Finlay RTWM (Mode Created by DieselMac on Xbox 360)

    You get a lot of story modes on Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 online, but they usually star the main event talent of the WWE. There are limited amounts of Road to Wrestlemania Modes because of the character specific storylines and audio dialogue that goes along with that. That leaves a vast void of talent unrepresented as playable characters in story mode. Along time ago WWE used to have dialogue based storylines that were text based and that allowed you to have a story mode with pretty much everybody on the roster. If you wanted to do a story and have Muhammad Hassan become the WWE Champion, you could do that. Hell the most fun I ever had in a WWE game was becoming the WWE Champion as the Hurricane.

    Now the text-based adventures of old are in our hands as the commercials say "It's Our World Now." It is somewhat depressing that most of the story modes feature wrestlers who already have a full mode such as the Superman John Cena, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge. I guess with all of those storylines on the server no wonder WWE is giving us those people on a rotating plate for the main events of PPVs. This review is about somebody who has broken the mold and has devoted his time and energy to make a story mode about a 30-year veteran of the ring, Finlay!

    This mode features something that the real Wrestlemania modes feature: match goals. In the real mode to pass to the next stage you usually have to win, and sometimes perform an action (like put somebody through a table, etc.) Road to WM: Finlay has optional goals because the game doesn't allow specific goals other then win or lose. It gives the feel that it is a real Road to WM, so that's a big plus as far as I'm concerned.

That is another gripe that I have with all Storymodes from the last two installments of Smackdown vs. Raw: you have to win to continue. The older games had a branch work of storylines that factored in whether you won or lost titles matches, or certain event changing matches. Winning or losing could determine if you become champion at Wrestlemania or get revenge on the McMahons for screwing you out of the titles. You could end your career early if you get a Hollywood contract, as I accidentally did on my Hurricane story mode in I think "Know Your Role." Road to Wrestlemania has gotten very linear, and that's not a good thing.

I don't want to go into any spoilers with the story mode just to say that it was a hell of a lot of fun to play. Unlike some of his small pushes in the WWE over the years, trust me when I say that this story mode is 100 percent, Hornswoggle Free (except when he appears in Finlay's Titantron.) It is one of the best modes you can find out there right now and it's a great use of a wrestler who never seemed to get a shot at the big time in the WWE or WCW. I always heard rumors that Vince McMahon wanted to put the title on him one day, but I don't really think it'll happen. Try your luck in this mode to give Finlay his day in the sun that he will probably not be getting in World Wrestling Entertainment anytime soon.

Verdict: 5 Four-Leaf Clovers out of 5.

 

 

 

    

Back To the WWE

    This is a great story that shows the creativeness and humor of the WWE Universe. What we have is a great parody of the pivotal scenes of Back to the Future Part II. Without giving away too much in terms of spoilers, starring in the role of Marty McFly is John Cena. Doctor Emmitt Brown is portrayed by the sinister Mike Knox and Biff Tannen is played by the Viper Randy Orton.

    This is a great use of matches and backstage interviews and promos. There are a lot of comedic moments. People who are fans of Back to the Future will really love how the story matches the movie in a lot of different way. After playing this game I felt compelled to watch the film over again and I have seen it a lot of times already.

    I couldn't recommend this highly enough to match the amount of fun that I had playing it. Every single person who has Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 for the Xbox 360 should download, play and review this story mode. I reviewed it on the servers as a 5/5 and it deserves the full marks that I gave it. Many modes get highly rated just because it is a nice thing to do, but this one fully earned it 100 percent. Actually, if I could have rated it 10/5 I would have. This story mode actually gave me the idea to make my own story mode loosely based on the events of the first Back to the Future movie. If you are interested, that mode is a five-part series called "Marty McJannetty and if you want also check out my Smackdown Story mode a three-part series called "The Party's Over" and it's conclusion story mode "The Party's NOT Over."

The Verdict: GREAT SCOTT!!

WCW: One Night Only.

"Sit Back and Watch the Action."

I'd like to pass on that generous offer but then I couldn't review it. This could have actually been a pretty good story mode with a little bit of thinking on part of the creator. He has four WCW, but you can't play them. You have to watch the computer through four long matches with no payoff whatsoever. Let us begin.

Raven Defeats Vampiro

Inferno Match for the Hardcore Championship:

    Do you remember the WCW inferno match between Raven and Vampiro? I sure don't. I remember Sting and Vampiro having a Human Torch Match. The CAWs that were used were pretty well done, but I don't know if he created them or just downloaded them from somebody else. Did I mention already that you can't play this match that you have to watch the computer and their weak AI muddle through this match? I was just wondering if I mentioned that before. We aren't reliving any WCW moment here except for how I felt for all WCW PPV: ripped off or cheated. The creator has that down to a tee.

