WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011

I'm not ashamed to admit that as an impressionable youngster I was not only a fervent fan of what was then called the WWF, but I was also one of those who would argue until I was blue in the face with anyone who told me that the action wasn't genuine. Eventually, like a child realising that (caution: spoiler ahead) Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny don't exist, I came to accept that my spandex-clad heroes were in fact 'play fighting', and it was a bitter pill to swallow. Now, many years later, the WWE just isn't the same anymore. Most of the real legends are gone, and those who aren't are looking worse for wear in their tights. Regardless, professional wrestling still has a tremendous fan base, and THQ and developer YUKE's have been cashing in on the seemingly unending popularity of the WWE for years with their WWE SmackDown vs. Raw franchise. The series may have been losing momentum of late, but this year there are a couple of fresh ideas which make the latest iteration a treat for the many fans of the sweaty soap opera, even if it's far from a perfect package.

Probably the biggest addition this year is the new WWE Universe mode, a kind of persistent WWE world which lets you choose which matches to take part in, while relationships develop dynamically and generally alter the course of the storyline as you go. It's not just fight card after fight card, with over a hundred scripted events randomly popping up to add that all important element of drama. At first this mode might seem irrelevant, but once you get involved with the different feuds and partnerships going on, and start to see how your actions affect the way things progress, the WWE Universe might just become the mode of choice for WWE veterans. Being able to choose the matches you want to take part in on each night means that in the WWE Universe mode you will get to try out just about all of the different fight modes, using just about all the different fighters. Sure, you could do that all by setting up single exhibition-style matches, but this new mode wraps it all up with a bit of a storyline to make things interesting. On the down side, I occasionally found myself simulating matches on certain nights because none of the fighters interested me, and even though I liked that the universe carries on without you, it starts to feel like your input isn't as important as you thought it would be.

Another sizeable addition to the series is the Road to WrestleMania, this years take on the story mode, which follows the path of either John Cena, Christian or Rey Mysterio on their quest to greatness at WrestleMania, or one of four new breed of WWE stars (or your created Superstar) determined to put an end to The Undertakers winning streak. The various storylines are straight out of the classic WWE playbook, filled with double crossings, unexpected partnerships, and all the other corny plot twists we've come to expect from the WWE.

Unfortunately, the way that YUKE's has gone about the Road to WrestleMania mode proves to be one of the biggest weaknesses of the game. When not prancing around in the ring, most of the actual storyline is played out backstage before WWE events, and it's this area that makes the Road to WrestleMania more of a hassle than a pleasure to play through. The actual backstage areas are extremely dull and sterile, looking more like a previous generation rendition of a deserted hospital than anything else. Navigating these areas is even more painful than looking at them, though. The camera follows your character as he stumbles clumsily along the bleak corridors, but it never seems to stay where you want it to, making movement a laborious and sometimes even disorientating affair. To make matters worse, there is a lot of walking around required, because the different way points which trigger the continuation of the story are spread across the backstage area.

Also scattered around are other non-player characters, and even though you have the option to talk to them, they will rudely tell you to clear off unless their interaction is part of the narrative. When you do need to talk to them, it takes skills similar to reverse parking a ten ton truck to line your character up with them correctly so that they register your presence. Other than that, the voice acting is so lifeless and the interaction between characters feels so forced that it actually becomes a chore just to stay interested in the plot. These stale interactions sometimes lead to backstage brawls which play a part in the storyline, and this breaks up the monotony, but overall you will soon be wishing for the backstage sections to be over.

The plus side of this is that the time spent in the ring is a far sight more entertaining than that spent behind the scenes. There is always a distinct arcade-like feel to the controls of the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw titles, and this one is no different. The whole affair is streamlined and easy to get to grips with, especially if you've played any of the previous games in the franchise. Each year YUKE's tend to make a few subtle adjustments to some aspects of the controls - and occasionally bigger changes which tend to do more harm than good - and while there have been some refinements made it's still all very easy to come to terms with. There do seem to be fewer ground moves this time around for each character, but overall the move sets are diverse and well-balanced. As you would expect from the WWE, the fighting is far from realistic, especially when compared to that of the current batch of MMA titles on display, but it's lighthearted and a lot of fun. Signature moves and finishers are there in all their glory, coupled with a slow motion camera edit to add to the impact.

The sheer volume of match types is quite impressive, from the classic tag-team match-ups to the intense Elimination Chamber confrontations, and everything in between. There are more Quick Time events during fights this time around, and while I'm not a fan of these usually, here they actually add more to the gameplay than they take away. I did find that the actual matches are for the most part really easy, and most fights end quite quickly, especially if you spam your opponent with running attacks which seem to be almost impossible to defend against. There are still issues with collision detection, but it's not as bad as it's been in the past and it's in no way a game breaker.

