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IGN Review of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009
As far as Nintendo is concerned, it's pretty obvious what wrestling gamers want: They want No Mercy 2, or if they were a bit later to the party, another Day of Reckoning offering. While THQ is continuing its rein of Smackdown vs. Raw branded games, the Nintendo DS is going through a year-by-year transformation in the hands of developer Yuke's. These guys know their wrestling, and whether its' the 360/PS3, Wii, PSP, or DS version, fans can be assured that their experience is going to be something unique to their system, and one that plays off its strengths. On DS though, that line is a bit blurry, as we've now played two Smackdown vs. Raw titles on Nintendo's pocket system, and while each is an evolution that should eventually meet a pretty impressive end, in this reviewer's opinion we're still not there yet. Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a much stronger overall package than last year - leaps and bounds above what was offered in 2008; no comparison really - but there's still a climb ahead, and most of it deals with the depth of the wrestling mechanic, and the control used to access it.
If you're looking just at the core offering in this year's package, it'll take just seconds to realize how bulked up the entire game really is. This year brings about a full-on season mode, made in part by the Yuke's team ,responsible for such knock-out RPG titles as Rocket Slime, and while it's a bit basic in design, it's obviously inspired by the world of RPGs, and moved from there into an actual wrestling package. Outside of that you've got a pretty impressive Create-A-Superstar mode - a little odd that lots of mask creation and shirt/pants designs were included, but that the overall amount of faces, accessories, and physical changes aren't really there - as well as lots of new matches. You've got regular singles, Last Man Standing, Ladder, Steel Cage, Table, TLC, and Hardcore. Not a bad little mix, though having only one-on-one matches is a shame, as it removes any chance for tag, three-way matches, royal rumbles, and the like.
Taken from what was offered last year though, you've got a much more robust offering. If you remember, Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 was all about touch-only control, as players didn't even have direct control over their wrestler. Each stage of the fight would play out move by move, but after a knocking an opponent on the ground, for example, a list of three options would come up for your player. Do you flip the guy over and go for an STFU? Kick him in the head a few times? Pull him back up for a crack at another standing move? It was just that limited, and it boiled down to a rock/paper/scissors match with a bit more strategy on top. Innovative, yes. Fun? Not really.
This year opens that up, so instead of just interacting at key points with the game, you do have full-on control. The real problem here though is that it's still almost all touch-based, even when it doesn't need to be. At this point, Yuke's looks to be doing touch control just for the sake of doing it since the game runs on DS. What it really comes down to though, is that in a game like Smackdown vs. Raw, touch isn't needed; it's just tacked on, and actually hurts the experience. Since the overall game plays more like a No Mercy and less like a traditional Smackdown game, you'll make use of a few different strikes (tap the screen while holding the d-pad in different directions), grapples (draw a circle on the screen while holding the d-pad), and strong grapples (same as regular grapples, but draw two circles). All ring maneuverability is handled with the d-pad, but throwing an opponent into the ropes or an Irish whip, for example, is a combination of touch screen circle (grab), and drawing a line across the screen in the intended direction. That move alone is evidence that touch isn't the best course of action for Smackdown, as it doesn't end up working every time, and can get pretty frustrating.
What ends up happening is that a game which is already pick-up-and-play easy, and then end up alienating people with odd touch controls. If you remember the days of N64, you undoubtedly have memories like I do, gathering friends for a PPV party to watch WCW Superbrawl or Wrestlemania, followed by a night of WCW Revenge or No Mercy. Those games were simple enough for anyone to enjoy, and it was because of a simple control scheme. Touch may be DS-like, but it's far less reliable when having to draw your actions, the overall effectiveness of that drawing mechanic, and how much depth there is in the end. It's an unnecessary evolution when there's so much more to be done.
In fact, rather than worrying about touch - something that doesn't offer the same level of timing, immediate feedback, or reliability of button control - Yuke's would do well next year to instead focus on beefing up the overall design. Currently there's no strike-blocking or grapple-dodging mechanic in place, so it ends up being a race to start the player's grab animation and lock your opponent in an inescapable hold while you attempt a specific level of attack. The reason? We'd assume there's no real block/counter system in place because you have only touch, the d-pad, and one shoulder button at your disposal when in the game's current control scheme. Remove the need for touch though, and you'll again make use of the DS's four face buttons (plenty of room for strike, run - which is currently a sketchy d-pad double tap - light grapple, and heavy grapple) leaving R and L for block and dodge should the designers choose to go that route, and then still having the option to touch the bottom screen for activating taunts, grabbing items from the crowd, or cashing in your momentum for a chance at a finisher.
