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Need for Speed Underground Review for PlayStation 2 (PS2)
Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 @ 08:11:36 pm E.S.TThe high-speed Hollywood rendition of illegal street racing, portrayed in such movies as The Fast and the Furious, meets the well-aging Need For Speed series in Need For Speed: Underground. The question is whether the new street racing spin will ride its way to the checkered flag, or bottom out before reaching the finish line.
Reinvention has been the key element in the Need For Speed series, making big changes in the main elements of the series to keep the games fresh. EA definitely delivers the goods this time around, getting rid of the classic ditching the fuzz in exchange for the hotter than ever late-night street racing flavor of car racing. It's not as if this path hasn't been driven down before, as Rockstar's Midnight Club series blazed the trail for games like this. However, no game on the market comes close to the experience of hitting the gas and attempting to best your rivals to build a reputation like Underground does. The sense of speed when you're riding through the streets is conveyed perfectly, thanks to a perfect blend of camera shaking and motion blur. It's as if you're driving through a neon-lighted fantasy world at over 100 miles per hour.
Black Box Games did an excellent job of developing the AI in the game, as the CPU isn't as cheap as what can be found in many other racing games currently on the market. The AI actually makes common errors, just like those that human players could make. You'll see your competitors run head-on into traffic just as you could if you offshoot the distance between you and the car ahead of you, which is a great thing to see in games nowadays.
Of course there is the main focus of street racing - upgrading your ride to look as flashy as possible, while still being able to perform better than any of your competitors. However, it seems that customizing your beauty just doesn't live up to its expectations. You make some hefty cash throughout the story mode, but the problem is you can't buy certain things. You won't even be able to buy slight cosmetic additions such as tinted windows until you advance far enough through the game. This may have been implemented as an incentive to fully beat the game, but in all honesty it proves to be pesky rather than inspiring. Also, if you're looking to put the term "tuner" to its literal use, by setting gear ratios and traction among other things, expect to be let down. There is absolutely no ability to make any changes to this. All in all, a small disappointment for a game that easily could've done much better in customization. Maybe it should look at the other recent "Underground" game, Tony Hawk's Underground.
You'll trick out cars like this while playing Underground...
Graphically, Underground is one of the most stunning games available for PlayStation 2. Every building along the sidewalks seems to be the work of a digital architect. Each pixel, from the foundation to the ceiling of the top floor, is simply jaw dropping. This doesn't stop with the car models either, as each vehicle is crafted to look just as its real life component does. Lighting effects are also pristine, as every single bit of light shines off of the cars fluidly. Simply put, this game is a visual form of shock and awe.
A few vital things to every racing game are the physics of car motion and handling. Surprisingly, the handling in this game isn't all too realistic, but proves to be as much fun as it could possibly be. Dropping realism in exchange for an arcade-like experience rarely goes over well with players, but Underground proves that there is most definitely an exception to every rule.
Track design in this game isn't really as spectacular as in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (Underground's police-ditching older brother), which is a huge let down for fans of the series. Many of the different track layouts are recycled throughout the course of the game, which proves to be a bit boring and repetitive after playing this game many hours. A very large and very wet city atmosphere is nice to stare at and run through for a while, but eventually gets tiring.
Multiplayer support isn't as solid as it could've been, as only 2 players are supported (unless you opt to go online). Another large letdown is the fact that you can't carry your memory card over to a friend's game and expect to flaunt your ride, because the main player's profile is the only group that multiplayer users can choose from.
...and drive some of the less 'speedy' cars, like this.
One large benefit that the PlayStation 2 version of Underground has over the GameCube and Xbox versions is online play. Competing against up to three other racers at once has never been such a blast. Also, making that essential tweak to your four-wheeled beauty could prove the difference between victory and defeat, and can definitely give your credibility a tough hit. Keep in mind that dial-up users are out of luck, as Underground is only online for broadband users.
EA Trax never ceases to amaze, as its growing list of artists signing on to get in on game soundtracks continues to expand. It seems like everyone’s here, from rappers like Petey Pablo (who provides an exclusive track for the game's opening track) and Lil' Jon to punk rockers Rancid. Even techno gurus like The Crystal Method are signed onto Underground's list of artists you can listen to while hitting the streets. Although it may not perfectly match the street racing feel that Underground attempts to reach, at least there's something for anyone. Sound effects are also stunning. The game's developers went into the garage and recorded sounds from actual cars in order to get the expansive amount of effects. The sounds of metal screeching and grinding in a crash, to the squealing of tires when you burn out are all amazing. Hook it up to a Surround Sound system and you'll be in audiophile heaven.
All in all Need for Speed: Underground is a fantastic title that has all the room in the world to expand on. Surely there are some minor faults, but there is no reason that you shouldn't be grabbing this one, even if you're not all that into street racing. If you like racing games at all, be sure to pick this one up today. Review By: Matt Hack - 34087 Reads
Need for Speed Underground Review Scores for PS2 :
| Gameplay |
| 8.5 |
| Graphics |
| 9.5 |
| Sound |
| 9 |
| Replay |
| 8.5 |
| Overall |
| 8.9 |
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