Overview

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Review

Release Date: 05.16.2003
Platform: Xbox
Developer: Anchor Inc.
Publisher: THQ, Inc.

Reviewed by Luke Campbell on 10.14.2003

Review Rating: 8/10

User Rating: 3.25/10

When World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) games are released, there is a unique game for each console, rather than a multiplatform release of any one title. The Xbox is home to RAW, and now it is home to its followup, RAW 2. Developed by Anchor, this game features not only the WWE superstars featured on the RAW program, but a good chunk of the Smackdown roster as well. While some may say that the RAW television program has become stale of as late, RAW 2 is anything but.

RAW 2's bursting at the seams with match types, options, and features. Normal matches are present as always, but there are eight more match types available, ranging from the hardcore matches (anything goes, including weapons) to the Hell In A Cell (steel cage with a roof, which you can knock opponents off of). Fourteen setups are also available, from a standard one-on-one match to a six-man battle royal. Players can set their match options as well, such as the time limit, venue, and which referee will call the match. The referees count at different speeds during pinfalls and countouts, so choosing the wrong referee can cost you. Aside from regular exhibition matches, players can also set up King of the Ring tournaments, Royal Rumble matches, create a superstar, or partake in the game's Season mode.

The game captures the spirit of WWE programming really well. Instead of a plain screen that says "loading", you're treated to a "vs." screen like you'd see on the television show, complete with the same animations and in some cases, the same poses currently used by certain superstars. The entrances are incredible, with each wrestler's entrance being replicated to a tee; Kane's fire is present, Undertaker comes down on the motorcyle, Hulk Hogan's air guitar and flexing... it's all here. As with any WWE game release, some entrances are not current (ie, Randy Orton and Ric Flair do not have the Evolution entrance, etc), but that's a given with the nature of the beast. Still, the entrances are dazzling and fun to watch, and it's possible to attack someone while they're entering the ring, which can give you a slight advantage. The music is also dead-on, with the RAW television theme present during menu screens, and with each wrestler having the correct entrance music. The only things missing from the sound department are the wrestler's voices. Nobody talks, but you'll see their mouths moving while they enter the ring or interact backstage. It's a very small issue and takes nothing away from the game, but it would be nice to hear "RVD" when Rob Van Dam does his taunt.

The matches themselves play nicely and carry a perfect pace. Whereas other games may move just a bit too fast or too slow, RAW 2 is smooth and controls without any "twitch" to the setup. Speaking of the setup, it's easy to pick up and learn, and after a match or two, you'll be slamming and stretching with the best of them. There's the standard attacks, grapple moves, running attacks, jumping attacks... if it's featured in the WWE, it's most likely in the game. Referees can be attacked, managers do damage if you fall outside, wrestlers interfere in the matches, and it's a blast to play while all of this is going on. The difficulty is balanced just right, so it's never too simple or too unfairly tough, but you can crank the difficulty up or down if need be. The only real issue here is the usual, which is weight vs. strengh; while it is believable to see Big Show suplex Trish Stratus, is it really believable when it's the other way around? Just a minor gripe, and as any avid fan will tell you, anything can happen in the WWE.

Season mode, which is the real meat of the one-player game, is played out in "months", which consist of one RAW episode, one Smackdown episode, and the monthly Pay-Per-View. A character is chosen, and then you're off on your quest to become the Undisputed WWE champion. Your character has a stamina rating, which is your health bar, and a popularity rating, which determines the types of matches you'll get; if your popularity is low and you challenge the champion, you'll be denied a title shot. Keeping both ratings high is key, and the game is set up to let you do just that.

At an event, there will be several matches including the match you'll wrestle in. But prior to each of the other matches on the card, you're given options that allow you to interact with the other wrestlers, which can influence not only your popularity and stamina, but can also start feuds with wrestlers or weaken opponents before a match. For example, if you're wrestling towards the end of the show, it is possible to use one pre-match slot to attack your opponent early in the show and weaken them, and then use another slot to rest and heal yourself up. You have the ability to take an action before every match on the card except your own, so it's a good idea to put each slot to good use. You can encourage a friendly or complain to an enemy, both of which build upon your popularity. You can also set traps backstage, call out someone you'd like to fight, run interference in matches, or even steal from someone backstage.

