The OAO WWE: Day of Reckoning Thread

[David Blazenwing 0]

So yeah... didn't see one of these, and the game comes out at the end of next month... so I thought I'd start it becaue, I, for one, am personally very psyched about this game. If you get the chance, head over to IGN.com and go to the Gamecube section, where they've been posting new movies daily for the wrestlers in the game. I'll also be posting some of it here as well, just because the smarks need to know, dammit!

 

[David Blazenwing 0]

Here's a FAQ that was posted about DoR from IGN.

 

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QUESTION: Where is WrestleMania XX? Are they still making it?

 

ANSWER: WrestleMania XX (ie. The next WWE game for Nintendo Gamecube) has been renamed “WWE: Day of Reckoning”. THQ made this decision simply because the games rarely have any relationship with the event itself, so there is no real point to having the name “WrestleMania”. Day of Reckoning is still the next WWE game for Gamecube, it has merely been retitled. That’s it.

 

QUESTION: Will there be a Story Mode this time or do we have to put up with that damn Revenge Mode again?

 

ANSWER: Have no fear, Revenge mode is dead. THQ listened to the feedback (or rather, the complaints) of their audience and have completely scrapped the idea of the story mode taking place outside of the ring. In fact, they’ve done a complete 180. In WWE: Day of Reckoning, gamers will be faced with the most realistic storyline to date. Not only will gamers have to put together a successful career based on their wins and losses in the ring, they’ll have to start at square one just like any professional wrestler. You will take your character from “small time” events in which you will face original, non-WWE characters until you’ve put together a reputation and garnered the attention of WWE. At that time, you will be brought into the “big time” of World Wrestling Entertainment. From there, you will work your way up from Velocity or Heat to the main weekly shows Raw and SD before finally getting a spot on Pay-Per-Views and eventually getting your chance at the WWE Championship.

 

The Story Mode has been said to last roughly a year and a half and will take around 50 victories to beat. Also, your character will indeed switch from Raw to Smackdown (or vice versa) at approximately the half-way point of the season mode.

 

QUESTION: I’ve heard that you can’t use WWE superstars in the Story Mode. Is this true? If so, to quote the Hurricane, “Wassupwitdat?”

 

ANSWER: Yes, this is true. In season mode, you will take control of a CAW (Create-a-Wrestler). You will literally build not only your superstar’s career, but your superstar him/herself, from scratch. If you can’t figure out why, it’s quite simple. Why would Triple H have to work his way up from small-time events? The storyline you will be faced with has been designed specifically so that the gamer can build an entirely new career and take their wrestler to superstardom. As you can imagine, THQ has also promised to “overhaul” the whole CAW system.

 

This also prevents you from choosing the superstars with very high stat points and just annihilating lesser superstars. It might actually force you to actually play the game with a bit of effort.

 

QUESTION: Is (enter any superstar’s name here) in WWE: Day of Reckoning?

 

ANSWER: So far, the following ten superstars have been made for Day of Reckoning and shown to the public: Triple H, Chris Benoit, Kane, Booker T, Christian, Batista, Randy Orton, John Cena, Stacy Keibler and Trish Stratus.

 

THQ has confirmed a total of at least 40 wrestlers in the game, so that leaves another 30 still to be named. THQ has also said that it would include a number of Legends. The main reason for this is a disk-space issue. The titantron videos, entrance music and so forth take up a lot of space, so to compensate THQ will be including legends (who naturally, do not have any space-consuming entrance videos). There have been a number of rumours as to who this will include, with Andre the Giant looking to be certain. Other names such as Ted Dibiase and Jimmy Snuka have also been mentioned. Other than that, we can look forward to “new” legends not featured in a Smackdown game, as THQ will want to give each system something unique.

 

As it relates to the remaining 30+ current WWE superstars, there is no need to worry about people such as the Undertaker. It can be assumed that anyone who is a regular fixture on Raw or Smackdown will be in the game, especially someone with as much name value as Taker.

 

QUESTION: Will Steve Austin, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar be in the game?

