WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

SmackDown vs. Raw is dead, and THQ's fixing the stuff you complain about.

For years WWE SmackDown vs. Raw has been the Sports Entertainment simulation series from THQ and Yuke's Yokohama. It's been a fun ride, but as with any franchise, fans have complained about annual aspects over and over again. Turns out the developers were listening, killed the series, and are planning on fixing things with WWE '12.

The stiff animations, the characters warping into place for certain moves, the confusing right analog stick controls for grapples -- WWE '12 is addressing all of that and feels good so far. That's pretty damn exciting.

THE NUTS AND BOLTS STUFF

Now, it would be easy to glance at screenshots and assume THQ and developer Yuke's Yokohama just dumped the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw name and called it a day. That's what I did. For a few days leading into my meeting, THQ had been telling me this game was going to be unlike any other WWE game I had seen, but when I finally laid eyes on it, WWE '12 sure did look similar to WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011.

Then, I started to play it. THQ and Yuke's didn't just change the name, they changed the game's DNA. There's a new animation system, new blending methods, something called "Predator Technology" -- basically, they went under the game's hood and ripped out all the old stuff that people hated and plugged in brand new parts to try and make the most fluid wrestling game around.

When John Cena's suplexing an opponent, a third Superstar can punch Cena and break up the move. You can do that for any move -- even Finishers and mini-games like the Royal Rumble eliminations. When you're slammed to the mat at the beginning of a bout, you're going to sell the move and get up at the same time so that the match keeps a fast-paced feel. When you're getting up from any move, you're going to have a window to strike before you're even to your feet. The goal is to have a game that feels like anything can happen from any position and eradicate that stiffness and clunkiness that has always been a calling card of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw.

For me, it all came together watching a three-man match. Orton laid out an opponent and went to the ring apron, Cena immediately started his 5-Knuckle Shuffle routine on the downed man, and as Cena was coming down, Randy Orton launched himself from the apron to land a splash. Orton hit, Cena hit, and Orton hit again. The sequence was polished and fast -- it looked like a spot from ECW of old. There was no blown animation as the character on the ground reacted to the first move and ignored the other.

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/ar...110406-000.jpg

People don't warp to the center of the ring for a 5-Knuckle Shuffle and similar moves anymore; the move happens where it happens. The ropes no longer stay awkwardly still during matches; you slam someone and the ring reacts. The tired fonts and menus of old have been ditched for a new setup. Visually, new shaders and tech have been introduced to make the game look better than ever. There's definition to the character's faces instead of the blur there was last year, and depth of field has been introduced to give the brand new arenas weight and realism.

The game, according to THQ, has been taken apart and put back together, and from the little I've seen, I believe them -- though the changes aren't monumental when you stare at a still image, they shine in motion.

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Link to the story.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

So they killed the previous annual series to launch... an annual series.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Heh, my copy of SvsR 2011 is still sealed. Hrmm, maybe I should get on that ;)

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

That's what THQ is contracted to do. WWE wants a game every year from this franchise. It's not the first time this has happened in gaming.

EA had Triple Play Baseball for years. It sold very well, but as it got older the game devolved into an unrealistic mess that fell behind the competition. The name itself had been tainted by the poor quality of the games, while High Heat Baseball and other games were kicking it's ass.

EA went back to the drawing board and built a new game from the wreckage of the old. The new game was called MVP Baseball. The first version ('03) wasn't great, but it was far better than Triple Play had been. MVP '04 was solid, and then they hit a home run with '05. Unfortunately for EA and fans of the game 2K bought out 3rd party rights to MLB games and MVP was relegated to being a college game in '06. I know of many people who still play '05 on the PC and keep it as up to date as they can.

It's not even the first time this series has done it, having started out as just SmackDown. I'm not saying WWE '12 is going to be great, but there is at least a chance that they're doing something right. SvR was getting tired, and with WWE dropping the Bragging Rights PPV, and seemingly on the verge of dropping the brand rivalry completely, this was the right time to change the name.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Being able to break up moves is a huge step in the right direction. But I got sucked in by the hype machine last year, hooked on the idea that Universe mode would be a game changer, when all it really did was get in the way. I'm hoping they improve that in Universe 2.0.

