WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 News

On 28-Oct-2005 Death Gunner said:

Hope you don't mind me posting here, but I read somewhere that as long as the Legend has a voice, it can be used in season mode. So i'm guessing most of the legends can be.

SOME... not all

GM MODE!
You've heard the rumors, seen the Australian box scans, and asked the editors at IGN Live, but the subject has always been the same: General Manager Mode: is it real or is it not? As we're sure you've guessed by now, the franchise-inspired feature in indeed a real addition to WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 -- the final piece of a grand scheme that THQ hopes will show gamers that this was the year the team pulled out all the stops.

"Going into this, we wanted to make sure we listened to the fans who enjoyed creating and simulating their own weeks through Fantasy Football-type leagues," commented producer Devin Knudsen, one of the primary masterminds of the GM Mode. "We think that this is a great way for guys who like power booking to get even more out of their game than what was originally thought."

The feature itself is pretty straightforward. Available in the same menu as Season Mode and Create-A-PPV, the GM option allows users to assume the role of head of either SmackDown or RAW with the ultimate goal of earning the highest ratings. When starting off, gamers can use SVR's default roster set or draft their own from scratch and gain up to 20 superstars for their roster at a time. The trick here is to work within your budget to assemble the best possible lineup -- while also keeping in mind that first pick is entirely random (which can affect the order and which guys you go after).

After players have picked their lineup, it's off to assign their champions. Luckily, you don't have to assign champs if you don't want and can set it up so that they can wrestle for the title later on in the season. Any champion can end up on any show through trades and releases too (with the exception of Cruiserweight for SmackDown and Women for RAW), but to start all the proper belts begin with the appropriate program.

Once titles have (or haven't) been taken care of, Vince McMahon welcomes you to the family and charges you with the goal of getting the highest ratings possible from now until WrestleMania. Whichever GM gets the highest score by then, wins the season and wins the mode (along with a few unlockables and trophies).

Internally, this feature is being referred to by THQ as "Year One GM Mode." The producers have acknowledged that there's still a lot they could add and tweak if it's to be perfect somewhere down the line, but they're going to use fan reactions and suggestions from this year to figure out where to take the mode for next year's version. But this forward thinking doesn't mean that Year One GM Mode isn't capable, it does offer some cool little things to toy around with.

To start, GM Mode can be played by one or two players simultaneously. That means that one guy can head up SmackDown while the other heads up RAW, and they can compete head-to-head in the aftermath. This kind of multiplayer element was frequently requested for Season Mode of course, but because of the specificities of the storyline, wasn't too plausible. Now with GM Mode where storylines are a non-issue, multiplayer is a reality.

Anyhow, the GM Desk itself allows for some pretty flexible decision making. Broken into Schedule, E-Mail, Rosters, Reports, Financials, and News, the desk area gives users all the information necessary for a successful year. The schedule, for instance, gives you an easy to read calendar that highlights when your shows will be along with PPVs. Strangely, Velocity and HEAT aren't on the schedule, but considering the new roles that both of those shows have on recent programming, it's no big loss.

E-Mail is a very important section that serves as your primary lines of communication. If Jim Ross wants to send you helpful tutorial info, then this is how he does it. If one of your wrestlers is unhappy with his current situation and wants to demand a pay raise or trade, this too is where he'll do so. The Roster option is equally important because it's used for trading, releasing, and hiring new superstars to fill the lineup. Created wrestlers can appear in the Free Agent pool (along with unselected and released WWE Superstars) and you can add whomever you wish from there as long you have room for them and can afford it. Luckily, you can make trades for up to three wrestlers at once, so making room shouldn't bee too much of an issue.

The Reports tabs offers graphs that show off what kind of fan reaction you're getting. PPV, SmackDown, and RAW ratings results are housed in this screen via helpful graphs and the Fan Support meter shows the ups and downs over the year across the board. J.R's Report Card is also part of the Report category and allows you to check out his view on the overall picture, injuries, locker room morale, and more. Financials work in a similar way, with the exception that it deals with how you spend and make money as opposed to ratings.

To make your numbers work, players can do a number of different things in a given week. During any card, for instance, you can book up to six different matches and cut two promos to help create excitement around you lineup. The key here is successfully build rivalries and popularity through wins and effective marketing. Sadly, promos aren't illustrated in any way and are text only, but at least you'll have the ability to come in and participate (or simulate) any match you want. You could simulate and not play the entire season if you want, or play out every individual match -- the choice is yours.

