WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2006 (PS2)

The 2006-game features all the matches and controls of the previous titles. It combines the slight air of hyperreality surrounding Pro-Wrestling with an excellent game system, focussing on strategy and a variabaility of wrestling styles, over plain button-mashing.
The pearls of this title, is what seperates it from a standard beat-'em-up game. The object is to pin your opponent or force him to submit, rather than just beating him senseless. To achieve this goal, the player must exercise timing and charisma to allow for the "Finishing move" that characterizes every wrestler since Hulk Hogan (who is featured in three different varieties, by the way!), or concentrate on softening up certain parts of the opponent's anatomy for submission-holds. Graphics and controls are improved once more, and the game features voice acting from most major superstars.

"Smackdown vs. Raw 2006" also has three different 'modes', apart from the good old-fashioned match:
First of all, there is a manager-game, which puts the player in the seat of a GM, allowing him to make matches, start rivalries and hype PPVs and superstars.
Second the game allows the player to design a wrestler in eerie detail - from facial features, over costume, to enterance and, of course, the many, many moves that the character will execute in-ring. The level of detail and the number of items is amazing, eve though the designers seem to have reserved some items (such as Coach's shirt) fororiginal characters only.
Thirdly, the game features a personal Roleplaying-like season mode, where the player can go through 'realistic' wwe-storylines as either a home-made wrestler or one of the wwe-superstars (with their own voices!), improve his wrestling abilitis trough a multi-faceted attribute-system and eventually challenge for the title.

The game has a wonderful degree of costumisation, from wrestler looks over move-sets, to furnishing your backstage-area sims-style. Also, it features a goldmine of unlockables and buid-in challenges, that makes for many hours of motivated fun, beyond just exploring the many opportunities of the game.

The only thing that bugs me about the title, is that the storyline season-modes are relatively short, and do not have a lot of re-playability. In earlier titles the order of plots were randomized, and smaller challenges and backstage encounters made the game go on forever with equal intensity.

If the worst thing there is to say about a game, is that it is too short, then the rest muts be very good indeed. And it is.

Having stamina, momentum, hardcore, created championships, and new moves make even the pros quiver. Now you can create championships and defend them against your friends in person. Which means you can create multiple accounts. 1 for every friend you have. (Actually about 10) With the accounts you can have 1-10 season modes, new locker rooms, loads of championships, and the all new GM mode. THis is a great mode in which you go head-to-head against a computer or player for ratings. The new create an entrance mode is great. The entrances are longer and more detailed. This games main flaw in the lack of current superstars (MNM, MEXICOOLS, KEN KENNEDY, Heart Throbs, Viscera, and more)

THIS IS THE BEST WRESTLING GAME EVER AND A MUST BUY FOR EVEN A CASUAL WRESTLING FAN

First, what's good about it. For a start, it's the first game that actually admits that people want to create wrestlers that aren't in the game and offers a lot of assistance. Movesets are almost fully customisable so there won't be any more problems of trying to fit seven moves into four slots as there's an extra slot per grapple, and you can change the allocation of move types. Also, you have unlimited attribute points after playing through a couple of seasons, to save months of time trying to perfect the roster you made and entrances are fully customisable and you can create your own from scratch. There's also plenty of moves for people not in the game, such as AJ Styles, Low Ki and a lot of Japanese wrestlers.

For non CAW makers, season mode is more interactive and rewarding, as storylines unlock different hidden wrestlers and other things to collect (admittedly mostly loading screens and decor for the locker room hub), and the voice acting is vastly improved. There's also a pile of new match types, new wrestlers (as expected, really) and commentary is far superior to the previous game.

However, the cracks start to appear after playing for a while. Firstly, a large chunk of the roster were fired six months before the games' release (Spike Dudley, Charlie Haas, Mark Jindrak and Joy Giovanni included), so there's no excuse to have them in there - barring, of course, they'd recorded their voice acting already. Just as mystifying is how guys like Nunzio didn't get on and, quite annoying indeed, there's a few wrestlers you can't use in season mode, such as Tajiri and Rob Conway. Also the game isn't 100% CAW friendly, as some moves have actually been removed from the game, which also affects some of the in-game wrestlers (Edge's implant DDT is out, but they kept the spinning one he doesn't use, for example).

