A 2021 Review of Need for Speed: Underground 2
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2024
- Today we're taking a look into NFS: Underground 2 and deciding whether or not it's worth playing in 2021 for new players, or people that haven't played since it's first release over 15 years ago. We'll go over game features, mods, and some franchise history in the video as we normally would with any new game review, who knew NFSU2 needed another review...16 years later.
Soundtrack link - first 6 songs are "menu" - others are for "racing"
• NFSU2 Playlist
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(soundtrack link to be added shortly) |
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Website: www.hokihoshi.com - Hry
I always “picked” a random building and pretended that was my house 😂 Man so glad I grew up with this game
THISSSSS >>>>>>
Same
Broooo frr😭
Why did you predict that you, me and my cousin have the same mind? This game, for me, is the best ever.
My favorite houses are in Jackson Heights.
Instead of driving Rachel's car straight back to her, you can also use it to do some street races before that. You will get several angry messages from her asking what takes you so long. When you finally arrive at the dealership you get an alternate scene
You actually get the same scene. She’s mad even if you deliver the car instantly.
I got it for ps2. About to start over and do JUST THAT lmao
When i seen the remastered trailer thats all i been excited about hoping it actually drops lol
@@elvishendrix676 It's nice of Black Box to forcefully bring us Rachel's 350Z, as otherwise she might have accepted the delivered car without any insurance money supplied.
Damaged car? The Player may as well deliver pizzas until they can afford even a Corolla GT-S of their own!
I felt so bad the first time I did that 🥺😄
I'm baffled at how modern devs still can't design a map as good as UG2 or MW05, not in terms of graphics of course but in terms of technicality, elevation, and just the vibe and personality of a city. These maps are so small yet 15-16 years later they are still so much fun to just drive around.
Black box really was a special studio. RIP.
Literally a Year Later they made Carbon which... That city had so many dead ends that it felt pointless driving around most places. Canyons were amazing though. Just goes to show you that UG2 and MW really struck gold with their design team. Honestly, the 2000s was peak for map design as a whole though. Most later options felt rather stagnate as a whole, including with many shooters.
@@scottjs5207 Carbon was a way better game than UG2. It was an improvement in every way including the city.
@derp derpin nothing about Carbon except graphics was better than NFSU2.
Worse customization, worse soundtrack, worse handling, and races had 0 challenge. Pick the shortcut teammate and you won every time, without even trying, cause you didn’t even need to get first, your teammate could and it counted as a win.
Carbon was the point at which NFS had a noticeable downgrade in quality. It was still alright, but not as good as MW or U2.
Because back the its was all about the game now its all about the money
That makes no sense. I would happily pay for a remake of UG2. But now the new NFS releases all suck and I won’t buy it, as many others would also agree.
This was the game that got me into tuner car culture, I used to spend hours customising my cars and now 17years later I work as a vehicle wrap designer doing the same thing, it’s crazy, I’ve got such good memories in that city
When I was a kid, this games graphics was like NFS heats back then
Everyone would say that for other games that came from these years like GTA Vice City in 2002 had graphics like GTA 5.
Yeah in my memory the graphics are amazing but they really aren’t 😆
@@itaintobeezy Honestly the game still looks great, the only problem are the textures
We’re you blinded by it’s majesty? Paralyzed? Dumbstruck?
@@HeroManNick132 naw vice city looked rough back then lol
This was really the perfect era of arcade handling. It felt like like enhanced reality, you could do whatever you wanted with the cars, but there was still skill in knowing proper racing lines, overtaking and breaking points. After nfs Carbon, every arcade racer started to feel heavy and sticky to drive, like you were on rails and didn't quite have control over your car. I wish modern game engines could support this kind of handling
This isn't necessarily the case of game engines being unable to support them. If anything, the telemetry and simulation going on behind the scenes in even something like modern NFS games suggests they're entirely capable of making an accessible yet authentic handling model, and the new technologies developed since UG1/2 means that they could be even better and more consistent at it.
I can't say precisely why this approach to handling has all but died down in any of the remaining big name racing franchises out there, as they lean either towards unsatisfying drifty arcade (in my opinion, anyway) or simulation, but I do know I miss when NFS could have this to its name: the cars being easy to drive and understand, but coming with real world accurate performance data.
