First WWE Smackdown 7 shots revealed!

The very first nine screens of the seventh instalment of the WWE Smackdown series have finally slipped out of THQ.

Parading under the full name of Smackdown vs Raw 2006, the PS2-only game has ditched the taglines but gained a whole new range of sophisticated features.

Now strategy will play a far more important role in the ebb and flow of the bouts with momentum affecting the power of your moves and stamina becoming a vital attribute of every fighter.

Similarly the new Hardcore stat will decide how your brawler handles weaponry and how much damage is done with each swipe.

With the online element promising what THQ call a "virtual WWE community", the coffin-dodging of the Buried Alive bouts and more superstars and legends on the roster than ever before, there are still plenty of details to be revealed before release but, until then, these screens will just have to hold you.

Smackdown vs Raw 2006 will enter the ring on PS2 in mid-November