 

ANSWER: To give you a nice, short answer: No. None of these guys are affiliated with World Wrestling Entertainment at the present time, and thus, will not be in Day of Reckoning or any upcoming WWE game. So if you can’t live without Goldberg, despite him being one of the most useless wrestlers in history, you’ll just have to get over it.

 

QUESTION: WrestleMania XIX didn’t have that many arenas, will Day of Reckoning have more?

 

ANSWER: Yes, many more. THQ has stated that every TV arena (Raw, Smackdown, Heat and Velocity) will be included, as well as all the PPV arenas (everything from the Royal Rumble to Armageddon). There will also be “a gym”, although it hasn’t been revealed exactly what this is for. Perhaps it will be the setting for your matches with fabricated character before getting to WWE in the story mode, or it could be for some other use, such as Tutorial mode.

 

QUESTION: Will there be more than four wrestlers on the screen at one time? Will we see a 6-man tag or 6-way match?

 

ANSWER: While an interview with a THQ developer said that this would indeed be an option, it hasn’t been mentioned since. This has led most fans to believe that it was an unintentional slip of the tongue and that the game will feature four wrestlers on the screen, and a referee. Perhaps more info on this subject will be unveiled in the near future.

 

QUESTION: What stipulation matches are available?

 

ANSWER: So far, outside of the usual 1-on-1 and handicap matches (and so forth), THQ has confirmed an Iron Man, First Blood, Hell in a Cell, Steel Cage, TLC and the new Bra and Panties match. It has also been said that there will be two additional match types announced at a later date.

 

QUESTION: Can you focus on the referee and deliberately attack him?

 

ANSWER: Yes. Recent videos has shown this, and this time the referee stays down for a considerable amount of time after being attacked.

 

QUESTION: What’s this “Tug-of-War” system I’ve been hearing about?

 

ANSWER: When you are either applying or taking a submission move, a see-saw-like bar (the submission meter) will appear. At this point, players will tap the A button as fast as possible, bringing the marker to either cause a submission or break. Moves are no longer controlled by the game, the players button-pressing will determine how successful a hold is. As an added bonus, new animations show wrestlers physically grabbing the bottom rope to cause a break, rather than it being done automatically when the wrestler is in the right position. Also, Smackdown’s character model method of showing location-specific damage has been brought over to Day of Reckoning. That’s right, we’re stealing all the good stuff and leaving them with their gameplay!

 

QUESTION: Will there be entrance attire?

 

ANSWER: Yes. Wrestlers will have entrance attire and cut-scene attire where applicable.

 

QUESTION: Will wrestlers wear title belts to the ring?

 

ANSWER: Yes, wrestlers will finally wear their titles and be able to show off their hard fought for hardware. Logic would also say that they will then be able to defend them ala No Mercy, although THQ might choose to keep the titles as rewards at the end of Season Mode, not something that can be traded between character in one quick exhibition match.

 

QUESTION: Will there be interference, like there was in No Mercy.

 

ANSWER: Once again, yes.

 

QUESTION: Any other general developments on the presentation or models?

 

ANSWER: Day of Reckoning is said to have a much more “cinematic” feel, with much more effort going into having perfect entrances and dramatic new camera angles during the matches. Also, there is a new presentation to many moves, such as a brief slow-motion effect for finishers, a 1-2 second “photographic negative” effect to accompany a change in momentum and many more.

 

QUESTION: Will (any wrestler) have his correct move this time?

 

ANSWER: Yes. In cases such as John Cena and his FU finisher, THQ had minimal time to animate it before WMXIX, so they quickly included moves they already had animated. This time around, all the moves will be fully animated and unique. To be specific, at least FIFTY new or reanimated moves will be included in Day of Reckoning.

 

QUESTION: Can women bleed in Day of Reckoning?

 

ANSWER: No, graphic violence towards to female superstars is still impossible, likely to appease censors in countries like those in the UK that have been known to edit man-on-woman violence from WWE programming. Odds are that they wouldn’t appreciate it in a game, so THQ is simply avoiding the whole subject.

 

QUESTION: Will the wrestlers have their real entrance music? I’m sick of listening to a bad rip-off of Matt Hardy’s theme!

