The Smackdown Vs Raw series started with this game here. You may call it SvR2005 if you want. It sure was a big improvement in a lot of areas over the previous 3 Smackdown games on PS2. However, how does the game pull up now that it's had 6 sequels come out since this release? Well, lets put it this way, if you had never played a SvsR game, or owned one, and you asked which SvR game I thought was the best, I would recommend highly to go with 2007, 2008 or 2011. However I would still recommend this original version over 2009 & 2010.

Having started later in the series with these games, I was going backwards catching up with earlier titles, yet I was surprised even tho the controls keep changing and not for the better, 07 & 06 still had some redeeming qualities about them to give them the thumbs up and not say they are the outdated inferior versions. 2006 I found as a breath of fresh air because of a certain outdoor Wrestlemania arena which is something that every other version of this game really needed. An arena that didn't feel like every other arena you play in. However in 2005, this game, there is a few things THQ tried out that make me wonder why they never tried more with it later on? In most of the SvR games if you head up the ramp and towards the stage/screen area, you are limited to where you can go. Something I had no idea why they did, since the early Smackdown games allowed you to even exit to backstage from there, but here in 2006, not all the arenas are exactly the same. In a few areas, you might find the announce table is up in a pit between the stage, the ramp and the audience. So it just makes me wonder why THQ never further developed these areas and instead ignored that area completely in future games.

In SvR2006, you had to use 2 buttons at the same time to Irish whip an opponent, however, here in the original, it's a one button whip. Why would they change that for 2006? They had it done right, right here already. bone head mystery that one.

The legends in this game are a decent selection. The Road Warriors (Legion of Doom), Bret Hart, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Andre The Giant, Brutas the Barber Beefcake, Mankind, The Rock, Masked Kane and Legend Undertaker. Keep in mind, some wrestlers where still active at the time, so HBK & Triple-H are not left out. However it does surprise me ALOT that Stone Cold Steve Austin is nowhere to be found in this game. I don't know if there was a conflict at the time, or not, but it was a dumb idea to not include him. Least he's in the next one and most of them after that. There is also No Hulk Hogan! However, I don't think he was still with the company at the time this game came out.

Some interesting inclusions are also in the game. It's the only one with Sable in it. Even tho her representation hardly looks like her. I don't think Molly Holly had been in any other SvR, however, even with the inclusion of great wrestlers to play as, we have to go onto the controls and game play now.

The controls are not the worst, however some things are pretty poor. Striking moves have too much of an arcade feel to them. It feels like the original smackdown series on PSX. Heck, it even seems like WWF Warzone/Attitude on 64/PSX. The pace needed to be slowed down alot, and not be rushing like everything has to be played in fast forward. It's something these games didn't get quite right until 2007. Next is the way standing finishers are performed. You have to have your opponents sort of stunned before you can do it, and it's annoying you can't always get it off right. This was the only version of the SvR game where i felt the finisher situation was a bad idea the way it worked. Even the original 3 PS2 Smackdown games had a bad way to do finishers, but in this one, you couldn't even reverse an irish-whip to get into that state, so it went down hill compared to the previous games.

This is also the only SvR game that has the official Bra & Panties match. 2006 did have a fulfill your fantasy match which was similar, however that match is probably the dumbest idea for a game version in the history of wrestling video games. The one here in 2005, the second. It's a pointless match where you just rip your female opponents cloths off to reveal their undies to win the match. Glad it was never brought back in any other version of SvR quite frankly.

Graphics: Compared to the original 3 PS2 Smackdown games. The graphics have been improved a lot. Then again, compared to the other 6 versions, they are the worst.

Sound  : Sounds are OK, however the commentary is very buggy and half the time you hear Tazz talking and replying to no one, as Michael Cole's audio seems to be missing half the time. The music is the wrestlers music of the time, with a couple of actual band songs and what not, same as every other version. Ric Flair's music seems to be a generic versions of his 2001 Space Odyssey theme... guess they couldn't obtain the rights? LOD is not the original theme, I think it's LOD 2000. Wish they had included the original instead, sounds much better.

Overall: I would recommend you try just about every other version of this game before this one. And then again, only go back to this one if you have played the heck out of every other version, and are curious to know what it started off like. The only cool thing really to check out is the way Arenas where set out or try out the wrestlers you couldn't in other versions. But put it this way, even tho this is not the worst in the SvR series, it is far from being the best. Especially since you can't adjust AI settings, and the computer can be annoying taking over and reversing everything, or pulling a finisher out of no where. Not to mention just won't lay down or give you time to set anything up.

