Gaming Need for Speed: Underground

[Shinken]

Just like every year, I'm definitely going to get some Christmas money this year, and I'm planning on purchasing Need for Speed: Underground for the PS2. I've already seen the reviews on X-Play and in Official Playstation Magazine, but I'm still not sure whether or not to buy it. So- should I buy it or not? I don't want to end up wasting $50 on a hunk of junk. (Although I do trust the two other sources, I still need a third opinion. :drunk: )

[Japan]

I think that you should buy it. I've heard that the game is very good fromwhat I hear from my friends that have it. Racing games are always best. In my opinion anyways.

[SpikeSpiegel]

if you like racing then its a great game. its got both circuit racing, drag racing, an my personal favorite, drifting. worth the 50 bucks i spent.

[WW2]

You should deffinately buy the game, if you like street racing.

My brother bought it last week, and we've been playing it like crazy. So the fun factor is pretty high.

The major highlights of the game is customizing your cars, and the different types of races, my favorite being the drag.

All in all its a solid game.

[Epitome]

Definatley buy it. I got it for Christmas myslef and am very impressed with the game. The way you make your car and the different race types are definatley great. I would buy it, a great game to have.

[Charles]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shinken [/i]
[B]Just like every year, I'm definitely going to get some Christmas money this year, and I'm planning on purchasing Need for Speed: Underground for the PS2. I've already seen the reviews on X-Play and in Official Playstation Magazine, but I'm still not sure whether or not to buy it. So- should I buy it or not? I don't want to end up wasting $50 on a hunk of junk. (Although I do trust the two other sources, I still need a third opinion. :drunk: ) [/B][/QUOTE]

I was considering purchasing it when it first out but decided against it. Reason being, I played the Xbox version on display at EB and the frame rate was noticeably choppy. That iteration is the most stable in that area, mind you. I also didn't appreciate the total lack of police presence in the one Need for Speed that should have one. Underground racing isn't complete without the threat of a reckless high speed police chase. Midnight Club II handled that aspect very well.

Lastly, the game seems to suffer from a lack of variety in the environments. Which, of course I can't fault it for all too much because illegal street racing usually [i]does[/i] take place in a city environment at night. It?s just that I become rather bored staring at the same locales too often.

In the end, I'd recommend it though. Although I don't own it, I can guarantee it's not "junk." The NFS franchise is reliable at its worst and outstanding at its best. This probably fall somewhere in-between. I still might look into picking it up in the future because of the online mode.

If you want to make the safest possible purchase, you should rent both Need for Speed: Underground and Midnight Club II; see which one you prefer over the other. They're both quite different fundamentally and worth a try. Who knows which one might suit your tastes.

[Oukan05]

I think first you save what you have now; then you purchase the game. This Christmas, my brother just got Need for Speed Underground. Let me tell you this, he couldn't stop playing that game from morning til midnight. The best thing about the game is that you can design your own car in any kinds of ways you want. Also, this game has the coolest songs. Ex; it plays Little Jon and Eastside Boys and other rap (maybe rock/rap types; I'll be listening) and cool settings of every street you can race on.

So, Need for Speed is a must play indeed. Also, I would go with Charles. It's best if you rent it first. That way, if you really want the game so bad, then go for it. It's better to test it than to keep it.

[Guest UUppOO]

Is this game really worth buying?
Isn't just gonna be another racing game. Whats the difference between this racing game and the hundreds of other racing games?

[Guest UUppOO]

I've played Need For Speed: Underground
Its a good game...after awhile u get bored you know.
Its like theres only 111 races some are hard some are easy once u beat it you would probably stop playing, but in a way it is a good game.

[Charles]

I recommend you read our rules in the OtakuBoards Information Center, UUppOO. Double posting is a "no-no" on OtakuBoards. Also, your posts bear little consistency. In the first, one would presume you haven't played the game because of your inquisitive nature, and in the next you claim to have played it and you come off as if you have some knowledge of the material in question. O_o;;

I notice you use "u" instead of "you" as well. So, even the most basic level of your post quality is in question.

So yes, definitely read the rules, please.

[I, Colossus]

[color=#006699]Well, I recently received this game for Christmas so I figured I should post here. So far I?ve been having a lot of fun with it. ^_^

The graphics are amazing, Charles I?m not sure if it was just X-box version, but I?m not getting a hint of choppy-ness on the PS2 version. Or it could?ve possibly been that the demo was an early version. The reflections are beautiful, and so are the environments, even if they are a bit cliché. I have not been this overwhelmed by the graphics of a game, since the first time I played on a Next Generation console. The graphics really are gorgeous on the PS2 version.

I do agree with Charles, that the locations of the races are pretty bland. A lot of the races are the same environment, with a different course. Which is admittedly a little annoying, but when it comes to racing games, it doesn?t matter nearly as much as normally. You don?t really have time to sit and look around at the environments. So, it?s not a big problem, it just feels a little bland once you?ve done a few of the races in Underground mode.

