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Good, but could be better | | acb_y2j_2000 from Telford, England says (3/Dec/2000): | WWF Smackdown 2 is the best wrestling game I have played on the Playstation. It has almost very match that has ever been played in the history of the WWF. There is the hell in a cell, tlc, ladder, table, iron man and special ref iron man, casket, tornado tag, tornado tag table matches and there is one more to unlock because there is still a ??? on the caw characteristics where it says Hell in a Cell+. The graphics stretch what the Playstation can do and won't get any better until on the Playstation 2. The selection of wrestlers is good and there are still more for me to unlock. The caw is the best there is on the Playstation with an amazing mix of the options of Attitude and the variety and the size adjustment for all the body parts. The create a taunt mode isn't as hard as some other people said nor does it take long to do, it is really good - especially when you see your wrestler doing it. The create a manager just assigns people managers and is not that great as is the create a stable. Now onto the season mode. I have only played the season mode with my CAW so I cannot judge what will happen with the cutscenes if you be a star. When you start out you hardly get any matches and you need to insert yourself into a ranking - the smaller the amount of people in it the better. I find that I hardly ever get any matches with a stipulation - even when I was the Intercontinental champion. The loading times are a joke but whoever was talking about how much faster it is on Bleem is wrong - it doesn't take 60 seconds but 1-20 seconds then the cutscene. The cutscenes really have variety at first but they get repetetive in the second year. My favourite part of the season mode is the rivalries and alliances. Like you see Vince entering the building, then later he is in the parking lot as a limo tries to run him down but he rolls out of the way. After you see Billy Gunn (once unlocked) looking around for something - and right afterwards he gets arrested. Also if you are in a stable sometimes you are given the option to ask a member to interfere in your match or attack your opponent. Also they ask you and you can say yes or no - if yes then you actually control your wrestler when he runs in. As opposed to what some people say you can ask the APA to attack people - I got the option to attack Hardcore Holly or Vince McMahon - who would you choose? After they kicked him over the car park another cut scene shows him drving off as my wrestler chases it. But I am rambling - there is one where Stone Cold runs into Vince's limo in a forklift - sorry. Apart from the cutscenes the season takes ages to get started and you don't get any good matches - eg for about five cards in a row a fought D-Von Dudley or Faarooq. The one thing that keeps this game down is the loading times and the fact that it was overhyped all over the net. As with all games there are niggly little things - like in normal matches what is good is you can throw them into the ring steps and put them through two announcer's tables - but that would be a DQ. Another good thing is the move range - there are hundreds of moves. Here is a list of the wrestlers i have unlocked - Cactus Jack, Mick Foley, Mean Street Posse, Brisco and Patterson, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Billy Gunn, Debra. These are the matches - Tornado Tag Team tables and TLC. It is worth the money just don't get too excited.
| The best wrestling game for its time, but still poor! | | Tom Brookes from Worcester, England says (20/Apr/2003): | A 1 word description of the game: pathetic!
Smackdown 2 may have been superior to its predessesors but still fails to meet the standard of a reasonably good game.
Firstly, the graphics have barely changed since the first Smackdown game, so the environments and characters both look flat, unrealistic and boring. Though THQ stressed that it had a huge backstage arenas, they all look so boring, washed up and terrible that the game suffers awfully. Even the crown is flat, which just lessens the realism and so the score of the game.
Secondly, and most importantly, was the season mode. The object of the season mode is to win all characters and body parst in order to create charcters of you own. Sadly, it takes 6 years to fully complete the game, and you will only win a few game modes and about 10 characters. Now it takes about 10 minutes to complete each show and you have 4 per month and 1 PPV. So that is 5 matches per month, times 10 minutes times 12 months times 6 years, which equals 3600 minutes of boredom and anger. The season mode consists of dreary storylines where someone will attack another for no reason. You will probably be in one of these storylines and will have to fight a useless and boring match. This will happen a lot. You will most likely only continue to play only for the body parts, which you will be able to win every few months. Sadly, you can win the same person repeatedly, so you will end up turning the air blue with the amount of swearing that comes from your mouth when you win someone for the sixth time. The season mode is that boring.