However, while you can rule the roost backstage, this freedom does not come without a price. Each action you take aside from resting will deplete your stamina meter, and it is possible to see your popularity dip slightly as well, particularly if you steal. Stealing unlocks items in the create-a-superstar mode, so it can be worth the effort, so long as you can spare the dip in your stamina. Also, it is possble to choose an option and have it fail; traps can hit the wrong people, stealing is not always successful, targeted people will not be backstage, and enemies can attack you while you rest. Also, as you enter the second season and beyond, it appears that more options open up, such as "trust", which shows your character being pummeled until an ally runs down to make the save, or "date", if you happen to be a smooth talker. It's all a part of the gamble... will you take the risks necessary to become the Undisputed WWE champion?

The Season mode is not without its issues, however. The storyline of your wrestler can sometimes have strange twists that seem clearly out of place. It is possible for your closest ally and your biggest enemy to become tag team champions together, and while you'll still receive occasional encouragement from your ally, the enemy will continue to attack you and interfere in your matches. Feuds seem to begin for no reason, as you start with a list of enemies who will attack you while you rest, and no matter how many times you defeat them, they still return time and time again... without a way to end a feud once and for all, your old feuds end up getting in the way of new ones. For example, if you're able to call out one of the champs and challenge them in a title match, it will be scheduled for the next show. But then the General Manager can come out and schedule you in a match with someone you've feuded with for months and destroyed every time, and that match will override your title match, or turn your title match into a three-way, non-title contest.

There are a few other odd annoyances as well, such as enemy interference. In a table match with a ten-minute time limit, four of my enemies interfered and attacked my opponent instead of me, and kept him on the outside until the time limit ran out. It is possible to lose a championship on a disqualification, even though the match type is slated as being "normal", which should mean the title can only change hands by submission or pinfall. There was also an instance where the GM called my wrestler out into the ring for some unknown reason and I attacked him, boosting my popularity. the lack of voices and text during this segment and backstage segments keep the Season mode from being completely immersive, while the storyline issues will have players scratching their head more than once. Still, the Season mode is solid and does a great job of putting you in the shoes of your favorite WWE superstar. Or, if you want to know what it would be like to beat WWE superstar ass in your own shoes, you can head over to the Create-a-superstar mode and construct a fairly accurate model of yourself.

The Create-a-superstar mode of RAW 2 almost overwhelms with the sheer amount of available options. Just with the default options available (meaning you haven't stolen new features in the Season mode), you can whip up old WWE favorites, various superheroes, or even yourself. The only area lacking is the choice of faces, as there are nine facial models and four skin tones, but no options for different noses, eyes, etc. Even so, it's fully possible to construct a realistic likeness of nearly anyone, from the late Yokozuna to Batman to yourself. There are numerous costume options as well as a body-scale system, so the wrestler you create won't have huge arms or a skinny waist unless you want him/her to.

Creating a movelist is easy, but time consuming. There are pages upon pages of moves to choose from for each scenario (enemy laying down, enemy in corner, grappling with a chair, etc.), so setting up a killer movelist can take some time. It's worth the effort, though, especially if you're creating a superstar that is not present in the game, such as Bret Hart or his late brother, Owen Hart.

The entrance creation simply boggles the mind. You can tinker with every facet of an entrance: the pyrotechnics, the video, every single light used in the entrance, and the music. The pryo is selected from a list, but the numerous lights can be manipulated individually to run at a certain speed in a certain color. An existing entrance video can be used, or you can make your own, which consists of text that scrolls or flashes, and you can use music on your Xbox hard drive in your wrestler's entrance. With a copy of the 3-cd WWE Anthology set, you've got about fifty official entrance tracks at your disposal, so the only limit is your imagination.

While some players may have fun living out feuds they wish the WWE would feature on their programs, I had the most fun with RAW 2 by playing as myself in the Season mode. I created an accurate version of myself, complete with poor posture and a limited movelist that consisted of moves I could actually perform in real life, such as the DDT, clotheline, and a series of submission holds. While it was not great seeing myself get worked over by these big brawlers, I did grin emphatically when my character attacked Eric Bischoff.

RAW 2 is a great buy for anyone in need of a WWE fix. With its many matches and modes and options, there's enough to keep even the most rabid WWE fan busy for a good while. It offers enough freedom to keep itself fresh for a good while, yet isn't non-linear to the point that casual players will be lost. RAW 2 is the reigning wrestling champion of the Xbox.

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