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WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
PS3 boxart of SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 featuring (left to right) John Cena, The Undertaker, and Bobby Lashley.
Developer(s)	Yuke's
Publisher(s)	THQ Yuke's
Series	WWE SmackDown! series
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360, Mobile
Release	November 13 2007 November 9 2007 November 13 2007 November 16 2007 (PSP)
Genre(s)	Professional wrestling, Fighting
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer, multiplayer online

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 a professional wrestling video game developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators and released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii consoles, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS video game consoles by THQ in November 2007.

The game is the latest edition of the long-running WWE SmackDown! video game series based on the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It is the sequel to 2006's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 and is the first SmackDown game to include the promotion's ECW brand. It is also the first WWE game to be available for all seventh generation game consoles.

Gameplay

Each wrestler now has two fighting style categories, one primary and one secondary. Each fighting style has its advantages and disadvantages in each particular match type. There are eight styles altogether: high-flyer, hardcore, submission artist, powerhouse, showman, brawler, dirty and technical. The wrestler's special move, however, is based solely on their primary style. In addition, creative manager of THQ Cory Ledesma stated early in production that he planned on having numerous wrestler animations redone.

A new "struggle submission system" has been introduced, incorporating more analog control into the game. The player executing the submission can now decide how much pressure is applied by moving the analog stick in a particular direction. Similarly, the player locked in a submission hold will have to power out also by using the analog stick.

The game features the revived ECW brand, which takes its place alongside the established Raw and SmackDown! brands. The official box art features the ECW logo prominently. The game's ECW branding has expanded the number of weapons available under the ring during gameplay. New weapons such as guitars are available and tables can be set on fire. Despite the inclusion of the brand, the video game franchise will keep its SmackDown! vs. RAW name, although an early logo included "ECW Invasion" in the title.

Modes

The game allows several different game modes to be played, each with different goals and options. The season and general manager modes of previous games have been merged into the new "WWE 24/7" mode, which takes its name from WWE's video on demand service. Players can choose to play one of the game's included superstars, a created superstar or as a general manager of one of the brand. Playing as a wrestler, the goal is to take that wrestler and achieve "legend" status. In order to do so the player has to win matches, team with and feud with other wrestlers and gain popularity. At the same time they must choose whether to train, exercise, relax, or take part in other activities when not wrestling, all with their own positive and negative effects. A glitch which has frustrated many fans is the fact that if playing as a created wrestler, in the Road to Wrestlemania portion and is in possession of the title, they are asked if they want to relinquish the title, yet the story continues as if they chose to relinquish the title, preventing the player from completing WWE 24/7 Mode.

Playing as a general manager is similar to the previous General Manager modes in the series, in which one has to choose a brand and act as its General Manager (Jonathan Coachman for Raw, Theodore Long for SmackDown!, Tommy Dreamer for ECW), draft a roster and attempt to make decisions to make it the most popular brand of the three. The General Manager is allowed to hire/fire wrestlers, schedule workouts and events. There is also a all-new Tournament Mode which allows the player control a superstar through the various stages of a WWE tournament such as Beat The Clock Sprint and King of the Ring, as well as Money in the Bank tournament. This is featured only on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. Like previous games in the series, the game also allows players to challenge for and defend championships. The game includes championships used by the WWE in 2007, bringing back the branded championships from the previous game and for the first time, the ECW Championship.

The game allows several match types to be played. This includes the Iron Man match; Battle Royal; Hell in a Cell; Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match; Hardcore; Ladder match; the Elimination Chamber; and Royal Rumble among others.

Platform differences

The game differs significantly depending on the platform it is played on. These differences are seen first and foremost in the Nintendo DS version of the game. It makes use of the handheld's touch screen feature to control the wrestlers' in-ring actions. This version also includes wireless multiplayer gameplay, as well as training minigames. However, the DS version features a roster of just 21 wrestlers and retains the Season mode of past games rather than receiving the 24/7 or Main Event modes being introduced to other systems.

The Xbox 360's hard drive is utilized to allow custom music to be used in the game as entrance music. and the PlayStation 3 version has a first-person view option during the wrestlers' entrances. The Wii version takes advantage of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, using the motion-sensing capabilities to pull off various attacks. For instance, punches and chops are performed by slashing the Wii Remote in different directions. . It also includes Mii integration, both on menu screens of Main Event mode and on the HUD during game play.

In addition to exhibition matches and create-a-wrestler, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation versions have a 24/7 mode as its version of a season mode. However, the Wii version has Main Event mode in place of 24/7 mode and does not contain a General Manager mode.

The Wii version features five match types. These are, Single (One on One), Tag Team (Two on Two), K.O. Match, Triple Threat and Hardcore. This version lacks a WWE Shop and features a smaller move list compared to the other versions.

PAL and NTSC differences

Both PAL and NTSC versions are similar in content and playability. However the NTSC version includes an extra feature available in "Options" menu called "Cheat Codes" which lets the player apply cheats that can unlock Kelly Kelly's Alternate Outfit & Shawn Michaels and Triple H's DX Attire by entering their respective code in the "Cheat Menu". The PAL Version which was released four days earlier, doesn't include this feature. The PS2 version also has no way to play online after the hacking.

The Cheat function is available on the PAL version of the game on Xbox 360 but not the PS2.

Roster

In-game arenas

The main WWE television show arenas include:

• Friday Night SmackDown!
• RAW
• ECW on Sci-Fi
• Heat

The game also features arenas of the following pay-per-view-events:

• SummerSlam 2006
• Unforgiven 2006
• No Mercy 2006
• Cyber Sunday 2006
• Survivor Series 2006
• Armageddon 2006
• December to Dismember 2006
• New Year's Revolution 2007
• Royal Rumble 2007
• No Way Out 2007
• WrestleMania 23
• Backlash 2007
• Judgment Day 2007
• One Night Stand 2006
• Vengeance 2006
• The Great American Bash 2006

1 Arenas must be unlocked via the WWE Hall of fame mode

Release and critical reaction

Before the game was released, it was named as a 2007 Game Critics Award nominee for Best Fighting Game.

