It's true, it's true, this is the best wrestling game around! (WWF Smackdown 2 (PS))

Member Name: tankster

Product:	WWF Smackdown 2 (PS)
Date:	21/03/01 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exhaustive range of matches, everything improved from original

Disadvantages: unneeded cutscenes, loading times.

This is the sequal to the platinum selling game WWF Smackdown. The original was, and still is a great game, and is easily one of the best wrestling games around. Now Smackdown 2 : Know Your Role has arrived and improved on every freature that made the original so good.
On the gameplay side, not much has changed. The controls are still basically the same. However, I found the game alot harder this time. When paying the original, I could beat it on hard without a problem. In this game hard is very hard. When going for grapples in particular, you have to get it spot on or you will either do it too early and your opponent will counter it, or you will do it too late and then you'll have already been thrown across the ring. I found this annoying at first but once I had got used to it it was alright.
When I first loaded up this game I was pleasantly surprised to find that the menu system has been totally overhauled, and that the heavy music has been replaced with something more calming. The options available are - Exhibition, Season, Create A Superstar, Create A Taunt and Create A Stable. The exhibition option lets you start any kind of match you want. Whether it be with tables, ladders, caskets or anything else you can find in a hardcore matchup. Season mode is where you can take your created superstar to fame. You have to enter your superstar for one of the belts and once you do this you have lots of matches and work your way up the rankings until you become the Number 1 contender and you then get title shots. The season mode is also the pace to go if you want to unlock new game modes (such as TLC) and extra wrestlers such as Billy Gunn and Stone Cold.
I can't find any real faults with this game. The season mode is a bit tedious as you have to watch little, pointless cutscenes, which take ages to load. For instance, quite often before your match, a cut scene will come up with you saying : "I was told I would have a special mat
ch hear tonight. Well I am here. Who is my opponent?" The cutscene then ends. I really don't understand why this has to be shown. Apart from this there is nothing really wrong with the game and I recommend it to anyone.

Summary: