I hated The Fast and the Furious, but I love Midnight Club 2. The game's execution, soundtrack, and gentle learning curve all combine to create one of the finest racing games to grace any console. It's the Gran Turismo 3 for those of us who can't tell an alternator from a Twinkie.
One of the best things about Midnight Club 2 is how it is so simplistic to pick up and play, but gets progressively harder after that. In the beginning, you'll only be working with steering, gas, brake, and handbrake, but by the time you are a fourth of the way through the career mode, things like nitro, drafting, weight transfer, and wheelies will have become second nature. The game also showcases one of the most exhilarating senses of speed I have ever seen in a racing game. Five minutes on a motorcycle, and you'll know what I'm talking about. Spot on control helps keep the game immensely enjoyable, even after you lose a race for the 20th time because you choked on the final turn. Upgrading is a cinch – your cars/bikes are the upgrades, no tuning required. A welcome change, in my opinion.
Midnight Club 2 looks just as good as it handles. Blasting through the neon-filled city streets, lights reflect off your vehicle with a very natural look, and the environments themselves are extremely well designed, with clever shortcuts for those willing to do the trial-and-error required to find them. It's more about reflexes than staying on the track in street racing, and Midnight Club 2's expansive cities reflect this perfectly – you never feel like you are on an artificial "track" or "course," but rather, you always have the impression you are racing in a living, breathing metropolis.
The sole chip in Midnight's paint job may very well be the sound work. While the techno/rap soundtrack fits right in, the only people who will enjoy the ridiculous voice-overs will be those who thought that Fast and the Furious had Oscar-worthy dialogue. Rockstar has proven that they can create games with a superb script, so why does Midnight Club 2 reduce itself to things like a 400-pound poser that screams "yo" in your ear every 3 words?
However, this minor flaw shouldn't keep you from picking up the game, as the voice volume can be turned off. Between the great single player and solid online component – though few people seem to be playing – Midnight Club 2 is an evolution of what an "arcade" racing title has traditionally been.
-George
Company Line
The world's most notorious drivers meet each night on the streets of LA, Paris, and Tokyo. Choose from the latest performance enhanced cars and bikes and compete head-to-head to make a name for yourself. There are no rules. Drive anywhere in the city. Find the fastest route to win. The cops know you are out there - don't get caught.
The future of illegal street racing.
Join Rockstar's first foray into online console gaming - challenge the world and earn your rightful membership in the Midnight Club.
The original non-linear street racing videogame experience is now also the pioneering online multiplayer game of its breed. For the first time, race high-performance cars and bikes against competitors from across the globe through completely open cities.
The unparalleled speed, adrenaline and style of Midnight Club 2 comes to Xbox Live with 5 unique multiplayer game modes. Connect and battle the world's best in any of the Career Races or Circuit Races, or use the Race Editor to create your own track with the fastest and most open racing ever. Or burn opponents in any of the Battle Modes like Detonator and Capture the Flag.
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