As much as Most Wanted is also a juggernaut amount the best racing games, IMO it's also the birth point for all the horrible arcade handling we see nowadays, UG2 really is absolutely amazing in this regard
talking about racing line, NFSU1 did far better, also in terms of sense of speed. NFSU1 also had faster pace especially on cornering and because of tight tracks
@@joaopalazzo3087 I agree. As good as Most Wanted is, something has always felt off about the handling. Like it sticks to the road. It's really hard, if not impossible, to explain exactly what it is. They nailed a fine balance in NFSU2 where it's clearly an arcade game with simplified handling but somehow cars still behave as you would expect real cars to behave.
Well said I agree new arcade racers feel like the car is on a rubber band.
I know Most Wanted is often regarded as the most well known/popular NFS game, but UG2 has a special place in my heart. This game was my childhood among a few other non-NFS titles and I will remember it dearly, hopefully come back to it a few more times. So many cool memories
I remember playing this and Mightnight club 3 when I was a kid, and love midnight club much more.
@@XanGious mc2 bro
@@monsterzero9456 take your top down player take your top down
Love this game. Have had this game since I was 35. I even have a copy of the game still unopened. I would love them to do a remaster of this game. It would be so awesome. I still video game at almost 52. Need for Speed is my go to everytime. Looking forward to the new one next year.
I assume you are a 52 year-old woman who plays NFS UG 2 since the game's release? Wow, props to you, my mother is younger and never really played video games 😂😂
Just turned 52 today. And thanks. I am considered the cool mom as my kids can get video game for me on mother's day. Lol Woot Woot!!!
@@alicia12302 Wow, amazing! You are a mom of an extremely rare kind. I really admire people like you. I wish you a happy birthday ma'am. My mother and I are 47 and 19 at the current moment. Just so you know! :)
And once again: Happy birthday and happy gaming!!! 😁😁😁
@@silvestervanmeijgaarden5350 ❤🤗
@@alicia12302 🤗💖
This was the first racing game I had ever played, and it left an unmistakable mark on my childhood. It drove me to play more racing games - eventually moving to Forza, Gran Turismo, later NFS titles, and more - and instilled a passion for cars and racing that has driven me into an automotive trade school, career, and beyond.
So cool ! 🙂
I probably wouldn't have become a mechanic if my aunt hadn't gotten me this game for xmas when i was 10 😅
Exact same story for me. My dad gave me his old Xbox and this was one of the games. Played for hours and hours and never stopped playing these type of games
🎮🖕🏻
It was my first racing game as well. Like when I think about super nostalgic games I wish I could play again, this one comes to mind.
maybe I’m showing my age but that soundtrack is still unmatched imo
Nope you are not alone NFSU2 soundtracks are OG in NFS series
if u give this man a ride, sweet family will die...
KILLER on the road...
Nah it’s just that good the soundtrack aged amazing same goes for Most Wanted , Undeground 1 and Maybe Carbon
@@slovangz1344 Especially compared to the modern NFS OSTs, only a few songs are good and others are the ones you wish to skip instantly
Only matched by tony hawk 2
I’ve had this installed in my PC since forever, I find myself playing it every few years just for nostalgic purposes. This game truly was magical when I was a kid back in 2004.
Where’d you install it from? I’m trying to look for it and can’t find anything
@@ianrivera5027 you still need it?
@@FreshNewzTV I know i do
I played this game all this 16 years. Whenever i get stoned and feel for a ride i jump on my skyline and chill into the streets. The best nfs game ever.
I wish there was a digital download for this game that you could still purchase
Forreal If any of the classics were playable on modern gen I would have all of them. Nfsu1/2, NFSMW, I know people disliked carbon but I'd play that for nostalgia sake.
@@Reggie-_- didn't know that, thank you!
@@Reggie-_- with them being Isos I am guessing you would need a PS2 emulator
@@BiIlDipperIy NFS Hot Pursuit 2 to Carbon are the golden NFS games imo and both HP2 and Carbon are underrated.
@@BiIlDipperIy i play NFSU2 right now on my brand new high end PC.. it works perfectly
man i remember staying up til 2 in the morning playing this game with my brothers in the late 2000s early 2010s, doing drag races against each other for hours upon hours, taking turns playing story mode, and messing around and just customizing a bunch of cars. i was probably 7 or 8 around then so i had no idea what any of the cars were, but playing it again now that i am a “car guy” pretty much all thanks to my brother introducing me to this game is just weird that these cars were right in front of me the whole time and i had no idea what they were. but now my older brothers 22 and moved out, i’m turning 18 this year, and my little brothers turning 15 in a month and it’s funny how hes asking me stuff about cars i used to ask my older brother about. wish i could go back and relive those times playing this game, but i’m glad that my lil brothers following in mine and our older brothers footsteps of liking cars. great video bro
and then coming to realise that one of those starter cars actually is your dream car, would have never expected that
@@shneekyshnek5045 For me it's the 240/200/180SX. I would chose that car 11/10 times, easy. I wish they weren't so rare and expensive in Europe.
