WWE SmackDown! vs Raw 2007 review

Thursday 9 November 2006
Is there anything better than making an elaborate fireworks-packed entrance into a stadium filled with fans clawing their eyes out in testament to your greatness? Maybe there are a handful of things that you'd prefer (being the first person to set foot on Mars, getting named Emperor of the Universe), but none that deliver that sensation of absolute adoration via your Xbox 360.

Past versions of SmackDown have made attempts to achieve this lofty goal with a respectable degree of success, but WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007 is, without a doubt, the best SmackDown yet.

Of course, that's what folks said about last year's game, and it was true then, but only for PS2 owners. But what makes this year's game even better is that developer Yuke's, not content with leaving well enough alone, has gone in and tweaked everything. And nowhere is this more evident than with the gameplay, which has undergone some considerable changes.

The developer's goal for this year was giving the player even more control and, with this new grappling system that utilizes the right analog stick, they've mostly succeeded.

Just flick the stick in a direction to do a quick move like an arm drag; hold the right bumper and flick the stick to get into a lock up, where you can do more powerful moves, including moving your opponent to one of the many hot spots strewn about the arena.

For example, you can manoeuvre your opponent into the corner, then start doing a ten punch - only you control the punches by moving the right analog stick up and down. Naturally, there are even more elaborate things you can do, giving you a better sense of control than in prior wrestling games.

Everything else has been updated, as well. The season mode has more branching paths, and the returning GM Mode is more fully featured than last year, allowing you to do things like purchase storylines and create feuds to improve your ratings.