The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series has been on a decline for a number of years, and the last three years I have rated each annual game a 6/10. It's just felt too dated and robotic for a modern day game, and you just know something is wrong when older wrestling games felt more fluid.

This game however does have a couple of draw backs. For example if you are new and adjust the slidders to the easiest level, you're opponent can still reverse moves. Also, this is not a good game to play for long periods of time. It it is fun for a while, but not a game for all day play.

Wrestling is at its best when the focus is on telling the story in the ring. Watching a brutal contest between the baby-face and the heel as they try to prove who is the better man. As the match ebbs and flows, the pace quickens as the intensity increases towards the big finish.

It's almost becoming an annual thing for the WWE games to solve problems in one area, only to create them in another, and WWE 12 is no exception. It will provide entertainment to the WWE fan masses over the short term, but for many the enjoyment will only be short term.

The Introduction WWE 12 is a wrestling game based on the show as you pick your Favorite wrestler to take to the ring or you can create your own. Once in the ring then the wrestling begins as you have to use a combination of grappling and fighting to defeat your opponent.

Very high quality all round defiantly the best wrestling game to date

Story mode gets a bit dull and frustrating at times

My review of this game is that the story mode is the last of the road to wrestlemania. The story mode is great storylines including the kings of kings triple H, the villian sheamus and for the first ever time create ur superstars and live the hero storyline in the making.

WWE is certainly no stranger to reinvention. From reinventing characters, brands, shows and even their own name, change is the one constant in the continually evolving world of professional wrestling.

+ Solid new gameplay engine; + Ton of customization options; + Slick presentation

AI is lacking; Some general glitchyness; Rope physics are strange and unrealistic

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 was emblematic of how THQ's wrestling franchise (and the WWE organization itself) had become a bit stale and unapproachable. While diehards may have enjoyed the complex controls and Road to Wrestlemania's wide range of options, the game was as unappealing to the masses as...

+ Intuitive and deep control scheme is much better than; + Deep roster; match menu; and variety of modes make for incredible replay value

? Why have mixed tag matches if cross-gender fighting leads to DQs

In conclusion, if you're looking for a completely different single player experience after having played countless SvR titles, WWE 12 is one to buy. It's a massive step in the right direction and whilst THQ have heavily focused on promoting the Road to Wrestlemania mode, I actually preferred what...

If you look at all the major franchise games that are coming out on a yearly release cycle, you'll notice that innovation from one year to the next can be particularly difficult. Series like Madden , Call of Duty , and even Assassin's Creed have gotten flak for not changing enough from one game to...