Smackdown vs Raw 2008 (Roster Announced!)

[BZ]

BZ back with some new stuff on Smackdown vs Raw 2008!

Videos:

Smackdown vs Raw 2008 E3 demo (3 Parts to it):
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Wii Stage Demo
Gamespot Stage Demo
Gamespot Gameplay Video
Gamespot Interview

Articles:

Smackdown vs Raw 2008 Hands On:
IGN Article

[Andrew]

Awesome, thanks for the links.

I can see the logic in simplifying the controls though to be honest I've never found them too difficult. Most of it sounds pretty good though I hope the style specific finishing moves are executed in a distinct manner so if you want to store a wrestler's actual trademark finishing move and execute it later, you won't find yourself performing the style specific move instead. Or perhaps I just didn't understand the way that's going to work.

I hope the challenges are better this year. I finally finished that Dude Love vs Mick Foley, Cactus Jack and Mankind "Personality Disorder" challenge the other day and it took disabling stamina, turning off DQ and setting the CPU's AI sliders down to the minimum to get it done. I guess it lives up to the idea of it being a challenge but to me a good challenge should require more strategy than rigging the game options just to try and even things up a bit. Other things like making sure any First Blood challenges utilise a wrestler with a move that causes the opponent to bleed and working on movesets so that Legends and cruiserweights aren't at such a disadvantage are also a must.

[Lean]

Thanks for the find BZ. And good to hear that the whole ECW roster will be in-game.

[-Young Buck-]

go here http://thqate3.com/

SVR 08 interview, shows box art behind him, part of lashleys intro, and confirms 80's and 90's legends.

smackdown vs raw 2008 E3, shows some gameplay, and flaming tables.

[BigKaboom2]

Observations:

1. I'm so sick of Cory Ledesma right now.

2. The Wii stage demo was a total mess.

3. What's with the possibly British guys imitating Lawler, JBL, and Cole on commentary in the Gamespot Gameplay video? And why are they talking about Shelton Benjamin in a match between Mysterio and Orton?

4. Free run is awesome.

My decision on whether or not to get this will hinge on whether or not wrestlers stay down for a while after a move like in 2007, and whether or not matches tend to go longer than 5 minutes like in 2006. If either of those don't happen, I'll probably just hold out for PWX.

[BZ]

After looking at all the latest videos and info... it's blatanly apparent that SvR2008 is practically SvR2007 with the new fighting styles introduced. The so called "priority" of Yuke's and THQ to have an animations overhaul is painstakingly apparent that it's not the priority right now, but to heavily overhype and overmarket this year's Smackdown game in hopes of divert fans attention the new gimmicky stuff. I'm definitely not as excited as I was for SvR2007, since that proved to be a major disappointment for me. I'll still get it if it does turn out to be somewhat decent, the potential roster is what's luring me to play this year's Smackdown. Marcus Cor Von, CM Punk, Elijah Burke... good stuff.

Thanks for the find BZ. And good to hear that the whole ECW roster will be in-game.

No problem But I doubt the whole ECW roster will make the cut, most likely the major ones. Sabu, Mike Knox, Stevie Richards, Nunzio are the ones that I highly doubt will make the cut.

1. I'm so sick of Cory Ledesma right now.

I've hated that douchenut since day one. Judging from SvR2007, he should stay far far away from a Smackdown game.

What's with the possibly British guys imitating Lawler, JBL, and Cole on commentary in the Gamespot Gameplay video? And why are they talking about Shelton Benjamin in a match between Mysterio and Orton?

I personally think it was a mockery of the commentary last year when the commentators would comment about the most out of the world things and talk about superstars not even involved in the match... just like the time when I used Kane and hit a Big Boot and the announcers screamed out "Kane lands the pedigree"

[Lean]

Odd. What I noticed about last year's SvR is that when a superstar does his finisher, the commentators use "he" instead of his name.

[-Young Buck-]

This magazine article says SVR08 will have downloadable wrestlers after the game is out for PSN. I hope that means xbox 360 will also get it, because i only have a 360.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6743/img005pv7.jpg
(little dark INFO BYTE box)

[Andrew]

Sounds cool, though I still dislike the concept of purchasing additional content after spending a hundred bucks on a game. I could just be cheap, though.

