Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2

"What do I hear? Horses at the starting line..."

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (also known as NFS:HP2 is the first NFS game to be released on the Nintendo GameCube. It has high-speed racing with cops chasing after you. This game is truly a beauty... Why? Just read on further...

Graphics 8/10
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Many people complain how it has a slow frame-rate. This is true, but, the car detail and the environment makes up for it. The cars which you drive are bright in color and the usage of shadows is well done. The cop cars which you chase are well designed too. Some levels contain harbors or beaches which is great to just sit back and relax to. The only complaints I have are the the people, which look like stick figures, and the civilian cars, which are not that great but are fun to ram into...

Controls 10/10
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What good is a racing game which doesn't have good controls? NFS:HP2 has great controls! The cars are very responsive and drifting is a piece of cake! Everybody should know that different cars have different statistics, right? So the cars within this game are unique to each other. The controls are fairly simple, which has the basics: acceleration, braking, turning... You get the point. The amount of time to get used to the controls is fairly short, so you have nothing to fear. In final, the controls get a good 10.

Gameplay 10/10
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Racing + Cop Chases = Teh 1337 game evar! That equation sums up the game. You have 4 modes to choose from. Hot Pursuit, Championship, Single Challenge, and Quick Race. Hot Pursuit is like the best career anybody can choose in real life. You are a racer whose life is to avoid cops and get in 1st place in order to obtain the title, the ''Ultimate Road Racer''! You start out slow with crappy cars and dumb cops, but then super cars come in and the cops finally uses their brains. In some levels you can play as the cops, hence the name, ''Be the Cop''. Within Championship, you want to become the ''World Champion'' by racing cop-free. This mode too starts out slow but then grows to faster action. In Single Challenge, you choose, when, where, and how you want to race. You can have 8 laps of intense high-speed racing or a 5 minute ordeal of putting the hand-cuffs on these racers. Quick Race just randomly chooses the settings. Now that's a racing game!

Sound 9/10
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Sound is great! The music fits perfect. Mostly rock and techno. Lyrics only play if cops have been turned off. Why? Because when cops are chasing you they talk on the radio. So, in turn, lyrics are turned off to prevent disruption. The engines are a nice touch. You just gotta love the Vrrrrrrrrrmmmmm at the starting line!

Replay Value 10/10
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The race times vary by track, laps, and the speed of the car. So you have unlimited chances at getting the best time! Be sure to get a friend for more long-lasting speedy fun! ''Be the Cop'' is a nice addition, and it will be enjoyable for those choosing a career as a police officer.

Conclusion: BUY
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NFS:HP2 is a great racing game for racing and NFS fans. Great cars, sound, and tracks. So in three simple words: ''I'd hit it...'' This is Jinjo Ghost, signing off...

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/06/03