Tag Archives: caw

Fifteenth Platinum Trophy: WWE ’12

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Posted by Rob on January 13, 2012 – 2:15 pm
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One of the lamest-looking WWE Platinums, and one of the most annoying to get

Gotta catch ‘em all: I have the Platinum trophies for Smackdown vs. Raw 2010, Smackdown vs. Raw 2011, WWE Legends of WrestleMania and WWE Allstars. Thus I was destined to continue the tradition and work towards the Platinum trophy in WWE ’12. It was a mediocre one…there were a lot of easy trophies, but two in particular were a real pain to snag.

“You’ve Got Fans” was a particularly difficult one to obtain, and it should not have been. The trophy requires you to upload something to the servers and then have five players download it. Well the big problem is that the servers were constantly down. If you’ve played WWE games in the past then you’re used to servers being down or laggy when trying to get an online match going. But the servers are so messed up in WWE ’12 that it took me a couple of days just to get on long enough to completely upload a CAW (create-a-wrestler.) So with me having a hard enough time just uploading, it took even longer for five people to find my CAW and then download it. The servers have been cruddy since the game launched in Novemeber, and to this day they have not been fixed. It’s a shame not only for people who want to get this trophy, but for others who just want to download a crappy Hulk Hogan CAW that has an overall stat value of 100. Read More »

Gearing Up for WWE ’12

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Posted by Rob on October 20, 2011 – 12:14 pm
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Anyone who follows my blog knows I get crazy around this time of year when THQ starts releasing relevant information about their annual WWE new release. This year is no different, and they’ve done quite a bit of revamping since last year’s Smackdown vs. Raw 2011. Just remember, I am a fan of the game series, not of the actual WWE programming and do not watch it on television.  So what exactly are the new features? Read on:

  • Title: That’s right, THQ decided to drop the “Smackdown vs. Raw” title from now on and are sticking with just “WWE”. It makes a heck of a lot of sense and is something they should have down a long time ago. The first couple of SvR games were true to their name, as there were drafts between the shows in-game and there was a “Be a GM” mode where you had to get more money and viewers than the competing brand. But that all stopped over the past few years and it’s been more about WWE in general and less about a conflict between these two shows. So I’m totally happy with calling it “WWE ’12″ as opposed to “Smackdown vs. Raw 2012″ as it’s a heck of a lot easier to say and write. Read More »

PS3 Review: WWE All Stars

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Posted by Rob on April 3, 2011 – 11:05 am
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This game is one heck of a slobber knocker as THQ redeems themselves for WWE Legends of WrestleMania with their newest title, WWE All Stars. I have been following this game for quite a few months now, and the end product was as good as I expected. First and foremost, this is NOT a wrestling sim like the Smackdown vs. Raw series. All Stars is a fighting game in every sense of the word, from having insane moves, devastating combos, tons of lockables…and the simple fact that it’s easy to pick up and play but challenging to master. That being said, I did not intend to make this a comparison of All Stars and SvR, but I ended up doing just that. This game is definitely on the radar of any SvR fan, so I think it is inevitable to compare the two at some points as a means of giving examples of what to expect.

The roster of characters is pretty darn expansive for a fighting game. There are thirty wrestlers to initially choose from, with at least thirteen more revealed as future DLC. They are divided by old school legends and today’s current roster, and this really does make it the best roster for a WWE game ever. Tons of old favorites are represented like Stone Cold, Rock, Hogan, Macho Man, Andre, Ultimate Warrior and more, and they even have their classic attires. Then you have some of today’s hottest stars including Undertaker, Triple H, Edge, Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, John Cena, and others as well. Together, it is a very well-rounded cast of wrestlers and is definitely one of the biggest selling points for the game.

But I’ve talked enough about all this basic info over the past three months, so now I’ll go more into what I got out of the actual game. Read More »

WWE Allstars: Challenging the Undertaker

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Posted by Rob on March 26, 2011 – 7:46 pm
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One of the game modes in the upcoming WWE Allstars game is “Path of Champions”, in which you will be able to challenge either the Undertaker, Randy Orton, or DX. You will have to fight your way through ten matches, all culminating in the final battle with your chosen opponent. Each Path of Champions storyline is opened by a vignette with that super star, and the Undertaker/Paul Bearer intro is just popping with classic greatness. Take a look at the video, which is voiced by Taker and Bearer themselves:

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I think it’s safe to say that when this game arrives on Tuesday from Amazon, the first thing I’m going to do is create a BigBadBob CAW and then dive right in to challenge the Undertaker.

