Customer Reviews

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2006

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

THE SHORT: Vastly improved from last year's game, this one has an in-depth sim mode, title matches that you control, lots of customization thanks to difficulty sliders, Locker room and more, and the best executed season mode in years. The whole package looks prettier than ever and adds new match-enhancing strategies. It's a pretty big step up and there are very few complaints, but some do exist- the biggest of which is the fact that female characters can do very, very little in this edition.

THE LONG: There's a great amount of new material to discuss in this game. So what I'll do is list some of it and give my opinions on each aspect. Online mode is supposed to be much imrpoved, complete with belt-swapping, but I don't have online so I'm afraid I can't describe it. There's lots else to discuss though, so if you want a short review you better skip this one!

PRESENTATION: The graphics are very polished. Well-done, realistic animation (season cutscenes are great) plus lots of little details such as the ring announcer saying what kind of match it is, if it's for a belt, character's hometowns, etc. Plus, it's small but great at the same time: Now wrestlers stay in or around the ring even during their opponent's entrance. Just extra realism, and it's really cool. Commentary seems slightly better this time, with some banter about the actual wrestlers as well as some joking and bickering. The comments stay pretty up-to-the-second, even to a fault (pin attempts for example will cause a new comment to interrupt the dialogue). It doesn't get on my nerves and doesn't seem to repeat as noticeably as before, but I admit pretty much everyone else hated it so I guess I'm in the minority. Music is the same hip hop and scream-rock as before, so take it or leave it. There's no music during matches, which isn't too big a deal but bothers me during backstage brawls which wind up feeling eerily quiet. Speaking of brawls, this game has great blood. Instead of just a facial smear it now also leaves droplets on the mat, which follow in a trail of the crimson masked wrestler and even pools up if they stay in one place. Unfortunately it fades away (slowly at least) and they don't have blood everywhere when more than one person is cut. Still, it's very vibrant and realistic- I find myself actively cutting or getting cut, because just like on the show, it gives the impression of hardcore combat.

SEASON MODE: Ever since Smackdown 5, the season mode has relied mostly on animated cutscenes and recently the addition of spoken dialogue. Since only so much voice and specific animated scenes can be used, it limited how deep and different the season could be. But this time, it's the best yet. For one thing the acting is better all around the board and very well done- It's not Shakespeare but every single wrestler sounds just as convincing as they do on TV. This is even better thanks to lip synching and lots of subtle animations and gestures. It really feels like watching an actual WWE show this time around.

Best of all, the storyline has a lot of surprises. Right away most wrestlers you pick from can play through either a RAW or Smackdown storyline, each one pretty different. But better yet, lots of characters have their own scenarios that are unique and not shared between everyone else. I played through Smackdown with Hogan and later the Undertaker, then RAW with William Regal and Mankind. While some stuff was repeated, every one of the 4 characters had a unique plot twist that wasn't in any of the other 3. In addition, you'll still make a few decisions here and there, some of which lead to entirely different cutscenes. This time there really is motivation to play through the season mode repeatedly. And since anyone you choose has loads of spoken dialogue, playing through with different characters keeps the experience fairly fresh. This is the best way to present the season mode in an interactive way, and I was really impressed (especially since I hated the last 2 games' season modes). One bad thing though- not every character can play through season (no females, but more on that in the summary section). But you do get more than 30 choices and lots of favorites are represented (Kane, Mysterio, Cena, Batista, Triple H, and others) so you'll be busy. This time, the realistic vocal work, animation, and storyline variations made the season mode one of the best parts of the game, which I never thought I'd say.

GM MODE: What this is is a WWE booker simulation. You pick from either brand, choose your roster, and compete against the other brand for the best TV ratings, against the CPU OR a 2nd player. You're given total control of what wrestlers go in which match at any point in the card. You can manufacture whatever feuds you want, and make champs of anybody you choose. But you have a certain budget, and some wrestlers cost more than others. Running each show costs money too, as does spending money to throw in cages and ladders and so on. Be careful your wrestlers don't get unhappy by repeatedly losing or getting injured either.

The good thing is you can play or simulate any match on your card, so it's wise to help out sometimes when you want a title change or a certain wrestler to stay happy. It's pretty deep, and there's a good half hour of fiddling with options to get the hang of it. It's really addicting when you do, though. My only problem is that a wrestler's popularity has more to do with how well your show is than anything: 2 jobbers could have a main event ladder match, but Triple H in a basic singles match will do just as well. This can be tricky, since it's difficult to push your undercard guys to high popularity. And with no random settings, the same 10 guys will be at the top every time you start a new game of GM mode. So it's definitely challenging, but not impossible- Chris Benoit had about a 65 on my popularity scale, but by careful booking and giving him the much-deserved title belt, I shot him into an 80s rating and he brought in the fans. It's addicting, and though challenging, it's fun to work for it.

LOCKER ROOM: This is a basic 3d room where your profile records can be accessed. The game can store multiple profiles on a single card (easily changeable from the main menu), so 2 players can share a card and have different unlocked items and so on. The locker room is cool in that you can color the wall and floor any shade you want, decorate a few spots in the room with any of several dozen unlockable items (like Bobbleheads or tshirts and posters) and modify the furniture a little bit. The whole point is to make the game feel suited to you: Instead of having all your records like belt histories and win/loss records represented in a basic text menu, you now get a customizable room to sort of call your own. Sort of cosmetic and more detail/custom minded than extremely helpful, but I think it's a nice addition.

EXHIBITION TITLES: I've wanted this since Smackdown 2 five years ago. You can now, right from the main menu, play a title match of any kind (minus Royal Rumble, Buried Alive, and the women's match) using any wrestler at anytime, and you can even do title vs. title matches. If you like having your own "fantasy wrestling league" and don't want to play through GM mode to do it, this is for you. If you want to put a belt up against 5 others in Hell in a Cell and fight a bloody battle to see who'll win, you can. Only this time, it "matters" since there's a belt at stake. You can fight for any of the real-life belts (some have to be unlocked) but you can also create the belt of your choice and fight for it too. And if you want to just leave it to fate and let the CPU fight the matches against each other, you can do that- but you DO have to be involved in created-belt matches, which for some reason are only 1 on 1 (lots of match types though). Oh, and created belts are insanely cheaper this time. Play a few matches in season mode and you'll have enough for the best belt you want. One thing: The game does keep track of title histories (and even who was in and what the match was) but it only goes back about half a dozen fights. That's a shame.

CUSTOMIZATION: They really want you to make this game as specific as you want it. Besides the Locker room, GM mode, and Exhibition titles, you can now also create an entrance by setting what the wrestlers do at multiple different points during their trip to the ring, as well as fixing lights, camera angles, and pyro. Strangely though, the post-match celebrations are pretty generic, meaning they're always basically the same. Cheesy.

More importantly, you now have loads of options for gameplay. Aside from standard difficulty setting, you can go into advanced options and set, on a sliding scale, how much you want the computer to do reversals, how easy it is for you to reverse THEM, how much damage finishers do, and other stuff like that. This way, a player can make it as frustratingly impossible or lazily easy as they want. In addition, all the created belt options are there, and so is Create-A-Wrestler. The latter is slightly imrpoved, with an easier interface. MOST of the items that were there still are, with some extra here and there. In general though, they just look better. Some characters wind up looking about as good as the standard wrestlers, and you can now REALLY tweak the faces. You can still take photos of them for the wrestler select screen too. But it's not all perfect: Still to tassels or realistic neckties (even though Mankind's is 3d, that's unfair!). Altogether still very good though. Create a move-set and stable are the same (but you know what? Now you can build a team's level of compatability!) Create a Pay Per View is in and offers what you think it would, the ability to set up a whole card of matches whenever you wish.

NEW MATCH STUFF: For starters, there's a Buried Alive match where you must throw your opponent into a coffin and slam the lid. This match can be a lot of effort, since the other guy can resist being thrown in as well as letting the lid shut. It's tough sometimes (as are most matches, but more on that soon). Also new is the "Fulfill Your Fantasy" match, which is a slighly more strategic bra and panties match. In addition to the clothing removal, you can now spank your opponent and hit them with pillows and bounce on a bed. Fans of the original will be pleased with the new silliness (the spanking is meter-based and kind of fun) but anyone who thought bra and panties was already pointless and sexist still won't like it. Oh, and yeah- guys can't participate, which evens out the fact that divas can't do a lot of the more bloody match types either (again, see the Summary).

