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> Results: WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW
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It's hard to top last year's SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, a near-perfect title that set the bar high for wrestling games, but THQ managed to deliver another robust wrestling simulation less than a year later with WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW. This PlayStation 2 exclusive once again pits the world's top fighters against one another in a series of no-holds-barred matches inside (and out of) the ring. New game modes, including online play, add new thrills to the proven franchise.
For the first time in the series, gamers can log online via the PS2 Network Adapter to lure friends into the ring. Two types of games are available: a single one-on-one bout or a "Bra and Panties" catfight, where the object is to strip the opposing Diva down to her undergarments. Fans may be disappointed at only two game modes and the lack of an Internet leaderboard or downloadable extras, but broadband subscribers should still get a kick out of long-distance, lag-free gaming as WWE Superstars.  Speaking of WWE Superstars, SmackDown! vs. RAW offers up more than 40 pro wrestlers, each of whom look so close to their real life counterpart that television passersby may do a double-take. The Undertaker, for example, looks incredibly real with his trademark goatee and arm-covering tattoos. Naturally, all wrestlers have their own signature fighting style and "finishing" moves. The WWE Superstars provide voice-overs and commentary, plus players can also take control over a number of wrestling legends, including Bret "The Hitman" Hart and Andre the Giant. Gamers can also build a new Superstar from a seemingly endless offering of physical attributes and fighting styles. You can create a unique WWE belt to fight for (and see wrestlers hold it above their head) or more ambitious gamers may opt to design their own Pay Per View (PPV) event by selecting the evening's line-up. Fans can even watch or play through classic PPV matches in wrestling history such as Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania XX or Judgment Day. The game introduces a strategic reward system that dishes out bonuses (such as temporary invincibility) for fighting "clean" or "dirty," each of which has its advantages. An example of a dirty trick is to hold onto a submission after the referee has called for a rope break. Players can press down the L trigger button while the ref counts to five to pull this off, but any longer than five seconds and the ref will disqualify you.  Also new to this series is a collection of pre-match mini-games, such as the familiar in-ring "Stare Down" challenges and backstage shenanigans, including breaking chairs over a rival wrestler's back. Players can also take the action to the parking lot to fight outside and throw opponents onto parked cars. With its numerous game modes, a hearty collection of contemporary and legendary wrestlers and deep fighting mechanic, there is a lot to like. While the online game mode could have been so much more, Smackdown! vs. Raw is still worth picking up for WWE fans looking for a way to pass the time in between televised matches. 
WWE wrestling is overly violent, blatantly sexist, mostly comical, and always immature. That said it's an escapist fantasy which can often be fun to watch, reaching so over the top as to be entertaining. With controller in hand, however, this is no longer a spectator sport. Your child is the participant, with options such as "clean" or "dirty" wrestling styles (is there a difference?), and the actual administering of slobber knockings. The kids not only watch the bra and panty matches, they're stripping the clothing off reluctant females. They actively issue the pummeling until blood is drawn. Not to mention the amoral storylines, the completion of which rewards the player an evening with one the game's starring divas.
Viewed in the context of WWE as a brash, testosterone driven soap opera, the ESRB's recommended age group of Teen fits the bill. For younger children, I can't recommend it. Sure, this is based on fantasy television, but it's a fantasy pretending to be reality, and youngsters may still be working on the distinction. WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW is a game to be supervised by parents. Kid Factor by Jeff Bogumil Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "WWE" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW |
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