Pave the way to WWE's biggest event of the year through WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009's new Road To WrestleMania story mode, which also features the franchise's first-ever co-op storyline. Additionally, take any character featured in the game or Created Superstars through the brand new Career Mode.
ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA
A new season mode entitled Road to WrestleMania replaced the previous version's season mode, 24/7 Mode.
Rather than have a mode that drops whatever character you pick into a generalized story, THQ and Yukes have created six completely original, character-specific storylines for you to tackle this year. Pick up your controller, and you can take on the show-to-show life of Triple H, CM Punk, Undertaker, John Cena, Chris Jericho, or the tag team of Batista and Rey Mysterio.
As you play these storylines, you'll have to deal with fights breaking out backstage, the McMahons interfering, your friends turning on you and more. There will even be optional match objectives -- such as beating someone in a certain amount of time or putting them through a table -- that will unlock SVR 2009 bonus content such as hidden characters, new environments, and new match types.
CAREER MODE
The other new mode featured in the game is the Career mode, replacing the General Manager (GM) mode from the previous game. Unlike the Road to WrestleMania mode, all characters featured in the game are eligible to play including wrestlers created by the player in Create-A-Superstar mode. The setup is simple (there are no cutscenes or storylines): the main aim of this mode is for the player to fight their way up the rankings for a particular title of their choice, in match types that they can also choose.
When the new mode begins, you'll find yourself on your Superstar's private jet, which is a scene similar to last year's locker room. You can click on an event program to check your stats such as your record and the total number of matches that have ended in pins or submissions, you can choose the exit sign option to go wrestle, and you can click your cell phone to see what's going on with your title path. See, depending on whom you choose to start your career, you'll have a handful of championships to go after. You choose a path and are then presented with a list of four Superstars and one mystery champion at the top. Your goal is to steamroll through everyone on that list until you're fighting the champion.
This is how you will build your created character's stats and abilities -- the game monitors how you perform in the matches and awards you attribute points in the durability, strength, and so on areas. On top of the straight moves to attribute point relationship, there are awards and abilities to keep in mind. THQ has about 100 awards packed into this game and abilities for your Superstar that you unlock by performing specific actions.