Rey Mysterio Defeats Chavo Guerrero

Ladder Match for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship:

    Before the next match we have Bret Hart almost getting run over by a speeding car! Do you remember that from WCW? No? Well, neither did I. This is making as little sense as Vince Russo's era in WCW. Way to go creator got another aspect of WCW down perfectly: making me ask the question: What were they (You) thinking?

Do you remember the famous Ladder Match from Starrcade 2000? Well, don't fully blame the creator for this error. You can't have Triangle-Tag Team-Ladder matches in Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010. The era of the Triangle Ladder Match is over and its not possible. I would have liked to see Shane Helms and Shannon Moore as Three Count once again. Everybody Three Count…..ONE….TWO…..THHHHREEE!

    Instead of the triple threat, we get Chavo Versus Rey Mysterio in the ladder match. This is something that would have been a good match had it been done WCW. It also would have been good had you been able to control the wrestlers. Basically you will get a different outcome every time you watch this. Rey won the title in this viewing, so that is what will go down in my book. Just in case you cared, Raven won the Inferno Match.

    Next we see Finlay lying on the ground unconscious, and Chavo going to his rescue. Maybe somebody told him about his future about having a future manager and son being a Leprechaun. Somebody should inform Chavo of his future of jobbing to that same Leprechaun and maybe he'll just retire.

    

Sting Defeats Bret "Hitman" Hart: Submission Match for the United States Championship:

Next up: Sting Vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart in a submission match! Sharpshooter vs. Scorpion Death Lock!!! It's also for the United States Championship in case you were wondering. Alright, let me just control Bret Hart and make that jerk Sting tap to the Sharpshooter! Oh right, AI matches only. Well, at least he picked two good wrestlers and submission experts to fight in this match. Can't blame him for his choice of wrestlers Sting and Hart are top notch. I would have a lot of fun with this match if I was allowed to play it!! This is a video game!! If I wanted to watch somebody wrestle I would put on a DVD or find it on the Internet! I WANT TO PLAY! My controller has already shut off three times while I was watching this as to be able to give it a full review. Not once, not twice, but THRICE! Sting won with a Dragon Sleeper, what the hell? No Sharpshooter? No Scorpion Death Locks? Fuck this.

The Main Event

Survivor Series Style 3 on 3 Elimination Tag Team Match:

The Big Show (The Giant) and Diamond Dallas Page and Macho Man Randy Savage

Defeats

Representing the New World Order:

The Outsiders ("Big Sexy" Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) and World Heavyweight Hollywood Hogan.

     In three Straight Falls!

This match might have happened on a random episode of Monday Nitro, but if it was I don't remember it. When I saw the Big Show and DDP coming to the ring I thought the natural opponents would have been Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman from that Bash at the Beach. It at least would have been an actual WCW match and not just ones with WCW wrestlers thrown together and say it was a match. The three on three tag team motif was based on actual events with DDP and the Giant replacing Sting and Lex Luger. The Macho Man CAW was all dressed in black, so I thought he was going to be on the heel side. It is still a match that I would have liked to play, and there goes my controller again! The New World Order lost in three straight falls to the Giant, DDP and Macho Man. The New World Order lost? That's not believable! Somebody get Eric Bischoff on the phone the shit is about to hit the fan! I was right….somebody blew up the Big Shows car.

The End

To the person who created this Create-a-Story Mode please edit it so you can actually play the matches. It will not change my review that you have fully earned but it will help you get better reviews on the Smackdown vs. Raw server. This is a video game and people want to be able to play!! All of the CAWs are great and the match selection is good even if they are not based on actual WCW events. So, all you really need to make this good is to make the matches playable!

Verdict:

On a Scale to 0/10, this gets a negative 50.

Do not download this story mode. Don't let your controller fall asleep like mine did repeatedly. Avoid this story mode at all cost! Save your energy, save yourselves….farewell.

 

Welcome!

This is going to be a test blog and I haven't really seen anything like this on the web. So, hopefully this is a unique idea. I will be downloading and playing Create-a-Story modes from Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 for the XBox 360. When I am done with them, I will write up a review and either recommend playing the mode yourself or not. I think this will provide better feedback to the people who slave over their 360's providing you all with free entertainment that adds limitless replay value to the game.

I also hope people will offer their own thoughts and give valuble feedback if this blog catches on with the regular Smackdown 2010 public. I also hope people offer suggestions to what Story modes I should review. Also, I hope that this helps make the mode more popular and that some of you write story modes yourself. They are alot of fun and a great time waster if you don't have anything planned. All you really need to make it easy is a USB keyboard, and you can buy a really cheap one like the ones that you can roll up and carry with you.

Thanks for reading,

-Ryan.