WWE Day of Reckoning 2 Review (no fat)

Game Description

For fans of wrestling and sports entertainment, WWE and all it's colorful personas are a part of their life. WWE Day of Reckoning 2 brings 45 of those superstars and all the action to the Gamecube. The game has taken the essence of it's predecessor, gone through a series of refinements and additions and comes across as a new and polished game.

Slap on the boots, roll the tape around your wrists and pump yourself up as you take on the likes of Dave Batista, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels and the late Eddie Guererro, inside the squared circle, as you quest for gold and glory.

WWE Day of Reckoning 2 Gameplay

The whole essence of WWE Day of Reckoning 2 is to work your way up, get a shot at the championship and win it. There is a detailed story mode that takes you through the trials and tribulation, friendship and deceit and the drama that WWE depicts. There are plenty of plots and subplots that fans of WWE might remember.

This game is more of a tweak-and-polish job with a few nice elements thrown in to refresh the game, rather than a complete overhaul. The game engine remains the same and there aren't significant changes in the gameplay either. However, a great deal of effort has gone into graphics detailing, enhancing game mechanics and giving the wrestlers a makeover and more authentic movements.

New features include the addition of new submission moves and a stamina meter that fluctuates depending on the strenuous nature of the current wrestling move. When the stamina goes down, you can either grab some rest by applying a submission or a rest hold like a head lock on your opponent. While applying a submission move, you get a menu that can pick one of four possible actions that include a taunt and a rest hold.

The significant improvement in graphics is a great thing as everything from the entries to the rants is authentic. The flip side is that clunky controls mar the gameplay. The camera angles try to strike a balance between the in-ring action and the action outside but doesn't do justice to the latter.

The game explores a range of WWE match formats including Triple Threat, Fatal Four way and those over the top rope melee, The Royal Rumble. There's a ‘create a wrestler’ feature that lets you create your own grappler. You can also spend your hard earned cash at the WWE Shop that has a wide array of cool merchandise.

As you progress, you also get a chance to unlock the five wrestling legends, Bret Hart, Mankind, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Hulk Hogan.

Overall, the game is a definite improvement over it's predecessor but doesn't have enough new content to excite those players who already own Day of Reckoning.

WWE Day of Reckoning 2 Graphics & Sound

This is one area where Yuke's has worked hard. The wrestlers look authentic and the dynamics of the game have been significantly improved. The ambience of a WWE arena is successfully recreated with screaming fans, pyrotechnics and signature entries, taunts and quirks that each wrestler brings to the dance. The game also packs some great cut scenes but suffers from lack of voice acting and the real device that sells a wrestling match… commentary.

WWE Day of Reckoning 2 - Verdict

As a wrestling game, WWE Day of Reckoning 2 packs a lot of punch. Almost all of the 45 wrestlers included are icons and need no introduction. The graphical detailing on the wrestlers are accurate and sprite behavior is authentic. A whole lot of moves and holds add to the fun. The create a wrestler feature helps you tailor your own wrestlers. The inclusion of a detailed story mode adds a whole dimension to the game.

All said and done, the game does have it's share of flaws and isn't a ground breaking title that brings forth a whole lot of innovations that can merit an upgrade. For a first purchase of a wrestling title, it's the best you can get.

WWE Day of Reckoning 2 Cost

The game currently retails at $45.99US.