WWE Day of Reckoning 2 Review

In the past few years, wrestling fans have had no shortage of games to choose from, but because World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) -- formerly the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) -- has a virtual monopoly on the "sport", players have had little choice but to play as superstars from that brand. Even the Legends of Wrestling series of games mostly feature the organization's starsof years past, such as Andre the Giant and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. In WWE Day of Reckoning 2, gamers pick up the controllers yet one more time, and have a howl of a time between headlocks and suplexes.

If when you pick up WWE Day of Reckoning 2 for the first time, and you feel like you've played this game before, you have. In fact, you've probably already played some variation of this game for a number of years. That's because the game engine is essentially the same as the WWE Wrestlemania franchise, which in turn has its roots in WCW vs. nWo: World Tour and WCW vs. nWo: Revenge found on the old Nintendo 64. Tap the A button for a "weak" grapple manuever, and hold it for a "strong" grapple manuever. The control scheme is nothing new, but that's not a bad thing -- it's a good thing. Add to that a couple small additions, like the ability to break out of submission manuevers with a matched tap of the C-stick, and there is just enough "freshness" to make this game feel new.

The roster found in this game is fairly impressive, though far from being exhaustive. The actual stable of wrestlers found in the WWE changes from day to day, so don't expect the game to be completely up to date. For example, "Hurricane" Helms is still in this version of the game. Most of your contemporary favorites are here, including John Cena, Kane, and Randy Orton. There are even unlockable "legends" that you can earn by winning matches. Look out for Bret "Hitman" Hart's sharpshooter, Steve Austin's stone cold stunner, and Mankind's mandible claw.

The graphics are fairly impressive in WWE Day of Reckoning 2. This is most apparent during the entrance movies when your grappler is making his way to ring -- you can see their eyes blinking and their mouths moving as they taunt the crowd. Entrances come complete with pyrotechnics, flashing lights, and fans holding up signs. The outfits and facial features make your favorite WWE superstar immediately recognizable. One thing that is a little off-putting, however, is the rigidity of certain features. For example, the cape that the Hurricane wears to the ring looks as stiff as a cardboard box, but it doesn't take away too much from the experience.

Unlike the original WCW vs. nWo: World Tour where gamers only had to keep track of a single "spirit" meter, WWE Day of Reckoning 2 complicates things. There are no fewer than four gauges:

• Body Durability: damage inflicted to the head, arms, torso, and legs; important for setting up for specific submission moves
• Stamina Meter: how tired the character is; do too many high flying manuevers in a row and he'll be exhausted
• Spirit Meter: intangible intensity and "energy" experienced by the wrestler; pin opponents when their spirit is at its lowest
• Special Status: you can accumulate up to three "specials" to perform your wrestler's signature moves

If you already own a THQ-made wrestling game, there really isn't much a point in picking up WWE Day of Reckoning 2 other than to get a roster update. The little things, like wrestlers showing specific damage to their legs or arms, give this game some charm. There are a good selection of match options, including Hell in a Cell, TLC, and Ironman. One thing that could be improved is the actual character selection screen: it's "scroll"-based rather than on a grid. All that said, WWE Day of Reckoning 2 is enjoyable for a short "wrassling" session, as well as for its "career" mode where you take your created wrestler through the ranks of the WWE.

Rating: 8/10

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