Ranking from best to worst.
#1 - 2007
#2 - 2008
#3 - 2011
#4 - 2006
#5 - Any of the original 3 Smackdown games.
#6 - 2005
#7 - 2009 + 2010

However, some people may not feel the same way about 2009 & 2010 as I did, but making a glitched game and then almost cloning it the next year doesn't make me want to place them higher than 2006's position.
The Smackdown Vs Raw series started with this game here. You may call it SvR2005 if you want. It sure was a big improvement in a lot of areas over the previous 3 Smackdown games on PS2. However, how does the game pull up now that it's had 6 sequels come out since this release? Well, lets put it this way, if you had never played a SvsR game, or owned one, and you asked which SvR game I thought was the best, I would recommend highly to go with 2007, 2008 or 2011. However I would still recommend this original version over 2009 & 2010. Having started later in the series with these games, I was going backwards catching up with earlier titles, yet I was surprised even tho the controls keep changing and not for the better, 07 & 06 still had some redeeming qualities about them to give them the thumbs up and not say they are the outdated inferior versions. 2006 I found as a breath of fresh air because of a certain outdoor Wrestlemania arena which is something that every other version of this game really needed. An arena that didn't feel like every other arena you play in. However in 2005, this game, there is a few things THQ tried out that make me wonder why they never tried more with it later on? In most of the SvR games if you head up the ramp and towards the stage/screen area, you are limited to where you can go. Something I had no idea why they did, since the early Smackdown games allowed you to even exit to backstage from there, but here in 2006, not all the arenas are exactly the same. In a few areas, you might find the announce table is up in a pit between the stage, the ramp and the audience. So it just makes me wonder why THQ never further developed these areas and instead ignored that area completely in future games. In SvR2006, you had to use 2 buttons at the same time to Irish whip an opponent, however, here in the original, it's a one button whip. Why would they change that for 2006? They had it done right, right here already. bone head mystery that one. The legends in this game are a decent selection. The Road Warriors (Legion of Doom), Bret Hart, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Andre The Giant, Brutas the Barber Beefcake, Mankind, The Rock, Masked Kane and Legend Undertaker. Keep in mind, some wrestlers where still active at the time, so HBK & Triple-H are not left out. However it does surprise me ALOT that Stone Cold Steve Austin is nowhere to be found in this game. I don't know if there was a conflict at the time, or not, but it was a dumb idea to not include him. Least he's in the next one and most of them after that. There is also No Hulk Hogan! However, I don't think he was still with the company at the time this game came out. Some interesting inclusions are also in the game. It's the only one with Sable in it. Even tho her representation hardly looks like her. I don't think Molly Holly had been in any other SvR, however, even with the inclusion of great wrestlers to play as, we have to go onto the controls and game play now. The controls are not the worst, however some things are pretty poor. Striking moves have too much of an arcade feel to them. It feels like the original smackdown series on PSX. Heck, it even seems like WWF Warzone/Attitude on 64/PSX. The pace needed to be slowed down alot, and not be rushing like everything has to be played in fast forward. It's something these games didn't get quite right until 2007. Next is the way standing finishers are performed. You have to have your opponents sort of stunned before you can do it, and it's annoying you can't always get it off right. This was the only version of the SvR game where i felt the finisher situation was a bad idea the way it worked. Even the original 3 PS2 Smackdown games had a bad way to do finishers, but in this one, you couldn't even reverse an irish-whip to get into that state, so it went down hill compared to the previous games. This is also the only SvR game that has the official Bra & Panties match. 2006 did have a fulfill your fantasy match which was similar, however that match is probably the dumbest idea for a game version in the history of wrestling video games. The one here in 2005, the second. It's a pointless match where you just rip your female opponents cloths off to reveal their undies to win the match. Glad it was never brought back in any other version of SvR quite frankly. Graphics: Compared to the original 3 PS2 Smackdown games. The graphics have been improved a lot. Then again, compared to the other 6 versions, they are the worst. Sound  : Sounds are OK, however the commentary is very buggy and half the time you hear Tazz talking and replying to no one, as Michael Cole's audio seems to be missing half the time. The music is the wrestlers music of the time, with a couple of actual band songs and what not, same as every other version. Ric Flair's music seems to be a generic versions of his 2001 Space Odyssey theme... guess they couldn't obtain the rights? LOD is not the original theme, I think it's LOD 2000. Wish they had included the original instead, sounds much better. Overall: I would recommend you try just about every other version of this game before this one. And then again, only go back to this one if you have played the heck out of every other version, and are curious to know what it started off like. The only cool thing really to check out is the way Arenas where set out or try out the wrestlers you couldn't in other versions. But put it this way, even tho this is not the worst in the SvR series, it is far from being the best. Especially since you can't adjust AI settings, and the computer can be annoying taking over and reversing everything, or pulling a finisher out of no where. Not to mention just won't lay down or give you time to set anything up. Ranking from best to worst. #1 - 2007
#2 - 2008
#3 - 2011
#4 - 2006
#5 - Any of the original 3 Smackdown games. #6 - 2005
#7 - 2009 + 2010

However, some people may not feel the same way about 2009 & 2010 as I did, but making a glitched game and then almost cloning it the next year doesn't make me want to place them higher than 2006's position.