There are a number of other factors that contribute to how popular your show is as well (so if a hometown hero wins in his breeding grounds, then that will boost his popularity rating). Match type, title defenses, and rivalry intensity affects the popularity of your wrestlers, and if you don't push a wrestler enough, hard enough he can get ****** off and leave you. You can invade competing shows and try to injure competing superstars too, and winning cross-brand PPVs gives you special bonuses later on.

At the end of the year, the WrestleMania main event and GM closer is decided by which show got the highest ratings. Following WrestleMania, three guys randomly switch sides and the season mode starts all over again. As an added bonus, if you were good enough to win the ratings war, you'll win the GM of the Year award which enables you the ability to pick one superstar from the competitor's roster. It also unlocks a few special costumes and some extra cash, so being the best certainly has its rewards.

Of course, there are a few other cool little things associated with GM Mode that are best left for you to discover in a couple of weeks when SmackDown 2006 finally comes out. We'll be back with our final analysis of this mode and several others in our full review scheduled for next week. See you then.

cool thanks for the info LPD

got 2 questions here :
1. do they have taboo tuesday and new years revolution in the season mode ?
2. can we make a tournament in the ppv or exhibition match ?

1. Both are in... All PPvs between SummerSlam 2004 and The Great American bash 2005 are in the game
2. No (unless u do the same tactics I did in my 16 KOTR)

This game is going to rock!!

so in taboo tuesday, is there something like, i'm the champ, but i dunno who i will face at the main event ?

can u explain wat do u mean with your 16 KOTR ??

thanks for the info ^^

Taboo Tuesday - Nobody knows as nobody has played season mode in full yet

16 KOTR - too long to explain

At ign, they said, "There is a 2-Player Mode" in season is it true?

no it is not true

In GM Mode forgot that part.

Thats what they said anyways.

Not much of an update or anything but IGN has the first Video Reviw up of the game.

It was scored 9.2

And that i believe is the highest rated wrestling game ever

Heres a link to see the vid - http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/717/717798/vids_1.html

Thanks...I'll right now...

THE REVIEW IS HERE PEOPLE:

Last year's transitory SmackDown vs. RAW was somewhat of a letdown. Strong game that it might have been, it didn't build on the evolutionary changes that 2003's Here Comes the Pain did. Instead, it opted for the "minor update" route that's plagued professional sports titles for years and even lost a couple of features that were so enjoyable from the previous season. So while the game was certainly a lot of fun and did plenty of things right, it didn't do enough to set itself apart like the aforementioned Here Comes the Pain or Aki's No Mercy did. WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006, on the other hand, definitely does.

The old addage "...everything but the kitchen sink" should be the first thing that comes to mind if you were to step back and realize just how much of an improvement SVR2006 really is. The teams at THQ and Yuke's Media Creations have done a spectacular job of listening to fans and critics alike to formulate one of the most feature-packed wrestling games around. Be it presentational, the gameplay, customization options, or the online mode, almost everything in SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 has been improved in some form or another (and that's an impressive move for a sequel no matter what the source material is).

At the forefront of SVR2006's list of improvements is combination of the brand new stamina and momentum systems. A much more important addition than first thought, these meters add a lot of strategy and balance to a title that used to have issues in that category. In the past, it was easy to find a couple of repeating 'money moves' that kept your opponent floored or permanently dazed so that you could beat him up with few problems (how many of you, like me, would exploit this fact in tag team matches to keep one guy from ever reaching his partner?). Because of the addition of stamina and momentum bars, however, move duplication isn't as problematic anymore.

The reason these systems bring such balance to the action is because they penalize players for repeating similar maneuvers. If you continually bodyslam an opponent over and over again, for example, your momentum will begin to drop and you'll lose the support of the crowd. This makes a comeback from your opponent a lot more likely and also prevents you from earning a SmackDown finishing maneuver.

But let's assume that you do decide to mix-up it up and start delivering power grapples and signature moves until your momentum meter is charged. That's the way to do it, of course, but you'll have to be smart about it or suffer the consequences. String together too many high-end attacks and your stamina bar drains to almost nothing. This makes your movements slower and your character prone to easier exhaustion (opening up another opportunity for your enemy to attack). Knowing when to press select to manually regenerate your stamina between big spots is essential to winning main event matches on the higher difficulty levels.

Be warned, though, the meter does seem to drain a little faster than it ought to and may take some getting used to (and should probably be tweaked a bit for next year). Nonetheless, it's a great feature and it's hard to imagine any SmackDown game from now on without it.

