WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role

'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), 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. The game was succeeded by WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It in November 2001.

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

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". 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.

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

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. 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. The game won the award for Action in Readers' Choice at IGN's Best of 2000 Awards.