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]

Thanks BZ, good looking out.

Those screens look awesome and the prospect of brand new animations is promising. The expansion into different fighting styles sounds good as well, particularly since there'll be a couple of layers of logic to allow wrestlers to behave like their real life counterparts.

The new submission system sounds like a huge improvement. Button mashing is very outdated, not exactly skillful and it's difficult to know how much of an effect you're actually having on the action. Using the sticks to apply pressure is much better and it sounds like we'll have more control over the ability to power out of a hold or struggle to the ropes to break it. Good stuff.

I have to admit I'm not too enthused about combining GM Mode and Season Mode into one single "WWE 24/7 Mode", particularly if it means picking a top WWE star means starting out at the bottom every time and generic dialogue/angles that don't fit certain characters. I like having a couple of different modes of play for the sake of variety. It seems they're moving away from that idea though. Apart from that though, it's good news in my opinion.

[BigKaboom2]

Thank goodness for the elimination of button-mashing. As usual, it seemed that the person being interviewed was on the defensive, and I was sort of getting the impression that the new animations would only be for basic actions rather than moves.

I know it's a lot of work to reanimate all the moves, but I do get sick of the same ones over and over, especially for reversals.

Speaking of reversals, the AI reverses too much in spite of the sliders and it's possible to reverse almost everything of theirs by continuously tapping the corresponding button.

[Mazzocchi]

Jesus, this better be better than SvR 07 (less bugs I mean).

2nd next-gen installment, theres no excuses this time.

[BZ]

Those screens look awesome and the prospect of brand new animations is promising. The expansion into different fighting styles sounds good as well, particularly since there'll be a couple of layers of logic to allow wrestlers to behave like their real life counterparts.

That's the part I have a feeling that, despite it's potential and promise, can be disappointing. Yuke's (the developer for Smackdown) have been removing massive amount of moves over the last couple of series, and this series might be the same as well, since it seems they are focusing their effort on reworking player movement animations and etc, rather than focus on moves as BigKaboom2 stated. As for the move styles, that imo, is just a blatant implication that wrestlers will have even more limited movesets than ever. Smackdown vs Raw 2007 had a horrible moveset/weight limit system, since wrestlers of a certain weight are barred from doing certain types of moves. One glaring example: RVD cannot have the Martial Arts moveset, which is absurd considering RVD has a Martial Arts based gimmick! THQ and Yuke's focuses too much on the presentation and gimmicks rather than the actual wrestling and gameplay itself. Ever since they've reverted to the Smackdown vs Raw title, it has been too painfully evident.

Speaking of reversals, the AI reverses too much in spite of the sliders and it's possible to reverse almost everything of theirs by continuously tapping the corresponding button.

If they had a slider that can allow users control many aspects of the gameplay (such as Damage, Reversals and etc) it would be awesome beyond belief, as this can fix many gameplay complaints that consumers can have, since many consumers have different ways of playing. Some go for the arcade style, some would prefer having a sim style.

As for the new submission system, I'm still curious on how it'll work out. Has anybody played The Warriors? When you mug someone, you have to rotate the analog to find your victim's "sweetspot" which allows you to eventually successfully mug your victim. I think a system like that would work well in Smackdown. By rotating the analog stick and finding the sweetspot, and then apply pressure to that sweetspot (let's say 11 o' clock on the analog direction) by pressing the analog direction to that direct exact spot. Opponents can get out of it, by pushing the analog button the opposite direction and just hope that they can get out of it.


EDIT: New Article from IGN
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/777/777264p1.html

[BZ]

Excuse me for the double post, but major update on SvR2008 regarding the series arriving on Nintendo's platform including a video of the game on the Wii!

http://www.ifilm.com/profile/motis766/video/2838094
SvR2008 on the Wii.

http://wii.ign.com/articles/777/777258p1.html
SvR2008 Wii info

http://ds.ign.com/articles/777/777150p1.html
Nintendo DS

[Andrew]

That's the part I have a feeling that, despite it's potential and promise, can be disappointing. Yuke's (the developer for Smackdown) have been removing massive amount of moves over the last couple of series, and this series might be the same as well, since it seems they are focusing their effort on reworking player movement animations and etc, rather than focus on moves as BigKaboom2 stated. As for the move styles, that imo, is just a blatant implication that wrestlers will have even more limited movesets than ever. Smackdown vs Raw 2007 had a horrible moveset/weight limit system, since wrestlers of a certain weight are barred from doing certain types of moves. One glaring example: RVD cannot have the Martial Arts moveset, which is absurd considering RVD has a Martial Arts based gimmick! THQ and Yuke's focuses too much on the presentation and gimmicks rather than the actual wrestling and gameplay itself. Ever since they've reverted to the Smackdown vs Raw title, it has been too painfully evident.

I hadn't thought of that actually, but that's very true. If executed properly I think it could be an improvement over the current system but not if more moves get the axe. Good call on the weight restrictions/movesets too, that was definitely frustrating in SDvR 2007. I agree with you and BigKaboom2 about the slider issues as well.

