GENRE
	Wrestling
	DEVELOPER
	Yuke's Pacific
	PUBLISHER
	THQ
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
	BUY NOW AT

After playing through WWE WrestleMania XIX, I had pretty much given up all hope for THQ’s licensed series of wrestling games on the GameCube. While the PS2 was getting some awesome updates with the Smackdown! series, I couldn’t help but see that the Cube owners were getting the short end of the stick. It’s been known to happen, but it can get a little frustrating at times. When THQ announced Day of Reckoning, the faintest glimmer of hope didn’t even emerge until E3 and, more recently, last week’s THQ gamer’s day. It seems as if the fine folks at Yuke’s erased their own memories and began developing WWE Day of Reckoning from scratch. In fact, it seems as if last year’s game was hardly a foundation. Well, that’s stretching it a little bit. Just keep in mind that this game is actually very fun.

visuals

Along with the enhanced gameplay, WWE Day of Reckoning shines in its complete graphical update. The photo-realistic visuals are hardly comparable to what we saw last year. Each character model has been given a ton of new polygons, creating a life-like representation of each wrestler. The new visual engine works extremely well and actually takes advantage of the GameCube’s rendering engine. The models are very smooth and animate nicely, although still a bit stiff. This game also suffers from a lot of other minor problems that most every other wrestling game is plagued with, such as a slightly unpolished hit-detection system. Other problems include a few glitches within the frame-rate, wherein your character may clip around just a bit during their entrances. Other than a bit of trouble in the fluidity of animations, the game looks spectacular in comparison to its predecessor.

audio

Where’s the voice acting? Honestly, we really want to know. In the story mode, there are several cut scenes both before and after a match wherein you’ll read a lot of text where your wrestler will be communicating with other characters in the ring, in an office, or other locations. It’s very unbecoming of a wrestling game, especially when a “storyline” within the WWE consists of over-exaggerated acting. Pretty please? The sound effects and music generally make up for the missing voice acting. The production values heard within the sound effects, in particular, are extremely impressive considering the compressed audio we heard in XIX. Comparisons aside, the brutal crashes and slams are all here, but we’re missing the sickening crunch at the end of a submission. Some dare to dream, one would guess. As for the music, we’re treated to some really great tracks from bands like Breaking Benjamin and Zebrahead. Top notch soundtrack, really, as it includes most every official “entrance” track as well.

gameplay

We’ll start things off with one of the most impressive improvements featured in the game, which is Story Mode. If you’ve played WrestleMania XIX, you may remember something called a “Story Mode,” but if you pushed that button a giant fist would come out of your television and punch you in the face. It was horrible and ill-driven. Whatever they’re putting in the water coolers at Yuke’s is definitely working because this year’s Story Mode is a lot better. First, you’ll create your own wrestler, which we’ll lay out for you in detail later. Seeing as how the story is based on a new wrestler’s rise to fame, it would only be fitting to pick a new character rather than a Superstar or other known wrestler. Things start off in the offices of Vince McMahon, who promises you a contract within the WWE if you perform well during the Developmental program. You’ll soon be moved to the bottom of the WWE ladder which is Sunday Night Heat. After you’ve proven yourself in that series, you’ll be able to choose between going to Raw or Smackdown! This choice lends a bit of replay value to the game, but it’s nothing to really shake a stick at. The events are fairly similar on each show, only with different characters.

As you advance in your career as a professional wrestler, you’ll compete in match after match earning cash and ability points based on your performance. Cash unlocks different features such as events and items for your character. Not satisfied with your pansy little Mohawk? Purchase a huge one at the store and you’ll be ready for action. Ability points add a bit of the RPG element into the game, allowing you to access your profile and increase your stats including power, submissions, agility, charisma and more. As far as the actual “story” goes, it isn’t that much worse than your typical WWE storyline. The plot is filled with double crosses, double-double crosses, and quite possibly a double-double-double cross. We’re not quite sure yet as our heads are still reeling from the cheesy dialogue. Overall, it isn’t bad but it’s actually quite entertaining. Sort of like the television events.

Aside from the in-depth Story Mode, you’ll also be able to play around with the other Exhibition modes such as Single, Tag Team, Triple Threat, Fatal 4 Way, Handicap and Royal Rumble. Within these modes, you’ll be able to pick a match type such as Hardcore, Ladder, Table, TLC, Steel Cage, Hell-in-a-Cell and Ironman. They’ve also included the famous Bra-and-Panties match type, which is a lot of fun at a party. In fact, these modes allow for tons of opportunities to play a different type of game other than the Story mode, pitting your created Superstar against other heavyweights. It’s fun to see if your character can take on The Rock, Big Show, and Kane all at once in a cage.

We’re moving onto the Create-a-Superstar feature that we promised a while ago. Creating your own character is more fun and more creative than any other wrestling game on the GameCube right now. You can customize everything from your hair style, jaw length, pectoral width, shoes, wrinkles, tattoos, clothing, and so much more it’s simply hard to believe. While the end result won’t look like the freakish creations in Amazing Island, but they’ll look original and endlessly unique. Want a punk-rocker with a speedo and kabuki-style face paint? Done. It’s all yours to control.

Finally, speaking of control, Yuke’s has finely tuned the game’s engine in order to create a faster, smoother, and richer gameplay experience. The pacing has been increased a bit, bringing the action to a satisfying beat-em-up speed. With this, the new counter system adds a lot more polish to the game overall. Using the shoulder buttons, you’ll be able to counter either light or heavy attacks as well as grapples. This takes a little bit to get used to, but it makes the game much more fun. Also included in the game are the new Momentum Shift elements. This new feature takes concepts that are applied in some of the rather intense matches we see on television and puts it in game form. If your character is taking a beating and reaches the Danger zone, they can switch the advantage over to their side of the ring with a special grapple that raises their momentum meter while their opponent’s lowers. It may be a bit cheap, but it’s an accurate representation of the events we’ve seen in the past. As it stands, Yuke’s has done a fine job with this game and they should be commended. Until next year, that is.

multiplayer

Yeah, it’s here. God help you if you don’t take advantage of it, either. You can play a round with your friends in any mode that’s available within the game save for the Story mode for obvious reasons. While not nearly as fun as a match in Def Jam Vendetta, it’s still great to use the WWE license and create havoc, try breaking your friends’ faces, or tearing each others’ clothes off. Just like in any other party, right?

overall

WWE Day of Reckoning is simply the best WWE title on the Nintendo GameCube to date. It’s not without its flaws, but I’ve yet to play a wrestling game that isn’t. If you’re a fan of the franchise, you should already have this game and there’s no reason you shouldn’t save for your wallet. Be that as it may, this is great fun and it’s an exclusive to the GameCube. Quite frankly, if you don’t even like wrestling, you should at least give this game a try. It may just remind you of the glory days of Aki on the N64 with such classics as WWF No Mercy or WrestleMania 2000. Or it may just be an excuse to unleash pent up frustrations. Either way, you’ll get your money’s worth.

8.5/10