At this point, I'm not getting hyped until I see it in action.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Since I'm already in a negative mood tonight, I have to say that the trailer doesn't really look like anything all that new or groundbreaking. While I did enjoy SvR11, I think WWE All-Stars was probably the most enjoyable wrestling game in quite a while. I like how it just went completely over the top instead of trying to treat pro wrestling like a sport. I think the arcade fighter approach is a better fit.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Still waiting for a wrestling game as fun & playable as No Mercy on the N64...

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

The last couple of SVR's were fun, maybe you should try those.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I've tried them all and still can't stand them. I just wish they'd go back to the old WCW/WWF control scheme they used. The N64 games had a fun level that is still untouched by anything since IMO.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I haven't bought a wrestling game since No Mercy.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Quit living in the past. The new batch of WWE games have been great.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

they have been terrible

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I disagree that SvR games are terrible. While I admit No Mercy was a damn fine engine, it is simply silly at this point over 10 years later to expect them to go back to that engine. But without fail with every wrestling game released, "QQ, I want No Mercy". Then go get a N64 and play it to death.

Smackdown/Smackdown vs Raw has had its moments. I still think Smackdown 2, Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain and SvsR 2010 (I haven't played 2011) were all great games and fine examples of the engine. Sure, there has been some misteps but typically those are releases that were at the beginning of a console's life (JBI, Playstation 2, Svs R 2007 - 360, etc).

We will see how this one goes.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I was ready to give up on SvR after 2009, which in my opinion was the worst of the current gen games. Then 2010 and 2011 made me change my mind.

My favorite is still either Shut Your Mouth or Here Comes The Pain.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I can certainly see how that could get old, even if I am one of those dudes. I've tried the Smackdown v Raw games, and while they are put together solidly, I've never ever found them fun. Allstars, was a very thin game, but of what I played of it at least it was a good time. The simulation aspect of Smack v Raw is cool if you're locked into that games controls, but to me they've always felt clunky and unresponsive. And I couldn't stand the way reversals worked.

I did recently pull out No Mercy, and while that game is painfully ugly, it's still as fun as ever. In a perfect world, you'd have the full retail WWE games, and then have a new version of the THQ/AKI games, with just updated, downloadable game-grade graphics, as a downloadable game. That would make me happy. :)

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Don't get me wrong, I've played every one of the newer ones (maybe skipped '07 or '08).

Just none of them can touch the accessibility of the N64 THQ games.

They're finally adding in the feature of breaking up moves while they happen...something that's been in the Fire Pro games since at least the Dreamcast days. Hopefully it leads to some awesome moves.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I would totally support a No Mercy engine based XBLA game. Heck, wasn't there going to be a Fire Pro Wrestling XBLA game with Avatars or some crap? But yeah, I do understand the love for No Mercy, its just I seriously doubt anybody is willing to bring it back out to play.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Bring back A Winner Is You!

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Try Fire Pro.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I don't mind the Smackdown vs Raw games. I just wish there was some sort of AI.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I've played almost every Fire Pro game. Second best wrestling games in terms of playability - first being the N64 THQ series.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Footage from E3:

<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:moses:video:gametrailers.com:715818" width="512" height="288" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">Tags: <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com">GameTrailers.com</a>, <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2011-wwe-12/715818">E3 2011: Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz Gameplay (Cam)</a>, <a href="http://pc.gametrailers.com/">PC Games</a>, <a href="http://ps3.gametrailers.com/">PlayStation 3</a>, <a href="http://xbox360.gametrailers.com/">Xbox 360</a></p></div></div>

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I really wish they'd get rid of that static shot of a wrestler whenever they win a match to cut to a cinematic. I'd like it to be more fluid.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

I've bought most of the Smackdown! vs. Raw series I believe. I haven't picked the last one (2011) yet, but I also haven't really been following WWE for the past few years or so again. I do from time to time enjoy playing the games though so if I hear enough positive things about it I might pick it up.

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

Mick Foley​ stated on his Twitter that he would be a working character in the new WWE '12 videogame that will be released this November by THQ.

http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/ne...pped,-More.htm

Re: WWE '12 - November 22, 2011.
 

The games are starting to look just like watching it live, hope the fun factor is there. This might be the first one I buy in a deace.