WWE Allstars Match: Big Man

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Posted by Rob on March 10, 2011 – 8:59 pm
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Last week THQ shared a match with developer commentary to show off the acrobat class in WWE Allstars. This week they released another video, this one focusing on the “Big Man” class. The match features Kane (masked, which is the best Kane ever) vs. Andre the Giant (old school with a fro.) Here’s the match:

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This match was a bit disappointed compared to the acrobat one. Not only was it two minutes shorter, but the player controlling Kane simply dominated Andre, so there wasn’t a good back and forth between the two characters. However, there was some pretty cool stuff. First off, I simply loved when Kane kicked Andre right out of the ring…that was ridiculous! It was also sweet to finally see the weapons in use, even though it has been confirmed for some time. All in all, the acrobat class was a lot more impressive than the Big Man class. Maybe one of the reasons the match was shorter was because the Big Man class is so powerful and causes a lot more damage…that will probably lead to shorter matches when they are involved.

As of right now, I think my CAW, BigBadBob, will be a grappler, so I can’t wait to see that match type revealed in the coming weeks.

Next Platinum Will Be Smackdown vs. Raw 2011

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Posted by Rob on December 21, 2010 – 5:59 pm
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I got the platinum trophy for WWE SvR 2010, and I will soon do the same for 2011. I must admit, it is quite a challenge this year, since the most elusive trophy requires you to win an online Royal Rumble match, which is a pain. Last year’s edition wasn’t as challenging, and none of the trophies required you to play online matches.

I currently have three trophies left to go. I have to push someone off a ladder so they fall through a table, I have to smash someone into a table from the top rope, and I have to win a Royal Rumble match online. I got another very elusive one today, which required you to perform total of 1,004 signature and finisher moves combined. This technically isn’t too hard, and should come fairly quickly and naturally through regular play. However, the trophy is a bit mis-leading. First off, CAWs don’t count, and since I play mostly with them, this wasn’t going to happen naturally. Secondly, it only counts for one wrestler, not a combination of all wrestlers. Lastly, it has to take place in the same kind of match. It can be done in multiple gaming sessions, but it requires the same wrestler and the same match type. Due to these stipulations, I would never achieve this trophy naturally. Read More »

First SvR 2011 Co-Op Storyline Almost Complete

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Posted by Rob on October 29, 2010 – 12:17 am
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With crazysteve coming to up to visit next weekend, I have been hard at work creating a story for us to play through in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011. The Story Creation mode is pretty sweet, as you can not only set up a bunch of matches for each week (for as long as you want), but you can also add in the crazy storylines to give it that hilarious wrestling feel. You want a car exploding? You can do that. You want some guy to get jumped by a bunch of others wielding chairs and brooms? You can do that. You want to have you and your best friend fight over some scantly-clad chick? Yes, you can do that too (perv).

The best part of their story creation mode this year is that I can make massive storylines that support up to six players at a time. Since it’s just Steve and I, my current story is a combination of different tag team matches. This is why the SvR series is the best co-op gaming series: I’m practically making my own game, personally customized and tailored to my friends and my own tastes. You can add in your own dialogue/smack talk, so there is plenty of room for inside jokes that will have your friends laughing it up, and to make it even better, they can take control of their own personal wrestler.

I’ll most definitely work on more as time goes on, but I am just polishing up this current one. Once we have played through it, I’ll write up another post detailing exactly what my friend and I experienced in our own custom WWE storyline! I don’t want to give away any details so I don’t ruin Steve’s surprise, but I will say that I created a short month-long story which encompasses four regular weeks and ends with a Pay Per View main event.