@@Darklit777 exactly, thats mine as well, my dream is it to put a vr6 in it and go touge, the questions is where in germany haha
@@shneekyshnek5045 I'd be fine with a left hand drive, SR20. But to be honest, I'd love to have one, with the skyline's iconic RB26 engine.
But hey, life is ahead of us, I wish you the best of accomplishing that dream.
(Btw I think there are some deals in Germany, or near for less than 10k euros.)
@@Darklit777 there was one a while ago but its usually above 15k, about the same price as import, just got out of school and started as a mechanic, saving up for that shit, i wish you luck as well!
The city is amazing. I will never foget finding the exact same location that was featured on the game disc cover - the 5 or so fountains and the overhanging lights. The city truly has a personality.
After all these years I still hold NFSU2 soundtrack dear to my heart, it actually had some insanely wide variety of genres and they all worked while on road.
I'm pretty sure it introduced me to bands like Skindred and Mudvayne
When discussing which NFS is the best among players, Underground 2 and Most Wanted come very often in top choices.
But to me, UG2 is where it's at.
No frills nor gimmicks, just content, content, content. Laced with driving physics that still serves as an exemple, on how a great arcade handling should aim for.
Beautifully said.
👏👏👏👏
Back when Burnout was it's own thing and You played NFS for pseudo realistic physics and played Burnout for hysteria and pumping metal music.
NFSU2 is have a great world but Most Wanted have the best system. Like NFSU2 just driving feels alive but Most Wanted does not. But it feels much more rewarding beating Most Wanted
Most Wanted is the perfect arcade racer, for starters is the perfect balance between the two sides of NFS: police chases with supercars (NFS1~NFS Hot Pursuit 2) and street tuning (UG1 and UG2). Gameplay wise it’s engaging, fun and rewarding. Underground 2 has the best atmosphere, it’s very well optimized, with a texture mod it’s probably the most well-aged game in the history of videogames, super smooth and with an incredibly good handling model, BUT it’s boring after a while… all races are the same. The police in MW was a genius idea to spice up the Underground formula.
First thing that comes to mind when thinking about this game is an Escalade with a ricer body kit and underglow
XD pure Cringe when one thinks about it nowadays :D
Spinner rims, and a sound system in the back :D
@@holzleder570 cringe is a Cringe word..
yes!! haha
@@holzleder570 that ain't cringe. That's the coolest thing in the world
the real pain that only OG's can feel it to this date is , when you beat all racers in the open world and then when you drive you rarely bump into a racer because all of them are gone :'( , i used to tear on this sad fact
Yeah a remake, with a online feature would be good
yea another reason why i dont get the hype for this game. UG1 was better. god i hate it here
Nostalgia overload! I was 10 in 2004, and looking back it was such a ridiculously good year for racing games on the PS2. Gran Turismo 4, Burnout 3, WRC 4 and this gem really defined my my love for racing games.
Same; I learned so much driving and car stuff from Gran Turismo 4.
I was 10 in 2004 too. Underground 2 and PGR2 were the games. Midnight Club might be #3 all time. Neck n neck are NFSU2 and PGR2. Peace of mind with those games
True frustration is getting spun out on the last lap in street x
The starting cars are surprisingly good in this game, the AE86 Corolla just becomes a handling monster late game, did a full run of the game with just it and smoked everyone, it felt amazing.
Yep! From what I've heard the Miata, Corolla and 240(for drag) are some of the best cars in the game, and all are starters!
@@HokiHoshi thats a pretty good balancing trick, cars that need more mods, but can be faster
I always thought the Ae86 was ugly AF and was so ugly stock compared to the 180SX, then I watched Initial D 10 years later..
The AE86 is just god in car form in this game lol, late game you literally don't even need the brake key with it, just downshift and accelerate.
AE86 is the soul of Street X. There's a tune setup online which makes it the best car for circuits and sprints as well. The 240SX is a drag beast when turns properly, it even lifts its nose with a perfect launch.
I heard the Miata does well in drifts as well, though the RX-7 rivals this.
I also noticed that cars with pop-up headlights have serious strengths overall.
