WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010

User generated content for WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 can go two ways. Either it turns out to be a triumph of human achievement as people strive to tell the story of why The Undertaker's forehead is bigger than The Great Khali. Or it will be a pit of despair - a harrowing look into the world of semi-professional Wrestling stories involving the kinds of Wrestlers who think being arrogant is a persona.

It's tough to tell right now as the game isn't actually out yet, and good user generated content always takes time to create. There is hope - the Story Designer mode limits the amount of times you can insert your created superstar to about 10 per story. So Chesty LaRue can only make 10 appearances before she's barred from further involvement - some might see this as a negative, but if you've ever seen a Semi-Pro wrestling match you'll know it's a blessing in disguise - unlike Pro Wrestlers they tend to take their idiotic storylines very seriously.

Story Designer isn't the only creative option on offer - the finisher creator is better than ever, allowing you to chain together ridiculously long and brutally punishing sequences of moves. You can also make your own entrance - and use your own custom music for the first time. There's nothing better than watching your wrestler march down the ramp to the tune of Busta Rhymes' "This means War". Keen players will combine all the creative opportunities to develop a full-blown character like never before - including the new, improved Superstar designer.

Whoever your terrible wrestler is, creating him/her is better than ever before. Previous wrestling games painted clothes on your wrestler, but SvR2010 uses 3D objects. This means your shirts or cloaks actually move now - reacting like actual objects. It has absolutely zero impact on the gameplay, but it does make it all look better. Naturally, 3D objects mean more resources used - which leads to a limit on the amount of objects you can wear. This means actually putting together a full Tuxedo can be challenging, as the Tuxedo Jacket takes up many resources, and your giant green afro (totally realistic) does the same.

You reap what you sow in SvR2010 however - with limited resources spent on characters, loading times are quicker than ever. This isn't just when changing outfit elements - across the whole game loading times have diminished, meaning the fantastic Road to Wrestlemania is no longer reminiscent of playing a first generation PSP game. The graphics are better as well - wrestlers look better than ever before, character animations are great (they've even captured Vince McMahon's I-have-a-stroke-halfway-between-each-step-I-take stride) and the effects on your various special moves make it all seem brutal.



The team behind the game has also removed most HUD elements in normal play, giving you visual cues (movements become laboured, bare skin gets red and your face bleeds) instead. It makes the game look more like what you'd watch on TV. Unfortunately characters like The Big Show or The Great Khali continue to pose problems for the team at Yukes - clipping issues plague characters over 6"5, and animations for the big guys tend to look unrealistic compared to their smaller counterparts.

Road to Wrestlemania is back, as mentioned, and it's definitely better than ever. You can take your own created superstar through to the biggest event in Sports Entertainment - starting from a spot in the crowd. Your superstar earns points in this mode and others now - meaning you don't have to bust through career mode to level him up. The other story lines are great as well - as long as you're a fan of the sorts of stories you see in pro wrestling. The main event is a coop story between Triple H and John Cena, and an actual Smackdown vs Raw (and the oft-forgotten ECW) situation. The other stories - Edge, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Mickie James (a GIRL!) - are all the kind of stuff you see each week in Smackdown or Raw - very tongue-in-cheek and cheesy.

Of course, all the cheesy dialogue and fourth wall breaking would be worthless if the game didn't play well. Fans of UFC 2009 Undisputed will feel more at home with the controls than fans of SvR2009 - most of your wrestling moves are handled by the right thumbstick while strikes are handled by the X button. Like FIFA's Arena mode, the menu screen is now typically hidden in favour of a training centre - a practice area you can use to try out the new button combinations without the pressure of winning. It's a nice addition to the game, and it's much less intrusive than a tutorial - you can choose to learn the moves at your own pace.

Ignoring the clipping issues mentioned for larger wrestlers, interactions between wrestlers and... things are good. I found I had quite a bit of difficulty in setting up the ladder in my ladder matches, but for the rest of the time I felt a good deal of control over my character. There are plenty of context-sensitive moves available as well - fights in Vince's office are particularly amusing, as you smash up everything you can see.

In multiplayer - something you crack out to pass the time with some friends - it's easy to pick up and bust out a few spectacular stunts within minutes. Matches quickly devolve into a battle of egos and can go on for ages - or be over in seconds, if someone isn't paying attention. The different gametypes make for ample variety, which means getting bored isn't likely. Oh, and single-screen four-player wrestling is still as awesome as it was on the Nintendo 64.

Like nine time Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho, it's the best at what it does. Unlike Jericho, SvR2010 doesn't turn heel at the drop of a hat and doesn't think you're a hypocrite. There are still some issues with the graphics and if you don't appreciate the over the top nature of wrestling on TV you're not going to enjoy it as a video game.

If the user-generated content goes well it will continue to be a worthwhile purchase months after it comes out - if you're a fan of ridiculous storylines and overblown characters you can't pass up WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010.