E for All 2007 Preview
Ladies and gentlemen! Let’s get
ready to…take THQ’s leading wrestling franchise on the road. With DS and PSP
versions on the way, gamers won’t have to spend a minute of their lives without
their grappling, pummeling and completely annihilating the computer AI – or a
friend via ad hoc connection.
The game contains several dozen
wrestlers, something you’d expect to get from Smackdown vs. Raw’s umpteenth
iteration. The developers are banking on fighting style specifics – special
moves for high-flyers, brawlers and others – to take the series in a new and
exciting direction.
Smackdown’s control and graphic
content is eerily close to the PS2 version. The wrestlers move very smoothly,
though a little slow, and their artwork is well refined. Jaggies are present
from time to time, but that could be the demo and representative of the final
game (we hope). Even if there are jaggies, you’ll still be impressed by the
level of detail surrounding each wrestler. Their faces are realistically
defined, with muscle and skin textures that immediately stand out. The crowd is
lively but not too spectacular – just two rows of cheering fans are present. All
other backgrounds are filled in with flat imagery.
Game mode content is a mystery, as
the E for All demo did not extend past the typical quick play mode of play.
There were various options held within it, allowing players to control Raw and
Smackdown wrestlers, and customize their games with other basic features.
Sadly, there isn’t much else to
report. But if you liked the series last year and find this year’s
PS2 update intriguing, the PSP version should be right up your alley.