NFSU2 was my first NFS game ever, I got to play it on PC and I remember being so amazed at the sparks when the car hits a wall.
Just remembered when playing this at 9:53 if u go full throttle and hit the corner you can wall ride it and it was just my fave thing to do as a kid
The secret rule to this game is that you cannot break!
I remember there being an SUV mode in this game, I think you should check that out too!
but they were very bad ones, the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-wagon is compentsated
@No way . yeah but they are much faster, tho i kinda missed the H2, Escalade and Navigator, would love to see how they perform in Payback/Heat
This and MW '05 were the best games in the series. If your a fan and haven't played them, you owe yourself a play through.
My son introduced me to NFSU in the early 2000’s and I was hooked. Loved NFSU2, hated Carbon, enjoyed Most Wanted, but always went back to 2. I still play it (when I get time) via the original NGC discs on our old Wii. I wish I could clean up the graphics and resolution, that’s the only thing that lets the game down now.
You can play it on PC! :) There are plenty graphics and gameplay mods out there
I remember that as a kid I was driving around downtown in my Subaru Impreza with as close as real life representation of decals and visuals as possible, with Riders of the Storm in the background. This is a gold classic for me. Hell, I still remember one downhill drifting challenge to this day. And the best thing is - it aged well :')
This game will always have a special place in my heart, even when I get to be like 60 years old.
As someone who completed Carbon a few weeks ago, I can say that still holds up fairly well!
I just played both Underground 2 and Carbon and I while I like both Underground 2 is just so much better. Carbon just feels off somehow. Only good thing I can give it is the arguably better selection of cars, both exotic and classic muscle cars, which Underground didn't really have any of.
If you have it on your PC, try the Ultimate Mod! It seriously enhances the experience into what it COULD have been, while keeping the core game's greatness!
Be great if EA do what they did with Mass Effect and make a "NFS Legendary Edition" consisting of NFSU, NFSU2, NFSMW, and NFS Carbon.
I feel like the tuning was overshadowed by the visual customisation, but it was pretty awesome and seriously made a difference.
I went in depth with it when I played through again a couple years ago. I fine tuned the setups for different race modes and made noticeable gains, especially helped for drift I found.
If anybody ever got stuck in the game with no more races in the world map ( it happened to me) what you need to do is check your career status by pressing T ( default key on PC) and on each stage you have certain requirements. For example you need to win maybe 35 world events ( normal circle races) , 3 sponsor races (the X races on the map) , 7 U.R.L races ( yellow circle) and to be on DVD covers (which requires a certain visual rep (the car may need to have 5 stars or more etc). If you did all the races and nothing happens just check the career status and it will show you what you still need to do, for example I completed all the races, all sponsored races and my URL races were 6/7 but no more on the map. Also the cover of a DVD required me to have my car on a 6 star rating so after I upgraded my car to 6 stars, I was contacted by Rachel to go for the DVD photo shoot and then the last U.R.L race appeared. After that I have unlocked the next part of the map. Now I did it the vanilla way but if you want to skip that just install the rep removed mod that this gentleman talks about and the game will be less tedious.
I've had this game installed for the past 14 years and I play it from time to time. Best NFS ever.
NFS MW 2005 is better lol.
@@HeroManNick132 not really. It has less content and progression.
@@badass6300 Not to be rude but how it has less content than NFS Underground 2? It has challenge series and pursuits that made the game even better and more cars/venicles to drive in the Challenge Series.
The cops actually were supposed to be in NFS Underground 1-2 but they were cut but they are still in the game files.
If you are talking about the customization and the gamemodes it had less I agree - the drift events got cut but brought back in NFS Carbon but sadly the drag events got cut instead and didn't get added both like NFS Underground 2.
But I mean I liked NFS Underground 2 but in my opinion I just found it bit boring without the cops like in NFS MW 2005/Carbon. And in some way I liked NFS Underground 1 bit more than NFS Underground 2 (mostly visually because it was cleaner and I liked the cleaned look even though sounds, customization, free roam got improved in NFS Underground 2).
@@HeroManNick132 The cops are a negtive in my eyes and the lack of a dyno and test track, the map was simpler and the tracks were simpler too. URL and Street X are missing too. Customization as you said is worse.
Even though NFS is an arcade game I've always liked taking laps, improving on laps and so on, especially considering the bots aren't very good.
Also when it comes to bots, MW2005 has the worst rubber banding out of UG1/2 and Carbon.