There's a few issues with collision detection and the strange sight of your wrestler not running but seeming to ice skate across the ring, which is a major oversight in programming and makes the exercise look half-finished and rushed, which a premium title plainly shouldn't. And, yet again, the limits on attiributes are in place, so once again Heavyweights such as Chris Jericho aren't fast enough to be realistic, while Cruiserweights like Eddie Guerrero aren't strong or tough enough. The introduction of the Stamina attribute levels things out a bit, but also slows you down in the ring as you get tired too quickly at key moments.

And for an innovation, the GM Mode is a good idea on paper - think of it as a business management sim - but is grossly unfair on the player as your show always had injuries, while your competitor never does. Yet the most criminal aspect is that you need a PSP, a copy of the PSP version of the game AND an internet connection just to unlock Jake Roberts, yet the game has three versions of Hulk Hogan to unlock. I still can't find anyone that wants three versions of Hogan, which also leaves two other Legends on the scrapheap.

Yet with a batch of problems that a bit of quality control would've fixed in a short space of time, the game is emenantly playable to a point. It may be a far way off the best in the series (Here Comes The Pain still offers better controls and realism), but it does stand above the worst (the previous SDvsR, Just Bring It) without much effort. Just be warned before you buy that it might not be a long-lasting experience.

You get some of the best wrestlers you can think of,
#Hulk Hogan
#John Cena
#Batista
#Undertaker

You can also get some pretty good legends,
#'The mouth of the south' Jimmy Hart
#'Stone Cold' Steve Austin
#Bret 'The Hitman' Hart
#Hollywood Hulk Hogan
#Mankind
And a load more!

My brother thinks the downfall of this game is the stamina system.

I've completed the RAW season and now trying to complete the Smackdown! season. I wish the season lasted a little longer since i completed it in 2 days. The amount of years for the Smackdown and RAW seasons together is only two years.

The good thing about this game is that you can create your superstars quicker. Thats what my brother thinks anyway.

This game deserves ten bloody stars. Thanks for listening!

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2006 is yet another title released by THQ who seemed to have a real knack at producing solid wrestling games, ever since WCW vs NWO on the N64!!! (Hours of 64-bit heaven!)

The positives: -

1. I've played this for a few weeks now and I must say it's great when you have friends/family around to fight against in the countless matches they have to offer.
2. The graphics are again crisp and have been improved once again. Crowd sounds and Commentary have also been tweaked.
3. Create a Superstar - Your created character no longer stands out like a sore thumb with the improved graphics, they look more like a real person now and you can give them 1 of 5 voices which THQ have recorded lines for which adds greatly to the season mode. Along with this you can fully customise your entrance from new exclusive music (only 6 tracks but better than the garbage on offer before) to where the camera sits at certain points as your superstar makes his way to the squared circle.
4. A new stamina meter has been added meaning you can't perform 20 big moves in a row, one after the other - you have to think about what you are doing to a greater extent now and replenish your stamina at any given opportunity.

I have to say though I am slightly concerned with a few things.

1. Lifespan, the Season mode doesn't last forever and may get tiresome after a while. I would say that battling against other human players is what will keep this going. If you are a loner then you're out of luck!
2. Countering moves, it's all well and good being able to counter moves but if you bash the L2 and R2 in a mad frenzy you can beat anyone without even being punched/grappled. THQ need to sort out making this harder to do.
3. Speed, if you watch wrestling on the TV you would notice that most matches last for 10-15 minutes at least. It doesn't help that the durability of the characters is pretty low so that you can win matches in <5 minutes easily. If the characters lasted longer before being knocked unconscious then the game would last a lot longer. The need to regenerate stamina does slow the fight a little but not much.
4. Available Superstars, please THQ, make the list of Superstars as up to date as possible before release. I haven'e seen a lot of them on it for ages and yet they are in a new game?! Wierd...

All in all, a great buy. The best wrestling game on the market IMO. It's not the finished article yet but there's always next year! ;)

Overall, I'd give this game 10/10, it is seriously the best game I have ever played far better than the previous SD vs Raw.
Any serious WWE fan would buy this game instantly, it's worth the money trust me!

SVR 06 changes the entire world of virtual wrestling. Now all characters look very close to how they do in real life, with even those like Hurricane and Conway looking good.
Everybody, as far as I am aware, has their correct move-list (though you have to assign Batista's Lethian Spine Buster in place of Lesnar's version.
The Stamina bar can be turned on or off, so people who hate the idea can play with the same feel as all the other SmackDown! games. Entrances, including moves, movie and music, are nearly spot-on and look great (with the acception of Batista's firework timing!).
The new showing of 'newly aqquired' Finishers (not 'stored') shows you just how cool some of them are.

