Crazy Taxi 2

"Fun but almost identical to the original."

The sequel to the Dreamcast smash-hit Crazy Taxi was inevitable. Now 2 years later Hitmaker delivers an expansion pack masked as a sequel.

Graphics (8/10)

The graphics are noticeably smoother from the original and the levels are much more detailed. However other than removing some jagged lines it looks just like the original.

Sound (8/10)

Offspring returns to deliver a decent performance. However I found none of the tunes as satisfying or creative as in the original. Another problem is that in the mini-games when often you have to redo the same game many times the same song starts over each time which really becomes irritating after a while. However I must say I really liked all the voices and how the cabbies interact with the passengers. It was rather amusing.

Controls (10/10)

Crisp controls are a very nice part of the game. The crazy dash has been made easier to perform and the Y button now allows you to jump! The controls are very easy to learn and there’s really nothing I can complain about here.

Gameplay (9/10)

The game is a little easier to play now due to the simplified dash and the new crazy hop allows you to jump to new heights to find bonuses and shortcuts. However other than that it’s really the exact same gameplay as the original. The only other gameplay difference is that you can pick up multiple passengers (from the same stop only) and you have to drop all of them off for a very nice fee. The direction arrow has also been improved and now for example shows you where to turn instead of just the general direction of the destination.

Originality (5/10)

The only really original part of the sequel is the crazy hop, which while being nice isn’t always a necessity. The new maps look nice and are much larger than the original and the mini games are as inventive as always. One other change is 4 all new drivers which really don’t play much differently from the original ones. Really this game is like an expansion pack (if it was a PC game) rather than a sequel.

Overall (8/10)

The original crazy taxi was very innovative and different from anything I had played before. Crazy Taxi 2 really doesn’t innovate from the original. I would have really liked to have seen a 2 player mode but alas was disappointed.

Rent or Buy?

If you have the original rent this one as it’s nothing really new and you’ll get bored with it soon enough. Yet, if for some strange reason you have a Dreamcast and don’t have the original then the original this one has some slight improvements that might justify the price. However if you don’t buy this game at least rent it. It’ll keep you addicted for a minimum of a few days.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/31/01, Updated 05/31/01