Another nice gameplay addition this year is the inclusion of a Power Irish Whip. Performed like a Tekken throw (Triangle and Circle together), the Power Whip adds a small (but appreciated) new layer of offense. It's an ideal move to use for the Royal Rumble too, as it makes throwing people out of the ring a whole lot easier than it used to be. Of course, you still have to contend with the Rumble's struggle meter from last year should you choose to grapple someone on the apron, but the stronger whip makes that process less painful.

But the mechanical additions don't stop there. One of the most impressive new features in WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 is the ability to customize your character's grapple categories. In the older titles, grapple types were identical for every character (Signature, Power, Speed, and Submission to be exact) but that's not the case any longer. Now users only have to share two commonalities: Submission (down and grapple) and Dirty/Clean (grapple button by itself) maneuvers. The remaining three grappling categories can be customized with seven open choices (Power, Speed, Technical, Brawler, Martial Arts, Luchadore, and Old School) and it means that your wrestlers can be a lot more varied (or specialized if you prefer) than before. It also gives them a higher number of possible grapples compared to last year too, and that's a good thing.

Amazingly, there are still several other mechanical tweaks worth mentioning. The reversal system first implemented in last year's game, for example, has been fine-tuned to allow users to chain moves together for an attack / counter-attack string of up to three turns. It's a pretty cool little feature that adds even more reflex-based strategy to an already-better-weighted combat system. In fact, the reversal system gets a bit addicting once you've nailed the timing down and it made me wish that you could do a few more moves before ending a sequence. Other cool new additions this year include a brand new sleeper hold system (long overdue in my opinion), the ability to play possum for surprise "small package" wins, and two new player attributes (Hardcore and Stamina) that affect how well you can wield weapons and how fast your energy will regenerate.

As has been the case every year, though, SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 does run into a problem that shouldn't be too unfamiliar for seasoned players. Naturally I'm speaking of the AI. Though the CPU has been touted as "much improved" this year, it's still a little rough around the edges. Yes, players will have a harder time with dominating their computer opponents than before, but that's just as much a result of the new strategic gameplay elements as it is the AI's decision making. The actual planning and strategy of your computer opponents doesn't seem different from the older titles much at all (unless they're severely hurt, at which point they'll start searching for weapons to help). Otherwise, most wrestlers seem to approach you with the exact same tactic.

That said, the harder difficulty levels will still challenge you for sure, but that's mostly due to the fact that the computer's counter ratio gets pretty ridiculous and is harder to hurt. Longtime fans of the SmackDown series should welcome the new challenge just as I did, but as I alluded earlier, it would have been nice to have more diversity in opponents (at least you can customize a whole boatload of AI options with adjustable sliders, though, but it affects everyone as opposed to individual characters). Either way, this shouldn't be an issue in the long run as SVR2006 is meant to be more of a multiplayer game anyway.

While we're on the subject of multiplayer, it goes without saying that SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 supports the notion very well. There are a huge number of modes and options that players have at their disposal and there should never be a shortage of things to do. Offline, gamers can hook up and duke it out with five other players for some serious six-person action. One of the best multiplayer features, though, is the ability to win and defend championship belts. Be they individual or tag team, you can win up to ten of them and even bet people money for belts if you want to raise the stakes. With a couple of friends and a pizza, the title match option can take up a good chunk of your time. The only thing I would have liked to see added is the ability to create your tournaments to help you out.

But nothing says multiplayer like online... and SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 has enough online options to make folks disappointed from last year much happier. To start, THQ keeps a server-side record of Wins, Loses, and Title Belts earned so that users can get some background info on their opponents before they face them. Up to four players can compete at once while online too, and almost every major match type is supported (sadly, no Rumble). The coolest feature, though, is that players can get together and trade created wrestlers with one another all day long. You can even preview the created superstars before you download one. As Carlito would say, "Now that's cool."

Unfortunately, SmackDown 2006 is still a little behind in a couple of other areas. You can't communicate with one another while in a match, for example, and setting up buddy lists and clans isn't an option. Tech heads probably won't like the fact that there isn't any USB headset support either, and the fact that there are no anti-cheating measures in play is pretty disappointing.

Despite your preference for multiplayer or single-player experiences, SVR 2006 still has a number of match types and goodies for even the most discerning wrestling fan. Personally, I really like the new backstage brawls and their highly-interactive environments. Likewise, the refined cage match (you can leave out the door now), ladder matches (multiple ladders), and Fulfill Your Fantasy bouts (half-naked ladies) bring new life to some old favorites as well, and the option to setup 2-on-3 matches or over the top rope battle royals has been a long time coming.