Casket matches are not individual matches but instead are joined up with a truck full of dirt to give you a very gratifying Buried Alive stipulation. People like Undertaker can perform special Last Rides/ JBL Powerbombs into the Casket to gain a quick win (stored finisher and full momentum needed), whereas the other Superstars have a simple Powerbomb. This makes Buried Alive matches quite hard to predict if you're playing against a friend. If you don't want a quick win then you can try to push them in with the submission-style bar and then slam the lid of the casket down on them.

Special Referees are not limited to tag team, singles and Ironman matches any more, because they can be used in a Steel Cage, Hell-in-a-Cell, tag team, singles, Ironman etc.

Battle Royals are no longer pin/ submission eliminations only and you can chose either pin/ submit eliminations or over-the-top rope eliminations. Royal Rumbles can also be for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 Superstars, and so you can play a quicker Rumble if you haven't much time.

The arenas are amazingly realistic and vary in size and popularity (for GM mode). They include:
RAW, SmackDown!, Heat, Velocity, WrestleMania IX, Unforgiven 04, No Mercy 04, Survivor Series 04, Armageddon 04, New Year's Revolution, Royal Rumble 05, No Way Out 05, WrestleMania 21, Backlash 05, Judgment Day 05, Vengeance 05, ECW: One Night Stand, Great American Bash 05, SummerSlam 05.

Championships can be defended on exhibition, as well as season mode, and titles are not reverted when changing Superstar on season. Cena and Austin wear their 'spinning'/ 'Smoking Skull' WWE title if they are the WWE champ and the new GM mode gives you a great sense of power over the Superstars you hate.

GM mode allows you to control an entire year in RAW or SmackDown!, with you creating the matches, advertising to get finances, hyping matches to get better ratings than the other show, and hyping the return of injured Superstars. Those wrestlers that don't like your method may jump to the other show, so you need to get them involved in expensive matches and title shots, or give them a title that has been vacated due to a champion's injuries. You also have to pay to keep them in your contract else they become a 'free agent' and you must rehire them at full price.

Create-an-Entrance (from GamesCube's WrestleMania X8 & XIX and Day of Reckoning 1 & 2) makes an appearance, with some great tracks to chose for your theme music.
Create-a-PPV has stayed, so has the Create-a-Championship option and all of the match types from the other SmackDown! games.

SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 is everything that SVR wasn't, and that means it is the GREATEST wrestler to hit the shelves.
Get it now, and prepare for 'The Fight Of Your Life!'

There are also several new match types to enjoy thoroughly, one of which is long over due - casket match. Others are - fulfil your fantasy, bar room brawl, backstage brawl.
Also, the new General Manager mode, which practically speaks for itself.

The detail of this game is...well, let's just say you would need a lot of time on your hands to complete it fully - that's a good thing, as it seldom disappoints.
There are, however, some flaws in the game, which made me very angry at times.
When you begin a match on legendary mode, the countering abilities of your opponent are crazy. Unless they are extremely tired or near dead, you will often find yourself in a counter-fest for quite some time. That's good in terms of it being more difficult, but it's bad in terms of being realistic. I mean, in a real wrestling match, how often would you see someone reversing his or her opponent's finisher five times in a row?. It gets very frustrating, as with some superstars, like The Undertaker, for example, against Triple H, it is annoyingly tedious, especially if you beat the hell out of him for 20 minutes or so, and he finishes you suddenly with a quick pedigree. You then shout at the TV 'Why won't you die!?' I mean, yeah sure, that's realistic - like Shawn Michaels says - 'in reality, it's there one second, and it's gone the next'. But the most annoying thing about it is, if you manage somehow to get a finisher in the first 2 minutes, the opponent will almost certainly kick out before the count of 1, and then get up. If you hit them in the head with a chair, they will get up in 1 or 2 seconds. Very unreal. Very time consuming.
Nevertheless, with a lot of patience, the ability to anticipate your opponents' next move(s), along with ultra sharp reactions, you should find legendary mode a cakewalk.

When it's all said and done, in that squared circle, there's gonna be blood, sweat and tears - theirs, not yours hopefully. I say this game is a total knockout, and certainly worth buying. '9/10'