Regardless of how THQ moves forward with this package, next year is going to be all about refining what the company has started this year, and pushing the areas that still seem a little thin. There's no denying that the game is stronger than last year, and the evidence can be found in the slew of new modes, single player season offering (which is a lot of fun if you're playing solo, including training and a gradual, simplified "level up" type system), stronger multiplayer, and the ability to take a created superstar - Such as El Gringo Primo, IGN's 300 lb cruiserweight wonder - and then use him in season or multiplayer modes, and of course the addition of direct control. It's still very limited though. Finishers can be executed anywhere, but usually will default in their main "start" position, and from the looks of it all stock grabs in the game actually cut to a default character setup, usually smack dab in the middle of the ring. The tap and submission counters in the game are a great use of touch screen (both are touch mini-games used to break a hold or kick out of a pin), but so many of the basics are missing it can suddenly feel really thin. Characters don't check to see if the opponent is down or not, so your turnbuckle moves will always be the same regardless of opponent position, and even if you have something like a big elbow drop or shooting star press, they only go to one specific spot on the mat, so your opponent better be smack dap in the perfect spot for it to work. Combat taking place outside the ring is extremely limited, some of the game's attacks are slow to pull off (be it due to the touch control, or general speed of the game) and the crowd never really gets into things. There's still a lot missing.
For those looking for a fun wrestling package on DS though, there's still some good times to be had with Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 - you're just going to need to be a die-hard WWE fan to look past the flaws. All of the general interface is pretty strong, with beautiful looking character entrances complete with faked titan tron animations, MP3 music for each superstar, and mo-cap taken from other versions of the game. While we're on the subject, visuals this year are nothing short of stunning, and hands-down one of - if not the - best looking 3D games on DS. We've had people (ourselves included) think for a split second that they were looking at the Wii game in action when glancing at a small screenshot of the game. Obviously Wii looks better when you really compare them, but in tiny screenshots even people that look at DS and Wii every day of their lives can be tricked for a few seconds, and that says something about the model and texture work put into the DS game. The animations are strong for the most part, the characters are high-poly, and since it plays so much of a back seat in this game, the crowd is hardly noticed at all in its lower-res, 2D pixel work. All in all though, this is a great looking DS game.
©2008-11-10, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
If you're looking just at the core offering in this year's package, it'll take just seconds to realize how bulked up the entire game really is. This year brings about a full-on season mode, made in part by the Yuke's team ,responsible for such knock-out RPG titles as Rocket Slime, and while it's a bit basic in design, it's obviously inspired by the world of RPGs, and moved from there into an actual wrestling package. Outside of that you've got a pretty impressive Create-A-Superstar mode - a little odd that lots of mask creation and shirt/pants designs were included, but that the overall amount of faces, accessories, and physical changes aren't really there - as well as lots of new matches. You've got regular singles, Last Man Standing, Ladder, Steel Cage, Table, TLC, and Hardcore. Not a bad little mix, though having only one-on-one matches is a shame, as it removes any chance for tag, three-way matches, royal rumbles, and the like.
Taken from what was offered last year though, you've got a much more robust offering. If you remember, Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 was all about touch-only control, as players didn't even have direct control over their wrestler. Each stage of the fight would play out move by move, but after a knocking an opponent on the ground, for example, a list of three options would come up for your player. Do you flip the guy over and go for an STFU? Kick him in the head a few times? Pull him back up for a crack at another standing move? It was just that limited, and it boiled down to a rock/paper/scissors match with a bit more strategy on top. Innovative, yes. Fun? Not really.