 

ANSWER: THQ has promised to included ALL the authentic entrance songs into the game. Recent videos have shown that Booker T now has his real music, however Kane’s is currently using his original theme. This is most likely just a temporary thing, as the game is less than 50% complete and THQ may have a few legal battles or contract negotiations to get through to get a few of the songs in the game (specifically those performed by recording artists, such as Kane’s theme being done by Finger Eleven or Hardy’s by Monster Magnet). This is merely contractual and an issue about royalties. THQ has promised to work through it, so the videos at the moment include some dated entrance videos or songs simply because either a) THQ doesn’t have the rights to use the song yet or b) they are yet to load the video onto the game. Keep in mind that it is still in production, the majority of these things will be accurate by the release date.

[AndrewTS 0]

ANSWER: Have no fear, Revenge mode is dead.

 

Thank goodness. However, the rest of this doesn't sound good.

 

ANSWER: Yes, this is true. In season mode, you will take control of a CAW (Create-a-Wrestler). You will literally build not only your superstar’s career, but your superstar him/herself, from scratch....

 

This also prevents you from choosing the superstars with very high stat points and just annihilating lesser superstars. It might actually force you to actually play the game with a bit of effort.

 

Translation: we're going to ruin much of the appeal of a story mode, since we're not that good at programming A.I. Oh, and the in-game wrestlers probably are going to have their stats differ wildly.

 

Don't expect to be able to copy a CAW and then just edit stats to the "real life" stats. Sounds like HCTP...lame.

 

THQ has also said that it would include a number of Legends. The main reason for this is a disk-space issue. The titantron videos, entrance music and so forth take up a lot of space, so to compensate THQ will be including legends (who naturally, do not have any space-consuming entrance videos).

 

Translation: Expect more crappy "legends," and to boot they won't have their themes and real entrances, therefore losing HALF THE APPEAL OF HAVING LEGENDS IN A LICENSED WWE GAME IN THE FIRST PLACE!!

 

At least DiBiase and Andre will make it in...

 

So don't expect some of the lesser-known wrestlers or cruiserweights aside from Rey to make it in the game.

 

Aside from the submission stuff, no mention for more polished gameplay. Yeah, forget the important stuff, guys.

[Guest Askewniverse]

So yeah... didn't see one of these, and the game comes out at the end of next month

Here you go.

 

QUESTION: I’ve heard that you can’t use WWE superstars in the Story Mode. Is this true? If so, to quote the Hurricane, “Wassupwitdat?”

 

ANSWER: Yes, this is true. In season mode, you will take control of a CAW (Create-a-Wrestler). You will literally build not only your superstar’s career, but your superstar him/herself, from scratch.

Bummer. It's a step up from Revenge Mode, but the new story mode doesn't sound very good. I think it's pretty stupid that you have to use a created wrestler.

 

ANSWER: So far, the following ten superstars have been made for Day of Reckoning and shown to the public: Triple H, Chris Benoit, Kane, Booker T, Christian, Batista, Randy Orton, John Cena, Stacy Keibler and Trish Stratus.

Add Eddie Guerrero, The Rock, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Big Show, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Edge, Val Venis, Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero, Rhyno, Hardcore Holly, and Mark Jindrak to that list as well.

[Guest Real F'n Show]

This game sounds like it's a year and a half behind the Smackdown series for some reason...

[Lightning Flik 0]

This game sounds like it's a year and a half behind the Smackdown series for some reason...

When it has to BORROW from the Smackdown series, then yes. It would likely seem that way indeed. This game doesn't seem that great at all. Story mode will be a hit or a miss depending on how well they do with the "story" aspect, because if it is just your CAW working his way up, it'll suck pretty bad.

[AndrewTS 0]

Well, at least there's no reason for me to put my copy of VPW2 on Ebay...and as long as Yukes is working on WWE games, I won't have to.

 

The new Gamecube and X-Box WWE games are going to = teh 5uXX0r5

 

Good Lord, the body-part specific damage was in the Fire Pro games, what, 10+ years ago? It was in the N64 games for sure! Yet just NOW they're getting around to putting it in? Pathetic.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I'll probably wait and get it when it drops in price or something. Im still having a lot of fun with WM XIX (more fun than I thought I Would have, probably cause I only paid $5 for it). This sounds overall to be much better but I'll just wait.

