The name Charles Wright should be a similar one to most wrestling fans. The Las Vegas native debuted with the then World Wrestling Federation in late 1991 as Sir Charles, a take on NBA superstar Charles Barkley. When that didn’t work, he was repackaged as Papa Shango – the voodoo priest who could apparently make people bleed black ooze (yes, it really happened). No big surprise, that didn’t pan out and Wright ended up being repackaged as everything from a prostitute loving Godfather to a supreme fighting machine until he retired in 2003. The lesson here is that a fancy new coat of (face) paint is never a viable substitute for solid mechanics and basics. The same lesson can be applied to the THQ’s Smackdown vs Raw series, which after 10 years, is starting to show it’s age. This year’s game, the aptly titled WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is filled with new features, gimmicks and play modes but deep down the same old problems linger, leaving fans with a title that shows potential, but falls a tad short of the three count victory.
Right off the bat you’ll notice that this year’s game has an incredibly high amount of production value. From the event crowd (until you get close to them), to the lighting effects and the actual superstars themselves, there hasn’t ever been a game that recreates the WWE experience so realistically. What’s more, the color commentary has been drastically improved from years past and don’t seem to repeat their lame one liners quite as much. You have to give it up the to the folks at Yukes for the game’s superstar entrances, which look like they were taken right off the weekly television shows. While the presentation has been drastically improved, it has become painfully obvious where it hasn’t. Take for instance the game’s crowd noises – inside the arena the fans will react realistically to what happens but take the fight to the parking lot or locker room and they may as well not be there. It’s here that you’ll start to realize just how bad the game’s sound effects are. Weapons hit with a ping or thud and don’t seem believably powerful.
Even the biggest championship matches seem to lose their importance when they’re not being fought in the ring. One would think that the crowd would be able to see what’s going on via the arena’s massive jumbo-tron, would it be that hard to throw in a few crowd noises? Over the last few years, wrestling games have gone from arcadey fighters to deep simulations. The new training facility is a welcome addition that teaches players the ins and outs of the game’s controls. Sure, annual players may not spend much time with the mode, but it’s great to figure out a characters strengths and weaknesses. Since you’re able to try out moves at your own pace rather than being required to complete a set of objectives, the mode truly becomes a practice facility and not just a lame tutorial. This year’s in-ring action feels much more fluid and each superstar generally feels like they should. AI controlled combatants respond to situations more realistically this year, meaning a big guy like Kane won’t run for the turnbuckle as a first line of defense.
Still though, the game suffers from the same problems as it has in years past. Most of these problems crop up in matches with more than two participants. You’ll randomly switch targets at what always seems to be the most inopportune times, leaving you open to attacks (and anyone who’s played a WWE game over the last few years knows that regaining control over the match isn’t the easiest task). There are also some serious and very frustrating bugs that have stuck around from previous titles. Take for instance the Irish whip (throwing your opponents into the ropes or turnbuckle), if you’re aiming to pull off a move, you better have great timing as if you don’t perform the button presses within the tiny window the computer allows – you’ll be treated to an awkward animation or worse, a reversal that could change the entire match. A franchise that ‘s been around for almost ten years and that is so reliant on timing should not have this many collision detection issues. The focus this year is all about creation. You’ll still be able to create your own wrestlers and move sets, only this year, the mode is more robust than ever and allows for some pretty cool ideas to come to life.
A small customizable addition this year that the developers added into Smackdown vs. Raw is the ability to create your own tattoos and logos (without having to be a design wizard). Taking center stage though is this year’s new storyline creator, which is both impressive and lackluster all in the same breath. In the mode, you’ll be able to chose everything from the superstars and events to the matches and settings and it’s quite fun to sit and see what you can tweak with the creator but at the same time you can’t help but feel like there’s just so much more that could be done with the mode. In a nice touch you can upload your stories or superstars to the game’s in-game marketplace and download what others have created. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is a loud and flashy representation of the WWE Universe. Though it still suffers from some of the nagging problems that have plagued the series for years, the game does a great job giving hardcore fans what they crave while still being accessible to the casual player. This year’s game is an enjoyable sports entertainment experience, even if it just feels like a new coat of paint at times.