There's a new stamina meter, which can be adjusted or turned off. What it does is slow your character down if he runs around and is too active. He'll get winded and need to catch his breath, which you do anytime by holding select. Big people get tired easier than the littler guys. It's a whole new strategy element to the match and I find it really fun- try wearing them all the way out by irish-whipping them around on the ramp, the watch them slowly try to make it back before the 10 count! Another cool aspect of this is that, realistically, if all participants in a match get absolutely drained, they'll keel over onto the mat and have a 10-count to get up. Again, this can be turned off.

And now instead of a "life bar", there's only a momentum meter. This sets it up so that if you do lots of different moves and exploit your heel/face side, the meter will build and you'll quickly get your finisher. If you use the same moves over and over or defy your good/bad guy alignment, you won't really fill your meter and will have to change up to get that finisher. This too can be adjusted, but personally I think it's a good, simple way of keeping an eye on how the match is going. It adds to the flow and pace of the match, since your creaming of an opponent can sway quickly if he starts getting in the shots. Body-specific damage still plays an important role too however.

There's other new stuff too: Climbing the cage is meter-based, and you can now be grabbed down as well as smacked off (and you can now try to crawl out the cage door too!). You can do possum pins, where you hold down the buttons to play dead and trick your opponent. The new submission system adds the old school "drop your arm 3 times and you're out" gimmick. And finally, you can now ignore rope-breaks up until a 5 count to cheat. They really added lots of little (and some big) ways to make the matches feel a lot more like WWE pacing. All of these adjustments have given the matches a "filled out" feel- in general the matches now last a little longer and seem more like combat with some decent momentum changes and reversals.

UNLOCKABLES: Legends like Mankind, The Rock and Austin, Ted Dibiase, Bret Hart, Andre the Giant and more (including 3 seperate-era Hogans, which really should've just been a wardrobe option like Kane's mask). Old-school blue steel cages, the ECW arena and the gorgeous, outdoor Caesar's Palace WM9 arena. Plus lots of trophies for accomplishments big and small, all of which can be viewed in the Locker Room. Some of these are gotten through the Challenges, which are many and of varying difficulty like last year.

SUMMARY: So what do I think? In general, there's very little I dislike about the game. The worst is how females are treated. I play these games with my girlfriend, who naturally wants to use a female character or create one of her own so she can enjoy the game in a more realistic way. But now, no females can play through season mode, not even created ones. Before, we'd just set the character to "male" even though it was obviously a female, and my GF could enjoy the whole game that way (even though it was silly to have to do it that way). So no season mode for females, but their use in exhibition matches sucks now too. No women can be used in any kind of gimmick match like Ladders or HIAC, nor can they bleed (which is probably why). This strange, PC oriented philosophy does nothing but severely limit what a female can do in this game: Play in a few standard match types, act as a manager, or be eye candy in the new FYF match (no created characters there either). This may not affect most players, but is needlessly prohibitive to the women that DO want to have some fun with the game. Let the men be in a FYF match and let the women be in a TLC match, I say. It's my game, I should be able to play it however I want.

Thankfully the rest of my complaints are pretty minor. Partners in tag matches don't act very smart, and sometimes the CPU will pointlessly leave the ring or even deliberately get DQ'd (which was HILARIOUS in my season mode Ironman match when JBL handed me chairshot victories over and over). The ref gets too closely in the way, causing an occasional unfair DQ (save often!). Ladders are now harder to push over (you can only do it if 2 people are on top of it) and you can't throw weapons. Little things like that.

But honestly? I think they really fleshed out the experience. If you were burned by last year's game, don't feel uncertain- I was REALLY disappointed by it, and thought I might hate this one, but I wound up loving it as probably the best in the entire series and the most option-packed, immersive and player-catering wrestling game in years. They give you about as much customization as you want (play a match, for the title or not, play against a friend, play season mode, create your own with GM mode, etc etc). There's just lots to pick from, I can't see anyone getting bored with this game easily. Critics ranked this one the best in the series, with only a very ignorant Gamepro review dragging its overall percentage below #1. In general, this is really the most complete, stuffed Smackdown game there is. If you're a fan of the games or the WWE even in the slightest, you'll find something to like about this game. It really surpassed my expectations.

Just last night I threw in the original "WWF SmackDown" for the PS-one that was released in 2000. I am amazed at how far this series has come. What was once an arcade-y fighting game with a WWF gloss, has evolved and developed into one of the finest wrestling games ever to be released.