How does everyone else feel about the new single dimension career mode? Reading the latest article I have to admit I'm still not sold on it.

Pick Undertaker for your WWE 24/7 character? He's pretty popular already, you might be able to knock out his set of preset, unannounced goals in about six in-game months and make your way into the WWE Hall of Fame. Create a character? You could be looking at three years of WWE ladder climbing.

See, this is what I don't like. If you pick someone like the Undertaker, you should be at the main event level immediately. WWF Attitude's Season Mode was a lot like that with real life main eventers starting at the bottom. Angles and dialogue are probably going to be generic too. GM Mode was a great addition, I'm disappointed they've canned it as well in favour of a single "24/7" mode.

For instance, THQ popped a match between Randy Orton and Kane on the auditorium's screens to showcase Orton's dirty fighting style. Kane went to put a beat down Orton, but the devious heel jumped behind the ref, grabbed the WWE employee's arms and used him as a human shield. After a bit of squirming on the ref's part, Orton threw the official into Kane. It knocked the ref out, and the big man down. Orton's dirty demo didn't end there. In another clip, the cowboy's kid placed a chair under the fallen Undertaker's head, grabbed another steel seat and slammed it down to make a noggin sandwich out of the Phenom.

That sounds good, a few more spots should hopefully liven up gameplay a bit the same as the environmental grapples did last year.

The virtual Bobby Lashley was also trotted out by THQ to display some of the neat features for powerhouses. Pinned by Rey Mysterio, Lashley let the little man get a two-count before tossing the high flyer off his chest and across the ring. If a powerhouse stores a special, they'll be able to use it to kick out of any pin.

I can see this is going to be both a very useful and very frustrating feature, depending on whether you or the CPU/a human opponent happens to be storing a special move. It's probably for the best though, nothing worse than being in a challenging match, getting ready to hit a finisher and falling a victim to a weak move that results in a pinfall loss because you're both pretty battered by that point.

[BigKaboom2]

How does everyone else feel about the new single dimension career mode? Reading the latest article I have to admit I'm still not sold on it.

I think this mode sounds good for a CAW certainly, but will probably be somewhat awkward with a real wrestler. It sounds like it will be much longer than Season mode, which is a good thing.

The virtual Bobby Lashley was also trotted out by THQ to display some of the neat features for powerhouses. Pinned by Rey Mysterio, Lashley let the little man get a two-count before tossing the high flyer off his chest and across the ring. If a powerhouse stores a special, they'll be able to use it to kick out of any pin.

I can see this is going to be both a very useful and very frustrating feature, depending on whether you or the CPU/a human opponent happens to be storing a special move. It's probably for the best though, nothing worse than being in a challenging match, getting ready to hit a finisher and falling a victim to a weak move that results in a pinfall loss because you're both pretty battered by that point.

I agree with all of that - on one hand it's going to be pretty annoying, much like the possum pin, but on the other hand I just got pinned by Triple H in a HIAC match on SvR 06 at Legend difficulty after a couple of knee strikes against the turnbuckle.

[Andrew]

I think this mode sounds good for a CAW certainly, but will probably be somewhat awkward with a real wrestler. It sounds like it will be much longer than Season mode, which is a good thing.

Perhaps it won't be so bad once you get past the introductory stages, especially if there's less hoops to jump through if you pick a main event wrestler. Still, the big names shouldn't start out at the bottom and if there's generic dialogue and angles then it's going to feel pretty unrealistic and awfully repetitive after a while.

I agree with all of that - on one hand it's going to be pretty annoying, much like the possum pin, but on the other hand I just got pinned by Triple H in a HIAC match on SvR 06 at Legend difficulty after a couple of knee strikes against the turnbuckle.

Exactly! I've had the same thing happen to me in the Mr Perfect vs Chris Masters challenge in 2007 and it's frustrating every time.

[BZ]

Regarding the career mode, I'm kinda neutral on it. Not exactly looking forward to it, or not looking forward to it at all. I usually play season mode with CAW's, which is why.

That sounds good, a few more spots should hopefully liven up gameplay a bit the same as the environmental grapples did last year.

Indeed it is, but I find the referee exploitation might be downright abused and become a nuisance.

Exactly! I've had the same thing happen to me in the Mr Perfect vs Chris Masters challenge in 2007 and it's frustrating every time.

SvR2007 had the most horrible damage distribution ever. I can rip apart an opponent's body into red within a minute. Practically unheard of in SvR2006. You know something's wrong when a UCM suplex does 20 damage, loads more than a powerbomb or a powerslam. But personally, I think this feature can be a blessing nonetheless. I've had a few incidents where I attempted risky spots (like diving off the HIAC on an opponent, only to miss) and I got pinned all the while with a finisher stored. But then again, as the article stated, it's only limited to powerhouses.

I agree with all of that - on one hand it's going to be pretty annoying, much like the possum pin, but on the other hand I just got pinned by Triple H in a HIAC match on SvR 06 at Legend difficulty after a couple of knee strikes against the turnbuckle.

