Need for Speed:
Underground 2 (NFSU2 orNFSUG2) is a cross-platform racing video game and
the eight installment of popular running game Need For Speed published
and developed by Electronic Arts. Released in 2004, it is the direct
sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, and is part of the Need for Speed
series, available on Nintendo GameCube,PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy
Advance, Nintendo DS and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by EA Black
Box. Like its predecessor, it was also commercially successful, and
sold nine million copies worldwide.
The game is based around tuning cars for street races, resuming the
Need for Speed: Undergroundstoryline. Need for Speed: Underground 2
provides several new features, such as a broader customization, new
methods of selecting races, the "explore" mode (just driving around
freely, like theMidnight Club series, in a large city known as
"Bayview"). Underground 2 also introduces severalSUVs, which could be
customized as extensively as other Underground 2 vehicles and used to
race against other SUV racers. Brooke Burke is the voice of Rachel
Teller, the person who guides the player through the story.
On the Nintendo DS installment, users are able to design custom
decals to adorn any vehicle in the game. The PlayStation Portable
equivalent is Need for Speed: Underground Rivals.
Cars
As in Need for Speed: Underground, Underground 2 continues to offer
similar vehicles for purchase and modification, most of which consist of
Japanese models, with a sizable number of European and American models.
In addition, Underground 2 is the only game in the Need for Speed
series to date to offer three SUVs as racing vehicles, which may be
modified more extensively than their compact counterparts. A total of 29
vehicle models are available for both versions of the game plus 2
unique for each of them, the PAL version of the game offers an
additional two cars (Peugeot 106 and Vauxhall Corsa) while the NTSC
version offers two different alternatives (Acura RSX and Honda Civic).
Customization in Underground 2 was significantly expanded compared to
previous iterations from the series. Visual customization has expanded
with the ability to customize the car's front and rear bumpers, side
skirts, spoiler, hood, exhaust tips, doors, roof scoop, wheels
(including the ability to put on spinners), headlights and taillights,
side mirrors and paint. Vinyls and decals can also be added, as well as
car stereos (amps and speakers), hydraulics, nitrous bottles and under
glow neon. Most visual modifications to the car have no actual effect on
vehicle performance. The sound systems, for example, could be put in
the trunk of cars, but served no purpose other than visual cues. The
performance and handling of the car is affected by cosmetic
modifications like spoilers and hoods, which affect the downforce of the
car.
The car's performance can also be enhanced by upgrading the car's
engine, engine control unit (ECU), transmission, suspension, adding
nitrous oxide, tires, brakes, reducing the car's weight, and adding
turbos. The player has the ability to either upgrade the performance
through upgrade packages or by purchasing individual parts of each
performance category. NFS: Underground 2 also introduces a dyno-tuning
system which allows players to specifically tune certain aspect of the
car such as suspension springs, front / rear shocks gear ratios,
aerodynamics, brake bias, individual tire grip, etc. The player could
then test the setting via a dyno test at which point they would be given
specific information such as 0 – 60 time, max torque, etc.
SUVs, also known as Sport utility vehicles, was a new element added
to Need For Speed: Underground 2. In this mode, players could modify,
tune, and drive SUVs in the same manner as they could with normal cars.
Players could choose to race in an event with SUVs only or in a mix of
Cars and SUVs. Like cars, users are able to add on parts to SUVs to
increase their performance and handling, however, the added weight of
SUVs makes them much harder to maneuver, especially at higher speeds.
SUVs were not featured in any later editions of the Need For Speed
series (except as non-playable police vehicles), thus making them
exclusive to Need For Speed: Underground 2.
Need For Speed Underground 2 has online multiplayer capability on
PlayStation 2's with broadband connections, PC, and Xbox using Xbox
Live. EA shut down the online servers for PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox
making the multiplayer function of the game inoperable.
