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GUEST EDITORIAL
By Shane McKinley
PWTorch.com Reader

With the future release of TNA's new videogame and Smackdown vs Raw 2009, it must be noted that the only truly remarkable wrestling videogame in recent memory was "Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain," which was released in 2003 (And to all you "Fire Pro Wrestling Returns" fans, you're delusional. That gameplay borders near "broken"). This is what I am looking forward in improvements in the next wrestling videogame.

1. The Announcers

Unlike in "Fight Night: Round 3," when the announcer adds to the drama, "SvR 2008" spouts off inane ramblings like "Carlito sure is a bad apple." Then the announcers go off on a tangent you've heard too many times before and distract you from the match. The announcers should add to the drama of the match, and not distract from it (much like watching Impact). Cut away all the useless clatter. Just think of "The Coach" announcing on "SvR 2009." If nothing else, at least throw in the choice for instrumental music (or the songs the game developers selected) and people can turn off commentary.

2. The Crowd

Nothing like wrestling in front of nonplussed crowds to get your blood pumping. I'm looking for chants, real emotion.

3. Graphics

They spend most of their time on graphics and entrances, but once you've seen a entrance, you've seen it all.

4. Gameplay

I should be able to put Carlito vs. Festus and have one heck of a match.

5. Excitement

Where are the instant replays? The ring shaking? Light bulbs going off? Can't you put the music in while you are wrestling? Listening to the announcers drone on and on about something is downright flawed. I should feel like I'm in a real contest.

6. A.I.

Make the enemy A.I. surprise you. For instance, the camera angles in "WCW/NWO Revenge" lead you to believe that you will land that suplex, but suddenly the enemy reverses it. The gameplay should be fast and should feel like an actual contest, like you're actually facing a real challenge, instead of just facing an A.I. on that blocks everything you do boringly. In "Revenge," I can have a match with anybody and have a real contest based on skill, unlike "SvR 2008."

7. Camera Angle

The camera angle should face the stage.

8. Season Mode

According to THQ, they are spending a lot of time on season mode with "quality" storylines. Right. "SvR 2008" - all I remember is fighting to land a movie role I didn't care about and trying to marrying Stephanie. I highlight the season mode from "Smackdown HCTP," "No Mercy," and "SvR 2006" as better examples. A good season mode should feel realistic, like you're really feel angered against your opponent. "HCTP" had very simple storylines, but they worked, since the game inputted in different wrestlers. It should branch out instead of placing you in "Will you land that movie role" drabness. The Season Mode feels more like a chore rather than fun to be in. It should also make you feel like you've done something good by turning heel. Actual consequences for your actions. "SvR 2008" was too much "You haven't earned my respect" and "You're going to pay for something you couldn't stop." "HCTP" you could also shake the opponent's hand or beat him up after a match. It should have consequences for your actions, have much better written storylines, and should be able to plug created wrestlers in. It also should be meant to played over and over again, with the same storylines but with different characters (i.e. "Smackdown HCTP"). If you were like me, you Irish whipped your oppopent to the stage to get a win by countout to progress a storyline that was boring and didn't make any sense.

9. Stamina

I've never used it.

10. Change Focus Button

Don't know why this in not in.

While "SvR 2009'" will supposedly have hot tags and create your own finisher, this series is akin to Madden, where each year's videogame is very much "more of the same" with two NEW FEATURES but the same tired flaws. I should be able to take any two wrestlers and have a entertaining and challenging match (I'm talking about the basics here, not "oh I can put a guy through a burning table"). It doesn't matter if TNA or WWE does the better videogame. Hopefully it's not going to be the same boring gameplay.

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