[Scroby 0]

QUESTION: I’ve heard that you can’t use WWE superstars in the Story Mode. Is this true? If so, to quote the Hurricane, “Wassupwitdat?”

 

ANSWER: Yes, this is true. In season mode, you will take control of a CAW (Create-a-Wrestler). You will literally build not only your superstar’s career, but your superstar him/herself, from scratch. If you can’t figure out why, it’s quite simple. Why would Triple H have to work his way up from small-time events? The storyline you will be faced with has been designed specifically so that the gamer can build an entirely new career and take their wrestler to superstardom. As you can imagine, THQ has also promised to “overhaul” the whole CAW system.

 

This is smart for the story mode they are having. If its just match after match after match then the storyline will be pointless but if there's something else involved like working out at the gym or talking to other people, forming alliances, stuff like that then the storyline will be great. Most of the time people use their CAW's for story mode anyways (well myself and my friends do anyways.) so I like this whole aspect. Its completely different and new so I like the concept.

[Lightning Flik 0]

As long as Story Mode isn't a single player, then I might credit it worth a damn.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

The new Gamecube and X-Box WWE games are going to = teh 5uXX0r5

I wouldn't count out the Xbox game yet. I don't know who's making it, but it's a whole new group of people since the Raw/2 crew was fired and then Anchor lost the license shortly after that. So don't let the Raw games affect your view of the upcoming one.

[Guest slacklet]

 

[AndrewTS 0]

The new Gamecube and X-Box WWE games are going to = teh 5uXX0r5

I wouldn't count out the Xbox game yet. I don't know who's making it, but it's a whole new group of people since the Raw/2 crew was fired and then Anchor lost the license shortly after that. So don't let the Raw games affect your view of the upcoming one.

Team Gigante, the former MK developers who made Tao Feng. No, that wasn't very good.

[Eclipse 0]

The season mode better have some actual storylines, because if it is 50 matches....argh!!

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

 

Why is Val wearing lipstick and ripping a big one?

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

 

Why is Val wearing lipstick and ripping a big one?

The first thing I thought was " If Resident Evil were set in a health spa's sauna"

[Exslade ZX 0]

I know IMO the graphics..at least in pics look a step ahead of the SD games, even though that Venis pic isn't that great. And in the videos they aren't bad at all either...although the way the game plays looks a little odd. These pics really make the game look that much better...for those who were saying looks like it sucks.

 

The last pic is really awesome IMO. Both guys look great. And it looks like they're going for the whole anatomically correct thing lmao

[Guest The Notorious CRD]

Looks like a snazzy game, but I got burned on Wrestlemania XIX so I'm going to wait and see on this one.

[DangerousDamon 0]

Looks like they fixed Eddie's Frog Splash from WM XIX.

[Internet Warfare 0]

w00t w00t I cant wait for my brother to rent this game!

 

Paul London better be in the game too.

[DangerousDamon 0]

Mandible Claw

F-5

SSD

Emerald Frosion

Tiger Driver

Sternness Dust

Shining Wiszard

Vertebreaker

Double Brainbuster

Brainbuster Falcon Arrow

Asai DDT

Triple Suplex

Triple Power Bomb

Rolling Power Bomb

Bent Pile Driver

Twirl Pile Driver

Wrist Clutch Exploder

Snow Plow

Underhook Belly To Belly

Chicken Wing Suplex Pin

Schwein

Triple Back Breaker

Neck Crank Suplex

Canadian Hammer

Stalk Wreck

Tedise Drop

King Kong Buster

Alternate Bear Hug

Neck Crunch

Steiner Suplex

Supercut Choke Slam

Stiffured Dreams

Head Scissor

Rage Dragon Slayer

Dragonrana

Swanton Bomb

450 Splash

Sleeper In The Wings

Sleeper Suplex

Half Nelson Suplex 01

Half Suplex 02

Maya Suplex Pin(The motherfuckin X-Plex)

Demon Neck Crank

Train Wreck

 

 

The names of these moves were on a move list screen on an interview for Gamespot.com, well at least that's what the guy on Gamefaqs said. . So take that for what it's worth.

