MY VIEW
Games: 'WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw'

Editor's note: Wrestling fans can get in on the action with this video game, tailor-made for "SmackDown" and "Raw" fans.

By Jeremy Castillo
Special to The Advertiser

The Verdict: . THE RATINGS 5 — Outstanding: Add it to your collection now. A must-have. 4 — Great: Buy it or rent it — definitely play it. 3 — Good: Worth playing despite some flaws. 2 — Fair: Unless you're a fan of the license or series, don't bother. 1 — Poor: You'd have more fun playing Pong.

Console: PlayStation 2.

Developer/publisher: Yuke's/THQ.

Genre: Wrestling, Number of Players: 1 to 6 (2 online).

ESRB rating: Teen.

The premise: With its fifth installment, the SmackDown! series continues to let gamers step into the ring as their favorite WWE headliners. Players can control any superstar at their disposal, even create their own, to battle to championship glory and unlock prizes such as arenas, costumes, and WWE legends such as the Legion of Doom, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, and Bret "The Hitman" Hart. There is also an exhibition mode, with a slew of match types, from ladder and steel cage to the ominous Elimination Chamber.

Gameplay: Playing through story mode is essential for ShopZone cash to unlock hidden prizes and gain attributes for created wrestlers, but its repetitive nature makes it seem like a chore more than a game. It is very short, with very little variation in the stories. The same events happen over and over, the same wrestlers are involved every time, and the amount of unlockables is minimal.

Despite these low points, the game overall is a lot of fun. Along with online play and superstar voiceovers from WWE superstars, there are mini games such as chop battles and shoving contests, plus the new Tactics meter, which fills up depending on your integrity during a match. The Ringout meter during Royal Rumble mode adds a needed sense of strategy. There's even a create-your-own-championship feature for an extra incentive to compete in the new online mode.

But the most intriguing addition to the SmackDown! series is the Challenge Mode. Players have certain criteria to meet during exhibition mode matches and doing so earns them ShopZone cash and extra unlockables. The new mode gives players an incentive to play exhibition matches; in past games, they could have just ignored them.

The good/bad: Bad news first: Story mode is about as bare-bones as it can get, and the infamously shallow create-a-wrestler hasn't much improved. The good news: The Royal Rumble mode is a lot more fun thanks to the Ringout meter, exhibition mode has been greatly improved, and the Parking Lot Brawl match is a blast. Also, multiplayer mode is a good way to kill a few hours with a few friends.

Tips: Submission moves do more damage when you work on a specific limb such as a leg or the head and when wrestling in a Parking Lot Brawl or hard-core match. Use the cars to your advantage.

My take: "SmackDown! vs. Raw" is a solid offering that will not disappoint veterans or newcomers to the series. It's fun to play on your own but is better as a multiplayer game.

Jeremy Castillo is a student at Windward Community College.