Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Oudou Keishou

"One amazing wrestling game."

Note: Since I felt my previous review of Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 didn't really go into detail about the game, I decided to redo it over. Hope you enjoy.

When people think of AKI, they think of the amazing wrestling games they've put out over the years. From World Tour, Revenge, WrestleMania 2000 and WWF No Mercy, they've had their share of excellent wrestling games. However, Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 beats out all of them with fantastic gameplay, a ton of replay value, and an amazing edit mode that not even No Mercy and WM2K COMBINED can match.

Gameplay 10: The gameplay in VPW 2 is one of the best. If you've played any of the games I mentioned above, you'll know what it's like. But for people who don't know(And I know there are still some people who new to the series!) I'll tell you. The A button is used for grapples. Press it and you'll do a weak grapple(weak moves). Now, if you hold the aforementioned button, you'll do a strong grapple(strong moves). The same thing applies for the strikes, which are used by pressing the B button. Simple, huh? Once you get the controls down, you'll have a blast. Another fantastic part of this engine is the psychology can implement in your match, where if you start attacking an opponent's body part, it will get weaker over the course of the match. And if you keep using submission holds on the body part you're been mauling on, you'll eventually make them tap out. Also, this game has a shoot fighting style, where you can take people down and start punching them wherever you please. Overall, I applaud AKI for creating one of the best wrestling engines to grace a console.

Graphics 9: The graphics in VPW 2 are great. Look at some of the attires for the wrestlers and your jaw will drop. The arenas in the game are simply amazing. The Tokyo Dome looks fantastic(especially with the ramp extension), and the Nippon Budokan looks like the real thing. The wrestlers look good. However, they look a tad bit worse than the wrestlers in No Mercy since this was made right after WM2K, but it's no big deal. Overall, the arenas look better than in No Mercy, but the wrestlers are not as polished as they are in NM.

Sound 8: The sound in Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 is decent. The themes for the AJPW wrestlers sound just like their real life counterparts. The in game music is okay, but soon it will drive you nuts and you will eventually turn it off. There's no commentary, but it would get old anyway after awhile. However, the awesome thing is the pre match announcer. The way he says a wrestler's name really gets you pumped up for the match. Overall, good sound but hampered a bit by the in game music.

Wrestlers 10: I had to include this category since the wrestlers in this game are great. Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 features nearly 100 wrestlers. This game is licensed by All Japan Pro-Wrestling. It features stars like the founder of AJPW, the late great Giant Baba, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama. If you're wondering why they are still with AJPW, it was because VPW 2 was made a few months before Misawa took most of the AJPW roster with him to form his own promotion: Pro Wrestling NOAH. Virtual Pro also features wrestlers from NJPW, Michinoku Pro, Pride, a garbage promotion with features stars from FMW and ECW and a ton of legends which have to be unlocked through some of the game's modes(mostly through Royal Road Succession). However, because this game is AJPW licensed, they look nothing like their real life counterparts, but in true AKI fashion, they can easily be changed and AKI even went all the way to include their faces and attire in the game's excellent edit mode. Overall AKI did an outstanding job of including most of the top stars of Japan into this game.

Edit Mode 10: The edit mode in this game is one of the best out there. You have so many clothing to choose from, a ton of moves, and you can even edit their CPU logic! However, because this is a Japanese game, it's kinda hard to find a good face for a US wrestler like Steve Austin or The Rock, but it's no big deal. Overall, the edit mode is outstanding.

Replay Value 10: If I could give this category a 20, I would. But I can't. :( The replay value in this game is excellent, it has a ton of things that need to be unlocked like wrestlers, moves, attire and even the Tokyo Dome with the ramp. You will be spending weeks trying to unlock everything. Overall, amazing replay value.

Rent or Buy? Since this game is an import, you can't rent it. Unless of course, you live in Japan. :P So the only way to go is buy.

Final Words: Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 is the one the best wrestling games I have played. It is truly the pinnacle of AKI's outstanding line of wrestling games on the N64. If you come across this game, don't pass it up. You won't regret it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/25/02, Updated 05/11/03