If you played the first version, expect the same graphics in the all-new WWF Smackdown! 2. THQ does another great job of being able to define everything in the game from wrestler models to weapons and backgrounds. Each superstar has physical characteristics that decipher between each other, whether it be ring attire, body types, or facial features. You really should have no problem trying to figure out who is Rikishi and who is The Rock (I'll give you a hint... Rikishi weighs over four hundred pounds). Plus, there are a ton of new backstage areas that you can wrestle in like the VIP room, the parking lot, the superstar's dressing rooms, the Smackdown! entrance, even WWF New York. Each backstage area is completely detailed, making each fight that much more exciting. Even the different style of matches such as the Casket Match or the Table-Ladder-Chair Match... every single weapon is defined and detailed to the point so that you can tell it is important, but it doesn't take away from the game.

I complained about it last year, and I'm going to complain about it again: where is the commentary to fulfill my dream of a perfect PlayStation WWF game? That, and a little trash talking audio instead of the damn Text Bubbles, and this would be one of The Most Electrifying Games in the Video Game Market today. Instead, WWF Smackdown! 2 delivers a decent punch that leaves you wanting more (as in commentary). Otherwise, theme songs are there to match your favorite wrestler. But again, no commentary provided.

Each year THQ has done an even better job of bringing the #1 wrestling program to the PlayStation. WWF Smackdown! 2 is the closest thing to the real life drama that is truly possible now. I'm speaking, of course, about the 50 different wrestlers ready to crash the ring in over 20 different match styles. Examples being the TLC match, Casket, Hell in a Cell, Iron Man, Slobberknocker, Fatal Four-Way, and many, many more. However, the new matches aren't the only things to watch for. The amount of different Stables that you can mix and match with is just another feature that makes this one of the best wrestling games out there. Much like the year before, the gameplay stems off previous THQ wrestling games, meaning the quality is great.

I could write a page itself on each match in WWF Smackdown! 2, but instead I'll just hit the main topics. You can play Exhibition matches, a Season, Create a Pay-Per-View, Create a Superstar, Create a Taunt and Create a Stable. The Exhibition matches allow you to play with any of the wrestlers in any type of match you can think of. With all the Creating options, make up a brand new PPV, taunting action, the newest Superstar to grace the WWF, and even a Stable that he/she can join, what more could you ask for? You can also edit up existing Superstars and Stables, meaning you can keep an up-to-date version of Smackdown! right on your PlayStation.

The Season is the real fun, where you can be any superstar, created or not, and work your way through the WWF by brawling in places like the ring, backstage, the VIP room and the parking lot for the WWF Belt. Get caught up with a Stable and you'll have friends watching your back, or go on your own if you're that daring. Much like last year, when you go through a Season for a while, you unlock certain wrestlers and other features too.

Of course, the levels of difficulty are Easy, Normal and Hard, but WWF Smackdown! 2 goes way beyond that. For instance, who you wrestle with plays a big role in determining an outcome, like if you face up against Kane, you probably will be more successful with another heavyweight instead of a little guy or woman. Also, Two-on-One Matches aren't any walks in the park. It all comes down to the different variables that go into every match.

Besides the lack of audio, the other big problem that kept WWF Smackdown! 2 from becoming The Great One was all the loading. I'm not talking about the loading time in between your match and the computer, I'm talking about the loading after every selection, match, etc. Also, when playing in the Career mode, you have to watch the power bars of the simulated matches so you can see how close the matches were. So after each match, you have to endure even more loading. Even worse, if you cut to a scene, it'll take even longer. Way too much loading kept me from falling COMPLETELY in love with this game.

The good in all of this is that for the second straight year, the controller configuration is as easy as 1, 2, and 3. Perform taunts, signature finishers, and even wrestling moves with the press of a button. There are no combinations needed to be learned, making your job that much easier. Finally, your memory card won't be completely filled up with three blocks used, especially since you can save basically everything possible whenever you want.

PS2: After changing the settings on my PlayStation 2 of Disc Speed to Fast and Texture Mapping to Smooth, I found that player models were definitely smoothed over. Each fighter lost that slight blocky feel, and had a more natural look with a smoothed over after effect. Loading wise, there still was too much time wasted there.

If you didn't pick up on it earlier, I really wanted commentary and less loading time. However, the number of new matches that have been added to WWF Smackdown! 2 is what kept me coming back for more, and it'll hopefully have the same effect on you. Enjoy!