Xbox

Need for Speed Underground 2

Let's face it, no matter how hokey some of those pimped-out cars look, you're still fascinated with the tuner culture. While the first Underground unquestionably appealed to that fascination, EA's nod to supped-up autos this year is a grand presentation of untamed horsepower, which successfully turns your fascination into an addiction.

Overshadowed by the big three sequels this fall -- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2 -- the world's best selling game in 2003 really isn't something that should be ignored. Electronic Arts' Need for Speed Underground 2 is a huge makeover, improving on every aspect of last year's version by building an impressive level of depth in every facet of play.

Overall, this game is great. Everything from the first game has been improved and more importantly everything is more fun to play. The city may be a little too large for its own good, but using the "World Map" feature can solve even that problem. Improved AI makes almost every race exciting and there's enough modifications available to keep you busy for months. If you're into cars at all, this is a must buy.

To begin, let me be frank for a moment. The competition in the racing genre is vicious this season. Gran Turismo 4 is scheduled to hit retailers in just under a month while the latest in EA's recently acquired Burnout series is garnering both critical acclaim and commercial success. Yes, the competition is even brutal when looking simply at arcade racers; Outrun 2's polished presentation, perfect controls, and numerous minigames make it a winner while new entries in the Ridge Racer series are headed to both the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP.

Es ist wieder einmal soweit, EA hat einen neuen Teil der Need for Speed Serie veröffentlicht! Auch dieses mal wieder seit ihr im 'Untergrund' unterwegs- Nur dieses Mal mit mehr Action, Story, Autos und Tuning! Also, lest den Test!

Need for Speed ist ein Mythos – bereits in den 90er Jahren fesselte dieses Arcade-Rennspiel die Fans, diese Begeisterung hat bis heute angehalten. Erst vor ungefähr einem Jahr überraschte Need for Speed Underground mit ungewöhnlicher Hintergrundstory und neuen Spielelementen im Genre der Rennspiele, hohe Verkaufszahlen waren die Folge. Den Erfolg des ersten Teils möchte man auch heuer fortsetzen und schickt Need for Speed Underground 2 ins illegale Straßenrennen. Ob sich der Titel gegen die Konkurrenz durchsetzen kann, erfährt ihr in unserem Review.

Need for Speed Underground 2 builds on its predecessor in more ways than it might have had to. After all, the first one arguably featured no more racing options than Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 (it had more race formats, but fewer choices when progressing through them), and it currently sits on the throne as EA's best-selling game of all time. A quickie sequel without much evolution in options and presentation could have been expected to still do pretty well.

What's with all of this head-banging bull[expletive]? I turned the music all the way down. Why can't EA allow you to change stations on the fly like the Grand Theft Auto games? Also, an auto-save feature is badly needed. You can only save after a win, and there are too many annoying prompts. Finally, it took me a while to realize that the steering controls in the drag races are completely different from the rest of the game - be aware of that. Despite these relatively minor flaws, Underground 2 provides the best night driving action I've ever experienced in a video game, and it's a game I enjoy playing almost every weekend. Check it out.

All in all, I enjoyed Need for Speed Unerground 2. Excellent customization options, solid racing controls, and the first two hours of exploration mode were the high points. It had some problems too in product placement, lack of car damage, and contrived dialog. Overall, the good far outweighed the bad. For me, it hasn’t dethroned Gran Turismo 3 A Spec, but it’s the best street racing game I’ve played. If you are a fan of NFSU, or street racing games in general I implore you to pick this title up.

Driving games have changed over the years and it's not just about your skill behind the wheel anymore, it's about the whole package. You need to look the part as well as drive it. Need for Speed Underground 2 boasts more cosmetic upgrades, more challenges and more driving. this is a good thing. There is a wide selection of cars and newly added SUV's to choose from along with a hefty amount of tracks and race types. Need for Speed Underground 2 won't disappoint any driving enthusiast with its nitro fueled racing action.

Etonnant, immersif et parfois jouissif, NFSU 2 supprime la majeure partie des défauts de son grand-frère, et se pose comme l'un des titres de course arcade les plus intéressants. Malgré tout, on peut émettre des doutes quant à son degré de rénovation au gré même des parties. Le risque de redondance est bien présent, et il ne suffira que de peu pour faire surgir une lassitude conséquente. De plus, bien que très complet, il n'apporte pas vraiment suffisamment d'innovations pour contenter complètement, et se laisse parfois prendre par des défauts évitables. Mais au final, il emportera les fans aux anges, et il fera découvrir aux novices les bon côtés de l'arcade. Pas indispensable, mais aux atours enchanteurs.

The underground racing scene works in mysterious ways. One minute, you’re cruising around town as carefree as can be, and the next you’re screeching at a stop sign, slamming on the gas and careening around at twice the legal speed limit. It’s fast, it’s sudden and it serves up the adrenaline that many racers out there live for.

Last year, EA took its long-running Need for Speed series in an exciting new direction with the release of Need for Speed Underground, a racing game that focused on making the import tuner scene the star of its arcade-style racing show. The game worked really well, combining the right level of car customization with good track design, challenging opponents, and impressive graphical effects. Now, one year later, a sequel is on the streets, adding some new race types and a big, open city to cruise around. The actual racing in Need for Speed Underground 2 is still pretty good, but unfortunately most of the stuff you do in between races keeps you away from the game's best moments.