Of course, the new match type that's received the most press is probably the oft-requested Buried Alive contest. Allowing users to wrestle from the ring all the way down the ramp and into a giant mound of dirt, this mode can't end until one player stuffs another into a casket and piles a couple hundred pounds of earth on top of him. Personally, I found the match to be somewhat of a chore after the first couple of playthroughs (these things can take forever), but the effort is there and there's nothing wrong with it mechanically other than its length of completion.

Strangely, the season mode is both an improvement and more disappointing than last year's version. On the plus side, its more structured setup, better voice-acting, and WWE-style presentation really makes you feel like you're in the middle of World Wrestling Entertainment programming. The cool twists and turns and nods to classic feuds and storylines is a big bonus too, and the ability to play two entirely different years on two different shows is awesome. But then you have season mode's more unsatisfactory elements -- most notable the lack of customization and flexibility afforded to its earlier "text-only" counterparts. There's a lot less opportunities to branch off and do your own thing too, which gives it a little less longevity than season modes from the past.

To help combat this, THQ has also included the recently-revealed GM Mode. Borrowing its inspiration from the Madden and 2K line of sports titles, the GM Mode gives players full control over the WWE. They can draft all-new rosters for their shows, setup rivalries and feuds, try to raise the ratings of their favorite program, and move mid-carders like Heidenreich all the way to the top. It's a pretty cool diversion from the typical season-type match that we've grown accustomed to over the years and the ability to hop in and play or simulate any and every match is great. Those who don't like to cycle through a bunch of menus and read text, however, may not like it as much as I did.

But even if GM Mode isn't for you, the list of things that can be done here is extensive. As an example, your profile saves a complete record of everything you've accomplished in the ring (much like the online stat tracking) and you can earn all sorts of special trophies and title belts to decorate your virtual locker room. You can customize that locker room too, and even adjust the color of your walls and floors, add knick-knacks to your desk, or completely change your couches and furniture altogether. Create-A-Wrestler and Create-A-Stable have been streamlined for easier access too, and you can even make stronger tag teams by developing the chemistry of your favorite squads. I'm also a huge fan of the new "Create-an-Entrance," it's so much more flexible than the canned stuff from before that it'll be impossible to go back. There are literally dozens of other cool things to talk about as well, from the higher polygon count and post-match celebrations to the awesome challenge and better weapon balancing. The list is highly impressive.

Closing Comments
What makes WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 such fantastic fun to play is its total accessibility. While everyone may not care for the Buried Alive match or Fulfill Your Fantasy, they can always retreat to GM Mode or defend one of their titles instead. If those options still don't tickletheir fancy, they can always just make someone with the excellent create-a-character feature, or drop into an impromptu Season, or simply engage in an old favorite like Hell in a Cell. What's more is that the gameplay has made another noticeable step forward with its strong stamina and momentum systems and the adjustments to the rest of the gameplay are just as effective. And while I'll be the first to admit that the series could still work on its list of recurring problems, there's no other wrestling game since No Mercy that offers this much replay, value, or depth. Kudos to Yuke's and THQ for a job well done.

Presentation
9.0
This is wrestling done right. Post-match celebrations, an excellent recreation of WWE programming, and some of the accurate ring walks around. THQ spared no expense this year.

Graphics
9.0
A higher polygon count, true 3D crowds, motion-captured animations, and dead-on facial recreations make for the best looking SmackDown ever (there are still collision problems, though).

Sound
7.5
The voice-overs this year are huge improvements compared to last time and the selection of music is more varied. Announcer commentary, on the other hand, is really, really bad.

Gameplay
8/5
Imagine the familiar SmackDown mechanics but add the strategy of a real momentum and stamina systems, while refining just about every other aspect of the game. That's SVR 2006.

Lasting Appeal
9.5
A much-improved online feature, the General Manager mode, a cinematic season option, a huge array of customizable segments, tons of bonus unlockables, and dozens of matches. 'Nuff said.

OVERALL
9.2

Thats a good review...

The Unlockables!

Andre The Giant:
Purchase for $28,000 at the WWE Shop.

Bret "Hit Man" Hart:
Purchase for $28,000 at the WWE Shop.

British Bulldog "Davey Boy Smith":
Purchase for $28,000 at the WWE Shop.

Hollywood Hogan:
Win the SmackDown! Season trophy.

Hulk Hogan (80's):
Win the RAW Season trophy.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts:
Buy Jake "The Snake" Roberts in the PSP version of WWE SmackDown! vs .RAW 2006 and transfer him through a link.

Jimmy Hart:
Win the Tough Enough trophy.

Junkyard Dog:
Purchase for $28,000 at the WWE Shop.