[BZ]

Sounds cool, though I still dislike the concept of purchasing additional content after spending a hundred bucks on a game. I could just be cheap, though.

The article never said anything about purchasing the downloadable content Andrew But since THQ has become a company like EA, I'm willing to bet that they're going to make it a priced download so they can further milk every single fan down to the last penny. If it's free, it better be on the PSP too.

[Lean]

So far THQ didn't make the Smackdown series a fag like that of NBA Live.

[BZ]

So far THQ didn't make the Smackdown series a fag like that of NBA Live.

Like as crappy as Live? SvR2007 definitely seemed like it... By far the worst Smackdown in the series hands down.

[Andrew]

Sounds cool, though I still dislike the concept of purchasing additional content after spending a hundred bucks on a game. I could just be cheap, though.

The article never said anything about purchasing the downloadable content Andrew But since THQ has become a company like EA, I'm willing to bet that they're going to make it a priced download so they can further milk every single fan down to the last penny. If it's free, it better be on the PSP too.

I know, but I wouldn't put it past them after the Jake Roberts situation in 2006.

[Lean]

Like as crappy as Live? SvR2007 definitely seemed like it... By far the worst Smackdown in the series hands down.

Probably. I only played the PS2 version which also features the environment interactivity but you are only limited to one corner outside of the ring, filled with tables, chairs and other weapons. I also find the right analog control odd, I only execute a few moves. It ruins the thumbstick That's one letdown that I see.

[Andrew]

I got used to the right analog though it didn't exactly revolutionise the control scheme as THQ seemed to think it would.

[Lean]

It sure did botched up my thumb. Will they maintain it this year?

[BZ]

It sure did botched up my thumb. Will they maintain it this year?

Without a shadow of a doubt, they definitely will. But I thought for the PS2 and XBox 360 versions they allow users to switch the control schemes?

EDIT: BTW, the official SvR2008 site is up, much earlier than usual.

[Andrew]

Without a shadow of a doubt, they definitely will. But I thought for the PS2 and XBox 360 versions they allow users to switch the control schemes?

I'm pretty sure they do, but I got used to the new scheme fairly quickly and wasn't that thrown off by it so I never bothered exploring that option.

[BigKaboom2]

http://gametrailers.com/player/22879.html

Finally, a gameplay video from Comic Con.

It looks largely similar to 07 as expected, but has a few nice animations and the movement is a lot better. However, I didn't see many reversals in the video and in my opinion the reversal system is what makes the game unrealistic. I'd like to see a system similar to the Fire Pro series where you have sets of low, medium, and high damage moves and you can't pull of the high damage ones until late in the match.

The submission system looks very cool, though I'm unsure why you would ever not use the "Wrench" feature.

The UI is smaller as well, which is nice - hopefully they've found a way to do a six-man match without half the screen filled with stamina bars.

[Andrew]

Supposedly there's a chance it will be delayed as THQ has been ordered to completely remove Chris Benoit from the game. I'm guessing he was probably featured heavily in at least part of the career mode and probably a challenge or two as well so there'll probably be a significant portion of the game THQ will have to replace. It is the best course of action though.

[BigKaboom2]

I ordered a fliptop for my PS2 (lets you play import games) along with King of Colosseum 2 (never played it) and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (played it a bit) - can't have Smackdown as my main wrestling game fix anymore. Check out some KoC 2 videos on Youtube - it looks fantastic.

[BigKaboom2]

I ordered a fliptop and Swap Magic discs for my PS2 (lets you play import games) along with King of Colosseum 2 (never played it) and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (played it a bit) - can't have Smackdown as my main wrestling game fix anymore. Check out some KoC 2 videos on Youtube - it looks fantastic.

[-Young Buck-]

But fire pro wrestler returns is going to come to the USA, no need for a swap PS2.

[BigKaboom2]

It's worth it for KOC 2, and there's a great translation patch for FPR - I'll buy the English version anyway just to support the importing of such titles.

[BZ]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812998p1.html

Seven more Superstars confirmed for the roster. Talk about revealing the obvious.