Wednesday, January 5, 2011

[Smackdown vs Raw 2011] My WWE Universe So Far...



So I have been annoying people on Facebook for a week or so with my WWE Universe on Smackdown vs Raw 2011. I decided I would blog my Universe, after a couple of buddies expressed interest in the idea, and since I don't want to open a second blog (and this one never had a single stated purpose anyway), here it is.

For those who don't know: WWE Universe is a new mode that's like the GM Mode from previous games, but less crap. You don't have to worry about running out of money, you just play through the WWE calendar of four Raws, four Superstars, four Smackdowns and a PPV. You can change the matches, the participants, the rules, skip matches, or stick with what they give you.

For a geek like me, it's pretty cool.

So anyway, here is my WWE Universe so far, summarized as I didn't remember every little detail:


Starting Champions

RAW

WWE Champion: John Cena
US Champion: The Miz
Diva's Champion: Alicia Fox
Tag Team Champions: The Hart Dynasty

SMACKDOWN

World Champion: Rey Mysterio
Intercontinental Champion: Dolph Ziggler
Women's Champion: Michelle McCool
Tag Team Champions: The Hart Dynasty

THE ROAD TO BACKLASH

- Sheamus destroyed Edge multiple times over The Road To Backlash, winning the #1 Contender's spot from him.

- John Morrison and R-Truth feuded with the Straight Edge Society over the #1 Contender's spot, while DX seemed to face Mark Henry and MVP a lot, with Chris Jericho and The Miz interjecting themselves into DX' business. Ultimately, I turned Henry and MVP heel as they seemed to benefit from outside interference a LOT.

- John Morrison beat partner R-Truth and Ted DiBiase to earn a shot at The Miz at Backlash.

- The WWE Universe was rocked by several shocking arrivals, including Gail Kim attacking Kelly Kelly on Smackdown (and losing), as well as Finlay going after Jack Swagger.

- Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes teamed up on Smackdown against Big Show and Rey Mysterio, with Cody walking out on Drew, leaving him to get beaten. This led to Cody turning face and sparking a feud with Drew.

- Swagger secured a World title shot by defeating Big Show.

BACKLASH

R-Truth beat The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE United States Title.

Dolph Ziggler pinned Kofi Kingston to retain the Intercontinental Title.

Alicia Fox beat Eve Torres to retain the Diva's Title. Her celebration was interrupted by the shocking arrival of Mickie James, who pinned her to win the belt.

The Hart Dynasty retained the Unified Tag Team Titles against The Straight Edge Society.

Jack Swagger defeated Rey Mysterio to win the World Heavyweight Title.

Sheamus shocked John Cena to become the WWE Champion.

ROAD TO EXTREME RULES

- Chris Jericho had a banner month, starting off by beating John Cena for the #1 Contender's spot for Extreme Rules. He then defeated DX in a handicap match after Miz jumped Triple H before the match started, and Sheamus interfered during the bout. Six days before Extreme Rules, he met Cena again, and The Miz ran in...turning on Jericho! Cena looked fairly shocked, but Jericho still rolled him up out of nowhere for the pin.

- Big Show fended off CM Punk and The Undertaker in a Triple Threat match to become the new #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight title. As a preview to the match, Jack Swagger utterly humiliated him.

- R-Truth's first night as US Champion ended in seconds, as Batista destroyed him.

- The Straight Edge Society looked dominant as Luke Gallows shockingly earned an Intercontinental title shot.

- Kelly Kelly again earned a shot at Michelle McCool, despite never receiving her last one.

- Mickie James had to fend off Maryse and Alicia Fox in a handicap match, and then brought Melina in to challenge them, with her in Melina's corner. This ultimately led to Melina earning a title match.

- The Nexus debuted at the end of the month, with Tommy figuring out how to get online to work. Also, Goldust debuted, beating Sheamus by DQ.

- Vladimir Kozlov and Santino made one appearance as a team, splitting up after a loss to Kane and The undertaker.

- Finlay and Mike Knox formed a surprising team called Hard Knox.

EXTREME RULES

The Miz stunned R-Truth to regain the US title.

The Hart Dynasty held off R-Truth and John Morrison.

Luke Gallows crushed Dolph Ziggler in a Tables Match to win the Intercontinental Title.

Melina pinned her friend Mickie James to win the Diva's Championship.

Jack Swagger defeated The Big Show and then brutalized him with a chair post match.

Sheamus beat Chris Jericho despite outside interference by Evan Bourne.

ROAD TO THE BASH

- Triple H fended off Batista in a Falls Count Anywhere Match after a Pedigree on the floor to become the #1 Contender to Sheamus' WWE Title.

- Sheamus was put into the #1 Contender's Match for the US title, but he quickly just attacked Zack Ryder with a sledgehammer, getting DQed.

- Morrison and R-Truth earned a rematch with The Hart Dynasty.

