WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2007

I've played the Smackdown games for several years and even played the ones for PS1. This "new" installment still barely scratches the surface of what many people had in mind. You'll notice the difference when you start a new game and it's not a good one. THQ has once again tried (and failed) to cover it's tracks from the previous games and changed the controller scheme. Not a bad idea, but should of been thought up years ago as you will try desperately to figure out how to do the moves you want. Even pinning your downed opponent can be a chore if you don't hit the analog right. While the game boasts excellent graphics and sound, the create-a-player seems to be more and more taken away. When you use the character creation, you are now bombarded with a list of restrictions and lack of overall creativity. The Create-a-Entrance is a nice addition, but still cannot cover up the fact that the guy walking down to the ring looks nothing like how you want him to look. And the one pet peeve that I have about this game's create-a-player is that no matter who you make, your stuck with limited attribute points and I mean limited. In Season mode, your better off playing with Triple H or Kurt Angle, because your season starts with either trying to beat the Big Show or The Undertaker, so you can forget using your created player now that almost every move you "try" to attempt will be countered thanks to the AI. I gave this a 6 overall.

First off, let me say at face value this game looks great and is pretty fun. By no means am I saying don't play it. However, if you have played other games in the Smackdown franchise you are in for some frustration. You definitely want to rent it first.

There are so many mistakes which are just plain sloppy. There are some of the same glitches that were in SVR 2006, including the biggest bonehead move of the music stopping before the entrance is over. Every time that happens I turn red with anger because it's such an easy mistake to catch in the debugging process the first time, but to put out a whole new game with the same problem? Wow...just wow. Which means that THQ didn't rebuild the features or the gameplay for the 360 version...they used the old game engine and didn't even bother to fix the OBVIOUS mistakes.

They have truly lost their way in taking pride in their work. Half of the create a superstar parts cannot have the color changed or can have it changed very little. Some of the old parts are missing and the new ones aren't anything special. Certain layers can't go on top of others anymore, such as wristbands or elbow pads on top of shirts, even if they are skin tight. So characters you have created for several games in a row will not look right.

The new game play is a joke to most long time fans. It benefits those that have never played the game before and slaps those of us that have for 9 years in the face. You have to do moves WITH THE ANALOG which feels completely unnatural and is INCREDIBLY easy to counter. The countering system itself has been totally changed, and there are certain players online that have it figured out to a science. I am really damn good at this game and there are some online players who can manipulate the new timing to where I'll be lucky to hit them once.

Probably the most frustrating thing for me is they didn't bother to take advantage of the capability of the 360. You can't load your own entrance music, which everyone thought was a given. Again, most of the mistakes are just plain lazy and that is what makes them so bad. For years everyone I know that plays this game would like to be able to do moves on a chair or stairs. How easy would it be to have a second result for moves if they are done over an object? The 360 is far beyond capable...they just didn't want to do the work. And rest assured, the load times are just as shockingly long for the 360 as they are for PS2. Basically the 360 version is the same game with a sharper picture. Don't think for a second you are getting a next gen wrestling game.

For what I'm used to in a Smackdown game, 4 out of 10 is being generous. The first WWE for a next gen system and they took no pride in their work. Not fixing glitches from the old games, making totally new mistakes, and the ridiculous amounts of limitations is sure to let down anyone who has come to respect the THQ over the years.

I think they are focusing more on their bottom line than the quality of their games. It's a very sad thing to see such impressive pioneers fall like this. Here's hoping they remember what's important and actually try next year.

For you that haven't played these games before, I will say go out and buy either Smackdown vs Raw or the 2006 version before playing this game.... then it's less harder to go to..

Plots in the game could be better and should have a larger amount of superstars in it... for the season mode..... but the way the storyline is built up is just great..... last years was a major setup and was totally unreal.... so is it in this game.... Undertaker is world champion.... HHH is GM of Raw..... and a lot of other things to say... also in exhibition ..... old champions is mixed with new..... In ex Nitro is WWE tag team champ and Intercontinal champion at the same time..... The CAW is good and is much more fun in season mode if you start on Raw.... then you will go from Raw to WrestleMania 22 then to Smackdown and end at WrestleMania 22... (which is a big mistake)... but fun anyway.....

Enjoy the game...... p.s it's not hard to get through.... took me about 30 hours to complete everything in the game.... even the Smackdown vs Raw 2007 challenger thing..... I'll give the game a 7 out of 10.....

Well this game is definitely one of the best games I have played in a very long time and here are the reasons why the game play is very good, The matches such as hell in a cell, last man standing, first blood, single etc. The graphics are really good the story mode is very good and just a little tip join smackdown first because the story is way better than joining with raw first. Also the voice over actors are really good such as Mark Calaway/The Undertaker, Paul Levesque/Triple h. Also the wrestlers in the game are really good such as the undertaker, Triple h, Randy Orton, Batista, Ric Flair etc They look just like what they look like in real life. Also The GM mode is really good but it is a lot more difficult than story mode but it is still fun but it may take a few tries to get the GM of the year award but I am sure that you will get it. Also the part I found most difficult was the challenge mode because you don't get to decide what wrestlers you want to play as but it is still fun to do. So I am sure that you will not be disappointed with Smackdown VS. Raw 2007 because it is a very good game. So make sure that you rent or buy Smackdown VS. Raw 2007 because it is just so great.

Overall score: ********** out of **********

***** out of *****

the game was a big disappointment to me because the commentators are always repeating everything they say and that is just boring plus the tag team match only one name is announced as well as the two. i think they rushed this game a bit to get it out on time so what i think what would be the next thing to do is to think carefully for the next game and take it stage by stage. but apart from that the season was awrite but still no mention of the commentators mentioning the caws name which sucks plus the graphics need more approving big time. cena needs more animation done to him,plus when did triple h and the rock have six packs come on that is just silly. if the next game isn't good I'm not buying it cause they are all just pathetic at making wwe games.