GM Mode is good, the rest is meh...
August 7, 2008
WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2006
Many people consider this to be one of the better games in the Smackdown Series. I however just do not see it. The game seems to move in slow motion. Season mode is always the same unless you pick a different brand, which create only two different Season Modes. The new submission systems, GM Mode, and the graphics seem to be the only good things in this game. The game can be fun for a while; this is just not a great game.
Graphics- 8/10
For the time, these graphics were very solid. Most of the wrestlers look exactly like themselves. Most move animations, while recycled from previous games, are well done. There are very few graphical glitches. I have had my character suddenly appear on the outside of the ring. Overall though, there aren't many problems.
One major problem I had was the winning animation. Each time you win a title, you will get a scene with your wrestler crying on the ground ala Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX. This would be okay, but it feels very overdone and makes me want to vomit each time I see it now. Even if a champion retains a title, the same animation takes place. Last time I checked, that doesn't happen in real life.
Created Wrestlers all look decent. They still can't stand up to the actual character models, but at least they work okay. I suggest looking for a website to help you make the most accurate Created Wrestlers. Wrestlers that you make on your own will often stand out for their ugliness.
Another problem I have is in the Create-A-Entrance Mode. The mode is missing too many animations. Often times I have to give my wrestler a generic entrance because the rest of the animations are stupid things. I feel like this mode could have been done a lot better.
Loading times aren't too bad. Sometimes while previewing Create-A-Entrance, you will lose your mind about how it has to load every single time. The rest of the game doesn't have terrible load times though.
Story- 5/10
Season Mode in this game is extremely lacking. You can pick a superstar and play on the brand that they are on. Raw will have a different story then Smackdown. Both of the stories are pretty good, but overall are only worth playing through once. After you have finished Season Mode on both brands, you are done with this one.
Another problem I have is in G.M. Mode. You are the General Manager of the brand of your choice. You make the matches and stipulations. This is all very fun until you realize they are trying to throw a story into it as well. You are often building feuds and suddenly you are pushed into a Storyline with the other brand. To me, this ruins the idea of having your own show. Often times it will ruin huge feuds you had ready for the PPV.
Sound- 5/10
All wrestlers now have Voice Over in Season Mode. Even Created Wrestlers have voice over. This however doesn't always pan out. While playing as Edge, I got to a point in Season where Edge stopped having Voice Over. He just stopped making any noise at all. I am guessing that THQ forgot to record the voice over for that portion of the game. This is inexcusable. If you are going to have voice over, you should actually have the voice over work correctly.
Commentary in the game is horrible as usual. JR and King do Raw matches. Tazz and Michael Cole do Smackdown Commentary. There is no music during matches, only this commentary. They will say the same generic things every single match. Tazz wants to make Cole Cruiserweight Champion...and whatnot. They have yet to fix the commentary in this series. I hope they do soon.
The music, which takes place in the Main Menu and G.M. Mode, is extremely repetitive. You can a few rap songs and a couple hard rock songs. They are played very low though. They only emphasize the fact that this game is very boring. The songs just don't fit this title.
Gameplay- 7/10
This was a huge let down. The game seems to move slower then ever. The addition of a stamina bar has only made the game even slower. The gameplay is now a bore to even play. The AI is pretty good and can have a decent match with you if you have the game set right.
The addition of G.M. Mode is what saves this for me. Despite the storyline added in at certain points, the mode is fairly fun. You set up feuds between wrestlers and try to keep it interesting each week. The more interesting the show is, the more popular your show gets. The object of the mode is to have the more popular brand at the end of the fiscal year. The only problems I have with this mode are the inclusion of storylines and the fact that feuding wrestlers must constantly be in matches with each other.
The AI in the game suddenly becomes idiotic in the Elimination Chamber match. They will be constantly climbing the wall and internal chambers. Literally, they will do it over and over again. This kills one of the best matches on the game.
The roster in this game consists of all your 2005 WWE favorites. There are also many Legends like Bret Hart, Andre the Giant, and Jimmy Hart. This wasn't my favorite roster, but it was an accurate roster. There are plenty of Create-A-Wrestler slots for you to create anyone they missed.