PS3 Review: WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011

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Posted by Rob on October 27, 2010 – 5:53 pm
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I got SvR 2011 in from Amazon last night, and after the first twenty four hours of ownership, I’d like to share my impressions of the game. This isn’t a true review, but more like a laundry list of my likes and dislikes, as well as plenty of my own personal pics, since I get tired of having to scour the interwebs for pics of the game.Though as a side note, since I took these pics from my TV with my camera, the quality is not 100% awesome, as the rest of the game actually looks. A second side note, as always, is that I do not watch WWE programming…I am simply a fan of the games, and view them as the best fighting and co-op games ever made.

My Likes

For me, the most important part of any WWE game is the ability to “create-a-wrestler”, which will henceforth be called CAWs. CAWs are the backbone of the SvR games, since this is where every fan of either WWE or just fighting games in general can come and create their own custom character. This year’s edition is no different, with plenty of customization options for you and your friends to create. Ever since owning WWF War Zone back in the 90s on my PS1, I have always made a “BigBadBob” character to represent myself, and this year is no different.

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WWE Smackdown vs. Raw In My House 2011

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Posted by Rob on October 26, 2010 – 5:43 pm
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The UPS man just drove off into the sunset after leaving a brand spanking new copy of Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 on my doorstep. I’ve been itching to get my hands on this and start the onslaught of CAWs. I will definitely pop up some first impressions at some point tomorrow to go over what I think of some of the new features, and if they took away anything that I am missing.

The big question of course will be what my first match is gonna be. I’m thinking of sending the Undertaker into a Hell in a Cell against Kane…

More Info on SvR 2011

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Posted by Rob on October 8, 2010 – 6:14 pm
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I managed to stumble across a review written by one of the guys over at IGN who got to spend some time with the game. What he had to say basically spells out that this could very well be the best installment of the series. One of the interesting things he mentions is about online play. He was able to play a six-player Royal Rumble match online, and all he had to say was good things…he didn’t mention anything about the game lagging. Anyone who has played any other version of SvR knows that the online matches are always plagued by lag, so if the servers dedicated to SvR 2011 are finally up to the task, this could be what really puts the game series on the maps. However, since he was playing an early version of the game, it could just so happen that there are simply very few people using the servers right now, and that once the game’s full release hits on October 26th, there could be more lag going on. I don’t think anyone will know for sure until later this month, but I will be one of the first to report on it!

Another fun-sounding feature is the Road to Wrestlemania. Not only will you take part in the story of the selected character, but you will also interact with other wrestlers backstage in-between matches. Doing these “side quests”, as the article refers to them, your wrestler will gain the ability to purchase upgrades that increase their stats. This goes for anyone, not just CAWs (create-a-wrestler), so that definitely adds in some fun features. However, what I’m really excited for is the Road to Wrestlemania storyline titled “Versus the Undertaker” where you can take one of the pro wrestlers or your CAW, and attempt to end the Undertaker’s undefeated Wrestlemania streak. That sounds like it will be a blast, and with the confirmation that Paul Bearer is in the game, that storyline is something that I’m really going to enjoy. Read More »

Getting Pumped for Smackdown vs. Raw 2011

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Posted by Rob on September 27, 2010 – 9:04 am
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As many of you know, I am an avid fan of the THQ game series WWE: Smackdown vs. Raw, despite the fact that I am not a wrestling fan. This game actually makes me a hyprocrit, as I will openly criticize people who purchase each year’s version of Madden, while at the same time I purchase each new edition of SvR. So last month I traded in my copy of SvR 2010, along with some other games, and got enough credit from Amazon to pre-order 2011. I’ve been reading up a lot on it, and I’m getting pretty excited on some of the new things they have to offer.

The most interesting is this concept of a “Universe” mode. When turned on, the game will keep track of who fights who and all wins and losses in exhibition mode. Then, the game will use this information to form alliances and enemies which will be used to enhance the feel of the exhibition mode, and make it feel more like a wrestling match. For example, if you are fighting someone else, and beat them up, chances are they may attack you during your next exhibition match. It can be done on your way to the ring, they can get you in the middle of your match, or they can wait until the match is over before they strike, interrupting your victory celebration in the ring. At the same time, it also means that if you have a tag team partner who you fight alongside frequently, there is a chance they will come to help you out during your singles matches. While all this has been attempted in previous games, it was always a very random and iffy thing, but it sounds like they are concentrating on getting it right this time. While all this has been attempted in previous games, it was always a very random and iffy thing, but it sounds like they are concentrating on getting it right this time. Read More »

Back in LittleBigPlanet

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Posted by Rob on May 8, 2010 – 11:59 am
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LittleBigPlanet was one of the first games I bought for the PS3.I remember that soon after getting the system, Toys R Us had a buy three get one free sale, and I used that as an opportunity to stock up on some PS3 titles. I liked LBP in the beginning, but I remember eventually getting bored with it (plus I was stuck on a boss that I couldn’t get past, which was frustrating.) I never got into the level creation either, so eventually I sold the game off and put the credit towards Fallout 3.

