by Thomas White

Created on: February 03, 2009   Last Updated: March 05, 2009

The 2009 installment of the glorified Smackdown vs. Raw brings a solid functional game to the table. Outside of the functionality there really isn't a whole lot that can be said about this installment that could not be said about its predecessors. While THQ has obviously put a lot of work into using more mo-cap technology with the newer titles it still looks and feels a lot like its previous titles. The gameplay really hasn't changed much at all. The AI has gotten slightly more intelligent but still lacks quality to make SVR look and feel like a true WWE broadcast. Although the game plays a lot like the others in the series, SVR 2009 is still the best wrestling title on the market. THQ has made a tweaked a few items and put an emphasis on the Tag Team match types.

In the WWE, a tag team partner can sometimes mean the difference between getting gorilla stomped in the ring and being an unstoppable powerhouse. THQ really tried to put the focus on this part of the WWE. While I give THQ all the credit in the world for their efforts, they seemed to have fallen a little bit short. After playing countless tag team matches I failed to really see where significant improvements have been made. There is a fun new hot-tag feature that puts the momentum swings of a big tag on center stage. While this new feature seems flashy it rarely gives you a great advantage unless you've already beaten your opponent to a bloody carcass anyway. Once per tag match you will have the opportunity to tag your partner in an let him wreak havoc with a few well timed face button presses. After beating up a couple of knuckle-heads the match continues as though nothing took place. While an addition of tag team finishers has also improved the tag game to a degree it just doesn't reshape the game the way that it was hyped.

The only thing more disappointing than getting a speeding ticket while racing your grandmother is the story mode of the SVR series. This year's installment will show no real improvements. Although there are superstar specific storylines they are horribly acted out and, to be honest, very boring and predictable. The voice-overs will have you ripping your hair out and wanting to punch small kittens for more entertainment. Okay, that may be a bit extreme. You may just want to skip through some of the cut-scenes to get to the action. THQ is on the right track with offering different storylines but the voice acting needs to be stepped up and the story needs a few new twists and turns.

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