I imagine that most of you reading up on Need for Speed Underground 2, will of either completed or at least played the original game from EA games. What's new? Is is the usual question when a sequel is released. Well firstly you will find that the arcade style racing is still about the same, this is not a racing simulator and you will find the physics are not exact, this is done on purpose for the game. Arcade style game such as this are designed for high octane fun and that's what you get of of this. The big difference in the sequel is that part in-between races when you customize your car and choose races to partake in. In Need for Speed Underground 2 you have to drive everywhere, literally. You have the full reign of a single city and within this city is everything you need. You will have to drive to the race meetings and various parts of the city in order to compete, plus you have to drive to the various shops if you require an upgrade to your car. The only real way to find everything is to cruise round the city when your not racing.

Good thing or not? That really is for you to decide, if you like a tad more realism then maybe that will go down very well with you. If on the other hand you like to be in race after race in quick succession then you may find the cruising round the city a little bit of a waste of time and may start to make the game drag just a little bit.

Graphically the game is a little bit split. The customizations on the licensed cars are great, they look good, they look cool, and you will have lots of fun playing with these (we all know you will be doing that to your car one day). However the graphics when racing are let down by the lack of damage modelling. This I suppose fits in with the arcade style racing game.

Game difficulty is fairly low on the grand scale of driving games. Although it may take a while to get to grips with the drafting and power sliding, once you know how to pull off these manoeuvres then you should be winning races most of the time. Still the fun level will be high even if the one player last ability may be slightly short. Fortunately Need for Speed Underground 2 is playable online so you can take your cars to the many other online street racers waiting to take you on.

(Click to Enlarge Screen shots - Screens from PS2 version)

Features

• Free-Roaming City: Explore a massive city divided into five distinct, interconnected neighbourhoods, ranging from serpentine suburban hills to an intense downtown grid. A complex series of drivable freeways connect the neighbourhoods together.
• Emergent Gameplay: Want to make a name for yourself in the underground? You'll need to find it first. Races can happen anywhere and at any time and as players encounter rivals on the street they'll be clued into where they can buy the hottest upgrades or enter the most elite events.
• New Gameplay Modes: Three new gameplay modes are added to last year's circuit, drift and drag competitions, challenging gamers to hone their skills in a number of driving disciplines.
• Performance Tuning: Tune every aspect of your car's performance with hundreds of licensed aftermarket performance upgrades and then fine-tune everything from the gear ratio to the suspension for the ultimate ride.
• The Hottest Cars: More than thirty of the most sought-after tuner cars are available from the hottest manufacturers - from Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, and Toyota to Ford and Volkswagen, if they're hot on the street, they're in the game.
• Visual Customization: With more than twice the visual customizations of last year's game, there are literally billions of car combinations available to gamers. Featuring audio upgrades, scissor doors, spoilers, headlights, side skirts, roof scoops, hoods, rims, wide body kits, neon and more, if you can trick it out in real life, you can trick it out in Need for Speed Underground 2.
• Environmental Variety: Each of the five distinct neighbourhoods in Need for Speed Underground 2 feature a unique look and feel, including varied driving conditions and track types. Road surfaces, real-time weather effects, and environmental hazards will keep gamers on their toes as they race from dusk till dawn.
• Online: Gamers can put their reputation on the line, challenging the world's best racers online for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system (An Internet connection, Network Adaptor and Memory Card for the PlayStation 2 are required for online game play.).

Need for Speed Underground 2 Cheats
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Buy Need for Speed Underground 2
	Platform Price Playstation 2 £29.99 PC CD-ROM £22.99 XBOX £19.96 Gamecube £19.96 (Price correct at time of publishing)
You May Also Want
	Need for Speed Underground 2 Official Strategy Guide Get the most out of your car with performance tuning and upgrades All style points unlocked Winning multiplayer and online strategies How to get maximum points on every track How to trick out your ride with thousands of combinations Tips to ensure the best racing dynamics and the fastest lines Bonus interviews with Brooke Burke and racing star Marc de Vellis

Games Zone - Action/Adventure - Driving/Racing - Sports - Strategy/Simulation