Smackdown improves over 2008 in many ways and is very enjoyable
Smackdown vs Raw 2008 was a somewhat mediocore game that i had high hopes for and it kinda dissapointed me. SD vs Raw 2009 is a great improvement over last years attempt and it refines some of the faults last year and it adds in many great improvements.
The games single player is quite versatile. Like in any Smackdown game you can play exhibition matches in which you choose a match and choose wrestlers to fight in that match, This is the quickest way to get into action. New this year is the Road to Wrestlemania mode. Its quite terrific because it give you a great overall TV atmosphere that gives you the feeling as if you are in the actual WWE programing. Their are 7 different storylines to play through. You choose form John Cena, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Undertaker, and for the first time ever in a Smackdown game Co-op with Batista and Rey Mysterio. Not all of the storylines are that great but their quite unique and are also quite interesting. Another single player mode is the Career Mode. They took out the terrible 24/7 mode that was in last years game and replaced it in favor of this mode. This mode just improves over last years because it just makes sense. I mean now you are just fighting for the titles and not in any stupid really bad storylines. Essentially all you do is just challenge for the titles by having different matches with different oppoments and once you have enough stars you can challenge for the title. The way you fight is also accounted for so it will highten your rating for submission for example if you pull off enough submissions. Overall this is a good mode that is streamlined in an enjoyable way.
The games visuals have a bit more color and a bit more personality from last years game. Still the game looks great. The overall presentation is quite attractive with good looking menus and good announcing. As in terms of controls, the game controls the same as the previous year which it controls great. One new addition is the ability types. Instead of last years icons the ability types are a good way to plan out how you are going to fight. One last small edition is the signature moves. Instead of storing a special for your icon, now you store it to do your signature move which isnt a special move but its a couple steps down from it.
The Roster in this years game is a bit out of date but you cant really fault the dev team because superstars get released and new superstars get signed really often. It obviously has the most popular superstars such as Cena, Triple H, Randy Orton, and the likes. What i find cool is that the game has a bit of lower card superstars like Jesse and Festus, Kendrick and London, and Big Daddy V.
Multiplayer is essentially the same mutliplayer you have known smackdown games to have for years. Meaning it still plays well offline with up to 4 players can play any of the match types that have the alloted number. Online is basically the same with again up to 4 online players can play only four player matches, so again Royal Rumble or 6 Man matches are only local. Online is a bit laggy but still fun once you get used to the lag.
Overall Smackdown is a great package that will satisfy wrestling fans with its good fighting system, graphics, and its great single player modes.