Mankind:
Purchase for $28,000 at the WWE Shop.

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase:
Win the Challenge Mode WWE Superstar trophy.

Steve Austin:
Complete the RAW Season storyline.

The Rock:
Complete the SmackDown! Season storyline.

Carlito T-shirt:
Win the Challenge Mode Amateur trophy.

Hardcore Championship Belt:
Win the Challenge Mode Legend trophy.

Million Dollar Championship Belt:
Win the Challenge Mode Legend trophy.

World Heavyweight Title in exhibition mode:
Complete the SmackDown! Season storyline and win at Wrestlemania.

WWE Title in exhibition mode:
Complete the RAW Season storyline and win at Wrestlemania.

Locker Room shop items:
Complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding item at the Locker Room ship for purchase.

Austin Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Barbie Weapon: Win the Bar Brawl trophy.
Batista Figure: Win the 100 Wins trophy.
Bret Hart Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Bret Hart Sunglasses: Unlock Bret Hart.
British Bulldog's Bulldog: Unlock British Bulldog.
Carlito Apple: Purchase for $1,500.
Casino Table: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Ceiling Fan: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Christy Poster 1: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Christy Poster 2: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
D-X Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
ECW T-Shirt: Win the Bar Brawl trophy.
Eddie Lowrider: Purchase for $ 1,500.
Eugene Stuffed Animal: Purchasefor $1,500.
Evolution Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Fancy Component Stereo Set: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Furry Couch: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Glass Belt Case: Purchase for $4,000.
Glass Coffee Table: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Glass Locker: Purchase for $ 4.,00.
Glass Trophy Case: Purchase for $ 4,000.
Guitar: Win the Bar Brawl trophy.
Hall of Fame Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Hogan Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Hulk Hogan Bobblehead: Unlock 80's Hulk Hogan.
JBL $100 Bill: Purchase for $1,500.
JBL Limousine: Purchase for $1,500.
Jimmy Hart Megaphone: Unlock Jimmy Hart.
John Cena Baseball Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble or Rising Star trophies.
John Cena Figure: Win the 100 Wins trophy.
John Cena Football Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble trophy.
John Cena Lock Chain: Win the Elimination Chamber trophy.
Kane Mask: Purchase for $1,500.
Kurt Angle Gold Metal: Win the Elimination Chamber trophy.
Lava Lamp: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Leather Couch: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Lita Poster: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Lowrider Couch: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Mankind Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Metal Belt Case: Purchase for $3,000.
Metal Locker: Purchase for $3,000.
Metal Trophy Case: Purchase for $3,000.
Michelle Poster: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
n.W.o. Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Regal Brass Knuckles: Purchase for $1,500.
Rey Mysterio Baseball Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble trophy.
Rey Mysterio Basketball Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble trophy.
RoyalRumble Steel Chair: Purchase for $ 1,500.
Shane McMahon Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble trophy.
Sledgehammer: Win the Bar Brawl trophy.
Stacy Poster 1: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Stacy Poster 2: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Stacy Stand Cut-Out: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
SummerSlam Steel Chair: Purchase for $1,500.
Survivor Series Steel Chair: Purchase for $1,500.
The Rock Bobblehead: Unlock The Rock.
The Rock Poster: Win the Legend Killer trophy.
Tiger Skin Rug: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Torrie Poster 1: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Torrie Poster 2: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Training Machine 1: Win the Match Veteran trophy.
Training Machine 2: Win the Match Veteran trophy.
Trish Poster 1: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Trish Poster 2: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Trish Poster 3: Win the Collect-A-Diva trophy.
Trish Stand Cut-Out: Win the Undertaker Urn trophy.
Undertaker Motorbike: Purchase for $1,500.
WrestleMania 21 Steel Chair: Purchase for $1,500.
Y2J Hockey Jersey: Win the Royal Rumble trophy.

any idea how to change the camera angle ? looks like it's so big in my tv >..<

wen is it out cose i'm gona get this game!

[center][color=red]REST IN PICE HA HA HA![/color[/center]]

i already got it 2 days ago, got some questions here, for those who already played this game
i played the season mode, it's only 1 year, and there's no such thing like the superstar being draft to other program like we heard before, it's only 1 year long, and so far i know, 1 superstar only has 1 story line for the season mode......
i dunno what's wrong, i played the season mode usin triple h, and during 1 year, there's no hell in a cell match, there's no elimination chamber match, it's kind a boring if this is the only story line for triple h ... for real!!!!! >.<

thinks i'v just got the game yesterday oh yer i'v put 2 forums on smackdawn v's raw 2006's page