Though the Create-A-Superstar mode was much better than its original, it still barely reached standatds. It is difficult to create people because of the poor designs. The battle system was also very linear and allowed for few moves to be performed.
Another probelm was the sound. Though the game had the banging of a person on the mat and the clanging of a chair on someone, the music was absolutely terrible. With only two tracks that consist of repetetive heavy metal, I got sick of the music and turned it off at the options menu (which, by the way, allowed for few changes to your game) and so had to listen to the unrealistic cheers of the crowd.
On the bright side, there are man more charcters than in Smackdown 1 and there are several more matches. But many of these matches are quite easy to win and are not even close to the fun it is to watch real matches. There extra charcters are, sadly, not anyone that you would want to play. Gerald Brisco, Pat Patterson, Mick Foley, Joey Abs, Rodney and several others are the boring wrestlers that all have the same moves and are incredible dozy to fight.
Overall, WWF Smackdown 2 is a repetetive, dissapionting game that is so boring, it causes you to glance at any random thing that is more fun than the game. It was a terrible disapointment an though there were small amounts of fun, it did not have the power to drag me in to playing it for more than a month. I predict that most will be bored of it very quickly too. This game is definately not worth the $65. If this is the best that a games developer can muster for a wrestling game, I shudder to think what the worst wrestling game is.
| Well, it was good, but not great | | Caz from Glasgow, Scotland says (25/Jan/2001): | The best game ever? it aint the best game ever, not yet by a long shot. It is a huge improvement on Smackdown1 in most respects, but in many respects it represents a step backwards.
While I respect the opinion of those who rave about the game, and who give it 10/10, I say to them, get a reality check. The game in no way deserves to be dubbed "The BEST game ever", let alone rated at 10/10 (that honour goes to Gran Turismo2) but it is a great game.
The graphics and in ring action, all beautiful in the original, are now even better. The number of characters has been almost doubled, and represents a wider range of characters than any other wrestling game.
The buggest plus point has to be, without a doubt, the create a wrestler mode. Gone is the dreary "choose a head, choose a body, choose legs" create a wrestler of the origonal, where the only customisation you get to choose os the colour of skin. Now EVERYTHING can be customised. It is a real plus point of the new game.
The season mode has also been enhanced, with 5 events per month instead of the 1 in the original, making for more in-depth gaming.
However, it is also the season mode which is the biggest gripe for me.
In my opinion, there are too many mediocre fights in a typical event. Too many fights are "Big Bossman v Mark Henry" and drivel like that. I'm not dissing either athlete (the term "athlete" is questionable when describing Mark Henry) but too many matches are taken up by the lesser stars, and not enough by the WWF Title contenders. A look at the belt records on my memory card reveals that the Light-Heavyweight and European titles have been defended many times, whereas me, (I'm HHH) i have only had 2 defenses in months of holding the belt.
Whoever thought up the health bar idea should be shot. The old way in Smackdown was much better and quicker. There are also too many cut-scenes where it is, for example "The Rock is here, tonight!" Who cares? There are also too many, again for example, too many "Shane McMahon is provoking Stone Cold" scenes where the two have a match. The Royal Rumble also takes too long to load.
The lack of commentary is probably a good thing, anyone who's played WarZone probably agrees with me, the commentary in that is too wooden and repetitive.
Another gripe is when you throw your opponent off Hell in a Cell, then 3 seconds later, they get up. Putting your opponent through the announce table also does very little damage either.
However, the game's plus points far outweigh the negatives. The create a stable feature, another plus point, is a really cool innovation, however, next time, why not make a stable 10 members? (like in WrestleMania 2000) It would also be good if you could issue challenges and attack others by your own choosing rather that being given the option to do so.
