WWE Day of Reckoning 2

"One of the best WWE games in years. (or ever, for that matter)"

First off, this is my first review, so bear with me.

First things first, WWE: Day of Reckoning 2 is the newest WWE game for the Nintendo GameCube, and is a solid game. There is a lot of debate as to whether this game is a good enough contender to take the title of "Best Wrestling Game" away from the current holder, the widely loved wrestling game: "WWF: No Mercy" for the Nintendo 64.

Here's DoR 2's breakdown:

Graphics:

The graphics in this game are amazing. The faces of the WWE Superstars look so disturbingly realistic and show emotion so well, that there have been times when I could have sworn I was watching the real thing. Character Models are rounded off and shined to give them a more realistic look, and the way that the arenas and backstage areas look immerse you in the atmosphere. But, my personal favorite has to be how they managed to get real reflections in mirrors and headlights. Blood looks real, and the way it stains the floor and the ring is amazing.

Graphics - 10/10

Sound/Music:

The sounds of the game are mostly top-notch, but there is the rare occasion that one just doesn't seem to fit in correctly. The music is good, but not perfect. When there is an impact or a good slam, the sound is usually really good, but there are rare times when it just doesn't seem right.

Sound/Music - 7/10

Game-play:

Game-play was a big feature in the original Day of Reckoning, and the sequel not only stays true to it, it makes it more realistic and nearly perfects it. Some new features include:

Stamina System; An excellent way to make matches a little more even. How many times have you went to face your friends, only to have them spam the same moves until you are helpless? Or how often do your friends run around the ring in an attempt to avoid you? The stamina system fixes that, and gives a Superstar a set amount of stamina to use however they want in a match. Every move and action takes away some stamina, and big moves or weapon shots take away even more stamina. The stamina system forces you to add more strategy to matches. There are ways to re-gain stamina, like taking a short break from offense and letting the bar re-fill; or use a "Rest Hold". Which brings me to the next new feature...

C-Stick Submission Types; There are now 4 types of submissions you can use with one submission move by pointing the C-Stick in the appropriate direction: Submission - A way to do a lot of damage to your opponent in an attempt to make him/her tap out. Taunt - A way to raise your adrenalin meter, and your spirit meter. Rest Hold - A hold to recover stamina very quickly. Drain - A hold to drain your opponent's stamina, spirit, and damage them. When applied, both the person applying the submission, and the one getting put in it get to chose one of the four choices. If the person applying selects the opposite direction of the victim, the submission meter will jump in the applier's favor every two seconds or so. If both Superstars choose the same choice, for example, if they both picked "rest hold", the move will be reversed, even before a submission meter comes up!

Game-play: 10/10

Story/Season mode:

The story mode is very addictive and very, very good. You are required to play as a Created Wrestler, but it's not very bad seeing as how you can emulate a superstar that is already on the roster if you wish to. I don't want to go in to heavy detail, but the story is very interesting. It picks up a year after the first "Day of Reckoning" game ended, and you quickly learn what happened in that year between DoR and DoR 2. The matches are challenging, and some can get VERY frustrating *no spoilers here, but you'll know which ones I mean when you get there, I promise ;)*. A big plus is that, upon completion of story mode, you can play it again from the beginning with the same CAW with the same stats as when you ended the last season, giving you a great advantage. You also get to choose what actions are taken at certain times, such as titles, opponents, partners, or even match stipulations.

Story/Season mode: 10/10

Create A Wrestler (CAW) mode:

The backbone of both DoR games, CAW mode is vital to story mode (as it can only be played with CAWs) and very important if you want to update the current roster of Superstars. Personally, I'm a big fan of CAWs. A big, big BIG fan of CAWs. The CAW mode is very versatile, and can be used effectively for new CAW makers, and veteran CAW masters alike. It may take a little while to get used to, but you should at least be pretty used to the basics by the end of making your first CAW. Both DoR and DoR 2 have had excellent CAW modes, but DoR 2 is perhaps the best in any WWE game with so many options and so much gear to use.

CAW mode: 10/10

Sound being the only real problem, this game is not only a great wrestling title, but a great overall game.

Final Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/06/05