MODES AND FEATURES
---This time, THQ and Jakks and Yukes had the goal of bringing more reality and depth to the "SmackDown" series. What really stands out in this series, however, is an attempt to please all kinds of fans. Casual gamers can step right in play any kind of match they want with up to 6 players. Those who really dig storylines and presentation have a more linear, yet more satisfying Season Mode complete with animated cutscenes and good voice-over work. My favorite new addition is something that Sports fans will love. Players can now tackle the awesome General Manager mode and compete either against the computer or another player, and try to gain better ratings to produce the ultimate show. It could be a little less text-based, but otherwise, it's fantastic!

GRAPHICS
---These wrestling models look great. They haven't been glossed over or made extra-shiny like previous WWE games have done with its superstars. Instead, they look eerily like their real-life counterparts. Shawn Michaels and Batista are the best examples to show this. The crowds still look like junk, but since when haven't they. The only game with a decent crowd is Ubi-Soft's "Rocky". The pyro-technics during entrances also look pitiful. But I can forgive those quibbles because the animation quality is "SmackDown" at its best. A few moves still don't look quite right, but considering that 70% of the maneuvers have been re-animated, one can't help but admire the effort.

SOUND
---From a music standpoint, you don't hear any music when you're wrestling. However, the tracks that THQ picked to use during the menu system is their best lineup yet. The songs are accessible to use for Create-A-Wrestler, and worth listening to. The entrance music for the wrestlers are all authentic (save for a few legends) and sound clear. However, during the Royal Rumble matches, I couldn't really hear them. The wrestlers' voice-overs don't sound as canned, and are much better than last year's initial attempt at this feature. The commentary, however, is one step back from last year's entry. The two-man teams of Michael Cole/Tazz (SmackDown) and Jerry Lawler/Jim Ross (RAW) deliver forced dialogue that randomly interrupts depending on the match situation. Cole and Tazz are forgiveable, because they sound like they would on TV (not a compliment, but at least it's authentic). But Lawler and JR absolutely suck. Never before have I yearned so much for a SmackDown match just because of this problem.

GAMEPLAY
---So what's new here? Again, the General Manager and Season modes are a plus. Season mode once again tackles a linear storyline (one for RAW, and one for SmackDown) similar to "WrestleMania 21" for the X-Box. Instead of the Season being a solid experience each time through, like the fifth "SmackDown" game back in 2003, this year it's going to be a great first-time experience, and with no reason to go back. I prefer the former version of Season mode, which explains why I love the General Manager Mode so much. GM Mode is simply one of the best ideas ever put in a wrestling game. I wish it wasn't as text-based as it is, and featured a little stronger presentation, but it is feature I absolutely crave! As far as matches go, the new Stamina system requires more strategy on your part to win matches. Work too hard and too fast, then your wrestler is going to be pretty useless. The pre-match minigames are back, and thankfully are optional. As far as match modes go, they're all back from last year with a few new goodies. The Buried Alive match is the big one, where you must throw your opponent in a Casket and perform to mini-games to win. I liked this mode at first, but don't really like it all that much. The same goes for the Backstage Brawls. This feels cheap, because instead of free-roaming environments, you get to pick 1 of 3 rooms and battle it out. The Parking Lot is much better than last year's, but the other two rooms aren't that much fun. The Royal Rumble hasn't changed at all from last year, except for the new Stamina system (this new feature is awesome!). The Bra-and-Panties match has now been integrated into a Fulfill Your Fantasy Match, where pillow fights, spankings, and clothing removal raise a crowd-pleasing meter. First one to fill it wins. This is actually kind of fun, but not a must-play. What surprised me most, however, was the new amount of attention given to the Steel Cage match. You can now climb out the door, and escaping from the Cage requires timing-based button pushes instead of mindless button-mashing. This is the best Steel Cage version to date! Now, throw all of these new ideas plus refined animations, and this game is pretty damn good.

WHAT'S NOT TOO GOOD?
---I think it's worth mentioning that the roster this year isn't as good as any of the other "SmackDown" games. As much as I like playing as some of the new talent (Chris Masters, Carlito), I can't help but feel that "SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain" still has the best playable roster (Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, Kevin Nash...all not here). I also think that as good as the gameplay is, I kind of prefer the faster-paced fighting. Maybe if the new features were put into a faster-paced game, then it would the ultimate experience. The use of weapons is really sluggish, making Hardcore matches, or cheating for that matter, less fun. Speaking of cheating, the Clean and Dirty meters are pointless. I never liked them from last year, but thankfully, they don't play as much of a deal as they did last year. Also, on a side note, the aerial attacks aren't as accessible. Performing a top-rope finisher is an absolute pain in the ass!

OVERALL
---The last paragraph is really harsh, I know, but what matters is that this really good game is worth purchasing. My criticisms for this game are mainly as a WWE fan, instead of as a fighting game player. When one is as obsessed with wrestling a I am, our expecations become damn-near unmeetable. But make no mistake, this is the second best of the "SmackDown" series (I still prefer "Here Comes The Pain"), and one of the best wrestling games since "WWF No Mercy" (Nintendo 64, 2000). Wrestling gaming is going to get nothing but better.

First off, this is way way way better than the first Smackdown vs Raw. This one has everything I wished the first Smackdown vs Raw had. You can defend or win a title without having to be in season mode. Although you have to unlock both world titles in season mode in-order to use them in title mode. Anyway I hope they keep title mode in Smackdown vs Raw 2007. I mean what's the point in going through a season mode if you can't have your champ defend against whoever you want him to defend against. So I love title mode! and they better keep it in all the next Smackdown games in years to come.

I also like GM mode where you can control a roster. However it's pretty damn hard to win GM mode and win the general manager trophy though. I don't like how you need to win a very hard challenge mode in-order to unlock the Million Dollar Man, the Hardcore belt and the Million dollar title. I doubt many people who have played the game have unlocked all that. Some of the challenges are way too hard to get through. So in the next game I hope you don't have to go through all that [...] to get a Legend and a belt again. Plus they should finally have 8 man tags so you can have 8 man elimation tags for once.

They also have way too many wrestlers who were either fired or are still around and just not being used. I mean when was the last time you saw the Basham Brothers on tv. The game should've had Matt Hardy and M&M instead of all the fired people. This is the full roster I'd love to see in the next game. HHH, Beniot, Cena, Lashley, The Boogie Man, Finley, Matt Hardy, Edge, JBL, King Booker, Sharmell, Melina, Mickey James, M&M, Candice Michelle, Torrie Wilson, Jillian Hall, Victoria, Ashley, Undertaker, Ric Flair, Lita, Rey Mysterio, Charlie Haas, Chavo, Carlito, Chris Masters, Val Venis, Mark Henry, Gregory Helms, Kid Kash, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Jamie Knoble, Super Crazy, Psycosis, Batista, Eugene, Tatanka, Animal, Fake Kane, Big Show, Kane, Umaga, The Spirit Squard, HBK, Kurt Angle, Shelton Benjaman, The Great Khali, Randy Orton, William Regal, Paul Burchell and Ken Kennedy.

Legends and Extra playable wrestlers: Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, Tazz, The Coach, Jerry Lawyler, Bret Hart, Hogan, Mick Foley and his other personalities, Stone Cold, Chris Jericho, Vader, Yokozuna, The Rock, Million Dollar Man and the Million Dollar title "without challengle mode!", Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Psycho Sid, Randy Savage, Mr. Perfect, Dusty Rhoades, Rick Rude, Ricky the Dragon Steamboat. King Kong Bundy, Kamala, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Marty Jannetty "how he looks now".

ECW wrestlers: The Big Show, Kurt Angle, RVD, Sabu, The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, Test, Terry Funk, Jazz, Kelly, Balls Mahoney, Steven Richards, Mike Knox.

Match types: GM mode "with the Legends", Title mode, PPV mode, Survivor Series 8 Man tag elimination matches, Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank, 3 Stages of Hell, Ladder Matches, TLC, Lumber Jack, Tournerments, Hell in a Cell, Battle Royals, Royal Rumble, Casket Match, Bullrope matches, Cage matches, I Quit, Hardcore and Barbed Wire Steelcage matches.

What else I'd like to see in Smackdown 2007: wrestlers who have managers should always walk out with them even in special matches. Meaning Lita should always be with Edge and Melina should always be with M&M, Jillian with J.B.L., Daivari with Mark Henry and the Great Khali and Sharmel with Booker T.. Plus you should be able to use Legends GM Mode.

