Tuning the Racing Genre

Is actual racing taking a back seat in racing games? If you consider titles such as Burnout 3 and the recently released Need for Speed Underground 2, a case could be made. Story modes, insane levels of car tuning and customization, points-earning pile-ups, even driving for babes are all examples of features found in the current crop of arcade and street-racing games. It seems like, in some cases, these extras--meant to enhance the overall experience of the game--take precedence to actually driving the cars.

On the other hand, simply driving for driving's sake--as you may find yourself doing in NFSU2 to get from one racing event to the next--can be an exercise in time-wasting frustration. The best arcade racing games find a balance between plentiful game modes and features, and a compelling driving model. When done right, both aspects of a racing title keep you coming back for more.

What do you think? Is NFSU 2's open-ended approach a successful evolution for the series?