[Scroby 0]

After reading that list, I'm very intrested in seeing some of those moves, well mainly the ones I've never seen or heard of like the Sleeper in the wings one.

[DangerousDamon 0]

After reading that list, I'm very intrested in seeing some of those moves, well mainly the ones I've never seen or heard of like the Sleeper in the wings one.

I think it's probably a re-named version of the Whisper in the Wind. Yukes does that a lot with some moves(99 Crusher, Landing Pin, etc.).

[Skywarp! 0]

It's funny. I bought Wrestlemania X-8 on its debut date 2 years ago and as a result, I STILL have an aversion to purchasing any Gamecube WWE game. I've never even tried Wrestlemania XIX.

 

Good thing I have a PS2.

[Aero 0]

Gamespot has a long preview up right now, along with a 6 minute video interview. They make the game sound really good. I might actually buy it. I'm just disappointed about the lack of new matches. It sounds like all the matches from WM X8 and WM XIX except with Bra & Panties. I am excited about Bret Hart being in, though. Here's the preview...

 

For all of the success that THQ had with its wrestling games during the era of the Nintendo 64, the publisher has yet to amass quite the same level of enthusiastic response for its titles on the GameCube. Neither of the company's previous two GameCube offerings, WrestleMania X8 and WrestleMania XIX, were bad games, but neither of them managed to capture a real following either.

 

WWE Day of Reckoning has all the chops to equal the classic SmackDown series. Click "stream" for a larger view.

For the company's third foray into wrestling on the Cube, it seems as though the third time might be the charm. Titled WWE Day of Reckoning, this game looks like it could have all the tools necessary to finally be ranked up in the same tier as THQ's megapopular SmackDown series. We had the opportunity to spend some time with an unfinished build of Day of Reckoning, and we're happy to report that so far this is easily the best GameCube wrestling game we've experienced to date.

 

Day of Reckoning's gameplay style hearkens back quite a bit to the days when Aki Corporation-developed wrestlers ruled the N64 ring. In last year's WrestleMania XIX, developer Yuke's debuted an interpretation of the Aki wrestling engine that, while a big improvement over the first WrestleMania game, didn't quite make for a fully successful mesh between that style of wrestling and the more traditional Yuke's style. In Day of Reckoning, the pacing of the action has shifted even further toward the more methodical, sim-based Aki style, making better use of the control scheme and ultimately making the game more fun to play.

 

You'll still be able to perform weak and strong grapples and strikes by tapping or holding down the proper buttons, but in Day of Reckoning, it seems as though the basic flow of the game caters much better to this style of control. The countering system won't be changing, so you will still have to time hits of the right and left triggers to counter strikes and grapples respectively.

 

Though not many other major changes seem to have been made to the gameplay, there is one other notable addition. Day of Reckoning will feature an all-new weight-balancing system to help make matches between wrestlers of significant size differences closer to the realm of WWE TV. Even though it's highly unreasonable to expect a little guy like Rey Mysterio Jr. to be able to lift a behemoth like the Big Show, it is, in WWE terms, possible. Anyone remember John Cena lifting that monolithic Big Show a couple of times a Pay-Per-View or two ago?

 

Fans of THQ's old-school Nintendo 64 wrestling games will find a lot to like about WWE Day of Reckoning.

To make this a reality in the game, the developers have added a new pickup meter that comes into play when smaller wrestlers try to pick up the bigger ones. By tapping the A button repeatedly, you'll see the meter go up, and if you get it high enough, you'll be able to slam a big guy. This also plays into your wrestler's statistic in the category of strength, so if you've got a stringy-armed guy, he also will have some trouble lifting the larger fellows.

 

While last year's WrestleMania XIX was ultimately a good game, it was held back significantly by one of the least pleasurable story modes we've ever had the misfortune to experience. The good news is that Day of Reckoning seems primed to correct that mistake with a brand-new story mode that is actually enjoyable to play. Essentially, the story mode follows the path of an up-and-coming rookie wrestler looking to make it in the big leagues of the WWE. You create this green recruit by using the game's create-a-wrestler mode (or by using one of the default, generic schlubs already in the game), and then once he or she is created, you have your first meeting with Vincent K. McMahon. Vinnie Mac tells you that he's heard good things about you and that he's willing to give you a chance to make it in the WWE, but before he'll put you on TV, you'll have to earn your shot in the bush leagues of WWE Developmental.

