WWE Day of Reckoning 2 [GC]

Publishing giant THQ readily admits that Nintendo fans have proven to be a dedicated bunch, snapping up its various wrestling games over the years. Back on Nintendo 64, the Aki-developed WCW and WrestleMania titles hooked a legion of followers and many of these same players continue to enjoy the company's wrestling titles on GameCube today, despite a few notable missteps. Some fans, for instance, were shocked and disappointed several years ago when Aki left the Nintendo side to develop for other platforms and others felt cheated when the WrestleMania franchise eventually followed suit. But Japanese studio Yuke's, whose GameCube-dedicated development team is comprised of former Aki members, has stepped up to fill the studio's place and based on last year's hit WWE Day of Reckoning, it's done a pretty good job of it. DoR was a positive step in the right direction for THQ's wrestling franchises. The title in many ways played catch-up to competing games, but it also brought a polished look and solid grapple-based play mechanics to the table, both complemented by a host of wrestlers and even a linear, but nevertheless entertaining storyline.

Day of Reckoning 2 is a direct sequel to its predecessor in that it actually continues the storyline laid down in the first game. It's also the better of the two titles thanks to several noticeable enhancements, from improved graphics and presentation to a more involving and strategic fight system. This of course means that it's the best wrestling game to grace GameCube yet. But that noted, it still lags behind some of its competitors in a couple of key areas, a truth that will once again put off a group of diehard fans.

The Facts

• WWE-based wrestling game
• Direct sequel to WWE Day of Reckoning
• Continues the storyline of the first game; gamers will need to create new character
• Some 45 wrestlers to choose from, including Superstars, Divas, and Legends
• More than 10 play styles, from normal matches to Hell in a Cell and Last Man Standing
• 18 arenas including everything from Heat and Raw to Survivor Series and WrestleMania
• Tutorial mode teaches gamers to play like a pro
• Detailed create-a-superstar mode
• Earn money to buy extra arenas, weapons and more
• Enhanced grapple-based wrestling system over original Day of Reckoning
• New strategic submission and momentum shift systems
• Four-player compatible

Beefed Up Presentation -- Mostly
Before writing this review, we reacquainted ourselves with the setup, look and feel of the original Day of Reckoning and there's no doubt that Yuke's has introduced dramatic improvements with the sequel. The overall presentation has undergone noticeable enhancements, which is made evident from the moment gamers boot the title up. Rather than sticking with a generic menu system, Yuke's has instead developed an interface that revolves around a mock "THQ Arena" stadium. The point is to make participants feel as though they are part of the wrestling environment even as they choose gameplay modes and options. Fitting heavy metal guitar riffs play as the main menu's different options are overlaid upon a panning stadium shot and when gamers select different modes, they are taken into new areas of the stadium, from the locker room to a training ring. Meanwhile, the wrestler selection menu layers the different superstars over the backdrop of a pro wrestling ring complete with Titantron and hundreds of fans. It all flows together nicely and sets the mood for things to come. Unfortunately, some of the menu-to-gameplay load times, which regularly last between 10 and 15 seconds, temporarily break the synergy.

Day of Reckoning 2 features 45 Superstars, Divas and Legends combined, which is a respectable number. By comparison, the game boasts five additional wrestlers over last year's version -- not exactly a gargantuan leap in numbers, but an improvement all the same. Fans will of course be happy to know that many of the biggest superstars are included in the roster, from Triple H, Undertaker, Batista, John Cena, Carlito, and Chris Jericho to Edge, Eugene, Heidenreich, JBL, Kane, Kurt Angle, Muhammad Hassan, Paul London, Randy Orton and Shelton Benjamin. Sadly, the Legends and Diva counts remain -- like last year -- at only five and four respectively. Yuke's has blown fresh air into the Legends selection with a cast of mostly new athletes, from The Rock and Hulk Hogan to Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin and yes, even Mankind. The Diva roster, on the other hand, looks largely similar to the lineup in last year's game, which of course means that most of the main beauties are there, but one or two remain missing in action.

The roster is overall solid, but when compared to other THQ wrestling games either already on the market or in development, it just doesn't stack up. For instance, SmackDown vs. Raw 2006 for PlayStation 2 includes a lineup of more than 50 wrestlers not counting Legends. The game will likely ship with between 10 and 15 more playable characters than Day of Reckoning 2, which is disappointing. Adding insult to injury, some of the more recognizable stars in the WWE, such as Doug Basham, Spike Dudley, Charlie Haas, Khosrow Daivari and Lita, are absent from DoR 2.

Gamers can thankfully test their skills in just about every major wrestling arena, from Raw, SmackDown, Heat, Velocity and WrestleMania to Backlash, Judgment Day, Bad Blood, Great American Bash, Vengeance, Summerslam, Unforgiven, No Merc, Taboo Tuesday, Survivor Series, Armageddon, Royal Rumble, and No Way Out. Many of these arenas are predictably locked until players make their way through DoR 2's story mode, which is an often used but nevertheless successful motivation ploy.