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WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role

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WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role
North American cover art featuring Chris Jericho, The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker[a]
Developer(s)Yuke's
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Toshihiko Kitazawa
Producer(s)Norifumi Hara
Designer(s)Toshihiko Kitazawa
Artist(s)Taku Chihaya
SeriesSmackDown!
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: November 20, 2000[2]
  • EU: December 1, 2000[1]
  • JP: January 25, 2001
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 2 (エキサイティングプロレス2, Ekisaitingu Puro Resu 2), is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's released in November 2000 on the PlayStation by THQ. It is the sequel to WWF SmackDown!, and the second game in the SmackDown series, itself based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) professional wrestling promotion.

Know Your Role achieved commercial success, becoming the best-selling combat sports game on a single format (PlayStation) with 3.2 million units sold.[3] The game was succeeded by WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It in November 2001.

Gameplay

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The Season Mode was heavily modified in this game. Along with removing the pre-season mode that was included in the original, Know Your Role gave more storylines and more matches per show. These changes were given a mixed reaction by fans and critics alike. Wrestlers, wrestling moves, and arenas are unlocked as the player progresses through a season. The Season Mode has multiplayer support, with up to four players playing at once in a Season. Wrestlers such as Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Billy Gunn, Mick Foley (including Cactus Jack) and Debra are unlockable characters.

This is also Michael Cole's second appearance as an unlockable character, with his first appearance being in WWF No Mercy. This would be Cole's last appearance as a playable character until WWE '12, where he was included as DLC.

Big Show and Ken Shamrock were initially playable in the game, but they were both removed before release. Big Show had been removed from the promotion's main roster and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling, while Shamrock left professional wrestling to return to mixed martial arts competition. Despite this, both characters have been known to randomly appear during a Royal Rumble match (which the player can take control of) and can be used in other modes via a GameShark code, although their names and select screen images were removed.

WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role was the first game in the SmackDown series which introduced the advanced Create-A-Superstar, allowing the player to create a character in greater detail as opposed to just choosing preset mix-and-match templates like the previous game. A unique feature was also included in which players are allowed to assign managers such as Paul Bearer and Tori to different superstars. In addition, more features were added such as Create-A-Moveset, Create-A-Taunt, and Create-A-Stable which allowed up to 4 members.

Reception

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The game received "universal acclaim" according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[4] Daniel Erickson of NextGen commended tons of options and multiplayer matches, but was critical to the game's Story mode.[13] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 30 out of 40.[8]

Star Dingo of GamePro praised the selection of wrestlers, matches and new options in the game, such as Anywhere Fall mode, but considered Season mode "tiresome".[17][c] In another GamePro review, Lamchop commended gameplay, controls, and graphics, but was critical to the Story mode and noted the lack of commentary and wrestler voices. The reviewer called it the best wrestling title for the PlayStation.[18][d]

The game received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[19] indicating sales of at least 300,000 units in the UK.[20]

The game was nominated for the "Best Sports Game (Alternative)" award at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, which went to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.[21] It was also a runner-up for the "Best Extreme Sports Game" and "Best Multiplayer Game" awards at the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2000 Editors' Awards, both of which went to SSX and TimeSplitters.[22][23] The game won the award for Action in Readers' Choice at IGN's Best of 2000 Awards.[24]

After the company changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment in May 2002 due to trademark issues, some later reprints of the game (part of Greatest Hits in North America, PlayStation Platinum in Europe, and PSOne Books in Japan) were modified to include the WWE branding on the cover and disc labels, although the in-game branding remain unchanged.[25]

Notes

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  1. ^ The PAL-region cover art retains The Rock and Triple H, but they are featured in different poses. Chyna is also featured on the cover with Triple H.
  2. ^ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 9/10, and the other gave it 8.5/10.
  3. ^ GamePro gave the game two 4.5/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, and two 4/5 scores for sound and control in one review.
  4. ^ GamePro gave the game 5/5 for graphics, 3/5 for sound, 4/5 for control, and 4.5/5 for fun factor in another review.

References

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  1. ^ "CTW Game Guide". Computer Trade Weekly. No. 818. United Kingdom. December 1, 2000. p. 32.
  2. ^ IGN staff (November 20, 2000). "THQ Ships WWF Smackdown2: [sic] Know Your Role". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  3. ^ "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2015 (Page 14)". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  5. ^ Rector, Brett (December 12, 2000). "WWF SmackDown 2: Know Your Role". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on January 27, 2001. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  6. ^ Zuniga, Todd; Sewart, Greg; Mielke, James "Milkman" (January 2001). "WWF SmackDown! 2 [Know Your Role]". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 138. Ziff Davis. p. 204. Archived from the original on January 29, 2001. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  7. ^ Steinberg, Scott (January 25, 2001). "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on August 19, 2002. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "プレイステーション - エキサイティングプロレス2". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. June 30, 2006. p. 25. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  9. ^ Reiner, Andrew (December 2000). "WWF SmackDown 2: Know Your Role". Game Informer. No. 92. FuncoLand. pp. 104–5. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  10. ^ Nash, Joe (December 2000). "WWF Smackdown 2 [sic]: Know Your Role Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  11. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 17, 2000). "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  12. ^ Smith, David (November 22, 2000). "WWF Smackdown 2!: [sic] Know Your Role". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Erickson, Daniel (February 2001). "WWF Smackdown 2 [sic]: Know Your Role". NextGen. No. 74. Imagine Media. p. 81. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  14. ^ Zuniga, Todd (January 2001). "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 40. Ziff Davis. pp. 140–41. Archived from the original on January 28, 2001. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Shkloven, Emmett (January 12, 2001). "WWF Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role". Extended Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  16. ^ Saltzman, Marc (December 26, 2000). "The Rock, WWF friends return in Smackdown 2". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  17. ^ Star Dingo (November 22, 2000). "WWF Smackdown! 2 - Know Your Role Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG. Archived from the original on November 19, 2004. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Lamchop (January 2001). "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role" (PDF). GamePro. No. 148. IDG. p. 82. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009.
  20. ^ Caoili, Eric (November 26, 2008). "ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  21. ^ GameSpot staff (January 5, 2001). "Best and Worst of 2000 (Best Sports Game (Alternative) Runners-Up)". GameSpot. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 22, 2001. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  22. ^ OPM staff (April 2001). "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2000 Editors' Awards (Best Multiplayer Game)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 43. Ziff Davis. p. 32. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  23. ^ OPM staff (April 2001). "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 2000 Editors' Awards (Best Extreme Sports Game)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 43. Ziff Davis. p. 34. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  24. ^ IGN staff (January 30, 2001). "PSX Best of 2000: Action". IGN. Snowball.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  25. ^ "WWF Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role". PlayStation Library. game-rave.com. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
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