Then when it comes to cars, both games have 32 cars, but MW2005 has supercars/sports cars, which I've always disliked, the idea is to tune more regular cars, not Porsches, Lambos, Aston martins and such, which, back then, weren't that tunable, to begin with IRL without actually replacing almost everything except the body itself.
And UG2 has more tracks too iirc.
@@badass6300 For the rubberbanding I would say NFS UG1 had the worst rubberbanding from all NFS. 95th event was the biggest nightmare and to beat this easily you have to remove the upgrades which was weird how the gams forced you to upgraded your car but removing all the upgrades it is much easier.
From NFS MW 2005 the only rubberbanding one and the hardest one was Earl others were somewhat easy.
11:47 Your comment on hitting a car around a blind corner on the last lap of a ten minute race is the reason I still have anger issues to this day
did you know the traffic cars change lanes and take stupid turns to completely block your pattern? not allways, but when it happens is clearly on purpose, you can notice a change on their behavior once you are close enough, they also brake check on you and rarely accelerates quickly so they can block you
@@julian10000 Traffic in GTA V has been programmed the same way. Ever noticed how anytime you're going fast an NPC randomly changes lanes into you, randomly turns left when you're overtaking on the left or randomly turns right when you're overtaking on the right?
@@99domini99 you pay for the game and they spit on your face, that's how I feel, search videogames that punishes the player for cheating, but I still waiting punishment for these assholes
One the things I miss the most was the possibility to try all the cars. Even with limited slots, once you finished the game you could tune any car of the car collection, save it and ride it.
yes and with newer nfs games u cant have unlimited slots sadly
I'm 25 now , i played this when i was 8 years old... scuh amazing memories... I'm now playing underground 1 and 2 because im depressed and lonely these games are actually so healing... i love the vibe playing these at night when its quiet
Honestly, while I understand your criticism of the "dated" customization options, as well as the major flaws regarding the visual rating system, believe it or not, there are still a handful of car enthusiasts (including myself) who still very much enjoy the outrageous styling of the early 2000s tuner car scene. I've never really found it difficult to make a car with a max visual rating that still looks good to me. Though I've heard from pretty much everybody else that they feel like the game forces them to "ruin" their cars to progress.
I mean the mods can be taken off as well
I remember spending countless hours on this with my buddy back then after finishing the career. Every day after school we would tune like at least 5 cars each, take it to dyno, test track and then race against each other.
Hated that stupid cool star system but I always riced the crap outta my SUV and kept my normal cars classy.
I had a car riced out for that same purpose! Kinda like Pokémon having a Pokémon with all the HM moves back in the day 😂
I haven't seen a dyno machine in any racing games since NFSU2!!!
Why is that???
@@funny_money92 That's a good question!
Before I even watch this, I'm just going to chime in and say this shit holds up in 2021. I still play it all the time, and love it. Time to watch the video. lol
The sound track of this was just everything!
back when the most power you can get from each car is under 600hp, now..... every car can be taken to space by having ridiculous amount of power
Simply put "The game is good" - Reggie Fils Aime
I just finished this game yesterday after more than a decade and I left amazed at how good it is, not just for its age, but overall. The only point I disagree with you is regarding the star* system, to me it is not only an integral part of the game, but a fun challenge in and of itself. Building a increasingly high rated car while still being satisfied with how it looks often gave me very satisfying "eureka" moments of finding the right combination of parts, and I was left with the distinct impression that the game progresses at precisely the right pace to not fell frustrating with the star ranking.
"The drifting can be rough" naaahh man! This drifting was my fortè
The Holy Trinity ...
NFS Underground, Tokyo Xtreme Racer & Gran Turismo .
Lol i was wondering who was gonna mention Tokyo extreme racer and gran turismo. Those were the ones I remember playing till my eyes got blood shot.
I started playing this game again after you did, with a friend who never owned it back in the day, and oh boy it's so fun!
Nice video Hoki, I liked your review!!
The soundtrack is definitely one of the strongest parts of this game.
Ahhh the happiness I'd feel when getting a text from the body shop in that game saying I have new unlocks is incomparable
Also that shot of the city skyline from the hill is actually quite pretty wow
4:15 no fast travel really worked in NFS U2 because the world was so compact and like you said, open worlds in racing games was a new thing. Tbh graphics were seriously impressive for this time as well. Soundtrack also carried this game and engine noise was also superb. I played hundreds of hours of this game as a 8 year old kid, switching between some WRC games and Midtown madness 1 / 2 (so difficult!!) and mashing away on my keyboard lmao. 7:00 Also I think you forgot about Midnight club 3 and LA here about customization, you could even customize interior in those, seriously underrated series with great detail tbh, especially LA, basically Gta V a couple of years before release.
