WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008

With the most familiar controls of any version released this year, the Xbox 360 version edges out the PS3 version this season, by a hair.

A massive step forward for SmackDown's fighting system. Now the rest needs tidying. [Dec 2007, p.42]

Still, controlling every moment of every fight is just ridiculously fun, and you'll be quite content while you wait for what should hopefully be the ultimate WWE game next year. [Dec 2007, p.74]

The eight new fighting styles for each wrestler in the game are a nice addition that provide some great diversity in the characters, but they destroy the game’s balance.

The good news is that once you do hop inside the ring, you tend to forget about who is missing as you try to figure out how you can slam your head into a steel cage or get hit in the back with barbed wire and not get hurt (you can't).

Feels far more like the world of WWE than it did in 2007, and the new animations and added pace are a blast. [Issue 26, p.84]

SVR 2008 is definitely a step ahead for the series from a gameplay standpoint. The new controls, fighting styles, and ECW content really take the series to the next level in terms of in ring action. However, the disappointing 24/7 mode and the return of some nagging problems keeps this title from being the truly great experience it could be.

A disappointing 24/7 mode and huge repetition betray superb new mechanics. [Christmas 2007, p.70]

The controls are great and make the act of wrestling shine. However, I can't score this game as high as last year's title or pervious installments of the franchise. Single-player 24/7 Mode is a step backward for the series, the Create-A-Superstar and GM 24/7 are basically rehashes of last year's product, and the same complaints we've had for years -- awful AI, lame commentary, poor collision detection -- are still rampant.

Ultimately, Smackdown VS RAW 2008 is a lot of fun to play.

An updated roster, gameplay enhancements and in some cases drawbacks don’t help the latest offering of the SmackDown series by any means. The removal of the weight detection, balancing issues between the new fighting styles, and ultimately the very poor 24/7 mode really do hinder this WWE experience.

Although there’s some new stuff, it sticks with last year’s formula. Which probably wouldn’t be that bad if the same old problems didn’t remain intact, from the limited AI to the graphical bugs, not forgetting those annoying loading screens. [Dec 2007]