WWE Raw 2

WWE Raw 2
NTSC cover art, featuring Triple H, Goldberg, and Scott Steiner.
Developer(s)	Anchor Inc.
Publisher(s)	THQ
Platform(s)	Xbox
Release	USA: September 15, 2003 PAL: October 10, 2003
Genre(s)	Fighting, Wrestling
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

WWE Raw 2, trademarked as WWE RAW 2, is a video game released for the Xbox console by THQ in 2003, and developed by Tokyo, Japan-based company Anchor Inc. It is the sequel to the WWE Raw (formerly WWF Raw) game that was released in 2002 after numerous delays.

The game was given the tagline Ruthless Aggression, a phrase used regularly in WWE at the time, coined by Mr. McMahon.

Gameplay

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

In Create A Superstar you have the ability to choose your alignment type and whether you are to be face or heel. Type is how you what player to act like:fame and success,perfectionist,etc.Whatever type you pick determines how successful your superstar is and who your friends and enemies are.

It also allows people to edit their favorite wrestlers the way they want them to look. In Season Mode you cannot change your alignment, but you can change who likes or dislikes you by the various options. You can also change your Type from heel to face or vice-versa using the options. Face to Heel using surprise attacks or anything that makes other Superstars dislike you. Heel to Face using Encourage or anything that makes Superstars like you.

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. There are a few flaws in the season mode, however: if the player is competing in a title match, the belt can be won via disqualification, going against WWE rules. Another flaw is, if two superstars are competing for either the World Heavyweight Championship or the WWE Championship; and somebody interferes they will become the champion. Also, divas are able to win World Titles. Another flaw during gameplay is while playing Royal Rumble, you can exit the ring on your own terms and still not be eliminated. However, under rules that the Royal Rumble is over-the-top-rope, as long as you do not flip over, jump over or step over the top rope, or you go through the ropes, this would be legal, as was seen numerous times in the 2003 Royal Rumble.

The game features several arenas that WWE held events at in 2002 and 2003. There is also arenas based on each WWE television show.

New match stipulations were included in the game, including Hell in a Cell, TLC and 'Royal Rumble' matches. The Create an Entrance feature allowed the player to use custom tracks ripped onto their Xbox, time two sets of pyrotechnics to synchronize with taunts or poses, and create an entrance video featuring the player's character doing varied wrestling moves. It was also praised for an improved roster with more up to date wrestlers.

The majority of the Japan-based development team was fired immediately after the completion of the game, and publisher THQ had American developer Studio Gigante work on the next Xbox WWE-licensed game, WWE WrestleMania 21. This game is now compatible for the Xbox 360 console.

Featured wrestlers

File:WweRaw2Xbox.jpg

WWE Raw 2 featured a new table match.

A-Train Batista Big Show Billy Gunn Billy Kidman Booker T Bradshaw Brock Lesnar Bubba Ray Dudley Chavo Guerrero Chris Benoit Chris Jericho Christopher Nowinski Christian Chuck Palumbo Crash D-von Dudley Edge Eddie Gurrerro Goldust Goldberg Hardcore Holly Hulk Hogan

The Hurricane Jacqueline Jamie Noble Jazz John Cena Kane Kevin Nash Kurt Angle Lance Storm Lita Mark Henry Matt Hardy Molly Holly Nidia Randy Orton Rhyno Ric Flair Rico Rikishi Rob Van Dam The Rock

Scott Steiner Shannon Moore Shawn Michaels Spike Dudley Stacy Keibler Stephanie McMahon Stone Cold Steve Austin Tajiri Terri Test Tommy Dreamer Torrie Wilson Triple H Trish Stratus Undertaker Val Venis Victoria William Regal

Arenas

• Raw, includes THQ where the TNN branding was
• SmackDown!
• Royal Rumble 2003
• No Way Out 2003
• WrestleMania XIX
• Backlash 2002
• Judgment Day 2002
• King of the Ring 2002
• Vengeance 2002
• SummerSlam 2002
• Unforgiven 2002
• No Mercy 2002
• Survivor Series 2002
• Armageddon 2002

• Note 1: All arenas except RAW and SmackDown! are unlocked by winning at a PPV.
• Note 2: In first version of RAW 2, WrestleMania X8's arena replaced WM XIX.

Trivia

• This is the second wrestling game to allow use of music on the Xbox hard drive for entrance themes.
• This is the only game that enables you to create your own Titantron
• This is the last game to use the King of the Ring Arena
• This is the last game in the WWE Raw series
• This is the only game since WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth to allow divas to be played in all match types.
• Unlike the last WWE Raw game, This is the third WWE game that allowed players to edit their favorite superstars attire, moves & entrance. The forth game to feature this mode was WWE Day of Reckoning 2.
• This game is the only game in both The Raw and Smackdown Series where the whole roster is always unlocked.
• The maximum number of people in a royal rumble is 4 in the ring at a time but the max entries is 96.
• The reason Jeff Hardy was not in the game was because he was in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling at the time
• This Game was the first to have a Money in the bank Match type Concept, A match that came out in 2005 Despite being called a armageddon Ladder match.

Reception

The game was considered a vast improvement from the last title. However, critics gave it generally negative reviews (though major gaming site IGN gave it a 9.1) for flaws still present from the previous game, such as the dysfunctional AI.

External links

• Template:GameFAQs
• WWE Raw 2 at MobyGames