Not only does it trump its predecessor in every way, but also manages to be one of the best games for the Gamecube ever.
First, the story mode has been inproved significantly. Last year, the first game had a ho-hum story, but it did deliver some great objective-based matches. However, many were hoping that the storyline would take a non-linear, free approach, much like the PS2's Smackdown! series. Sure, it would've been nice, but what's here is good enough. For once, a WWE game has a REALLY good storyline. The story leaves off a year after its predecessor, meaning no more "rookie-to-champion" story. You just lost your title months after Wrestlemania XX to Triple H, after basking in your glory too much. Now, you want it back. You take part in a tournament to become the #1 contender, and once you are, Wrestlemania rolls around again. You prepare for a match, when all of a sudden you girlfriend, Stacy Keibler, runs in and tells you to head to Bischoff's office. You find out, the World Heavyweight Championship has been stolen. Now, a story unfolds that's filled with plenty of twists, entertainment, and the same great matches that you'd expect. Yes, this is a great story mode that really feels worth the trouble in the end. Not that there's any rouble, anyway.
One thing that got me was, not only is Stacy Keibler on the cover because, every guy knows this, that she's hot, but because she also plays a crucial part in the storyline, as your girlfriend. This adds a whole new perspective to the story as a real, bonafide story, with real characters. Stacy isn't the only one with a crucial role, as every superstar in it acts like they would in real life. You'll actually have villains and allies in this game, as if it were an action/adventure game. Not only that, the game allows you to make some story decisions. None of them affect the outcome of the story, but can vary the matches and opponents you face, making it more worth the while to play through more than once. Sadly, there are no voiceovers for some strange reason, but they did a good job making the text boxes have the same great one-liners and vocabulary that the superstars use, even without the voiceovers.
The gameplay hasn't changed much, which is good, and what did change is for the better. Now, there's a new submission system. You play a little minigame with the C-stick and selct a submission tactic, each with different effects. Submit cuases more physical damage, Taunt drains your opponents Spirit (called momentum in the last game), Drain, well, drains your opponents stamina, and Rest Holds are the most useful, allowing you to recover stamina as you pull of the submission hold. This adds a whole new strategy to your submissions and conserving your stamina as well. If you run low on stamina, your superstar will lose focus and start limping around until he/she recovers. This adds even more strategy to a match, which is more than welcome. It still has Momentum Shifts, limb damage, Specials, and the same very deep movesets, all executed in the same manner as before. All of these elements play a role in how much experience points and cash you gain in story mode, and even Exhibition mode. Using more vitality and stamina, while finishing the match with a special, can rack up the cash and experience, as well as the length of the match and the specials you gain. The longer the match, the more cash you get.
This doesn't mean the gameplay has its share of problems. Cage matches wil still drag on if you fight more than one person. It's REALLY bad with four people, but with the right strategy, it isn't impossible. Maybe if it were easier to escape the cage, this would be made less of a hassle. Also, in matches like Fatal-Four-Ways and Triple Threats, at times, all of the opponents will target you, for some reason. Again, this isn't that bad, since opponents will fight each other, more than just you. The A.I. also tends to stand around, mainly during the first several matches of the Story Mode, but it's probably because of the steady difficulty increase and the new stamina system, where you stand there to recover. These are minor quimmers in what is actually a more-intelligent A.I. system.
The Create-a-Superstar mode hasn't improved much, but mainly graphically. You can still make virually anyone of anything possible, except the load times for putting things on your character can take 10 to even 20 seconds. Yowch. Even with this, though, you need to create a character for Story Mode anyway. The load times may bite, but the results are well worth it. The entrance editing and movesets are just the same as before, with minimal additions, but are welcome ones, and are better than nothing. There's also a new experience system, where the same attributes are here, but now, if you want to add more power and available moves to your arsenal, you can level up the Arsenal levels of Striking, Grappling, and more. That makes 11 total attributes to modify. This is a great touch and delivers even more depth to an already great game.
The game has a deeper roster, by adding superstars like "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters, Kenzo Suzuki, Paul London, Eugene, Gene Snitsky, and others. This is also cool, since there really isn't much else they could have added, so this is more than welcome for some variety. Also, there's been a trade-off of Divas, as Molly Holly and Victoria get the boot in exchange for the much better Torrie Wilson, and the 2004 Diva Search winner, Christy Hemme. Match types are the same as before, with no new additions. I'm still waiting on some type of elimination chamber, as I think it's fine with just 4 people, but I guess not. Also, there are better Legends such as Bret Hart, The Rock, Steve Austin, Mankind, and the great Hulk Hogan (finally!). These are all some cool additions.
The WWE Shop has much more to buy this time around, and one word of advice is, if you're missing a created part for a guy you created in the lat game, it's probably in the WWE Shop. THQ did not remove anything from the last game, but added a few parts, so don't worry. Also, the same cool tutorials are here to help you learn the moves and even gain some cash.
Graphics are some of the best around now, with great character models, although some Divas still look a little awkward in their faces. However, you'll be hard pressed to find better models, effects, and overall appearance on the Gamecube. The sound has changed, this time around, from its licensed soundtrack from last year. I didn't like the rap music, myself, so THQ and Jakks fixed that with nothing but metal music. All tracks are produced by a member of an up-and-coming metal band named A Dark Halo. They also have two singles on here that rock, and all of the other tracks are strictly instrumental, which there's nothing wrong with that. The music compliments the intensity and brutality of the WWE's matches well, and will get the blood flowing right off the bat. The music can be used in entrances, as well, making it even better.
I dedicate this review to Eddie Guerrero, who makes an appearcne in this game as a playable superstar. This game was released months before Eddie's tragic passing, and he will be dearly missed, and remembered as one of the greatest to ever step into the ring. On that note, WWE Day of Reckoning 2 is a must-have for even the slightest WWE fan, of fan of grapplers. It's deeper, with a longer and much better story mode, and delivers the same excellent gameplay that its predecessor did. This game is quite simply amazing, and one of the best games on the Gamecube, no doubt.