Better than getting pinned by a Ric Flair backhop. I was in a HIAC match when Ric Flair pulled out that Back Chop where it can knock you down, and while the damage of that Back Chop is toned down in SvR2007, it did a whopping 16 to the body in SvR2006, and my created Lesnar lost to that.

[BZ]

A video demonstration of the new Fighting Styles in effect.

http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=4627

[BigKaboom2]

Err.....Lashley can kick out of any pin anytime he wants? I hope this guy doesn't know what he's talking about. The rest looks nice but nothing revolutionary.

[JaoSming]

http://wii.qj.net/WWE-Smackdown-vs-Raw- ... /aid/88024

Wii video

[BZ]

Err.....Lashley can kick out of any pin anytime he wants? I hope this guy doesn't know what he's talking about. The rest looks nice but nothing revolutionary.

Lashley's ability is part of the powerhouse feature. He can only do it when he has a finisher stored.

[Andrew]

Obviously there's a lot of moves that have been cut over the years but yesterday I remembered one in particularly that I'd like to see return. HBK used to have a weaker version of Sweet Chin Music as a running move, which was very fun to use in special guest referee matches or three way/fatal four way matches; especially when The Rock was involved because you could hit the move as he came off the ropes for the People's Elbow, not unlike a match between Rock and HHH with HBK as the guest referee circa 1999.

It's not the most crucial addition or improvement they could make of course but it was a fun spot to do.

[BigKaboom2]

HBK used to have a weaker version of Sweet Chin Music as a running move

I've seen that in SvR 2006 - I think one of my CAWs has it. Is it not present in 2007?

Anyway, new 2008 video: http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php? ... mv&pl=game

[BZ]

HBK used to have a weaker version of Sweet Chin Music as a running move

I've seen that in SvR 2006 - I think one of my CAWs has it. Is it not present in 2007?

Anyway, new 2008 video: http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php? ... mv&pl=game

Snap, I was just about to post that. But nonetheless, only shows footage of SvR2007 with Ledesma the Douche blabberring away. If anyone notices, that interview and his interviews for SvR2007 are practically the same. But let's just hope they correct what went wrong in SvR2007: The gameplay.

[BigKaboom2]

Yeah, I posted that before I had actually watched the video - terribly boring. The graphics do look a little nicer, but it looks exactly like 2007 apart from that.

[Andrew]

I've seen that in SvR 2006 - I think one of my CAWs has it. Is it not present in 2007?

I can't recall offhand but if it is I'll be editing HBK's moveset; it should be in there by default though.

[BZ]

I've seen that in SvR 2006 - I think one of my CAWs has it. Is it not present in 2007?

I can't recall offhand but if it is I'll be editing HBK's moveset; it should be in there by default though.

The only running superkick after the original Smackdown vs Raw was the Karate Kick. It looks superb imo. But not enough damage to finish the opponent.

[BigKaboom2]

That brings up another point - I wish whatever move you selected as a finisher automatically recieved a boost in damage to make a legitimate finisher. I use a victory-roll-to-DDT sort of move for one of my CAWs and am rarely able to end the match with it.

[BZ]

That brings up another point - I wish whatever move you selected as a finisher automatically recieved a boost in damage to make a legitimate finisher. I use a victory-roll-to-DDT sort of move for one of my CAWs and am rarely able to end the match with it.

That's odd.. usually the DDT's are legitamate finishers since most do a whopping 16 damage to the head. But in your case, is it SvR2006 or 2007? SvR2007, it's possible to finish any wrestler off with practically any move. Standing strikes included. Absolutely different story in SvR2006

[BigKaboom2]

Oh, that's good. I've been playing 2006 on PS2 at college while my 360 with 2007 is stuck at home . Anything will finish off a wrestler on the lower difficulty levels, but I usually play on Hard or Legend despite the irritating amount of reversals.

[BZ]

Oh, that's good. I've been playing 2006 on PS2 at college while my 360 with 2007 is stuck at home . Anything will finish off a wrestler on the lower difficulty levels, but I usually play on Hard or Legend despite the irritating amount of reversals.

I usually try to work the matches, by letting the computer handle the match as much as me, or try to recreate some matches and attempt big spots. I usually set it to normal with tweaked sliders. Hard or Legend is more annoying than challenging, since in SvR2006, it was too easy to reverse everything.

[Andrew]

That brings up another point - I wish whatever move you selected as a finisher automatically recieved a boost in damage to make a legitimate finisher. I use a victory-roll-to-DDT sort of move for one of my CAWs and am rarely able to end the match with it.

That's odd.. usually the DDT's are legitamate finishers since most do a whopping 16 damage to the head. But in your case, is it SvR2006 or 2007? SvR2007, it's possible to finish any wrestler off with practically any move. Standing strikes included. Absolutely different story in SvR2006

That reminds me, after I unlocked Jake Roberts with my Action Replay in 2006 I decided to use him in a match against 80s Hogan. It must have taken about 7 or 8 DDTs (not including the ones that were reversed) and one through the announce table to put him away. Mind you, I suppose it's not too surprising given the opponent.