Wrestling is one of those sports that has a long and troubled history with the video game industry, for the past couple years THQ has been the leading publisher of WWE sports-entertainment games. The last very fond memory of a wrestling video game involves a Nintendo-64 controller and a beast by the name of Hulk Hogan. I lost track of the story lines and intertwining character development had me more confused that daytime soap opera. Later this month marks the release of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 and I can finally admit my excitement for a wrestling video game, regardless of my Southern upbringing. I may not know who all the characters are or who is sleeping with who’s wife but what I do know is SvR 2011 is a blast to play. Not only is the single-player experience rich and full-featured but also the multiplayer (online or same-system co-op) brings virtual wrestling to an all-new level of fun. There is nothing like a full-scale online Royal Rumble with you and eleven other human combatants. THQ held a press event last week giving PlanetXbox360 full hands-on access to WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 before it’s retail launch later this month, I came away seriously impressed.
The event gave attending press access to the green disc version of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011, which means the game we were playing was a final build and ready to go to retail. The impressions we walked away with were as close to a review as you could get, if only we would have had another ten hours to dive deeper into the game. THQ sat us down in front of a television and said go for it, no rules and no boundaries. They also had an online multiplayer Royal Rumble set-up on the other side of the room, for when we got done messing around inside the single-player portion of the game. For me this was the most exciting new addition to the Smackdown vs. Raw franchise, and time after time, match after match, it kept me coming back for more; just like that old-school wrestling game on the N64 years ago. The new Royal Rumble mode allows up to twelve players (only six in the ring at one time) to face-off in a grudge match including any of the wrestlers from the massive roster THQ has put together. If the person exists inside the current WWE universe you can bet that you will find them in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011. Without saying much more the Royal Rumble can get really chaotic very fast, and it’s a much-appreciated blast. There are multiple ways to get someone out of the ring, and each one includes a unique mini-game that pumps up the action to another notch. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 also includes every type of match known to man, and each one is a unique experience that can't be recreated in any other video game (ladder match, Hell in a Cell, TLC, etc.) - you can even take the action outside the ring.
Next up in terms of new gameplay features for WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is a catchall feature known as WWE Universe. Put simply it’s a system that monitors each and everything (and I mean everything) that happens during your play-through. Whether you are fighting in the career mode or playing an exhibition match and The Undertaker decides to run in and get involved in your match against The Miz – all of these situations are tracked via WWE Universe and will come into play later during your game. This is huge when it comes to belts, who has which championship belt and which wrestler is up next to vie for the right to battle the Tag Team champions. Probably the biggest advantage to having WWE Universe included in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is the fact that it takes the concept of re-playability and adds an infinite amount of time to it. Five years from now the player can boot up their copy of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 and the brain will start throwing instances at him that make sense to what he played years ago. There is no amount of time or hours of gameplay that will force THQ’s new flagship wrestling game into the “been there, done that” category. The developers also included a slew of new moves and a easier to master move-set for each individual wrestler that will make the game more enjoyable to everyone (hanging someone upside down from the corner turnbuckle is a blast).
Finishing moves was a topic of discussion because last year's game had a tough learning curve, and the WWE Stars' signature moves were rarely used by the masses; this time around that won't happen - and the finishing moves are move over the top than ever (and actually easy to pull off). The Road to Wrestlemania gameplay mode has also seen a decent overhaul, rounding out one heck of a solid sports entertainment video game. There are four pre-determined wrestler storylines to choose from (mainly the top stars in the current WWE) and a fifth that the player can pick, which will face-off in a “vs. the Undertaker” storyline. Each one of these “Roads” is different and includes multiple elements of gameplay and match type. Even though it may not be as deep as some previous WWE single-player experiences when put with the other gameplay modes it creates just the right amount of balance, for hardcore WWE fans and novice wrestling people such as myself. Load times have been cut down to almost non-existent while keeping wrestler intros at an all-time high of insanity. Graphically WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is an improvement over the year before and never once did I notice game-crushing bugs or graphical glitches; the WWE stars looked fantastic, as did the all-important realism factor. By the time THQ forced us to leave our hands-on preview event for WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 I was more excited to get the retail build in than I have ever been in years past. From what I have played this is the wrestling game to conquer all wrestling games, and in just a few weeks WWE fans everywhere will know exactly what I mean when I say that. Stay tuned for a full, detailed review of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 later this month, right here at PlanetXbox360.com.