Always love to see a HokiHoshi NFS video 😍
there was always something about cruising the revs and then powering on through the streets, hearing the deep high gear low rev rumble climbing to that sweet spot gear change was always a good feeling @3:22
A huge hit of nostalgia, I didn’t know I needed. Thank you
I really wish I could just buy a download that works perfectly.
Real OG's still have the DVD copy
I got Underground 1 and 2 on disc from eBay for cheap if u have a ps2 or PS3 backwards compatible
@@Gady1986 I mean a pc copy
Dm me I can link you my google drive folder it's installed and ready to go
i have original newer sell this DVD CD
Before I even watch the video: YES, nfs underground 2 is really a masterpiece. I really hope they'll develop a properly done remake
Underground 2 is literally the reason that my dream car I am currently saving up for, is a Gen 5 ford mustang GT. It won me my first game when I was actually intending to win it in the skyline as a kid, just cause it had the biggest "speed" bar.
At that time, this game was magical. I remembered watching my old brother playing NFS Underground 1 and 2. As a kid I having a hard time playing it on PC, and my mom told my brother to teach me how to play it. Then years later my parents bought me PS2 console, and i bought both the undergorund, carbon and undercover. Great video!
I still have my og xbox and this game. Remember playing the drag racing on xbox live, spent many hrs playing this game.
That was the coolest thing about about nfsu2 you could take your starter car and run it all the way to the end . Games dont do that anymore
That's good to know. I just started playing it and they keep prompting me to "upgrade".
dude ikr even your lame peugeot 206 you got at the very start of the game can beat Caleb in the end when upgraded with latest extreme parts XD
@@clark.949 wow! that's really good to know!
Dude this review! You said everything I've been thinking about this game for years including stuff I think about when I replay it again. I love how you mentioned the customisation options for the tuning as well, most of the time people forget just how advanced that was.
That feeling of the world being somehow less after completing the game was something I also experienced. I would still dive into the map regardless just to drive around or drift around the hills of Bayview. I do honestly believe that new open world racing games like Forza Horizon and the likes all were inspired by NFSU2 in some way
i still remember all the shapes you could get for the models, making ferrari mad etc....
openworld was not that impressive to me, i both any NFS on release. the Porsche History before this too !
I found my PS2 in 2016 in a box in the basement and the great thing about that was I had this very game in it for however many years it been sitting there so I picked it up turned it on hook it up to my TV and I played this for hours that day at the time it was my favorite game and eventually with the new Xbox and all that stuff I just lost interest in it but after watching your video I got back into the game and I'm so grateful for it
It really is a magical experience. Even to this day.
The reason this game was so good back in the day is because the handling wasn't so arcadey and shitty feeling like the modern games, it struck a great balance between fun and arcade with a dash of reaslism thrown in. Me and my buddies spent hours getting baked and playing the drift mode to see who could get the highest scores, the tuning was deep as hell in this game too. I don't mean just the customization either but there was actual car tuning, like gears, boost, suspension tuning, you could set it all up just like gran turismo or forza which again is what made it so damn good. The modern games are so arcadey they just feel like shit to drive and get boring quick.
That's the thing with old games, even the arcadey ones still tried to feel somewhat real because simulating shit on a game was like just what people were into. People liked to make shit feel somewhat real. Now everything is aimed at 12 yearolds and fortnight kids.
UG2 was literally what the fans of UG1 wanted and let's just say it was a mistake and started the trend of the racing games that you are complaining about.
@@quintonbackhand2519 LOL wut?
just by the music alone i am happy to just stare at the menu .
i used to play this on A WHEEL!
I’m so happy I grew up playing this game over the current need for speed titles, even though the new ones are good. I don’t think I’d enjoy them as much as I enjoyed NFSU2 as a kid
nice video dude ! last year during the lockdown i build a Pentium 4 PC for Underground 1 and 2 and NFS Carbon plus some other old games :) the experience on old hardware is even more nostalgic :D
Just played the whole thing front to back on hard with the upgraded resolution pack. Man it feels so good to unlock Beacon Hill and then Jackson Heights, Towards the end of stage 4 I really struggled with the races and had to optimize every turn whilst tuning my Audi TT towards maximum top speed. Only to give the Toyota Corolla (one of the starting cars) a go and instantly crush every race with ~20s to spare. On Street X races I even lapped all the other racers. It made Stage 5 a breeze for sure because I was getting increasingly frustrated with the rubberbanding AI which seemed to recover instantly from a crash if they were sufficiently far behind me and overtook me again on the same straight road. Thank you for making this video, it was nice to see someone explain that feeling that I have about this small world feeling huge. Even though I've played it a lot, I never quite know how the roads connect around the stadium / hotel plaza area. Also I couldn't draw the main section of Beacon Hill at all if I had to.
