On November 9th, wrestling fans will once again power slam each other into oblivion with THQ's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, which features inferno matches, Create-A-Finisher and one of the best story modes we've seen in sports entertainment games, Road to WrestleMania. We donned the tights, laced up our boots and grabbed a steel chair to see if it's better than last year's 24/7 Mode.

Although THQ deserves props for last year's 24/7, being able to play as anyone forced us to embark upon a lifeless journey that failed to take into account different personalities and gimmicks. There was no point playing as the Undertaker and then experiencing the same thing with Randy Orton. Road to WrestleMania, however, feels more like a WWE broadcast, thanks to storylines penned by Vince McMahon's writers, which is great for wrestling fans looking for something more in depth.

Of course, this decision comes at the expense of the roster. Instead of creating storylines for everyone (a difficult task), THQ and WWE picked Triple H, CM Punk, John Cena, Undertaker, Chris Jericho and in an exclusive tag team mode, Rey Mysterio and Batista. Yes, that means you cannot be Randy Orton or Shawn Michaels, but we appreciate the decision to focus on these six wrestlers. Considering each one has a unique path, that's six different stories to experience. Now factor in all of the time you'll spend creating wrestlers, finishers and playing online, and that's a lot of value.

Road to WrestleMania begins 79 days before the WWE's biggest event of the year. It's your job to rise up the ranks to the championship match

Related Links

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 PS3 Game Guide

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Xbox 360 Game Guide