In conclusion, a good game, improvements can and must be made. How about Smackdown2 gameplay, with WrestleMania 2000 options? That, in my opinion, would be "that damned good"
| Smackdown 2 - The best wrestling game out there | | Tweek from St. John, Indiana says (1/Dec/2000): | As you've almost definitely heard before, Smackdown 2 is the best wrestling game ever made. There are so many features and different types of matches that you'll never get bored of it. I find myself playing it 2 or 3 hours a day. When you first get the game, you will think that it's amazing. But once you unlock all the hidden characters and matches, you'll know why it's the best wrestling game ever. New additions to this game that weren't in the first smackdown include: Ladder match, Table match, Hell in a cell, TLC match (tables, ladders, and chairs) and the list goes on. I haven't unlocked the tag team table match yet but I can't wait till I do. I'm not really big on the create a wrestler so I haven't tried it out yet. But there is also a create a taunt mode that is pretty cool if you want to take the time to do it. The graphics are probably as good as it gets on Playstation. Now I will tell you why I only gave it a 9 out of 10. It's because to me ten means PERFECT. Smackdown 2 is amazing but it's not perfect. (and no wrestling game will probably ever be). Here are some things that were less than perfect. 1) The double team moves are awesome but you can only do them in a tag format match. 2) When you're playing in a triple threat or a 4-way match, it is almost impossible to get the pin. Evertime you try to pin someone, the computer is all over you (this was a problem in the original Smackdown also). That is the biggest problem cause it really ticks you off after a while. 3)It would be nice if they could make the wrestler entrances different. 4)Obviously, no one likes the loading time. The bottom line is WWF Smackdown 2 is the greatest wrestling game ever. If you don't have it, GET IT. It's well worth the money. If you have any questions about the game, e-mail me at crayziecarl< remove me > at cs.com and I'll see if I can answer them. Peace, I'm out. -Tweek
| A Great Improvement BUT.... | | Matthew Boyd from Orangeville, Ontario, Canada says (20/May/2002): | To start off this is the best wrestling game on the PLAYSTATION (get PS2 and smackdown 3)but it could of been better. The biggest problem with the game was the loading times, it took forever to get from scene to scene and by the time it did youre interest in the match was fading, also it sucks just waiting so long for the next person to enter the royal rumble. There were lots of modes to chose from which was nice but for next time some good ideas would be first blood, last man standing, lions den, etc. They could keep the matches the same and it would be great but it would get boring after a while. The gameplay was well done except for a few small problems. these were such things as when you hit people with a weapon it was so unrealistic, they would still be standing. The season mode was good except for the ranking system. I didn't like how you could only compete in one division at a time, it was kinda unfair, but then it beats smackdown 3's season. The create-a-wrestler was great. It had lots of clothes and body parts to chose from as well as lots of detail that you could do. There were lots of moves to chose from which was nice but it would be nice to have a create-a-move option put in on future games. The fun factor was really good whether you are with friends or alone. Once again the loading times hampered the fun a bit, but you learn to live with it. The sound is alright for what there is. There are no commentators which can be viewed as bad or good, But that damn background music gets so repetitive and anoying. The entrance music was well done though. The graphics was one of the better parts of the game. They were smooth, and the wrestlers had good detail on them. Overall this game is worth buying because it is a great fun game. It has its problems but the good outdoes the bad. Any wrestling fans should enjoy this alone or with friends.
| Smackdown 2:Know Your Role, UP's and DOWN's! | | Brandon Partridge from Brantford, Ontario, Canada says (21/Jul/2003): | Smackdown 2: Know Your Role, has it's ups and downs! A couple good things about the game are the various types of matches. I am surprised that they put the TLC match in the game. TLC started very close to the time that Smackdown 2:Know Your Role was released. There are also a great variety of wrestlers to choose from. I think everyone from the WWF (at the time) was put into the game. Surprisingly I thought the graphics were good. With most of the wrestlers, they looked a lot like them! Some of the graphics were poorly done, but the majority were good! I think overall this was a fun game! You get to beat on wrestlers that you don't like and take out some anger! There were also a couple things I didn't like about this game. First of all, the season. It has no story line! And there are parts that show that don't even have to do with you like when a wrestler is provoking another wrestler and it has nothing to do with you or your match. And in the season mode, you fight wrestlers for titles over and over. Even if your not going for the title, you are fighting the same wrestler every week. Another thing is the Royal Rumbles. I have every belt except the light heavyweight. And the winner of the Royal Rumble will face me at WrestleMania, but I was in the Royal Rumble and I won. So when I got to WrestleMania, I had to face Mick Foley. Another bad thing about this game is the sound. If you don't want music playing during the match, you can turn it off, but it also turns off the music for your entrance and you only have the video when you are entering the ring. I think they should have had different sound sections, one for the main menu, one for the entrance and oone for when you fight in the ring. I think overall this was a fun game! You get to beat on wrestlers that you don't like and take out some anger!
| WWF SmackDown 2 needs a little more to be perfect | | Stone Cold from Jakarta, Indonesia says (5/Dec/2000): | Finally WWF SmackDown has comeback to Psx. This game looks to be a little bit better than the previous one. WWF SmackDown offers an almost complete list of current WWF superstars to be played, along with different variation of matches (table, ladder, hell in the cell, casket, tlc, hardcore, special referee, and more). But the biggest disappoinment about this game is the table match. The first time i saw the screenshots of table match, i was very excited (never thought before that it would be in the game). The fact is you just can do a piledriver ,a powerbomb (have ever seen something like this in real wwf?), or a top-rope move to put your opponent through the table. Luckily, rock bottom is included. It would be nicer if we could be able to put opponent through the table by executing moves like rock bottom (but they are not standing on the table), chokeslam, 3D through the table, or maybe the last ride. The other matches seem to be quite okay, except for the ladder match (the match itself is very well-done) which is a bit unrealistic because you need no title to win or to retain. Also for hell in the cell match, there should be any injuries (or even KO instantly?), if someone falls from the top of the cell.
The Season is interesting, even though the loading time is as long as hell, the simming is boring, and every wrestler seems to speak in the same way.
CAW is a lot improved from the one we saw in the first game. create a taunt is innovative (although hard to do). Create a ppv is interesting as always.
WWF SmackDown 2 is undoubtedly the best pro wrestling game ever. Variety of gameplay keeps it enjoyable and fun. It is definitely a must-have for every wrestling fan in the world.
If you agree that WWF SmackDown 2 is superior, gimmie a HELL YEAH!
| the unknowns | | HECTOR Unknown G from NEW YORK , Long ISLAND says (4/Nov/2005): | Hi my name is Hector is already to 2005 i have played this game back in the day and i tell you having to play this game has been a blast especially when you get to unlock unknowns like unknown A Unknown B unknown C Unknown D Unknown E Unknown F Unknown G Unknown H Unknown I unknown j Unknown k Unknown L Unknown M Unknown N Unknown O unknown P etc i need help creating them because i really like creating and also mixing it up by customing my own matches like hell in a cell, Casketmatch, TLC MATCH , SINGLES MATCH, Handicap match, Hardcore, Anywere falls, etc. i tell all the people that are reading this to give up your games that you have now they may cost a lot of money later making the matches with the create-a-Superstar Undertaker and Mankind is really cool making tag matches with the Unknows like Unknown A (ric flair) is tight! and Unknown H ( big poppa pump) is cool my favorite unknowns are unknown A Unknown D unknown G , well mostly all of them especially when i first started playing and say them coming out it surpriced me because i thought they were wrestelers from the wwf put then i found out i had to create them right now i need help organizing matches with them and the original characters like the rock with the sunglasses and Stone cold with the hat you get in year six is cool the good thing would have been if it had the blood bath or the first blood match pu the game is nice any advice or comments on this game i can help out and give you the parts of the unknowns call at my hotline xxxxx i can give you cool ideas of how to make your matches cool and customize them with your created characters please notify me about upcoming tHINGS ON THIS GAME BECAUSE I HEARD THEIR IS A BURY ALIFE MATCH MAYBE YEAR 99 OR 100
| this is THE BEST wrestling game to date! | | Andrew from California, USA says (28/Nov/2000): | There is possibly no way to compare other wrestling games to Smackdown 2 on the playstation. I have played many wrestling games such as warzone, attitude, wrestlemania 2k, Smackdown, etc...and none are even close to delivering what Smackdown 2 does. There are plenty of great matches such as Hardcore matches(The backstage areas are huge, 10 times larger than Smackdowns!), TLC(must be unlocked through season mode first), Ladder Match, Casket Match, Table Match(by the way, there are 3 move u do while on a table:piledrive, powerbomb, and the Rock bottom(If your wrestler is The Rock that is, u have to press down+circle), I Quit, Special Referee, Hell in the Cell(if u want to try something cool, lay your opponent on the commentators table, climb onto the top of the cage, and leap off! its quite a site!) and many more matches and secret characters to unlock which really put the reply value VERY HIGH. The graphics are a little bit improved from the originial, sound effects in the game are ok, there still is no commentating but sometimes during season mode, u hear small audio clips, music coulda used some work though. Control is very great, I had no problems with control over my wrestler. Overall, this game is great, the only *minor* problem this game has is just the long load times during season mode, they are pretty annoying, especially when it takes like 15 seconds just to load a 4 second cut scene. Overall, this game is great, especially if you have a playstation multi-tap...4 player hardcore matches anyone????(yes, 4 players can fight backstage also!!!) So if your a wrestling fan or WWF fan, GO GET THIS GAME NOW, dont hesitate! it rocks! it WILL be worth your hard earned cash!
| Great but needs improvement | | Eric from Hornell, NY says (13/Jan/2001): | This is the greatest wrestling game I have ever played BUT needs a lot of improvement. To make this game the best possible the following needs to be done. Instead of having to simulate all the matches, you should just be able to say simulate all and go to your match. Then it should give you a chance to review the results and if there was interference. Second, instead of showing every little thing, show things that will only effect the player's wrestler or stable. I don't care if some lightweight wants to beat on some guy I never even heard of. Third, Royal Rumble, way to much loading. There has to be something to prevent it from loading every guy who comes in. Fourth, you should be able to make challenges and accept challenges. I don't like going through a whole month without a match. Fifth, give the option to interfere on matches you want, not only what someone else wants. On that same note let other wrestlers run in that aren't in the stable or tag team. Everyone has a favorite and everyone cares who wins. Make the #2 contender run out and make the #1 contender lose. Sixth, you should be able to make manager for a created wrestler. With all that being said I would like to restate that this game still rocks. The options are all great. It would be the greatest game if the season mode didn't take so long. It took me about an hour to get through 2 pay per views. That might not seem to long but when I only had 2-3 matches that gets pretty boring. Keep the options, keep the amount of wrestlers, just shorten the season. You can put a lot more fun stuff without having all that in the season.
| The best game on the Wrestling Market...The future is SmackDown 2 | | Burntwist_Thug from United States, Florida says (10/Feb/2001): | Yes, the one wrestling game I've beens earching for since the first time I played Monday Night Raw for Sega! Graphis are a big hit, the backstages a big hit, the moves, wrestlers, options and creating stats are big HITS! You can do just like the real T.V. show. Just some things take time. Make a stable, make a manager, make a pay-per-view, and BAM! You've got your own hit. You can make your own wrestlers to go with it. Yeah being powerbombed off the top of the cell and getting up seocnds later is fake. But people, if the computer or your friend were versus you and they did that to you..wouldn't you want to get up and get your revenge? You wouldn't want to wait 10 minutes just so they can jump off the cell and land on you. The cut scenes can be better but they are exciting to watch. Never know what cut scene you are going to get. Just like you are never going to know what you are going to get in the real show. THQ have done their best, but they can do alot better, simply with the loading. And some things need to be up to date. Val-Venis, K-Kwik, Raven so on. And the table matches are kick butt! You can jump off the top rope and land ont he oppenent, putting them through the table. You can rock bottom them through it, powerbomb, and pile drive them through it. And with the ladder it's even better! You can just get a hardy and do the Senton Bomb off the ladder putting them opponent through that table! Oh yeah it's fun. But more tables need to be added in the TLC matches. All in all, bottom line, this game has the best game-play, graphics, and options out in the Playstation Wrestling market.
| Best Ever?........I Think Not..... | | Messed from CALGARY, CANADA says (24/Jan/2001): | Alright, yes there are tons of characters, matches and create a character options, but the loading time to watch cut scenes that don't effect you or change matches. I mean having to watching 4 minutes of loading before a match starts just to see that someone is provolking his oppoent in a match that is already scheduled just gets tedious and slows the season play to a point your bored with it. Also having to watch the life bars deplete for every simulated match instead of simply being able to simulate matches you are not involved in is one of the worst features I have ever seen. Also I seem to have a problem with fellow created characters that are in my stable coming out and attacking ME!!! during matches.....I mean these guys are supposed to be on my team and they come out to the ring to beat on me? that just seems like a bit of a glitch to me!!
The damage a character recieves from being put through a table or "super powerbombed off the top of the cell" is way too low!!
I mean anyone who gets a super powerbomb off the cell should not be able to get up before I can get down from the top of the cell, they shouldn't be moving at all after that, and getting up immediately after some specials or being put through the table just isn't right, also weapons should do much more damage.
but I think I have bad mouthed this game enough...it has many good qualities which others have mentioned, and it's potential is great, but the current game has too many problems to be considered the greatest ever and needs much improvement before it can even be considered great........GGDS!!
| Fair | | Statik from elmhurst, new york, usa says (1/Dec/2000): | I guess I expected too much. I mean... the caw is awesome now... but Attitudes one is still the best (except for the fact there are no baggy pants). The CAPPV is better than before... 8 matches can be included... the create a stable is the best thing so far in the game. Create a taunt is hard as hell. Create a manager is okay. For all of those interested in the 3d on the table... say WHAZZUP!... i'm joking... but i think they do have the 3d on the table. I heard that its a very hard aspect to find in the game.. but thats just me. The season sucks nad... sorry but it does. The dumb simulation is the worst... but whats even worse than worst is the fact that your CAW almost usually never shows in the events. If you choose Triple H you'll get a great deal of story lines (by the way... the story lines are awesome... would of been better if they had some dialogue... PSX 2 maybe?) but if you choose some one like Joey Abs you'll have one single match with some other jobber and than wait another year to find yourself booked again. And if you're the world champion.. you only usually get to find in these dumb fatal 4 ways with the same guys over and over again. The best thing to me this time is the women wrestlers... its alot better than before. And of course the fact that you can save up to 10 wrestlers this time!! The worst things are the seasons (cuz i repeat they suck nad) and the loading times. Have fun!
P.S. - Choose motorcycle 2 as your stables entrance thingamajig... its cool... except the guy sitting in the back seat kinda makes the entire scene look... queer.
| It's an improvement, but it could be better. | | nick franco from Hinesville, GA, USA says (4/Jan/2001): | Smack Down! 2 is a good game to play, but I wouldn't buy it.
The graphics are a little to jagged and broken looking for me. And while the sound quality is ok, the match music is sub par, and there's absoloutly no commentary.
The season mode is a good feature, but the load time is horrible. No one I know liked waiting for what felt like an eternity to see (Big boss man walking around the ring with the caption "BIG BOSS MAN is provoking EDGE.) Most of these cut scenes were entirely unecessary, and if you had the misfortune to have to sit through four of these plus the "simulated" matches in an event you wrestler wasn't even in, then you know what true boredom is.
The other game modes are very nice,and the control and actual gameplay are good, except the part where your opponent takes a mere 3 seconds to get up after a going for the last ride. It's frustrating when you chokeslam Debra (Debra, for cryin' out loud) through the top of the Hell in Cell and watch her get up 2 seconds later. I always thought that the damage system in War Zone was very effective and never understood why it didn't carry over into the other games. (but maybe there is a good reason that I don't know about)
Create a Wrestler mode is very good. The options are nice and with the ability to customize nearly every aspect of your fighter, my friends were able to reenact several classic Popeye episodes. The main snag in this mode was the lack of good clothes. Tons of swirly pants and not one evening suit?
For the most part, this is a good solid title, but definently a rental.
| ehhhh...it's ok...could be alot better | | Clubber Lang from Zooburgh, NY says (27/Dec/2000): | Well, I guess you ludites have never heard of Giant Gram or Giant Gram 2000....that, my mental midget friends, is the best wrestling game, hands down. Smackdown has its benefits. It does have a much better CAW mode than its predecessor, SD1. The names of some of the moves are terribly incorrect. They do have great moves like just about ALL of Taz's (yes only 1 Z!!) suplexes. It also has the hell in a cell which is quite fun and pleases the sado-masochist in all of us. It also has a great selection of characters, although I don't understand why they have Paul Bearer, Debra, and Road Dog as playable characters since they have the collective wrestling ability of a corpse. Now onto the bad parts...
The graphics are miserable in this game. They really should have improved the crowd and the jagged edges a little bit because it really is terrible. Plus the gameplay is a bit sophomoric for me. Banging on buttons to pull moves off is fun for around 3 seconds. Button combos, and more complex directional combinations increases the learning curve while giving the character a myriad of more moves. Plus the career mode is just intolerable. I really don't need to see load screens of Road dog and X-pac with expressions like they're getting enemas administered to them while my game loads. A big turn off...
Overall its a good wrestling game, but not the best by a long shot. Look up Giant Gram 2000. This is the Ark of the Covenant of wrestling games. The gameplay itself is a work of art. So in conclusion, good, not great, definitely not best ever.
| Good at first, but soon get's very boring indeed! | | Tom from England, Warrington says (17/Feb/2003): | This game at first, was absolutely excellent! I loved it! It was my number one pick of the year! But after a while, it became so boring, I lost the disc I became that careless about it! This is by far the best PS1 wrestling game, but it could be much better. The hell in a cell is as plain as $#< remove me > at !! The layout is wrong, the cell does not inflict any extra damage, when you put the opponent through, it looks cheap, you can't walk through where the opponent went through! You can't do koves off the top, you can't walk off the top! When you fall, they just land there without even flinching! The TLC is very borinhg, you cannot do finishers off the ladders, no finishers on chairs, you can't do any weapon grapple. The only way you can put an opponent through is ddt, rock bottom with the rock only, and aerial. The graphics are very poor, they were good at the time! The table matches last up to about seven seconds! You always get the same matches in season, it takes ages to load, just to say some superstar is here tonight! The stroyline is too lame to explain! There is no smackdown or raw, you can't climb the titantron. The hardcore arenas are cool, but thats it! I gave it a six because the game is pretty damn fun at first, but goes down in value after a lonmg boring gameplay! The create mode seriously needs updating, the lifespan of the game is poor, mine broke very quick and the gameplay is more boring the more you play, there is about 5 superstars to unlcok,the sound is crap, there is no commentary, the finishers are too easially done if you ask me!
| The best wrestling game on the playstation! | | Lightning Hart(Ben Richardson) from Middlesbrough,England says (14/Nov/2000): | If you are a fan of wrestling and computer games, then you will absolutely LOVE Smackdown 2: Know your role. The gameplay is pretty much the same as its predecessor, which is definitely a GOOD thing, as the original's was top notch. The graphics haven't had a radical improvement, but the clipping and collision detction is much better. Sound is good, featuring all the superstars' theme music, plus some snazzy sound effects.
Features
The game has many, many modes of play, all of which are incredibly enjoyable. These include; Table match, Hell in a Cell, Ladder Match, Cage Match, Casket Match and many more, all are innovative and very much like their real-life counterparts. The game also includes multiplayer matches - pretty standard in a wrestling game you may think. However, with the ability to mix and match options, use specials features and much more, the two to four player modes will last you forever. Which brings me on to my next topic:
Lifespan
The game will last a very long time. The special features (Create a-wrestler, manager, stable, taunt, etc) will last an age alone, but when combined with the fantasic and realistic season option, the multiplayer and many other hidden features, you have quite a tremendous game on your hands, which is great value for money.
Summary
Smackdown 2: Know your role is a fantastic game for wrestling fans-or non-wrestling fans- alike, and is an essential addition to your Playstation library. If you go out and buy one game in the next month, make sure its this!
Lightning Hart (Ben Richardson)
| Not too bad,...........but could have been better. | | Sabu from Chicago, USA says (26/Feb/2001): | Overall, I find Smackdown 2 to be an alright game. The special matches aren't too bad and the graphics are okay. The character creation gives you alot of options, which is cool. However, the loading time takes way too long. By the time my match has finished loading I've already grown bored. Plus, there are other aspects of the game that could have been better. Maybe I'm spoiled from ECW Anarchy Rulz & ECW Hardcore Revolution, I happen to like blood in action games. Within the two games I just mentioned, the blood is nonstop and they also do something else that Smackdown 2 doesn't. The two ECW games have Gertner and Styles giving play by play calls during the matches.
Bottom line, Smackdown 2 wasn't too bad, but could have been alot better. Should they put out another, my advice would be to speed up the loading, add an option for blood, add an option for mature language, and add comments from JR & Lawler at ringside during matches. If you're going to make a wreslting game, make it as realistic as possible. If the wrestlers bleed on tv, then they must bleed in the game. If they stay down for a while after a powerbomb, then they should do such in the game(instead of popping up two seconds later). Come on, even when Mark Calaway was still doing the Gothic Taker he wouldn't always pop up after two seconds. Plus, if they have JR/Lawler, Cole/Lawler & Cole/Tazz on the mic during matches on Raw, Smackdown, heat and PPV's, why not have such upon the game. Leave it up to me and I'd combine aspects of the ECW games with Smackdown.
| Good but not Great (Look for PS2's version) | | Paul is RAW from Adelaide, South Australia says (15/Jun/2001): | As everybody else has gone on about the great things, and common gripes which I agree on. I'll just give my own gripes...
1) During season mode I've used The Rock , Stone Cold,
Kurt Angle all completed 1 full year with each winning every match they were in and never once did I get a title shot of any discription, even winning the Royal Rumble did absolutely nothing for their careers... And they gained 1-2 ranking positions for those feats. Other than on their personal record. The only exception was Shawn Michaels who after I had won the WWF title in a created PPV then it was lost a CPU player then I using him was granted a title shot again at WrestleMania.
2) The additional matches CPU v CPU are worthkess. Even on the hardest level they just stand their staring at each other.
3) The first year (1999/2000) follows the real storyline almost to a tea, regardless of rankings....
4) When I finally get to interact with backtage players e.g "Who do you want to talk to?" 3 others were there, I chose someone I had never matched against or faced etc. And he said "You're a useless partner and this team is now over." WHAT!!! We were never a team, nor was he ever in a team.
5) Only usefull cut-scenes should be in the game. Ones that actually change a match. Not just guys twiddling their thumbs.
On the whole I bought it cause I'm a WWF fanatic, and it is better than Smackdown, but I feel N64 WrestleMania 2000 & No Mercy are far superior in overall game-play..
| Undoutbly the best wrestling game EVER! | | The Extremist from Liverpool, England says (29/Dec/2000): | This is the best wrestler ever. SD1 was perfect at the time and now THQ have improved on perfection. the special matches are brilliant and then they make it possible to win a TLC match after competing in a season and a Tornado Tag Table match. Hell In A Cell is great especially as you can Last Ride your opponent through the pannel in the centre of the cells roof!
The game is like a drug. I rented it out played it for 2 days none stop and became addicted to it.
You can play for hours on end in the season mode which is a lot better than SD1's poor season mode. With cut scenes, on going rivalries.
One of the best parts I think is when you are in a tag match and you whip your opponent into the dudleys corner and pull off the infamous 3D dudley death drop! or the WAZZAAAAAAAAAAAP!
now there are ove 50 wrestlers to choose from and the create a superstar mode has been vastly improved. The create a stable mode is great too and create a manager is good. the graphics are great and Edge and Christian are the only wrestlers on the game who dont look like thier real life counter parts.
there are now way more backstage areas and when you are outside you can make your opponent get hit by a limo or a chevy! you can put your opponent through the commentators table and whip them into the steel ring steps.
Overall this game is the best wrstling game ever E-V-E-R If you Smellllllllalalalaow what the Extremist.............is cookin'
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