Visually there are both ups and downs here, but overall not much has changed from last year. The character models are instantly recognisable, even if they are a lot shinier than necessary, and they are well animated as they stomp around the ring. As with YUKE's other fight franchise, UFC Undisputed, the fighters skin textures and facial features aren't particularly photo-realistic up close, but it doesn't detract from the overall look of the action. In general, when looking at the fight action itself, this is the best looking WWE title we've had so far, even if it's not perfect. The arenas look very much like they have for the last few titles in the series, but the lighting and effects, specifically during each fighter's entrances, are more realistic this time around. Elsewhere things are less impressive, such as the bland backstage areas as I've already mentioned, and some really second-rate presentation elements. When you see the loading screen for entering a new city - a cityscape viewed from your limousine window with exactly the same arena every time but with the new city name on the billboard - you will think you've gone back in time to the previous console generation. It's incredibly poor, and you'd best get used to it because you will see it often during the Road to WrestleMania modes. Facial animation is also not great, with lip synching that sometimes seems like they weren't even trying to get it right.

Since this is a fully licensed WWE product, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw once again features all the real fighters voices, adding authenticity to the WWE experience. Commentators Michael Cole and Jerry 'The King' Lawler are great at what they do and add to the ringside atmosphere with their colourful blow-by-blow commentary. The rest of the characters don't fare quite as well, with a combination of corny scriptwriting and some really dead-pan delivery making for some awkward and badly acted scenes, especially back stage. There are also far too many moments of uncomfortable silence during conversations between characters. In fact, the whole backstage area is eerily quiet, more like a library than the local hangout for wrestling superstars. Fighters are also strangely quiet in the ring, with only the occasional grunt punctuating the silence, but the crowd noises and commentary do well to create the right ambiance. Having all the official theme songs for the fighters is great too, and makes their ring entrances very similar to the real thing, even if the theme songs these days are nowhere near as cool as they used to be in the golden era of pro wrestling.

Customization has been a major part of THQ's WWE titles for the last few years, and it's something that has been expanded on further for this years release. There is a fairly robust Create a WWE Superstar mode which gives you quite a lot of control over the appearance of your superstar, which you can then flesh out with the Create a Finisher, Create an Entrance and Create a Move Set features to really make him or her a completely original character. Probably the most complex and daunting of the creation tools is the WWE Story Designer mode, which allows you to structure branching storylines, complete with backstage interactions, cut-scenes, special match conditions and much more. This mode will probably only receive the attention it deserves from the hardcore WWE followers, because it takes time and dedication to create anything worthwhile, but those who put the effort in will find the hours just slipping past in this mode. Storylines can then be posted online for others to play through, adding to the community aspect of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw.

The multiplayer component of a fighting game is usually very important as gamers fight for bragging rights and leaderboard placement, but because the WWE is so dependant on drama, with its character interactions and narrative, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw isn't as much fun online as other similar fighters. The fight mechanic is entertaining but is possibly not as finely tuned as it should be to add the needed intensity to online competition. At least this year the ability to take part in a full multiplayer Royal Rumble match adds something to the experience, and with the new community additions like the uploadable storylines and updated leaderboards there is fun to be had online, but don't expect this to drag you away from more hardcore multiplayer fighters.

Over the many years that this franchise has been running, growing and evolving, it has gone from being a game aimed purely at fans of the WWE to an all-round entertaining fight package which appeals to a far broader gaming audiences. This years edition is no exception, but at the same time there are new features here that will definitely make WWE SmackDown vs. Raw far more enjoyable for the WWE-faithful. The detailed Story Designer has the potential to increase the longevity of this release, limited only by your creativity, and is definitely a highlight of this years package. The new WWE Universe mode is also a great feature and one which becomes more addictive the more you play, and I see this becoming a standard feature from here onwards. Since a soap opera is nothing without a twisting, turning plot line to keep people coming back for more, the addition of five typically WWE-style stories will keep fans of the show hooked from beginning to end, but those with only a passing interest in pro wrestling may find the lifeless backstage sections too much to put up with, especially when coupled with some sketchy voice acting and cumbersome controls.

All in all, the new additions this year do well to improve on last year’s title, even if there are a few missteps here and there. The core game is a lot of fun, and the impressive suite of creation and customization tools could keep you busy until next year's edition hits the shelves. Is it worth shelling out for this if you already own WWE SmackDown vs. Raw? That depends how much you love the wacky world of the WWE. Those who watch the show regularly and get a kick out of the current line-up of Superstars and their storylines will love this one, but if you've never been interested in the WWE or the games associated with it, don't expect this title to change your mind.

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