WWE Day of Reckoning 2
Release Information
US: Fall 2005
Europe: Q4 2005
Austraila: Q4 2004
Introduction
WWE Day Of Reckoning rocked the gaming world when it was released last year on the Nintendo Gamecube. Its sales and reputation speak volumes for what could be one of the greatest wrestling games of all time. Now, almost one year later, THQ & Yuke’s Media Creations are out to shake the foundations again with a follow-up sequel to the very game that wrestling fans are still playing! WWE Day Of Reckoning 2 is looking to totally dominate the wrestling market, thanks to the Developer’s taking careful consideration in what gamers liked and disliked about the first Day Of Reckoning.
Day Of Reckoning 2 (DOR2) will boast a huge up-to-date roster, improved graphics to highlight emotion, new strategy-based submission system, dynamic storyline, and gameplay that will surely change the way you look at wrestling games. DOR 2 will pick up where its predecessor left off by starting your player at the top of the WWE ladder. For the first time in wrestling history, you begin the game with the gold wrapped firmly around your waist! This time around, Yukes have enlisted the help of actual WWE writers in order to place focus on what it really means to be a champion inside the WWE. The storylines and angles will centre on revenge and backstage relationships, instead of consistently battling out for titles, in what looks to be the most interesting and realistic story mode ever seen in wrestling entertainment.
Preview
DOR2 will involve gamers using more strategy then ever, in every aspect of the word. Up until now, stamina was just another feature in wrestling games, it was just another useless meter that sat in the corner and looked pretty. DOR2 takes stamina to another level by placing it at the centre of gameplay. When you start the match, your player is fresh enough to perform all sorts of power and high flying moves. During the match, depending on what kind of moves you use and how much damage you take, your player will begin to lose stamina. Wrestlers with low stamina will move around the ring like they just aged 50 years, their moves will take forever to perform and will give off little to no damage and don’t even think about trying to counter. Gamers will need to decide whether they use up all their stamina in an attempt to put their opponent away within a couple of minutes or they can wrestle light and save themselves for an all-time blockbuster match.
The submission system hasn’t just been tweaked; it has undergone a massive overhaul. Gamers will need to use the yellow c-stick to perform one of 4 submission moves that all come with different consequences. One of the choices is the ‘Humiliation Submission’ that will make your opponent look like a complete tool, much to the delight of the crowd. Doing these submissions will increase your special and allow you to pull a classic finisher. Another submission might be the ‘Power Submission’ that would obviously be used in an attempt to totally destroy your opponent to make them tap out. Using one of these power moves will deplete your stamina, so gamers need to think about when and how they want to end the match. If your stamina is on the brink, lock on a ‘Rest Submission’ and chill out whilst your stamina slowly rises. The final type of submission looks to be a ‘Show-Off Submission’ that will greatly increase your special. The developers are still unsure as to how gamers are supposed to defend this kind of attack. The final release looks to include a guess system, whereby if you guess which submission your opponent will lock on you, at the right time, you can successfully break the hold.
It seems a recent trend between consoles to constantly improve the graphics. THQ & Yuke’s have promised that DOR2 will be the defining wrestling game on every console. So expect the graphics engine to stretch the Gamecube’s specifications until boiling point. Don’t expect this increase to maximise load times, Yuke’s have guaranteed a huge drop in load times. From the released movies it’s clear to see that DOR2 has greatly improved the wrestler models, with attention placed on the face area by the addition of 30% more polygons. Wrestlers will now appear to talk and show emotion, depending on the situation. This extra detail will make entrances look incredible! The tweaks don’t stop with the faces; wrestlers will have blood and sweat come flying off in all directions depending on the attack. Crowds also get a facelift with the inclusion of 3D fans that move more dynamically, instead of the usual side-to-side robot motion. This change allows for a more cinematic and live atmosphere. In-game movies have been upgraded by nearly 70%, with real-time motion capture and subtitles forming the delivery method.
Anticipation
The new roster will include about 45 – 50 wrestlers, with the inclusion of a few new WWE legends like Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and even Mankind. The addition of new Divas also looks to be on the cards, thanks to the requests of many fans. The Create-A-Wrestler mode is back and even though it was regarded as absolute perfection in the previous title, Yukes still promises some improvements and surprises. If the first DOR was anything to go by, then you can expect a killer soundtrack and real wrestler theme songs to boot.
WWE Day Of Reckoning still has a long way to go before it comes out and you can expect the staff at THQ & Yukes to be working feverishly until the release date. Thanks to the first DOR, Nintendo is still the home for true wrestling fans who appreciate a good grappling system and intense multiplayer action. If you go by Nintendo’s history with the 64, you will notice how wrestling games matured as time went by until the classic release of No Mercy. It’s this reason that DOR2 will be the game that every wrestling fan in the world has to own, mark my words.
Preview by: REC
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