The vehicle physics/handling of these ps2 era nfs games and story style is really the only thing missing in modern arcade racers.
I was a little scared to revisit this game but it actually exceeded my expectations. The city is a stunning achievement in world design (especially given the 2004 tech), engine sounds are just superb, and they really nailed the feeling of the driving. My biggest complaint is that even Hard mode is - well - super easy.
3:55 in the video is such a nostalgic area for me. When I was a kid I would just drive around the city and not even do missions and I loved the way the lights hung down from the ceiling there. I haven't played the game since probably 2008 or 2009 but whenever I think about this game the lights are what immediately comes to mind.
The 2000s were the Golden Age of Gaming. 90s laid the foundation with alot of amazing games, and the early 2000s are a Goldmine of good games.
Haven't played this game in years but damn the graphics are actually not that bad even for todays standards
In this video game was modded ;) This is not pure vanilla here. Here i can say i see 3 mods. Texmod. Reshade and Widescreen fix. ;) - I recommended use widefix and texmod. That's all you need to play today ;)
Oh man, the 1st or nothing aspect that you don’t like is actually what makes this game so replayable. It’s a quick game to get through, so all those times you mess up and have to get better at racing/ learning the track, it slows the game down and makes it more realistic
This game might as well have been magic for me when I was a kid. I played the entire game on a tiny 14” tv with a built in vcr in my parents kitchen. Always had the landline clogged up because I’d be on the phone with a friend exploring different parts of the city to let each other know where the shops were.
daaaaaammmnnn bro i'm subscribing...hope you get past million subscriber mark before mid-2024
I used to love the dyno tuning bit where you could adjust it and gain alittle better top end speed or low down torque. I've never seen that in a game since.
The whole changing each gear ratio on the likes of Gran Tourismo is shite compared to real life
idk if a single person will agree with me, but even compared to the likes of modern day forza horizon/motorsport games, NSFU2 will forever be the king of racing games to me. Perfectly executed night-racing culture, mixed with the great-at-the-time but very outdated "rice" 10 star system. It made me personalize each and every car and it made it unique. Tuner culture, like you said, was just getting its feet dipped into America and it exploded alongside the likes of The Fast and the Furious. This time period will always stand out to me, and many others as one of the greatest times to be a car/racing enthusiast. Maybe one day we can see this gem remastered. Great video! :)
Awesome vid!!I miss those days!! Friendly tip for awesome engine sound.. leave the exhaust stock after modding cars 😊 Supra and Skyline sound so good💪👌
Even after 15 years, I still remember how to navigate the streets. Shows just how iconic the map design is
A classic of a game. I played through it a few month ago for the first time in over a decade. Still holds up well! Personally my favorite NFS!
Woah, the nostalgia!!
10 years from now this game will still be worth playing.
There's underrated features in this game I've never seen in a need for speed game again.
when i was a kid i remember my parents buying me one of those racing seat gaming chairs ( the ones that sat on the floor and rocked like a rocking chair) and a steering wheel controller for my PS2 and i would spend hours just driving around the city. this game has a special place in my heart and to see it still holds up so well is really amazing
It's still worth playing it, I played it last night and i suddenly remember this is my first ps2 game since I was 6 yrs. old
Seems more people had consoles than PCs which is surprising (well not really but still).
Man, what a classic!
I used to kill hours tuning my car around the track in NFSU2. I went on to work in a formula 1 simulator in later life and you know what, the tuning section of NFSU2 is actually pretty good. The base physics is awesome!
I remember playing this on PS2 as a kid. Such a happy time in my life.
Now, seeing this video, I'm very tempted to download it for PC... ... Maybe there will even be a full remake if enough people show interest.
Great video, thanks for the nostalgia 😃
EA wants to bring back the annual game releases. Let's just hope they've learned their lesson from past experiences with Battlefront and other games and improve in the gray areas. It's not looking good though, since they did cancel their support for Heat only 8 months after release and instead gave more support for No Limits on mobile. No Limits isn't a bad game, but I think it gets way too much focus above other games and gets tons more content than every other product.