 

Your first series of matches will be against no-name rookies in the developmental league. As you begin to work your way through the ranks of generic plebes, Jonathan Coachman (aka "The Coach") acts as your trainer. Rather than train you with typical mat technique or weight lifting, however, he will instead send you out night after night with specific objectives to achieve during your matches. One night, for instance, he will ask you to perform a certain number of counters to your opponent's grapple moves. Another night, he may ask you to win without ever performing a special move.

 

The new story mode puts you in the role of a wannabe WWE superstar.

Once you have managed to prove yourself, you'll earn a spot on Sunday Night Heat and eventually gain a contract with either the Raw or SmackDown roster. However, as with any rise to success, your character will encounter a lot of opposition and backstabbing once within the ranks of the WWE elite, which will eventually lead you to a number of feuds with the WWE's finest.

 

Outside of the story mode, Day of Reckoning seems set to feature pretty much every match type you would expect in this day and age of wrestling games. You'll be able to engage in standard single and tag matches, as well as table matches, ladder matches, ironman matches, bra and panties matches, cage matches, and, of course, the always entertaining hell in a cell match. The roster itself looks to be fairly robust, though not quite as deep as some of the other recent WWE titles to hit the market. However, aside from the usual roster of WWE tough guys and gals, you'll also be able to unlock a number of classic wrestlers by playing through the story mode. A few of the classic names we saw included Rowdy Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant, and Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

 

Additionally, if you find a particular favorite wrestler omitted from the game, chances are you'll be able to create him or her using the create-a-wrestler mode, which looks to be about on par with some of the better create-a-wrestler modes we've seen. The interface is quite intuitive and easy to navigate, and there are a multitude of options for how your wrestler can be designed. Furthermore, you can use cash you earn during the story mode to purchase new moves and appearance attributes from the game's shopzone mode, which is just like the shopzone mode in the most recent SmackDown game. You'll also be able to buy new weapons with which to bludgeon your opponents, as well as new Pay-Per-View arenas.

 

Graphically, Day of Reckoning is looking like a fairly major improvement over its predecessors. The player models are much more detailed now and are less cartoony than in previous iterations. You'll see much more definition in body builds and a huge amount of polish and detail put into each individual wrestler's face. We also noted a bit of a shine effect on each model that seems to capture that sort of glistening "I just sprayed myself with a lot of water before I walked out here" look that wrestlers tend to have when they come through the curtain into the arena.

 

The graphics and animation in Day of Reckoning are noticeably better than those of its predecessor.

Many of the move animations have been completely redone. The moves themselves are still hand-animated by the team at Yuke's, so as to give the game a slightly more exaggerated feel when it comes to the hits. This is actually the visual aspect of wrestling that the game seems to capture well, as every single slam, smack, and hit looks quite brutal, especially the weapon hits.

 

From what we've played of WWE Day of Reckoning thus far, we feel fairly confident that this should be the game that GameCube wrestlers have been hoping for. The new story mode seems to offer a far more enjoyable experience than last year's game, and with all the different match types and in-depth create-a-wrestler features, there should be more than enough to keep wrestling enthusiasts entertained. WWE Day of Reckoning will hit stores late next month. We'll bring you more on the game in the coming weeks.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

I can't believe people are bitching about how this game looks. I've refused to buy any wrestling game since No Mercy for n64, but it looks like there is finally something worth buying.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Well, I kinda liked WMXIX...but since this is looking MUCH better, I'm definately getting it.

 

...if just for the sole reason of having Bret Hart make Rene Dupree tap out like the bitch he is. >=D

[Scroby 0]

I'm not a graphic person when it comes to wrestling games. As long as they have a good gameplay and storyline, I'm happy.

[tekcop 0]

Why do I see Jindrak's penis in that picture?

[AndrewTS 0]

*scratches head* How exactly are Piper and Hart in this? I didn't think either of them were on good terms with WWE.