On October 15 2007 the demo was released onto the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game was released for all platforms in November 2007. Special editions of the game are available for some platforms, such as a collector's edition of PlayStation 2 and 3 version. This version will include a number of bonuses, including a tin case, a DVD with additional content, a Kelly Kelly trading card, an autographed Rey Mysterio lenticular card and a 28-page signature finisher's moves book. It also includes a code to unlock an alternate attire for Kelly Kelly in the game. Play.com released a limited edition pack called the Dirty Edition for the Xbox 360 which will include several extras, including postcards, a t-shirt, and a Kelly Kelly calendar.

Critical reaction to the game has been generally positive. As of November 2007, Metacritic has rated the PS3 version of game 77 out of 100 or "Generally favorable reviews", including reviews from eleven media outlets. Also as of November 2007, Game Rankings has different scores for each version of the game. The highest rated one is the PS3 version, with an average ratio of 81% from 21 reviews. The other versions have average ratios in the 70-75% range. The DS version has the lowest ratio, with an average ratio of 63% from 12 reviews.

IGN reviewed the game for each platform, though the scores are varied. The average score so far for all the systems combined is 7.1 out of 10, noting that the 24/7 mode was repetitive and a step down from the previous year's Season and GM modes respectively. However, Alex Navarro of Gamespot is far less generous in his review. He gives all the console versions of the game a 6.5 out of 10, a "fair" rating except for the Wii version which is rated an astonishing 4.5. While he does praise the new fighting styles and graphics, Navarro calls the game a "big disappointment." He cites the game's 24/7 mode and artificial intelligence as being among the game's shortcomings. GamePro gave the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions a 4.5 out of 5, earning it the Editor's Choice award.

The "unlockable" arenas can be unlocked via the Road to the WWE Hall of Fame mode: ECW One Night Stand, ECW December to Dismember, WWE No Way Out, WWE New Years Revolution, The Great American Bash, SummerSlam & WrestleMania 23.

Soundtrack

• 1. Nonpoint - Everybody Down

• 2. Puddle of Mudd - Famous (official theme of WWE One Night Stand 2007)

• 3. 8Ball & MJG - Stand Up

• 4. AM Conspiracy - Welt

• 5. AM Conspiracy - Right on Time

• 6. Project 86 - Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)

• 7. Project 86 - Put Your Lips to the TV

• 8. Sevendust - Driven

• 9. Sevendust - Feed

• 10. Chevelle - Well Enough Alone

• 11. Nobody Famous - Go Hard

• 12. Hellyeah - You Wouldn't Know

References

1. "EB Games Australia - PSP - WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008". EB Games. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
2. ^ "THQ WWE SMACKDOWN VS. RAW 2008". THQ. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
3. "WWE SmackDown vs RAW 2008 (PS3) info". Games Tracker. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
4. "WWE SmackDown vs RAW 2008 (PS3) info". Games Tracker. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
5. "The Number One Fighting Video Game Franchise Takes on Three New Platforms in WWE(R) SmackDown(R) vs. Raw(R) 2008". THQ. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
6. "Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 Eyes-on". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
7. ^ Coleman, Bill. "First Interview: SmackDown vs. Raw 2008". IGN. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
8. Hunt, Jen. "SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 unveiled". WWE. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
9. "THQ Wii information page". THQ. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
10. WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 interview. IGN.
11. ^ "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 24/7 Mode Report". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
12. http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/882/882477/img_4874778.html
13. "WWE SmackDown Vs RAW 2008 screenshot - Fatal-4-Way matches". Gamekult. Retrieved 2007-10-14. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 39 (help)
14. "WWE SmackDown Vs RAW 2008 screenshot - Royal Rumble matches". Gamekult. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
15. "THQ Nintendo DS information page". THQ. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
16. "SmackDown vs. Raw '08 Roster (DS)". Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |publsiher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
17. "SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 First Look". IGN. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
18. "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 Progress Report". IGN. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
19. "First person Entrances for PS3 Only". IGN. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
20. Hoffman, Chris. "WWE on Wii!". Nintendo. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
21. "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 (Wii) video page". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
22. "2007 Nominees". Game Critics Awards. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
23. "WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008 - Collectors Edition". GameStop. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
24. "WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2008 Collector's Edition". Electronics Boutique. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
25. "WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008 - Dirty Edition". Play.com. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
26. "WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-11-16..
27. "WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 - PS3". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-11-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
28. Miller, Greg (2007-11-02). "WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2008 (XBOX 360) review at IGN" (html). IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
29. Navarro, Alex (2007-11-14). "WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 for the PlayStation 2 review". Retrieved 2007-11-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
30. "WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 (PS3)". GamePro. Retrieved 2007-11-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
31. "WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 (Xbox 360)". GamePro. Retrieved 2007-11-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

External links

• Official website
• WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 (NDS) | (PS2) | (PS3) | (PSP) | (Wii) | (Xbox 360) at GameSpot
• WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 (NDS) | (PS2) | (PS3) | (PSP) | (Wii) | (Xbox 360) at IGN
• WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 at IMDb

• 2007 video games
• Nintendo DS games
• PlayStation 2 games
• PlayStation 3 games
• PlayStation Portable games
• THQ games
• Video games developed in Japan
• Wii games
• Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection games
• WWE SmackDown! games
• WWE Raw video games
• Xbox 360 games