August 10th, 2011
By EnYcE

Developer: EA Black Box
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Racing
Players: 2 Offline
Online: Yes (Including Xbox Live)
Release: November 2011
ESRB: T

With the success of last year’s Need For Speed: Underground, it comes to no surprise that Electronic Arts has a sequel in the works. NFS: Underground was a huge turning point in the Need For Speed series and the entire racing genre. The usual NFS titles consisted of the normal arcade racer characteristics such as racing through the streets and running from cops. NFS: Underground broke that barrier and brought a true street racing simulator to the gaming industry. You were allowed to customize your car beyond way beyond the usual extent by being able to apply decals, tints, street glow, and more.

What more can EA deliver to gamers with the sequel? Apparently a lot, with no exaggeration. Sure, we were able to customize our cars in NFS: Underground visually but the game fell short when it came to engine modifications. In NFSU2, however, the sequel will pick up where it fell short - you will now be able to purchase hundreds of licensed parts and adjust many fine aspects of your ride such as gear ratio and suspension. Casual racing fans need not worry, for the game explains all the upgrades in lamest turns, words that we can actually understand.

Engine tweaks aren't the only upgrades being offered; there are also a variety of new visual upgrades (like we needed more!). NFS: Underground 2 will now feature scissor door's and audio upgrades. That’s right, audio upgrades! You will now be able to place speakers in your trunk. We are not sure if this enhances the music in anyway but there is a possibility of new music songs being unlocked if you upgrade your audio system.

Another huge complaint with NFS: Underground was the availability of vehicles; there were only a few cars, less than 20. EA has promised to fix that with NFS: Underground 2 offering over 30 licensed cars. We don't have an official car list yet but the preview will be updated once we do.

The overall gameplay of NFS: Underground 2 has been changed from its predecessor. You freely roam about large cities which will contain racers that are scattered across the map. These street-racers will trigger events and allow you to advance further through the game. Also in the cities are shops where you can purchase after-market parts which are used to upgrade your car. Racing challenges are now sent to you on your phone. With your phone you will also be alerted of changes in the area.

We haven't gotten much info about the new game modes but one new feature has been confirmed. The Outrun mode players must try to match speed with your opponent in order to keep up with his car. A cash reward will be granted to you if you win. Nothing has been revealed about the online gameplay yet but we do know that this time around it will be Xbox Live compatible. Hopefully there will be people online this time, unlike in the last game where it was a challenge just to find someone to race.

The graphics have somewhat been enhanced; There are now real time weather effects that initiate a variety of changes throughout the maps.

With all this being said, you should already be hyped about Need For Speed: Underground 2. Plenty of changes and new features are being implemented by Electronic Arts in order to bring the tuner culture to the gaming world. Hardcore racing fans will be pleased with the improvements but the average Joe Schmo will also be able to play with ease. If you are a racing fan, don't miss out! Need For Speed Underground: 2 has been slated for a November 2011 release and will be available for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, and PC.