- Wade Barrett pinned Chris Jericho in a Fatal Four Way Hell in a Cell that also featured John Cena and Sheamus. Barrett and Jericho would be at ringside as David Otunga and Daniel Bryan faced off, before getting ejected for fighting with one another. Bryan went on to win that match.

- Sting debuted on Smackdown in a tag match with Kane, dominating Vance Archer and Matt Hardy.

- The Big Show was supposed to wrestle Jack Swagger and The Undertaker in a Triple Threat on the Smackdown after Extreme Rules...but CM Punk had ambushed him instead, and took his place!

- The Undertaker became the #1 Contender to Swagger's World title. In a PPV Preview, Swagger squeaked by 3-2 in an Iron Man Match after being DOMINATED in the early going.

- Luke Gallows helped CM Punk beat Christian and Kofi Kingston in a #1 Contender's Match for Gallows' own Intercontinental title.

- Maryse earned a shot at Melina and the Diva's title after a series of sneak attacks from the crowd.

- Beth Phoenix earned a Women's Title shot, despite Kelly Kelly never receiving HER title shot.

- Drew McIntyre's and Cody Rhodes' feud has raged ever since splitting back in the first week of April, with Cody taking the lead initially, and Drew picking up the wins recently.

THE BASH

Despite the Straight Edge Society attacking them before the match, John Morrison and R-Truth defeat The Hart Dynasty to win the Tag Team Titles.

Zack Ryder stuns The Miz to win the US title.

Christian is inserted into the Intercontinental title match between CM Punk and Luke Gallows, and stuns the Straight Edge Society by pulling out the win.

Melina handily defeats Maryse.

Triple H fends off Sheamus, despite a brutal pre-match attack.

Jack Swagger faces The Undertaker in a second Iron Man match, and pulls away with a dominant victory after some vicious assaults with a chair.

ROAD TO NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS

- The Hart Dynasty start exhibiting tensions, and Tyson Kidd even teams with Ezekiel Jackson to face R-Truth and Morrison in a non-title match, but it all turns out to be a ruse as David Hart Smith helps Kidd and Jackson win. The Dynasty goes on to beat The Straight Edge Society to become the #1 Contenders.

- Despite Maryse' best efforts, Natalya becomes the #1 Contender to Melina's Divas' Championship, teaming with Kidd in a losing effort against Melina and Morrison.

- Sheamus beats Jericho to earn another match at Triple H, and handily defeats Triple H himself a couple of times in non-title matches. As Sheamus celebrates his victory over Jericho, Hunter wipes him out with the title belt.

- Sting and Kaval form an unlikely partnership after beating Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio.

- CM Punk finally earns the #1 Contender's spot against Jack Swagger.

- Despite Miz and DiBiase joining forces in attacks against R-Truth and Morrison, they face off for a shot at Zack Ryder, which DiBiase wins. This later turns ugly as DiBiase attacks Miz with a lead pipe after Miz pins Randy Orton.

- Nexus implodes as Wade Barrett interferes in a match between David Otunga and Daniel Bryan, attacking Otunga. The story gets stranger when Barrett's facing Kozlov, and Justin Gabriel shockingly attacks BOTH men.

NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS

John Morrison and R-Truth fend off The Hart Dynasty.

Kofi Kingston pins his friend Christian to win the Intercontinental Title, after months of feuding with CM Punk and being unable to crack into the top contender's spot for the World title.

Ted DiBiase beats Zack Ryder to win the US title.

Beth Phoenix crushes Michelle McCool to end her Women's title reign.

Jack Swagger escapes Drew McIntyre, The Big Show, CM Punk and The Undertaker in a Championship Scramble.

Triple H fends off John Cena, Batista, Sheamus and The Miz in a Championship Scramble.

Heading into Summerslam, the champions are:

RAW

WWE Champion: Triple H
US Champion: Ted DiBiase
Diva's Champion: Melina
Unified Tag Team Champions: John Morrison & R-Truth

SMACKDOWN

World Champion: Jack Swagger
Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston
Women's Champion: Beth Phoenix
Unified Tag Team Champions: John Morrison & R-Truth

I'm almost through Summerslam, so it'll be up sometime soon, and I will probably break down and do a full review of the game soon.

2 comments:

  1. Ever check out Total Extreme Wrestling from Grey Dog Software (or its freeware progenitor EWR)? It's basically a sim that lets you book all the cards you could ever dream of while running whatever company you want. It makes the GM/Universe modes look weak in comparison.

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  2. I've played a ton of Extreme Warfare Revenge (and TNM before, during, and after it).

    I don't put Universe Mode in the same camp as them, because I don't consider Universe mode to be a simulator by any real standard...it's just a game mode with way more replayability (for me) than Road to WrestleMania or the previous story modes. I'm not interested in budgeting, contracts and so on right now...and I like not having *complete* control in Universe (such as random things like Kaval and Sting teaming up, or Miz turning on Jericho out of the blue)...that's what makes it fun for me...=)

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