Lately I’ve been missing it, and wanted to get back into it. So when I saw that the GOTY edition had hit the $30 Greatest Hit Collection, I was tempted to pick it up again. Then came my $25 gift card to Gamestop, and the day that Gamestop had a 10%off, free shipping online sale, so my gift card ended up paying for almost all the game (I think I had to put a dollar and change on my credit card.)

So now that I have the game, I’ve really been enjoying it. I got through the Metal Gear levels, which were fun. The game was fun in itself, but the addition of combat with the paint gun was a brilliant idea, yet still cute enough to fit the LBP environment. I also just picked up the Pirates of the Caribbean levels, but haven’t checked them out yet.

I’m also in the midst of making my own level. I’m a little rusty on the controls (because there is a lot to do in the game and a lot of information to remember when making your own level), so I’ll probably go through the tutorials again to refresh my memory. However, I have been enjoying playing around in it, as I love creating content in games (just like all the ridiculous CAWs I make in the WWE games.)

And last but not least, I’ve also started checking out some of the community levels. There were so many trophies I never received due to my avoidance of the online player-created levels, but now I’m feeling good about it and enjoying it. The game is a really fun game, and I’m mad at myself for getting frustrated with it and sending it on its way because I lost a lot of good play time that I could have had with it.

Ten of my Video Game Moments (in my life)

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Posted by Rob on January 23, 2010 – 9:02 pm
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Im not saying that what follows are the 10 best games ever made, or my top 10 favorite games. Instead, I starting thinking back through my life about some fond memories I have of playing video games, from growing up to nowadays. I  brainstormed a bit about these memories and to see what would to mind, and then I organized them chronologically and as you see below. Enjoy taking this trip down memory lane with me.

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PS3 Review: WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010

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Posted by Rob on November 25, 2009 – 3:47 pm
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I always start off these reviews by saying this…I am no longer a fan of the WWE (I stopped following it in about 2001 or so, back when it was still the WWF). I do not watch it during the week, I don’t follow it online. All I know about whats going on in the WWE is based on each edition of Smackdown vs. Raw that comes out, so my knowledge is generally limited. That being said, I LOVE playing the Smackdown vs. Raw games (to hearby be referred to as SvR), and I tend to purchase the newest edition each year. Normally, there are some minor changes every year, but this years edition (2010) surpasses them all, and I think it is safe to say that SvR 2010 is the best wrestling game ever made.

I guess I will start with the actual in-ring gameplay. SvR 2010 now allows each wrestler to perform 16 strong grapples, as opposed to the old school 8, which means that each wrestler now has a move set that is twice as large. You use the right analog to perform a quick grapple, which is usually a cheesy weak move that wont do much damage, but is a great way to get in a cheap shot (usually a punch, kick, elbow, or quick takedown.) Then if you hold R1 while using the right analog, you will initiate a strong grapple. These are the big, devastating moves such as power bombs, choke slams, suplexes, DDTs, and all that other good stuff. Depending on the direction you push the right analog will result in different holds. For example, R1 and left on the analog will initiate a wrist hold, and R1 and up will start an up-close true wrestler grapple. Once the grapple is initiated, pushing the right analog in any of the four basic directions will result in a different move being performed. So that’s where you get your 16 moves from…four different grapple holds, and four moves for each grapple. You can assign which moves you want for each hold from a menu screen, and there are literally hundreds of moves to choose from. Oh, and lets not forget the grounded grapple moves. When an opponent is lying on the mat, you will be able to perform up to six different moves, depending on where you are standing (head, side, or legs), and if he is lying on his back or face-first.
wwe-smackdown-vs-raw-2010-ss-02 Read More »