If you like NEED for SPEED Underground you will hate this game. I bought this piece of crap after playing NFS underground, which is a great game. Being a fan of the first NFS on PSX (with that magic Viper roar!), and being disappointed with the several sequels after that, my appetite for NFS: HP2 was whet by the raving reviews for it. Now I must admit I'm lured into this waste of money ... this game is utter rubbish. It is all about graphics, and yes they are very good and fast, but ... the handling of the cars is horrible, not even a faint hint of realism ... the best tactic for winning races (easily) is pedal-to-the-metal all the time and at some vague moments, push left or right. There's no real excitement in it, because there is nothing to master, like I only found true in the very first NFS on PSX (or indeed in other racing games). What's with the stupid short cuts, which all the drivers except you, seem to know all the time? If you do take one, they can get confusing, and really seem to be of no big benefit. The engine sounds are pathetic; they have degraded from version to version (I still shudder from that Viper sound in NFS1!) and are now faint electronic sounding whines. The cars are just not that distinct. Yes in make they are, but not in real detail value, Ie.. speed and handling. Oh, and don't get me started about the helicopters dropping bombs ... what a joke! All it takes is about 2 times around to understand how to dodge the stupid things~!!!! I don't usually bash a game like this but I found it very disappointing; this game is all about looks, and it has loads of them, but it is not essential for a racing game, because you won't notice at high speeds; I wasn't expecting CMRally-realism, but this is the other extreme.
Other Helpful Reviews for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
It started with the simple NFS games. Just you, your car, your opponents, and the track. Then, all of a sudden, you were running from the Police in Redrock Ridge with a roadblock ahead! Now, you're speeding down a cou... Read Full Review
Ok...so maybe this game is a few years outdated, but it is DEFINITELY worth trying out. There are plenty of cars to drive, although some may be hard to get to unlock. Is that a good thing? Some yes, some no. If you j... Read Full Review