This year opens that up, so instead of just interacting at key points with the game, you do have full-on control. The real problem here though is that it's still almost all touch-based, even when it doesn't need to be. At this point, Yuke's looks to be doing touch control just for the sake of doing it since the game runs on DS. What it really comes down to though, is that in a game like Smackdown vs. Raw, touch isn't needed; it's just tacked on, and actually hurts the experience. Since the overall game plays more like a No Mercy and less like a traditional Smackdown game, you'll make use of a few different strikes (tap the screen while holding the d-pad in different directions), grapples (draw a circle on the screen while holding the d-pad), and strong grapples (same as regular grapples, but draw two circles). All ring maneuverability is handled with the d-pad, but throwing an opponent into the ropes or an Irish whip, for example, is a combination of touch screen circle (grab), and drawing a line across the screen in the intended direction. That move alone is evidence that touch isn't the best course of action for Smackdown, as it doesn't end up working every time, and can get pretty frustrating.
What ends up happening is that a game which is already pick-up-and-play easy, and then end up alienating people with odd touch controls. If you remember the days of N64, you undoubtedly have memories like I do, gathering friends for a PPV party to watch WCW Superbrawl or Wrestlemania, followed by a night of WCW Revenge or No Mercy. Those games were simple enough for anyone to enjoy, and it was because of a simple control scheme. Touch may be DS-like, but it's far less reliable when having to draw your actions, the overall effectiveness of that drawing mechanic, and how much depth there is in the end. It's an unnecessary evolution when there's so much more to be done.
In fact, rather than worrying about touch - something that doesn't offer the same level of timing, immediate feedback, or reliability of button control - Yuke's would do well next year to instead focus on beefing up the overall design. Currently there's no strike-blocking or grapple-dodging mechanic in place, so it ends up being a race to start the player's grab animation and lock your opponent in an inescapable hold while you attempt a specific level of attack. The reason? We'd assume there's no real block/counter system in place because you have only touch, the d-pad, and one shoulder button at your disposal when in the game's current control scheme. Remove the need for touch though, and you'll again make use of the DS's four face buttons (plenty of room for strike, run - which is currently a sketchy d-pad double tap - light grapple, and heavy grapple) leaving R and L for block and dodge should the designers choose to go that route, and then still having the option to touch the bottom screen for activating taunts, grabbing items from the crowd, or cashing in your momentum for a chance at a finisher.
Regardless of how THQ moves forward with this package, next year is going to be all about refining what the company has started this year, and pushing the areas that still seem a little thin. There's no denying that the game is stronger than last year, and the evidence can be found in the slew of new modes, single player season offering (which is a lot of fun if you're playing solo, including training and a gradual, simplified "level up" type system), stronger multiplayer, and the ability to take a created superstar - Such as El Gringo Primo, IGN's 300 lb cruiserweight wonder - and then use him in season or multiplayer modes, and of course the addition of direct control. It's still very limited though. Finishers can be executed anywhere, but usually will default in their main "start" position, and from the looks of it all stock grabs in the game actually cut to a default character setup, usually smack dab in the middle of the ring. The tap and submission counters in the game are a great use of touch screen (both are touch mini-games used to break a hold or kick out of a pin), but so many of the basics are missing it can suddenly feel really thin. Characters don't check to see if the opponent is down or not, so your turnbuckle moves will always be the same regardless of opponent position, and even if you have something like a big elbow drop or shooting star press, they only go to one specific spot on the mat, so your opponent better be smack dap in the perfect spot for it to work. Combat taking place outside the ring is extremely limited, some of the game's attacks are slow to pull off (be it due to the touch control, or general speed of the game) and the crowd never really gets into things. There's still a lot missing.
For those looking for a fun wrestling package on DS though, there's still some good times to be had with Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 - you're just going to need to be a die-hard WWE fan to look past the flaws. All of the general interface is pretty strong, with beautiful looking character entrances complete with faked titan tron animations, MP3 music for each superstar, and mo-cap taken from other versions of the game. While we're on the subject, visuals this year are nothing short of stunning, and hands-down one of - if not the - best looking 3D games on DS. We've had people (ourselves included) think for a split second that they were looking at the Wii game in action when glancing at a small screenshot of the game. Obviously Wii looks better when you really compare them, but in tiny screenshots even people that look at DS and Wii every day of their lives can be tricked for a few seconds, and that says something about the model and texture work put into the DS game. The animations are strong for the most part, the characters are high-poly, and since it plays so much of a back seat in this game, the crowd is hardly noticed at all in its lower-res, 2D pixel work. All in all though, this is a great looking DS game.
©2008-11-10, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved