WWE Raw 2, THQ's Xbox-exclusive pro wrestling simulation, is already one of the hottest games around. Sadly, the fun won't last long for those of us who don't follow the "sport."
WWE Raw 2
Platform: Xbox
Developer: Anchor Inc.
Publisher: THQ
A lot has changed since THQ made WCW vs. NWO for Nintendo 64. Now there's no more WCW or WWF, wrestling moved to TNN - now Spike - and Hulk Hogan retired but then came back again. One thing stayed the same, though: The game play that made us high school kids fall in love with the N64 classic hasn't changed a bit.
Of course, we've changed. Our acne has cleared up. We've grown older, wiser, deeper, and more in tune with the real world. Well, maybe not, but our acne has cleared up, and we're asking for a lot more out of video games.
That's why Raw 2 delivers more special features than The Hulk DVD, boasting a ton of characters, any type of match imaginable, and an intense "Create a Superstar" mode.
As the box says, the game features more than 60 WWE superstars, including cover boy Goldberg, who I'm betting shaves his chest. I'm probably just jealous because I don't have any chest hair. Heck, I wouldn't mind the pecs or the guns either. But I've got hair on my head, and that's got to count for something.
Playing as these characters eventually unlocks movies of them that you can watch in the Theater mode. Although I have no idea how to unlock the movies, I imagine they are totally sweet moments that any decent wrestling fan has already seen and would die to see again.
As for the matches, Raw offers the cage match, Hell in a Cell, the table match, the ladder match, 2 vs. 2 vs. 2 tornado, and Fatal 4 Way, not to mention classics like Battle Royal, Royal Rumble, Triple Threat, and tag team. This game has matches I've never heard of and cannot figure out for anything.
What I can figure out, however, is the Create a Superstar mode. You can easily tweak any and every aspect of your created character, including the color that the light reflects off the character's hair. No kidding.
Do not attempt to create a superstar unless you have at least an hour on your hands, and be careful - it could take longer than three hours as you specially customize what the character does at the push of every possible combination of attack buttons. The sweetest part is that you can customize a character's entrance music with songs off your Xbox hard drive.
The most heavily touted feature of Raw 2 is the new multiplayer season mode. In it, you and up to three friends can play out your drama in simulated wrestling careers. You can get stronger, win belts and even try to kick that steroid habit before you grow breasts.
Still, the wrestling game-play is nothing new. It's still a lot of punch and grab, which has always worked for these games. It gets boring after a while, though, and really needs beer to redeem itself.
Anyone who is enough of a wrestling fan to watch "WWE Raw" every week needs to own Raw 2 for the Xbox. Non-fans would do better to rent the game and spend the extra $45 on a keg of Pabst. Now that's a great weekend.
Wrestle the reviewer at tim.agne@asu.edu. Beer not included with game.
