndrome.com

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