Smackdown VS Raw 2011 Review (360)

Layeth the Smackdown – again.

Another year another excuse to don my spandex and yell things like “Suck It” and “If you smellllll what the Rage is Cooking” at the TV. No, not time for me to renew the pills – it’s WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2011.

THQ have churned out yet another update to the Smackdown VS Raw formula. The question is – is it any good? Short answer, for the most part – yes!

With over 70 superstars, divas and legends, new single player mode WWE Universe and a really superb set of match types, this is a very respectable update. But, where to start.

Well, let’s get straight into the biggest update, the WWE Universe. Think of this as a never ending career mode. Each week of the year has programmes and pay per views scheduled, with initially random matches set up. You can choose to play any of the matches, change them in any way you like, put different wrestlers in (including created wrestlers). As you progress through the Universe mode, the game will not only track results but will set up feuds and alliances based on how matches are played. So if you take your own character into lots of matches against the Undertaker, and soundly beat him every match – you will end up in feud with him. This means that at any point he may decide to invade your matches. You may also get little surprises like Vince McMahon turning up at the end of a match to tell you have another opponent to fight.

What you can’t do is just put yourself into title matches though. These have to be earned by playing through the shows week by week.

Over all this mode is a great addition as it gives the game a great deal of replay value and feels very realistic.

This is a very respectable update

WWE Universe is not the only single player career mode. There is also the Road to Wrestlemania mode as well. This offers 5 different stories to play through. Will you play as a created character and try to end the Undertakers Wrestlemania winning streaks? Or maybe take Christian all the way to the top? Although we have seen this before to an extent, 2011 adds a nice twist. You can freely walk about backstage in-between matches. Whilst wandering about you are able to chat to other wrestlers, or if you feel like it start random fights. The stories themselves are fairly cheesy, although the Undertaker story line is actually very enjoyable (watch out for some wicked mind games!) There are also a few little bits of RPG like elements here. As you win matches, or just backstage brawls, you get Experience Points. These let you upgrade certain aspects of your character, like durability.

So what else is new? Well there are a few new match types, and most importantly a massively upgraded Hell in a Cell match type. Now the cell is the right size, there are items under the cell and most importantly you can smash your opponent through the cell wall. This lets you head to the top and recreate the epic matches of Mick Foley and the Undertaker. You can throw your opponent off the top of the cell, though the announcer table (then leg drop him if you wish!) You can also smash through the top of the cage by doing hard throws in the middle of the cage.

Controls remain pretty much the same as before. The right stick handles basic grapples, the X button deals out the punch combos. Shoulder buttons handle things like running, hard grapples and reversals. The controls are reactive and rarely did I have cause to moan about them!

Online has been well catered for as well. There are now several leader tables to get involved with. As you play more games, you earn points that push you up from the lower leagues all the way up to Superstar status. Pretty much all of the match types available in the single player game are here, but this year you get a special Royal Rumble mode. Up to 12 players can compete (6 in the ring at once). Again there is a leader board for this as well. Over all the online modes are very good, however I did find that lag was a serious issue more often than not.

My only wish is that THQ would update the game engine a little. There are still clipping bugs and little annoyances that have been there for years. That said, it does look really good!

If you are a wrestling fan then this will have everything you need to keep you playing for months. There is just enough new stuff to warrant buying it even if you have Smackdown VS Raw 2010.

Now, I must go and chuck Edge off the Hell in a Cell!