WWE Raw (Xbox/PC) 2002
Raw was the first WWE game ever released on Xbox with the Microsoft tie in also allowing it to be released on PC. Anchor's first WWE game had the opportunity to make good use of the Xbox engine and create it's own lasting franchise to rival Smackdown. It did boast a sizeable roster and good graphics from the opening FMV to the in game renders. For the most part the graphics held up, though the wrestlers did walk strange which is something a few games failed to get right. Entrances looked good. Pyro, lighting and titantron were all done well and the crowds looked slightly better than the flat faces and dull signs seen in Smackdown. Being a completely new series, Raw introduced a whole new combat system, which could be learned through an in game tutorial. Major new features included a stamina system that required determined pacing and a "Voltage" meter than focused on shifting momentum between participants. On top of that, a whole new grappling system was included to make the game stand out from the rest of the market. Moves were tailored to look unique to the superstar performing them, again adding to the overall feel of the game. Strangely it did include a few weird additions. Firstly, some wrestlers had accessories that could be stolen. For example, you could knock Kurt Angle's medals off and wear them yourself. In an odder move, the game also featured joke weapons alongside the more commonplace weapons seen on WWE TV. These regular weapons were one thing that Raw got more right than other games at the time. In particular, tables were done effectively and broke properly with just about any move done nearby. Unfortunately, Raw had no storyline to speak of, putting it at a huge disadvantage to other games of the time. It only featured exhibition, King of the Ring and "title" modes, which were all the same apart from the opponents you faced along the way. These also didn't make much sense as you could use a huge wrestler in Light Heavyweight mode or Triple H in the women's run should you please. Additional stipulation matches were also omitted, meaning a lot less variety in the long run. It did have a create a wrestler mode, though nothing along the lines of the deepness of Smackdown. Raw's graphics and attention to small details were a welcome addition to the ever growing list of wrestling games. The new grappling system was a fair change to the established style. Gameplay had to be good as it was all that the game really had to rely on. While it somewhat succeeded on that front, unfortunately it wasn't good enough to gloss over all the missing features. Raw was a good effort for a new WWE game but it should've been much better. At the time however, it just couldn't compete with the more popular Smackdown games, though it did set the table for vast improvements in the future.