WWE Smackdown Vs RAW 2008 (PS3)

It goes without saying that if you're a fan of wrestling you'll be a fan of this game. It has all the current wrestlers you could want, from every league (and some unlockable old favourites), all painstakingly modelled and motion captured. There are more tournament modes than I knew existed, including the classic 'Royal Rumble', 'TLC' (Table. Ladder. Chair.) and my personal favourite 'Buried Alive' where the aim of the game is to shove your opponent into a coffin and cover it with dirt after beating him senseless. There's even a management mode where you have to deal with injuries and hire script writers to improve your ratings. Every aspect of the game seems to be highly customizable, meaning you can have the exact “sports entertainment” simulation experience you desire.

It's the usual upgrade affair - some of your favourite features have gone missing and other new ones have taken their place. Overall though there seems to be very little difference in terms of playability to WWE Smackdown Vs RAW 2007.

Sadly it doesn't quite cut it for non wrestling fans. The graphics aren't up to the standards we've learnt to expect from the current generation of consoles, the characters slide around the ring with less than perfect collision detection, there's plenty of model clipping and an almost unfathomable control scheme. However, if you know what a 619, Sweet Chin Music or an F-U is, then get your Rey Mysterio mask on and wrestle til dawn!

Released on 9th November 2007 by THQ.

Written by Nick Gripton.