WWE: Day of Reckoning 2 [GC]

Despite putting out original titles on all three current-gen consoles, THQ and WWE still haven't found the perfect formula -- the mixture of look, attitude, and in-ring ability to proudly carry the championship. Instead of crafting a Kurt Angle or an Eddie Guerrero, we've seen games closer resembling Shelton Benjamin (good look and skill but lacking charisma) or Chris Masters (impressive physique, but no ability). Day of Reckoning 2 comes darn close to the total package (and we're not talking Lex Luger). While there is room for improvement, the series is on a pathway to greatness.

Where the game is near-perfect is in the visual category. Graphics this good seemed impossible on current-gen machines -- much less the GameCube. Wrestlers look realistic from every angle, but the most significant improvement is facially. During promos, it's possible to convince yourself you're watching RAW or SmackDown instead of playing a game. The visual bliss doesn't end there, as environments are breathtaking, too. Crowds in the arenas are highly detailed, and even textures backstage were obviously painstakingly crafted. More visceral is the fact that there are varying degrees of blood, from a slight gash to the proverbial crimson mask.

Woe is Day of Reckoning 2's audio to try to keep up. Unlike other consoles' WWE titles, there's no speech to be heard here. Even the ring announcer is choppy. Without voiceovers taking up precious memory, however, we do get crisp entrance themes and adequate sound effects.

This game doesn't play as well as it looks, but it does hold its own in the squared circle with several new implementations. First is the submission system. Lock on a hold, and use the C-stick to pick whether to go for a tap, catch your breath, or taunt the opposition. Like Tecmo Bowl on the NES, if the holdee chooses what you picked, he'll break out immediately. It's not earth-shattering, but definitely adds some intrigue to the mat game.

The stamina system is more out there, and some won't like how it slows down matches. Every offensive move wears down your stamina meter. Few things other than standing still for a little while will replenish it, and when it gets too low, your character will appear fatigued -- not what you want to happen. While it makes the five-minute TV match all but extinct, it forces you to pace yourself, and save some energy for the go-home, or final sequence.

The numerous grapples from SmackDown vs. Raw aren't here, but you still have plenty of tricks up your sleeve. Most impressive is how the game streamlines tag team matches -- which have gotten the shaft in the real WWE the last few years. You can order your teammate to join you in the ring, to attack the ref, or -- most importantly -- take out the non-legal man so you can get the pin. Just the act of tagging out used to be a chore in games, but that couldn't be simpler here. On the negative side, characters stay down too long after bumping, especially early in the contests.

All of the gimmick matches that your heart could desire are here. Fans of foreign objects will find a nice system of weapon grapples and the ability to set up a table in the corner. Pervs will drool over Bra & Panties matches, and the ultra-violent Hell In A Cell makes an appearance. Royal Rumbles expose a flaw in the collision, which is a hair too sensitive. It's basically impossible to pull off any elaborate moves when there are three other bruisers flailing away in the ring. This also puts a slight hamper on the multiplayer.

Whoever wrote the script for Day of Reckoning 2's story mode knew his or her stuff. Drama plays out exactly like the weekly programs, meaning it's not the most unpredictable, but is a very entertaining ride. The underlying theme of a stolen belt isn't that great, but what they do with it here really works, and it's perhaps the best career mode of any wrestling game so far.

Story mode requires you to play as a created character, but Reckoning 2's create-a-wrestler is awful. You basically get a handful of templates and can add little touches to each one. But while you can't pick your shirt, for instance, there are eight parameters for adjusting your forehead. Talk about backwards priorities. The loading is too long, too: It took 14 seconds to load a wrestler's change in eyebrows.

Day of Reckoning 2 has some very defined positives and negatives, but the end product sits very high on the wrestling-game food chain. The graphics and gameplay form a vicious duo, and the story mode is like the craft manager to ensure victory. If THQ and Yuke's can cut the loading, fix the creator, and add a few more grapples, Day of Reckoning could become the next undisputed champion.