No Limits isnt too shabby but yeah, i wish the races can be extended instead of a short one, time trials are fine cuz its like rallying but actual races should have been further or looped, and also the ability to slow down further to enjoy the view or smash cops and racers like Hot Pursuit, and also weapon choices as certain story mode can get very intense or ugly since the game has such compelling stories and characters, it reminds me of the comic book like scenes from previous NFS games but better, and also the special offer packs needs to be more cheaper and optional cuz winning blueprints or earn gold is a pain in the ass
I'd love to see a review of Dirt 3 in 2021
This game is a part of what was the best Christmas I ever had so far in life, great memories
Damn now that you mentioned it this is the racing game that started it all for me. Being around 24 at the time and fresh off of Fast and Furious I was enamored with that Skyline.
Every racing game since I've always looked to have one in my collection. Didn't realize that F&F had such an impact on my gaming lol!
Watching your tachometer needle stutter - it's pretty clear that you aren't running a frame limiter. Limiting the game to 60 FPS fixes some stability issues with the game's physics.
RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server) or your GPU vendor's frame-rate limiter are both good options if the game doesn't have one built-in already.
I had bought the escalade and modded it to look like something from early 2000s hip hop music video... 😂😂
Used to play multiplayer with friends. There was a map on Bayway from which you can glitch yourself out from a tiny corner next to the red barrier that closes the roads. Freeroamed for hours and also using hydraulics we used to get on top of the airport or on other buildings in the industrial area. Man those were some good times…
Subbed. My friends and I would get this game on a Friday (Midnight Club as well) and we'd play all night through to Sunday night with no breaks just to see how much we could unlock in one go. We'd also have Gran Turismo 24 Hour races going on the console and tag out. Man, I miss those days.
Yeah I hated that star visual rating crap. That's why I had a specific car to put all those ugly body kits/ vinyls on . That and the fact that there was no dual exhaust option for the GTO. The mustang got it an it was a V6 why not the V8 GTO?
The last nfs game where the cars have a perfect ride feel. The handling is quick and the suspension is stiff but not crashy like in most wanted or worse: carbon. These lines behind the cars to make them look fast🤢 and the camera is shaking like a 90s hobby filmer. But the worst thinh is the feel of the suspension. The cars feel like they have NO springs. Even in nfs 15 it's like that....
the greatest review ever , if this game gets a re-release adding newer cars to the list maybe expanding the map an adding more modern trends in car culture thats it for all other racing games. the tuning is where the individuality was for me as i tried to keep the car looking good for as long as possible .
I loved this game back in the day. I remember when this game came out there was a subdivision being built down the road from me called Beacon Hill. I always thought it was a crazy coincidence.
Still better than the new nfs games, the best of all time
Indeed
Still has the best handling feel of any NFS game IMHO. It shits on modern day NFS with all the horrid forced drift to take the slightest corner bullshit :/
@@Earlve001 Yea I must have heard about 30 people say that Heat was the best NFS in years so I picked it up a while ago on sale and my fucking god if that is the best NFS in years I was right to avoid it for what has essentially been a decade now. I hated myself the whole week while playing that bad boy lol
@@trautsjWell, NFS Heat it could have been the perfect NFS that we wanted but sadly because of EA it died too early.
Plus another reason why the franchise is struggling is because the NFS community is so divided like you you'll want another ricer simulator lol (no offence), some people want NFS Pro Street/Shift NFS, some NFS MW 2005 and plus EA is rushing they developers like Black Box (the creators of Ricergrounds/Most Overrated and some couple of other NFS like Pro Street/Undercover and The Run) but again rushing them as well Ghost and Criterion we got mediocre NFS since 2006-2007.
And EA will buy Codemasters which is be a terrible move and the cycle of 2009 - 2013 will repeat so basically we'll get every year a NFS for 60 bucks that is like half-unfinished which is sad how the modders will do way better job than EA (for free) But the problem is not many people can't afford a gaming PC and the modding for consoles for now is like (almost impossible).
@Rays Through Trees, Summer Breeze Well you know not everyone wants NFS UG remaster/remake?
@@HeroManNick132 well you know a majority of nfs fans mostly likely would?
¿UG2? where the FWD cars drit better than the RWD cars lol
Uhhh YES. One of the best NFS games of all time. Most customization options, dyno tuning, and free roam.
best review of this game I have ever heard, I literally just ordered this game online that I’m very excited about to play it again it’s always worth playing any year