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It has been a relatively quiet summer for THQ's upcoming WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007. Other than its appearance at E3 and the confirmation of two new additions to the roster, the annual grappler has remained somewhat of a mystery since its pre-WrestleMania debut earlier this year. Luckily, a familiar season is starting up again -- a season where the wrestling marks at IGN and the creators at THQ team up to bring you the most comprehensive SmackDown coverage in the world... and it all starts today.
Though our yearly "SmackDown Countdown" series won't begin for a few more weeks, we still have something cool lined up for the weekend -- an updated list of SVR 2007's improved match types. More specifically, these are the bout variations that we'll see the most dramatic changes in this year (not to mention a new one altogether: the Money in the Bank Match). Highlighted below are the different match types and the changes you can expect to see in them.
The Undertaker joins Nitro as today's newly-announced superstars. As an added bonus, we're also pleased to announce that THQ has confirmed two more superstars in addition the pair of personalities revealed earlier this week. Yes fans, The Undertaker and Johnny Nitro will definitely be in the game. This brings the current WWE superstar roster to nine, with plenty more yet to be announced.
Now, as RVD would say, "On with the whole F'n show!"
Money in the Bank Match (New!) After two consecutive WrestleManias, THQ has finally brought the wildly popular Money in the Bank match to SVR. In it, six different WWE superstars battle it out for a shot at the title from their particular brand (SmackDown or Raw).
Similar to a traditional ladder match, this contest places a briefcase with a championship contract suspended high above the ring. The first wrestler to successfully navigate his way to the top of a taller ladder and grab the briefcase wins the match. Being successful guarantees that superstar the right to a title shot any time they want. Sadly, the exact way in which this works during the career mode (re: if?) is still unknown. But at least we know that it's in there.
Money in the Bank can get hectic. Incidentally, the first two people to win the "Money in the Bank" match (Edge and Rob Van Dam) went on to win the WWE Championship later in the year. By coincidence or not, John Cena was the man who lost the belt on both occasions.
Ladder Match Before we reveal the changes in this match type, consider this bit of background info first: The moment in which Shelton Benjamin ran up a leaning ladder (which was resting against an already-setup ladder) and clotheslined Chris Jericho off the top rung at WrestleMania 21's Money in the Bank match served as inspiration for this year's improvements. In addition, last year's Rey vs. Eddie custody-deciding ladder battle (and the several spectacular moments it provided) also motivated the SmackDown team for this year.
SVR 2007 will indeed give players the ability to lean one ladder against another so that they perform running spears or clotheslines off of it. If that isn't enough, gamers can also position ladders into turnbuckles both vertically AND horizontally. This means that when you Irish whip an opponent into the steep-steps during a grapple initiation that you can perform four different kinds of attacks. You can use the ladder as an environmental grapple too -- just drag a fallen opponent towards a floor-bound ladder and you can sandwich him between it. Also, players can expect the ability to control how many times they can close it on him as well.
But that's not all. The way in which players can grab hanging championship belts has also been changed. As many fans probably remember, the ladder used to automatically fall down once users grabbed the title. Acquiring that belt was then accomplished by tapping the bejeezus out of the controller. No more. Now, the right and left analog sticks are used to reach for the strap via individual arms; Move the left stick up and the left arm extends, move the right stick and the right arms extends. And yes, if you move both up at the same time both arms will definitely reach for the belt simultaneously.
Once the championship is in hand, the next thing to do is locate what THQ is calling its "sweet spot." As an example, if you grab the title with your left hand, the sweet spot can be found by moving the left analog stick around. The closer to the spot you get, the more the controller will rumble. A "Ladder Gauge" will then appear on the screen and start to throb and disappear. If the wrestler can hold onto the belt until the meter disappears, he'll free the title and win the bout. This same technique applies to the other two methods of grabbing the belt as well (right analog or both), but there's more risk involved when using two hands because if he doesn't find the sweet spot quick enough he'll fall off the ladder (after all, there isn't a free hand to anchor himself). Of course, the advantage is that two hands depletes the ladder meter faster than one.
Table Match The last match type to get a big overhaul this year is the Table match. Previously, it was far too easy to break a table and there was no drama with setting it up in the first place. THQ hopes to correct that in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007.
This time, players who want to put their enemies through a table have to meet two separate requirements. Requirement number one is that your wrestler has a stored finishing move icon (easy enough) and requirement number two is about momentum --that meter must be filled as well. Once both of those goals have been reached, users can then send an opponent through a table.
Keep in mind, however, that breaking a table doesn't just "happen." Once the table is set up (be it against a turnbuckle or in the center of the ring), users must Irish whip their opponents towards the thing to get them to lay or lean on it. Once that has been accomplished, gamers can then execute a finishing maneuver smash their way to victory.