Extra moves for created wresters: "all with different names of" course, The Styles Clash, The Unprettier, The Stroke, The Fameasser, The Dudley Deathdrop, The Gore, The Muscle Buster, The Canadian Destroyer, The Steiner Recliner, Ken Kennedy's old fireman slam off the top rope move, The Pounce

Ring Music: Bow Down to the King, DX, The Game music, Rey's new song, rey's old song, Cena's new song, Cena's old song, Big Show's new song, Angle's new song, Jerry Lawyler's, J.R's, Let the Bodies hit the floor

Ring Entances for Created wrestlers: Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Christian's, The Alpha Male's, The NWO, DX, Taz

Created Skins: Masato Tanaka, Mike Awesome, Juvuntud, Viscera, Eric Bischoff, Stephanie McMahon, Paul Heyman, Joey Styles, J.R.

This game is just incredible. It just surpasses the first last year's Smackdown vs Raw in every aspect. Better career mode, a new GM mode, better graphics, and most importantly, a better WWE roster. The voice-overs are so much better this year too. If you love wrestling, this is the game for you.

Ask any gamer who also happens to be a fan of wrestling what video game has been the major hit series to own and most will say that the WWE SmackDown series of games has been THE must-own series since game one. 2 PSone titles and 4 PS2 titles later, the question had to be asked if THQ could make it 7 hit titles in all with the release of SmackDown vs Raw 2006. The final answer is: OH YEAH!!!!

WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2006 takes a major step up from last year's SD vs Raw by amping up what they felt the gamers wanted amped up and removing a few things that were not too liked. One major boost is to the graphics. As before, each of the wrestlers looks so close to their real life counterparts you would almost swear that you were watching an actual WWE show. The stars come out to their actual entrances (moves and music) but yes, there are a few who it seems the theme clearances couldn't be gained. Nevertheless it really is a major difference.

Also new to the game are a few new match types to take on. The Bra and Panties match that we loved dearly (admit it guys...:)) has now become the Fulfill Your Fantasy match in which you have to fill a "Fantasy Meter" to win the match. It is fun, seeing as you get to start a pillowfight or go old school and try to rip your opponent's clothes off...

Also added to the match types is the Buried Alive match. In this match you have to fight your way up to a point on the stage where a coffin awaits. There you must toss your opponent into the coffin, close the lid and win by basically burying your opponent. This is a match that gets fun dependent on which superstar you use to take the match. What's more is that it is one of 100 (!!) match types to take on in the game.

Other new features include an all new General Manager Mode where you take on the role of GM of either show and try to go through a year by setting up matches and shows to garner the biggest fan base, Superstar specific storylines that change dependent on choices made throughout the season, a new Locker Room where the trophies and accolades you win through your wrestling are stored, an amazing roster of several current and former WWE Superstars including the legendary Bret "Hitman" Hart (THANK YOU!!!), the ability to steal your opponent's taunts and finishers, a new Possum Pin where you can fake out and pin your opponent, voices for your own created characters, the chance to take on either the WWE or World Heavyweight Champion in Exhibition mode and more.

The few drawbacks come with the commentary during your matches, which come from Jim Ross and Jerry "the King" Lawler from Raw and Michael Cole and Tazz from SmackDown which sound at times like it was forced for them to read. Also, the WWE Championship belt in all modes is the current "Spinner" championship held by Raw's John Cena. Yet periodically you see the old "modernized" WWE Championship and you won't get that one.

But even with these flaws, WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2006 sets the bar high for any future WWE titles (it is unknown if this is the final WWE title for PS2 with the PS3 on the horizon) and sends Midway a little message as it begins to make the game for WWE's main rival TNA Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. As the tagline says, get ready for the fight of your life!

