WWE Day of Reckoning 2 [GC]

Meanwhile, most of the biggest wrestling match types are included. Players can take part in Single or Tag Team bouts, as well as Triple Threat, Fata 4 Way, Handicap and Royal Rumble. In addition, exhibition types can be set, from Normal, Hardcore and Ladder matches to Table, TLC, Steel Cage, Hell in a Cell, Last Man Standing, Bra & Panties (the Divas now wear tight schoolgirl outfits, which are certain to make perverts around the country as giddy as, uh, well, schoolgirls) and Ironman matches. All in all, a fairly robust selection of arenas and play types -- the most comprehensive list to hit the franchise yet.

Telling a Story
Day of Reckoning 2's storyline is perhaps the title's biggest shortcoming. This is not to suggest that it's poor because it isn't. Actually, without giving anything away, there are some interesting twists and turns which successfully celebrate the different characteristics and attitudes of the Superstars and Divas, play on rivalries and girlfriends, and more. Many of the differing match types are also well used throughout the story mode. Most of the character dialogue accurately reflects the spoken content from the real wrestlers, too -- over-the-top though it may be. Finally, as gamers advance through the mode, they earn money, which can then be taken to WWE Shop.com (a mock retail store in the game) to buy all sorts of goods, from weapons to different ring entrances. It's a well executed driving force.

We don't have a problem with any of that. Issues do, however, arise in two key areas related to storyline presentation.

The first is that, although DoR 2 directly continues the first game's storyline, it doesn't actually enable players to import their created wrestlers from the original. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that players' created wrestler was the star of the first effort. As a result, gamers will need to go into DoR 2's admittedly robust and flexible create-a-superstar system and generate a new star in order to "continue" the storyline in the game. Fans who held onto their original saved data can toss their memory cards in the trash because it'll do them no good. THQ says the reason for this oversight is because Yuke's developed all-new wrestler models that are more detailed and therefore unable to interact with the older, less defined characters.

The second disappointment relates to the relatively small storage capacity of GameCube discs. THQ told us early on that Yuke's was simply unable to fit voice dialogue into the game without compromising another, more important feature, such as proper ring entrances. Thus the choice was made to forego spoken dialogue in favor of text overlays. The result is the unfortunately awkward flow of story-related sequences. The developer has certainly tried to soften the blow, which is admirable. During some story-driven cut-scenes, a wrestler's theme music will play as he barks insults to foes. And meanwhile, the models themselves look and animate far more refined than ever before, as we'll get to in a moment. But even so, these wrestlers are Superstars in part because of their frothing, rage-filled dialogue, and they've all gone silent in Day of Reckoning 2.

In the end, there's still a lot to the story mode despite these drawbacks and we highly recommend that players check it out. However, Yuke's definitely has room for improvement and we've got our fingers crossed that future versions -- perhaps on Revolution -- will address some of our complaints.

Nitty Gritty
The original Day of Reckoning delivered a well-crafted wrestling experience and the sequel improves upon the design in nearly every regard. Wrestling games have come a long way since their inception decades ago and DoR 2 is a reflection of that progress. Control is tight and the action is speedy. The tried-and-true light and heavy-based grappling system of the series is back and functions as intuitively before. In fact, the fight mechanics are overall very reminiscent of the first title. Gamers can quickly and easily execute a variety of moves, from the Irish Whip to turnbuckle fling attacks and ring tosses, all with a simple combination of button taps and control stick presses. The moves in the game are satisfyingly powerful, and as a result participants will really feel as though they have pummeled an opponent. There are literally dozens upon dozens of spectacular attacks that can be unleashed using the setup, and most of them are learned and mastered in no time flat -- a process made even easier thanks to a smart and helpful tutorial mode. On top of everything else, the game employs smart counter and reversal systems that enable players to anticipate attacks and counter them; and their opponents can reverse their counters. Exceptionally skilled gamers with finely tuned timing will be able to pull off some truly amazing feats.

Yuke's has spent some time refining the fight mechanics so that button mashing doesn't pay off, which is a positive. There are definitely still moments when gamers will need to tap the A button as quickly as they can -- like for instance, to get out of a potential pin or to lift a particularly heavy wrestler above their head. But for the most part, a new level of strategic play has been successfully injected into the experience thanks in large to the addition of a submission system that complements the stamina and momentum shift options already in place. Gamers can't simply run around the ring throwing blows or they'll tire their pro out pretty quickly, leaving them open to attack. They'll need to watch their stamina meter and devise a fight plan that ensures it doesn't drop too low. Determining how to approach each situation is half the fun.