WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007: Обзор и особенности игры

2006 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ in 2006. It is the third game under the WWE SmackDown vs Raw name, the eighth game overall in the video game series based on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) professional wrestling promotion, and is the successor to 2005's WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006. The game was released worldwide in November 2006 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and a month later for PlayStation Portable. The Xbox 360 version was the first game in the series to be published on a seventh generation video game console. A PlayStation 3 version was also planned as a launch title but was later canceled. New features introduced included an analog control system, interactive hotspots, and fighting within the arena crowd. The game also included several improvements on the previous game's existing match types and modes. SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was succeeded by WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 in 2007.

The game presents a realistic fighting experience with a new analog control grappling system, enabling the player to throw their opponent anywhere they want, in contrast to previous preset animations. In the new system, grappling moves are now affected by analog control, in contrast to the button based system from preceding games. Much like the previous game, one can also move around the ring by analog control instead of using the D pad. An option to switch to the previous control layout is also possible. The chain reversal system has also been improved and now involves grapples as well as strikes. The graphics have also improved with each superstar consisting of 20,000 polygons for the Xbox 360 compared to the total of 5,000 from the PlayStation 2 version of the previous game. Sweat from the wrestlers has now been included in the Xbox 360 version of the game. The game's audio system has been overhauled and features new sound effects in Dolby 5.1 as well as the inclusion of new crowd chants and grunting from the wrestlers.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 marks the video game debuts of 16 superstars. Cory Ledesma, creative manager of WWE SvR 07, said that the game has no new match types. However, there are improvements in existing match types. The Money in the Bank variant to the ladder match is now added and all ladder matches feature more flexibility in placing the ladders. The player now has to use the analog sticks as hands and arms to retrieve the match's prize.

The official demo for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace in September 2006, containing a No DQ match between Triple H and Kane. Like the previous game, the game was released on the PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation Portable. While the series has traditionally been exclusive to the PlayStation series of consoles, this game was released on Xbox 360 after a series of lackluster wrestling games THQ released on the original Xbox. This is the first time a game in the SmackDown! series is featured in two different console generations. A steelbook version of the PlayStation 2 release was available exclusively in Australia. A PlayStation 3 version was also planned but was eventually cancelled along with NBA Live 07. The developers publicly announced that they would rather concentrate their efforts on other game systems. The next installment, Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 was released for the PlayStation 3 and all future WWE games for the following 10 years have been released for the console. However, the PlayStation 2 version can be played on any PlayStation 3 models with PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility support. There was also consideration over releasing the game on the Wii as the game's developers were waiting to learn more about the system,

SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 received highly positive reviews upon release. According to video game review aggregator Metacritic, the game received favorable reviews on all platforms. The match commentary and ring announcing were problematic in some arenas, such as WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble. These problems included a chair shot being referred to as a Stone Cold Stunner, a sweet chin music being referred to as an RKO, or a Khali chop being referred to as a back flip uranage slam. Similarly, the commentators may talk about wrestlers not even featured in the match, such as Lilian Garcia being heard announcing someone to the ring, despite the fact that Tony Chimel is in the ring, or Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler talking over Tazz and Michael Cole and vice versa. These bugs only occurred on the PS2 version, as the PSP version did not feature commentary and the Xbox 360 version had patched the commentary bugs. The PlayStation 2 version of SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of over 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.