WWE Raw 2

WWE Raw 2: Ruthless Aggression, known as simply WWE Raw 2, is a professional wrestling video game released for the Xbox console by THQ in 2003, and developed by Tokyo-based company Anchor Inc. It is the sequel to the WWF/E Raw game that was released in 2002. WWE Raw 2 is the last Raw video game to be released on the Xbox, the game was succeeded by WWE WrestleMania 21.

For the professional wrestling tv show, see WWE Raw.
WWE Raw 2
NTSC cover art, featuring Triple H, Goldberg, and Scott Steiner.
Developer(s)Anchor Inc.
Publisher(s)THQ
Director(s)Kentaro Arai
Designer(s)Kentaro Arai
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
  • NA: September 16, 2003
  • PAL: October 10, 2003
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Gameplay

For the first time in the series, a season mode is included in the game. It allows players to set up wrestlers, call others out from the locker room, form alliances, and hire managers.

In Create a Superstar mode, users have the ability to choose their character's alignment type and whether he or she is to be a face or heel. The alignments determine who the character's friends and enemies are in the career mode.

Raw 2 also allows players to edit WWE's wrestlers into the way they want them to look similar to the N64 games WWF WrestleMania 2000 and WWF No Mercy. In season mode, alignment cannot be changed, but players can change who likes or dislikes their wrestler through various options. Changing between face and heel can also be done through the options.

The game features several arenas that WWE held events in during 2002 and 2003. There are also arenas based upon each WWE television show.

New match stipulations are included in the game: Hell in a Cell, TLC and Royal Rumble matches are available in Raw 2. The Create an Entrance feature allows the player to use custom music tracks that have been ripped onto their Xbox's hard disk (although this feature is inaccessible when playing the game on the Xbox 360), synchronize two sets of pyrotechnics with taunts or poses, and create an entrance video featuring the player's character performing various wrestling moves. Upon its release, the game was praised for an improved and more current roster. A select few of these abilities returned for WWE '12 and WWE '13.

The game also features Raw and SmackDown referees in the game that the player can choose.

Rules

If the player is competing in a title match, the belt can be won via disqualification, going against the usual WWE rules. This means that if two superstars are competing for a championship and somebody interferes and causes a disqualification, the winner will become the champion. Divas are able to win heavyweight titles. This is a reflection of WWE programming in that Stephanie McMahon competed for the Undisputed WWF Championship in a triple threat match on Raw in 2002.[1] In the Royal Rumble Match, the rule that a wrestler can exit the ring on their own terms and still not be eliminated, as was seen numerous times in the 2003 event, is recognised in the game. However, under rules that the Royal Rumble is over-the-top-rope, this would only be legal as long as they do not flip over, jump over or step over the top rope. The player would be eliminated if they stayed outside the ring for too long, however.

Season mode

To successfully complete a season, the player is required to play through 12 months of Raw and SmackDown shows, as well as Pay-per-view events, and finish the season with either the WWE Championship, or the World Heavyweight Championship. Successful seasons earn points, which can be seen in the "Hall of Fame" section of the main menu of the game, which in turn unlocks items of clothing and entrance videos which can later be used in the creation or modification of characters. However, these items can also be unlocked using the "Steal" action during events in Season Mode. Unlike season modes from the SmackDown series, Raw 2 has no voice overs or text. The odds of receiving title shots, and of successfully completing the various available actions in season mode, are mostly based on the popularity of the character in use. However, other factors, such as a character's level of friendliness towards other characters, such as Surprise Attacks, Encouragement, or the use of repetitive call-outs can also affect the odds.

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[2] Many praised the creation modes, but criticized the gameplay.

See also

References
  1. "Raw is War". pWw--Everything Wrestling. March 25, 2002. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
  2. "WWE Raw 2 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  3. EGM staff (December 2003). "WWE Raw 2". Electronic Gaming Monthly (173): 224.
  4. Leeper, Justin (November 2003). "WWE Raw 2". Game Informer (127): 162. Archived from the original on September 27, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  5. The D-Pad Destroyer (September 22, 2003). "WWE Raw 2 Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  6. Navarro, Alex (September 18, 2003). "WWE Raw 2 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  7. Freeman, Matthew (October 19, 2003). "GameSpy: WWE Raw 2". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  8. Valentino, Nick (October 11, 2003). "WWE Raw 2 - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  9. Boulding, Aaron (September 16, 2003). "WWE Raw 2 Review". IGN. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  10. "WWE Raw 2". Official Xbox Magazine: 120. December 2003.
  11. Bush, Eric (September 19, 2003). "WWE Raw 2: Ruthless Aggression Review (Xbox)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  12. Villoria, Gerald (November 12, 2003). "'WWE Raw 2' (Xbox) Review". X-Play. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  13. "WWE Raw 2". Playboy: 33. September 2003.
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