Original Release: THQ, 2005, Gamecube
The sequel to Day of Reckoning improves the graphics and adds some new tweaks, but the end result is a mixed bag rather than a clear improvement.
WWE Day of Reckoning 2 (Gamecube, THQ, 2005)
Where to Buy: Amazon
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
Developer Yukes was better-known for its fast-paced and arcadey Smackdown series (and eventually for the mainline WWE 2K games), but it had numerous little dabbles with alternative wrestling games along the way. The Day of Reckoning series was their brief attempt at reviving the technical and character creation depth of the beloved Aki games for the N64.
The first DOR was very solid in the gameplay department and excellent in terms of character (CAW) creation; it was great for two to four players with lots of modes of play and options, but was a little weaker in terms of the story mode for single players. Welp, DOR2 is pretty much a knockoff of the first game that only makes minor tweaks and improvements to the original so it’s pretty much the same story here.
The most noticeable change is a general improvement to the graphics, with more detailed character models and multiple video screens added to ring entrances (which can now be slightly more detailed). Character mouth movements still look weird, but it at least looks like there is more facial animation as well.
The roster of WWE superstars has also been substantially expanded, though 2003-2004 was not exactly the company’s crowning moment in terms of storylines so some of that is goofy gimmicks like Eugene and Muhammad Hassan.
CAW creation is very similar, with pretty much the same roster of moves and appearance options as in the first game. There are some small tweaks here though. One is that you now earn points for buying new ring gear and such through exhibition and multiplayer matches; you no longer have to drag a CAW through story mode for that (though you still do for experience points to power them up). But though DOR2 makes all the same moves available, it implements a new “skill points” system that requires you to level up move categories (ex: “submission” and “high flying”) to add the more powerful moves to your roster. For example, if you want the super-powerful Burning Hammer finisher you’ll need to raise your “grapple” skill level considerably before you can have it. To offset the increased need for experience points, CAWs can now be brought through story mode as many times as you want.
So that takes you to story mode, which is pretty much the same linear and boring affair that the first game was. It makes little tilts at “branching paths” once in a while but all they ever really do is change up a couple of matches before depositing you at the same destination. The story actually continues from the conclusion of DOR1, a year later as your character has lost their championship belt to HHH but is on the cusp of getting it back at WrestleMania. It reads like silly adolescent fanfic nonsense as your character is always at the center of attention and is dating Stacy Keibler. Only one branch this time out (and still only male characters allowed – female CAWs are stuck with shitty overall ratings until you unlock greater starting points for new CAWs by progressing through the story) which starts you on RAW and eventually hops you to Smackdown, which is where it lost me as the CPU just insanely pumps its own stats and counter ability to basically no-sell everything you do no matter how badly you damage it.
I’d say the story mode is kind of a wash as you can at least do it multiple times, and it’s at least no worse than the previous game. But there are some definite downgrades in DOR2. One is that the enhanced graphics seem to have the tradeoff of increased loading times nearly everywhere. Another is a weird new submission system; some submission moves (and it’s rather random as to which ones) require you to play a “guessing game” with the foe where you can swerve and do a taunt or rest hold instead, if the foe guesses the same option as you they have a greatly increased chance of breaking the hold. It’s awful for characters with submission finishers in multiplayer, because when you go into “special” mode it’s obvious you’re going for the Figure 4 or whatever.
At least the audio experience is generally improved, with most of the awful licensed music from the first game dumped in favor of generally inoffensive instrumental stuff. There are still some licensed tracks that always play during story mode, and it’s that early 2000s whine rock with random grunting that teenagers of the time would blast to feel like a misunderstood pariah battling the world when mom grounded them or they had to work an extra shift at Walmart.
As to whether this or the first game is better, it kinda depends on what you’re looking for. If you just want to make CAWs and get straight to multiplayer with them, I think I might give the first game a nod as you can get their move sets together without dealing with story mode (and you don’t have to deal with loading times either). But if you want super-powered CAWs this one allows for much more eventual upgrading. Neither one is really good sheerly for story mode but I guess this one is at least slightly more interesting.
Links
Updated mod with modern wrestlers and new textures
Videos