I really enjoy playing this game. Me and my friends get together and play it every weekend. But there are a few things that have plagued this series for sometime. They did a good job of improving most of them for example on the last game you could get put in 10 ankle locks and if you could tap the button fast enough you wouldn't tap out but if Triple H put you in a headlock a few times you would submit. That's gone now Thank you!! But my frustration is with the focus. There are numerous times when in a heated battle in a 6 man survival where your wrestler will turn and face the wrong person just because they came near. But even this is somewhat forgivable but what is not forgivable is when you are fighting one person and then your character becomes preoccupied with the referee and that really frustrates me if the DQ is on and I hit the ref because they are constantly in the way. I wonder how many times I have pressed down and O to pin and grabbed the ref in a hold. Also the referee will often times just stand there if he is not in position to count the pin. Sometimes a good 4 seconds or more. Another thing top rope finishers are almost impossible to hit now because your opponent gets up so fast. If you have RVD and your opponent is on the ground and you want to do the Frog Splash unlike on the last few games where it just locks into the animation this one stays real time so your opponent just gets up while you are posing. I could even overlook this if I had the option to cancel my special. Also HBK does a dance after the Chin Music and while he does his dance (that you can't avoid) your opponent often will get up before you can pin him. Why are there 3 Hogans on this game? Like I said it's a fun game but it has some flaws.

I have every smackdown ever made. This one is by far the best. The rosters are good the season mode is perfect and you can hear your guy talk to. The general manager mode is awesome you can even use legends. There are lot of good legends out of all my 80 PS2 games this is my favorite. It has a buried alive match on it a bar brawl and a fulfill your fantasy match. There is over a hundred different matches. You can create your created players entrance. There is probably 70 people on the roster. The ppv mode might be a little bit better it's pretty well the same. It has Hulk Hogan, Hollywood Hoagan, Hogan 80's, Andre The Giant, Bret Hart, British Bulldog, Stone Cold, The Rock, Mankind, The Junkyard Dog, and Ted Diabiase.

Another year and another wrestling game, you'll think to yourself when you pass the video game aisles of your favorite electronics or game store. Yet for the past few years THQ and Yuke's have been putting out WWE titles for the PS2 that have been getting better and better and it wasn't until SmackDown! vs. Raw that we have seen a game wrestling fans could really sink their teeth into and enjoy. Well, that was last year because SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 is here and believe me when I tell you that this is, by far, the best thing to happen to wrestling since The Rock stepped foot in the ring.

Not just a new roster change (although unforeseen changes, like the tragic loss of Eddie Guerrero, have not been rectified at the time of release), this 2006 edition just adds more features and a better grappling system while bringing back many of the things we loved the first time around. You'll still find a stable filled with favorite Superstars from the long list of top male grapplers (The Undertaker, Cena, Sean Michaels) as well as the lovely WWE Divas (Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Stacey Keibler) and also some legendary grapplers like the '80s Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin and even The Rock among a few others.

Aside from the usual assortment of match types like Ladder, Table, Cage and Tag Team matches (with Manager or without), there's the new Buried-Alive match where you'll slam your opponent into an actual casket and slam the lid closed. There's even backstage brawls where you'll be able to Irish whip your opponent into environmental objects. The Bra and Panties matches are back but it comes back in the form of Fulfill Your Fantasy Mode where your favorite Diva can dress up as a school girl, nurse or French maid as they rip clothes off each another. There's even a Divas pillow fight!

The best game mode by far, though, turns out to be the game's Season Mode. It is here that you're encouraged to create your male grappler (complete with a choice of different voices) and take him through a full WWE season. At the start of your career, WWE Diva Torrie Wilson's friend and General Manager, Teddy, is hit by a car in the parking lot of one of the arenas. Suddenly the accusations begin to fly and there's finger pointing between your grappler and the oh-so dreamy Cena. During these accusations that you'll find a number of choices and depending on what you pick you'll be challenging different opponents. It is here that you enter matches and participate in WWE events to earn points that unlock some really juicy extras in the game`s new Locker Room. It's a lengthy affair and one of the most enjoyable Season Mode the series has produced thus far.

If you're interested in the wheeling and dealings of a WWE GM, there's General Manager Mode that has you coming up with your own roster of Superstars, taking charge of your stable's finances as well as deciding on matches and who will turn on who the following week. This is really a great peek at what goes on in the WWE. The game's Creation mode also has a nice number of options and with the new Create-An-Entrance, your created wrestlers will truly feel a part of the WWE lineup.

The game's grappling system has been tweaked and it borrows its best elements from the GameCube's WWE Day of Reckoning series. Pulling off some complex moves - even turnbuckle moves that were a bit difficult to pull off smoothly - are handled with ease and thus make the matches even more exciting. You'll counter and reverse moves a bit more easily but there's a price to pay. Much like Day of Reckoning 2 there's a Stamina Meter that, realistically enough, wears out your grappler. It makes sense, really, since you can't dish out punch after punch without showing signs of fatigue in real life. When your stamina runs low, you'll have to tap the Select button to regain strength. It slows the action down but not to a frustrating degree.

