Try The New Soul of Need For Speed: NFSU2 Review

Posted by Talha Nasir 15 July, 2008

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There are several types of races in Need for Speed U2 aka NFSU2, and they do a great job of keeping the game feeling fresh and fun. Drag races entertain usÂ in a big way and they nowÂ require precision shifting and strategic use ofÂ boost as you tear down a long straight while avoiding obstacles along the way. Circuit and sprint races take place out on the city streets. Street X races are on closed tracks full of hairpin turns and right angles and precision driving is the key to victory. Drift races also take place on closed courses, but the object here is to drive with style and try to get your car as sideways as possible while going through a corner. Last but not least are the URL races. The Underground Racing League is the legitimate face of street racing and these races take place on racetracks that would fit right in in the next Gran Turismo or Fortza Motorsport. All of these different race types all feel very different from one another (well, maybe not the circuit and sprint races) and give you enough variety that the game doesnâ€™t ever feel repetitive. Not all of them are super fun at the beginning, but eventually you will build a car that can easily win races and at that point everything in the game becomes a whole lot of fun
The graphics are the most obvious improvement. We only can describe them as truly awesome, even on lower settings. Lights on the bridge sparkle in the night sky, and mannequins in store windows catch your eye as you blaze past. Little things, such as pumping your hydraulics and bouncing down the avenue, make the experience even more fun. Racing is arcade style (it’s awfully hard to destroy your car) and easy to learn, yet power drifting is an acquired skill that keeps the learning curve gradual, but long. The only knocks on this top-notch driving game are the ubiquitous product placements (a Cingular messaging system?), high system requirements, and large download size. Considering the depth and quality of Need for Speed Underground 2, though, most gamers can forgive those details.