WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 [X360]

You may have five hours of weekly WWE programming sitting on your Tivo like presents under the Christmas tree every week, but something's amiss. It's been a while since you played a new WWE wrestling game. Besides, a lot has happened since SmackDown vs. Raw 2006: Triple H brought a bundle of joy into this world (not to mention DX); Mr. Kennedy is single-handedly changing Friday nights; and ECW has made its return, for better or worse.

THQ recently sent us a playable copy of the Xbox 360 version of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, and while it's pretty slim on features and roster, it went a long way towards showing how drastically different the controls are this time around. So, rather than speculate on things we know nothing about, we'll stick to the facts as demonstrated in the new build. If you're not down with that, we've got two words for ya: too bad.

Wrestling fans probably already know by now that the right stick is now the law when it comes to grapple moves. It's preferred to holding a direction and hitting a grapple button (which we're told will still be available for those who fear change), or heaven forbid the old Acclaim WWF game way of memorizing a complex series of button presses just to do a headlock takeover. However, flicking the right stick is far from the only advancement for SvR 07.

Grapples now have two strengths, weak and strong. N64 fans will remember this was the formula for AKI's legendary WWF titles. Weak grapples are as described above: Flick the R-stick to the left, and Kurt Angle will do a double-leg takedown; flick it up, and Triple H will do a hiptoss. Easy, right? To get the strong ones, players must hold the right bumper while flicking the pointing the right analog. Depending on the direction, you'll go into a different type of lock-up.

From there, you can click yet another direction for a bigger move. Keep in mind that you'd better have worn down your opponent a little before breaking out the big guns. Alternatively, and new this year, you can really exert your control in the match. By pushing in the right stick at the lock-up, you'll put your opponent in a compromising position, from which you have other options available.

Do a strong grapple while pressing down, then push in the analog, and Kurt Angle will hold Rey Mysterio perpendicularly. From there, you can hit up then down on the stick to execute multiple backbreakers. Conversely, you may also flick down then up for a devastating fallaway slam. Another example is holding up for a strong grapple with John Cena against Triple H, then pushing in the analog. Cena will place The Game's head between his legs, where you can either click the stick again to do a piledriver, or press up to get Triple H into power bomb position. Before slamming him down, you can even carry him around like a sack of bottled water.