Underground mode is insanely fun, I think I?ve been spending a little [i]too[/i] much time playing the game in this mode, lol. It?s just insanely addicting, take last night for example. I started playing at 10PM, I know I?ve been playing for 2 or 3 hours, but when I look over it is 4AM. :p I was amazed, I had no clue how long I had spent with the game. There is a good number of options when customizing your car?s appearance and performance. It?s relatively easy to win a race with a crappy car, but it?s always fun to customize it. ^_^

Right now I have a black Civic. I?m planning on trading it in though. Anyway, next time I play I?ll come back and give you the full skinny on my car.[/color]

[Morpheus]

Underground is okay, but hot pursuit 2 is much better and will save you 30 bucks. Underground doesn't have good courses or hot pursuit mode. boring after 1-2 hrs.

[Corey]

[color=003333][size=1]Definitly, Dan. I've experianced no choppyness.

Underground mode is great. You can test your skills against the best racers in the 'city'. True there are only 111 races, but by the time you get to the end they're so difficult it'll have you putting every skill you've learned to the ultimate test.

I'm starting to sound like a review so I'll stop it. The game is over-all a great game. Though I've also had a bit of anger towards the constant scenery of the races, I've also come to appreciate it. By the time you're at race 80 or 90, you'll be thankful you know the enviroment so well. The customization is definitly a plus in the game, one of the only noteworthy ones I've used. I'd definitly buy the game, but if you're having doubts, rent it first.

And why did you guys pay fifty? I bought my copy for like thirty eight bucks at a Best Buy.[/size][/color]

[Purple Haze]

Need for spped underground is the best strret racing game out thre as of now. It's not Gran Turismo but it's still fun. Underground mode is best becaouse you get to unlock all the different upgrade for your car and you can use them in teh single player mode. You can win other types of cars, and some of the game characters cars. But they do use the same areas and landmarks over and over and over.. I know because I'm halfway through and seen about all the landmarks and building about 50 times each. But other than that it's a great game.

[Charles]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Dan [/i]
[B][color=#006699]The graphics are amazing, Charles I?m not sure if it was just X-box version, but I?m not getting a hint of choppy-ness on the PS2 version. Or it could?ve possibly been that the demo was an early version.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

I didn't notice anything at first either. But, when you're playing it next to the sixty frames per second Mario Kart: Double Dash, the difference becomes apparent really fast. :smirk:

I have heard that the graphics for the Playstation 2 version could easily be mistaken for an Xbox title though. So, it's nice to hear that the frame rate isn't [i]terrible[/i] or anything since I'm most interested in the PS2 one.

[I, Colossus]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Charles [/i]
[B]I didn't notice anything at first either. But, when you're playing it next to the sixty frames per second Mario Kart: Double Dash, the difference becomes apparent really fast. :smirk: [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=#006699]I think should point out I've been playing Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as well. To me these two games are just two games you can't compare. They have two whole different premises. They're just un-comparable.

But, yes, I still have yet to notice any slow down. Even as I play MK: DD. So find another excuse. ;)[/color]

[Charles]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Dan [/i]
[B][color=#006699]I think should point out I've been playing Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as well. To me these two games are just two games you can't compare. They have two whole different premises. They're just un-comparable.

But, yes, I still have yet to notice any slow down. Even as I play MK: DD. So find another excuse. ;)[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm not attempting to draw comparisons between the two games or their concepts--just the frame rates. And you can compare frame rates. Need for Speed: Underground probably clocks in at around thirty frames per second [i]at best[/i]. Mario Kart: Double Dash runs at a stable sixty frames per second. I'm not saying there's slow down. But, there is a clear difference in how smoothly the games run. I honestly don't know how you couldn't see the difference unless you lack eyes or suffer from some other kind of disfiguration.

Mind you, I'm not pointing this out to say one game is better than the other. It's an example I've brought up to highlight the one drawback the game has that annoys me. It's suffers from a bit of choppiness.

So, I don't know who's making excuses here or for what reason, but that's the way it is.

[I, Colossus]

[color=#006699]I didn't mean excuses like [i]that[/i], but whatever.

Anyway, I get what you're trying to say. I'm just pointing out that they're entirely different games. NFS: Underground may not have the most solid framerate, but from your post it seemed like you only thought lowly of the game because of Double Dash!! But for the record, I prefer DD!! out of the two. The customization options in Underground are awesome, but DD! is probably my favorite racing game of all time. Despite the fact it's not really ''traditional'' racing.[/color]

[Corey]

[color=003333][size=1]While playing last night, I found the first bit of slowdown so far in the game.

In one of the drift tournaments later in the game (race 90-95 or there about) the track seems to stutter a bit when you go much faster than sixty.
Rather distracting considering the normal smooth passing of everything...

Be warned.[/size][/color]