Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now
Description official descriptions
Carmageddon II is essentially more of the same. Whether this is a good or bad thing pretty much depends on how you liked the first.
In case you need to be told, this game sends the politically-correct-o-meter flying towards absolute zero, perhaps only beaten by Duke Nukem 3D. The framework is a futuristic race inspired by Deathrace 2000 and The Cars That Ate Paris: The contestants, in sport cars, monster trucks, and other motorized abominations, are placed on a track, a real populated area. Getting to the finish line first is secondary, and in fact seldom happens; the real winner is the one to trash everyone else, running over pedestrians on the way for extra profit.
Groups +
- 3D Engine: BRender
- BPjS / BPjM indexed games
- Carmageddon series
- Drivable Vehicle: Forklift
- Drivable Vehicle: Monster Truck
- Genre: Car / motorcycle combat
- Genre: Truck racing / driving
- Setting: Destroyer / Cruiser / Carrier
- Setting: Ship / Boat
- Theme: Future sports / Brutal sports
- Theme: Zombies
- White Label releases
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Credits (Windows version)
111 People (104 developers, 7 thanks) · View all
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[ full credits ] |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 71% (based on 38 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.4 out of 5 (based on 110 ratings with 7 reviews)
The Good
Carmageddon II is essentially more of the same. This is a good thing. There's an updated 3D engine (now sprite-free and Direct3D accelerated), little things have been added and taken away, and there's a new structure to the races. The physics and car control-and-feel are even more brilliant, allowing you to bounce, spin, skid, do wheelies... it really does feel like a real car, even when you're driving outlandish monster trucks.
The environment has improved a lot since the original, with windows and fences that break, loads of objects that can be pushed around, objects that push you around, and the ability to get just about everywhere with a bit of creative driving. It really feels like these are real places you're trashing.
When paired with the circuit idea from the original, this makes it shine all the brighter; it still feels like there's half a race going on, so the action tends to if not follow, at least loosely hang around the checkpoints and the paths in between. In this way, the full subtlety of the settings comes out as you discover new things when you return to the same setting with a different track layout later on. It's almost enough to make you feel more like driving around checking out the scenery than driving into, over and through the motorists and pedestrians on the way. But only almost.
The fact that everything is 3D, including the pedestrians, does shift the focus of play some; for one, there's less of a splatter factor when ramming at high speed. On the other hand, dismemberment is now possible, and there are additional bonuses for sadistic games such as playing with your victims and sending them flying, not to mention some extremely fun power-up combinations; need I say more than "suicidal turbo pedestrians?"
Damage to cars is a lot more detailed; fun in particular when you get your opponents to the point where only two of their wheels touch the ground, confining them to running helplessly in circles.
The Bad
Towards the end, however, it wears thin. Because of the grouped-track layout, you can get stuck on a particular set of tracks when there's a difficult mission, and there's nothing to stop you from building up for as long as you like before you progress. Since your opponents don't improve the way you do, this makes for some rather easy races.
In the beginning, it's way too easy to get yourself split in half by driving into the side of a building, and for the last third of the game, most of the vehicles are truck-types(trailers, buses, even a plane), which sort of takes the fun out of it. The trucks are really just slow and unwieldy once the power rush fades, and then you're stuck driving them since the only thing likely to take out a truck is another truck.
Carm2's realistic car control might be the biggest argument against it; after all, if it feels so much like a real car, couldn't you wind up ramming pedestrians or taking out motorists in real life?
I played both this and the original within one year, and I can't say it changed my driving habits any. It did, however, make me a more nervous pedestrian; after all, a line of cars waiting at the red light by a pedestrian crossing look very similar to the pack of cars waiting for the start signal while pedestrians walk by, blissfully oblivious.
No way would I play this game with a driving wheel and gas/brake pedal controller, however. You really don't want this closer to the mood of being behind a real driving wheel.
The Bottom Line
Lots more fun for homicidal lunatics everywhere.
Windows · by Ola Sverre Bauge (237) · 2000
The Good
Nopes, not a thing.
The Bad
Same gameplay, worse controls and even more horrid graphics than the original Carmageddon. This game makes me want to puke.
The Bottom Line
Cliché premise, bad graphics, terribly slow engine and crappy all-around game. What more can you ask for?
Windows · by Tomer Gabel (4538) · 2000
The Good
Compared to the original, this game is very similar. The single player game is still crap, although a few new touches offer limited gameplay - maybe an evenings worth.
The network game is also similar to the original, with the inclusion of the rather entertaining Curse of the Vampire game. Also some of the weapons (especially the Repulsificator) are fun.
And that's about it.
The Bad
The graphics look better, but in an attempt to look more "real" they don't quite work - the sounds are still poor - the car's handling is still awful, as are the game physics - there is no sensation of speed (what looks like 50mph is actually 200mph) - the cars have this annoying habit of breaking in half if you hit something at the wrong angle...
At the end of the day, it has all the failings of the original, but it's just not as much fun. Plus the tracks are really crap. Horrible races like the aircraft carrirt and the underground mines are a real pain to play.
The Bottom Line
Got the original - don't bother getting this. Haven't got the original - get it, it's better than this. Here's hoping Carmageddon 3 gets it right.
Windows · by Steve Hall (329) · 2000
Trivia
1001 Video Games
Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Argentina
The administration of Buenos Aires, Argentina tried to ban this game in 1999. They didn't succeed.
German version
The US version is banned in Germany for excessive violence against the innocent (30.10.99). The German version is censored - it has robots instead of humans.
References to the game
Stainless is thanked for Carmageddon 2in the readme for Grim Fandango.
Soundtrack
The Music in Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now is played by the band Iron Maiden.
UK version
The UK version has zombies instead of pedestrians and green blood.
Information also contributed by David Moron, Emepol and phlux
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Related Sites +
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Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now
Official Site - SCI -
IGCD Internet Game Cars Database
Game page on IGCD, a database that tries to archive vehicles found in video games.
Identifiers +
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Chris Martin.
Nintendo 64 added by Kartanym. Macintosh added by Scaryfun.
Additional contributors: Ola Sverre Bauge, Attila, Corn Popper, tarmo888, Patrick Bregger, Victor Vance, FatherJack.
Game added April 26, 2000. Last modified February 17, 2024.