Let’s go for a drive! Juiced 2 Reviewed
August 5th, 2007 |Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
Graphics: This game gets an ‘A’ for effort and presentation. The graphics are crisp, and the game captures the urban nightlife and hip-hop feel.
Sound: Juiced 2 had a pretty good soundtrack, but I would have liked to hear a little more from the cars. There wasn’t quite enough detail in gear changes, nitro boosts and other effects.
Gameplay: The controls took a few minutes to get used to but they were generally easy to use.
The game takes the standard garage upgrades to another level with DNA. As you race, your driver’s DNA “evolves” and you improve your skills. This sounds a little lame (and some of the dialog around it certainly is), but it’s really a neat way to add some depth to the game. However, the pop ups that say “DNA Evolved” and “DNA Achievement” did get a little annoying. They made me feel like I was accomplishing something at first, but by the time I was done my first race I felt they were far too frequent to mean anything.
The ability to make bets with the other racers, as well as the imposed rivalries, add to the urban street racing feel of the game. If you’re a fan of The Fast and the Furious, you’ll probably enjoy this aspect of the game.
In terms of general racing, Juiced 2 is certainly fun to pick up, and can certainly stand up as a general racing title — but there’s not much to the actual races that will make this game stand out.
Overall: This game is attractive, and has some neat features that add to the gameplay and give you a hip-hop racing experience (if you can tolerate some mediocre dialog). But when you get down to the racing, it’s your standard racing game with a little extra flare.
