Need for Speed Underground 2 Review

Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PC

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Canada

ESRB Rating: E

Players: 1-2 + Online

Need for Speed Underground 2

When Need for Speed Underground hit shelves in November 2003, it shifted the franchise from Ferrari supercars to the tricked-out import scene. Instead of drooling over a Porsche 911, gamers were treated to souped-up Civics and sticker-clad Skylines. In Need for Speed Underground 2, EA (Electronic Arts) takes a good thing and makes it better, with more cars, more tracks, and a Grand Theft Auto-like freedom.

Feel the Speed

Hit the streets to run a Circuit, drag race the quarter mile, or beat out your opponents in the Sprint event. Whatever the case, there is a reason why the word “speed” is right there in the title. EA Canada has done a terrific job of recreating the white knuckle feel of high stakes street racing. Don’t try this at home kids, unless you have Need for Speed Underground 2.

Pump up the Jam

Like the first incarnation of the Underground series, the sequel also went out to grab “real” artists for some “real” music. However, whereas Underground the first featured such artists as Lil Jon telling us to “Get Low”, Underground 2’s soundtrack takes on a little more of a Rock spin. While you’re flying down the rainy streets at breakneck speed, you can bob your head to Mudvayne, Queens of the Stone Age, and Unwritten Law.

Cool Cars and Customization

Of course, the single most appealing thing about Need for Speed Underground 2 are the cool cars and the ability to customize both performance and cosmetics. Throw on a Mugen-lookalike body kit, Volks rims, a carbon fibre hood, and a giant aluminium wing--the choice is yours. Domestic and SUV enthusiasts can even get in on the action, with the inclusion of such vehicles as the Cadillac Escalade and Ford Mustang. Custom tune your ride on the dyno, from sway bar stiffness to horsepower curves.

A Brave New World

A departure from the more linear format of the first NFSU, this second rendition allows gamers to explore a huge fictional city, complete with suburbia atop a hill, a casino district, the slums by the train tracks, and much much more. This is perhaps both the game’s greatest strength and greatest weakness. It is very fun driving around town, looking for a new performance shop or a new racer to challenge, but the city is actually too big and too complex for its own good. Highways, overpasses, and bridges get too confusing at times, and it’s quite easy to get lost.

The Verdict

The graphics are amazing, the sound is fantastic, and the intangible “feel” of the game is superb. You’ll have hours of fun taking your little Dodge Neon econobox and transforming into a beast of a vehicle. If you expect to reap all the fun factor out of this game, however, expect to put in the hours. It can get repetitive at times, but overall, Need for Speed Underground 2 is a fantastically designed and incredibly deep game.

Rating: 8.5/10