There is plenty of extra crap in the game. You can now set up your private locker room. You can customize it will about 4 different pieces of furniture and a few posters. This is probably that biggest waste of space on this disk.
Championships can now be defended separately in Exhibition Mode. This will not affect your Season Mode though. You can even create your own titles to be defended in Exhibition mode.
I cannot comment on online mode, as I haven't played it. I hear it was decent. I did not take any points off for online mode.
Difficulty- 8/10 (Note- This is how much I like the difficulty)
This is one of the better points in the game. There are four difficulty levels. Legend mode is extremely hard and you will constantly be reversed. Easy mode will have you stomping mud holes in Hulk Hogan in seconds. Overall, pretty good difficulty.
The points are counted off for the fact that season mode can be beat in a few days. Season mode is a huge point of gameplay in these games, and this one is far too easy. There are challenge modes and other things, but they aren't too hard either.
Overall- 6.5/10
G.M. Mode will keep you going for a while. After that though you will be left will just a slow moving game. Online play might add a bit to the experience, but I cannot see it becoming a long-standing multi-player game. The game moves far too slowing for it to be a good multi-player game. Good for a bit, but overall there are better wrestling titles.
The Best Smackdown To Date
June 15, 2008
My favorite aspect of this game is the GM mode. Though it does have it's flaws, such as when you play against the computer (In GM mode) they have a very unfair advantage over you (their wrestlers are never fatigued, their superstar morale never drops regardless of how many consecutive losses they have, etc)
I've played 2007 and 2008 and haven't enjoyed them as much as this one.
The Last "Great" Smackdown VS Raw Game.
May 8, 2008
This is the last and best Smackdown vs Raw game that THQ and Yukes have released. The series has gone downhill ever since. 2007 featured a "new" Control system and completely ruined the "fun" play control of the game.
2006 took a little getting used to but once I did it was hella fun and with a game like this the "Fun" factor is the most important aspect. If your not having fun? then why play the game?
General Manger Mode is addictive. Although the AI is a "cheatin SOB" lol
Your "Rival" brand never has fatigued or injured wrestlers, never has any serious injuries take place, despite using high fatigue matches. The AI is notorius (especially if your ahead in the ratings) for YOUR brand to have "serious and minor injuries even in low fatigue matches of your own. I had a superstar sustain an out of action 5 week serious injury from a no fatigue singles match that the superstar WON that wasn't even a title match. He was only slightly fatigued as well. You can be assured the higher your wrestlers popularity the more likely they're gonna have an injury at the WORST possible time (like before a PPV). If your not careful and keep checking you will lose superstars from your roster when contracts expire especially if multiple contracts expire at the same time you'll get an email on one or two of them but not ALL of them. If they have high popularity you can be assured the rival show will acquire them before you can especially if your the smackdown roster. It would have been totally sweet if they'd been able to base the fatigue and injury levels on the "actual" damage obtained in the match. (limb damage, red, yellow,orange) How many times have you been in a 5 box fatigue match and not even gotten any yellow damage?
The ability to customize so many thing including certain aspects of the AI gameplay makes this game all the more fun. Tired of getting reversed every time you try to pull a move off, turn down the AI reversal rate.
You've got a nice selection of "Legends" to use although I think 3 Hulk Hogan's was a bit much. Where's The Ultimate Warrior? and Randy Macho Man Savage? This is THE game I can't stop playing. Ignore the others and if you don't already own this one? then this is the one to get.
Easter gift for my son
April 16, 2008
Purchased this for my son for his Easter basket, he was thrilled and loves wrestling- this game has provides hours and hours of enjoyment for him and it shipped super fast and the price is great! It was something he wanted for a long time and I had a difficult time finding it at a good price and new in stores!
awesome game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1 of 1 Found this Helpful)
February 26, 2007
me and my neighbor have been playing this game and the music and entrances are great. the finishing moves are hard to get but they rock. i have watched wrestling a long time now and this is one of the best games out there for ps2. BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
