Raw Deal

I can’t say how this game compares to its immediate predecessors (and must apologise in advance for any related oversights) as the last time I seriously played a wrestling game was nearly a decade ago. Back then they were cumbersome games with moves that were awkward to perform, laughable animation and collision detection, and attacks that recovered your opponent’s stamina. Actually, if Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 is anything to go by, that’s still the case. Despite some innovations, if you’ve never been into wrestling games, SVR2008 is unlikely to change your mind, nor is it likely to be the best wrestling game fans of the genre have ever played, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

The clumsy movement animation upsets gameplay, but is at least visually overshadowed by realistic detail, including brilliantly defined muscle contours and gleaming sweat that accumulates over the duration of a match. Wrestling is as much about personality as it is brawling, and every single superstar is blessed with expressive facial animation and above all, character. The crowd too is diversely populated with signs and chants that correspond to who’s in the ring (“Fear Umaga”) and what sort of match is going on (“We Want Tables!”), and they even interact on occasion. It’s a massive enhancement, and there’s a real wrestling atmosphere to the game.

It’s only a shame that the opportunity to perfect that atmosphere with better and more vocal sampling is missed. When superstars move their lips, it’s disappointing not to hear anything; the lack of audio failing to complement the lifelike visuals. Thankfully the rest of the sound is pretty good, from the official commentary (occasionally out-of-sync or repeated, and all “puppies” and “slobberknockers”, but it keeps things lively), to the rumbling slams and explosive pyrotechnics. The music too is exactly as you’d expect - 70% alternative rock, 30% rap, and the superstars’ theme music too.

Moves are still a combination of 2 buttons at most, and all light grapples are performed with the right analogue stick, heavy ones by additionally holding the R1 button.