WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 (Sony Playstation 3, 2007)

For as long as there have been videogame systems, there have been classic wrestling videogames. The Nintendo Entertainment System had Pro Wrestling, the SEGA Genesis had WWF Royal Rumble, the Nintendo 64 had a string of grappling hits that many believe peaked with WWF No Mercy, and the PlayStation 2 had WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Since the release of the Xbox 360 in 2005, the videogame nation has waited for the defining "next-gen" squared-circle title to show up, and THQ and Yuke's are taking another shot at the championship this year with WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.

On paper, it seems like SVR 09 should cruise to wrestling game greatness. The title packs more than 60 wrestlers, 14 one-on-one match types including the new Inferno option, the promise of downloadable content before the holidays, a new story mode, better AI, a focus on tag teams and the ability to save replays and create/share your own Highlights Reels. However, when you get into the punching, grappling, and slamming that make up the game, the world begins to feel like well worn territory. In the end, we have a game that improves on last year's outing in a number of ways but falls short of putting on the five-star bout many were expecting thanks to a noticeably stale feeling.

This game marks the beginning in a new age of wrestling video games. The 24/7 mode in the game is so much fun and it gives you so man options and angles to choose from that make the game so much more interesting. The controls are very easy, but also allow for so much more depth to your move list. Although there could be more legends in the game, it is just enough adding depth to the roster. Then there are the different belts that you can choose in the game, including the Million Dollar Championship. All in all it is well worth the money.

WWE SvR 2008 is a solid wrestling/fighting title. The new system of the game is pretty good and in next games should be improved. One thing about the game is that wrestlers are slow and sometimes you can get annoyed. The presentation of the game is more tv alike than others. 7.5/10

Great game , good edition for the fans of svr series! Its fun to play when you get to go fight in the crowd for the extreme rules matches

This game was for better than advertise. after reading all of the bad reviews, I was pretty apprehensive about purchasing it; thankfully I did. People complain about the load time but its skillfully filled with player bios and facts, only the impatient will mind. As for the graphics being subpar, they're no different than Madden, NBA 2K, and any of the other premium games. Last, game play is fun. There's a nice array of characters to choose from, including the Legends. Go against the grain and rumble with this game.