On the visual front, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 is a gorgeous PS2 game. This year's game sees some sharp graphics with characters that look amazingly like their actual counterpart. Aside from Hulk Hogan looking a lot like Hulk Hogan, the game makes use of motion capture to make each grappler walk, bust moves and receive punishment realistically enough. The arenas look alive with fans and each type of venue is decorated accordingly ... even the game's overall presentation feels like a televised event. Sure there's still a few clipping problems that see hands going right through your opponent's flesh, but it never gets too out of control.

The game's sound offers a surprising new addition: voice acting. You'll actually get to hear your created character during Season Mode's various cutscenes. You'll even hear a number of your favorite WWE Superstars like Cena and Torrie just to name a few of the colorful characters you'll meet and challenge. There's also match coverage from the same two-man commentary duo that handle real matches. The commentary they make really doesn't offer much of an insight nor will they offer true play-by-play but instead begin to bicker and playfully insult each another much like they do in real life. The Superstar introductions are true to the televised events and that's a great thing. You'll hear every Superstar's theme music playing loudly and there's some tunes from artists like Ministry that play throughout the game.

There's no doubt about it, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 is truly this year's must-have wrestling game. Period. It not only looks gorgeous but also it plays just as good as it looks and with new features and a brilliant Season Mode, you'll find it hard not to give into a game that's worth your hard-earned money even if you bought last year's great game. Buy it right away if you're a fan of WWE wrestling or have been looking for a nearly perfect wrestling game for your PS2.

This game tops the previous smackdown vs. Raw game. There are a handful of new matches including fufill your fantasy match and Buried Alive match. The season mode is okay but the GM mode tops the cake. You can now also put titles on the line in exhibition mode. Same Create-A-Wrestler,PPV,championship and new create an entrance mode. The voice overs are also great. Overall this is a very good game.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 should be waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Smackdown vs. Raw 2006. They should have a lot of rosters.

Heres my list for the rosters:

Raw Superstars:
Big Show
Carlito
Charlie Haas
Chris Masters
Edge
Eugene
Gene Snitsky
Goldust
John Cena
Johnny(Spirit Squad)
Johnny Parisi
Kane
Kenny(Spirit Squad)
Lance Cade
Matt Striker
Mikey(Spirit Squad)
Mitch(Spirit Squad)
Nicky(Spirit Squad)
Ric Flair
Rob Conway
Shawn Michaels
Shelton Benjamin
Trevor Murdoch
Triple H
Val Venis
Viscera

Raw Divas:
Ashley
Beth Phoenix
Candice Michelle
Lita
Maria
Mickie James
Torrie Wilson
Trish Stratus
Victoria

Announcers:
Jerry Lawler
Jim Ross

Ring Anouncer:
Lilian Garcia

Smackdown Superstars:
Batista
Bobby Lashley
Boogeyman
Booker T
Brian Kendrick
Chris Benoit
Daivari
Finlay
Funaki
Gregory Helms
Gunner Scott
JBL
Jake(Gymini)
Jaime Noble
Jesse(Gymini)
Joey Mercury(MNM)
Johnny Nitro(MNM)
Ken Kennedy
Kid Kash
Mark Henry
Matt Hardy
Nunzio
Orlando Jordan
Paul Burchill
Paul London
Psicosis(Mexicool)
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Road Warrior
Scotty Too Hotty
Simon Dean
Super Crazy(Mexicool)
Sylvan
Tatanka
Undertaker
Vito
William Regal

Smackdown Divas:
Jillian Hall
Kristal
Melina
Sharmell

Announcers:
Michael Cole
Tazz

Ring Announcer:
Steve Romero

Legends:
Stone Cold
The Rock
Hulk Hogan
Hollywood Hogan
Hogan 80s
Andre The Giant
Mankind
Cactus Jack
Dude Love
Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase
Bret Hart
British Bulldog
Jake The Snake Roberts
Jimmy Hart
Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig
Goldberg
Brock Lesnar
and others

They should also have the attire selection on some superstars. And they also gonna have where you can pick up your opponent slam them whenever you want. And you can fight in the crowd and rip their signs.

THQ gets better and better.