"Outrun
2 may not be the best racer out there but the infusion of nostalgia,
speed and fun make for a satisfying arcade racing experience."
Outrun
2 does something I wish more games did: Make me feel like a kid again
– quarters clinking together in my pocket and the cornucopia of video
game violence hitting my ear drums as I patiently waited to play a
popular game.Outrun 2
makes me want to pull Blue Wizard if About to Die off the shelf
and read a few poems.The
last game that made me want to read was Gabriel Knight II.
In
case you missed it, the original Outrun tasked gamers with racing from
checkpoint to checkpoint in a car that would take no damage no matter
what kind of punishment you sent its way.Outrun 2 does pretty much the same thing only with a few
different racing modes, a great visual presentation, a real sense of
speed, and tunes that – surprise! – don’t rely on licensed heavy
metal/hip-hop tracks to heighten the racing experience.(The music component is largely original and always catchy.)
Maybe
the best addition is the Challenge mode, which offers Crazy Taxi: High
Roller-like challenges.Besides
racing CPU opponents you’ll be tasked with math problems (no joke),
hitting specific cones, and other whacked out things.Players are encouraged to check this mode out since there are a
lot of unlockables to discover (including the original Outrun).
For
the most part the arcade controls have been replicated here, with the
left trigger designated as the brake and the right the accelerator.For the more competent racers there’s the option to choose
manual transmission, which provides a definite edge in crossing the next
checkpoint.Automatic
transmission can still win races but you’re got to more on your game
– anticipating straight-aways and properly power-sliding through
turns.
Besides
the single-player modes and party mode, Outrun 2 also features an Xbox Live component
that allows for 8-player races and features a great leader board where
you can actually download the ghost data of the best racers.
Outrun
2 may not be the best racer out there but the infusion of nostalgia,
speed and fun make for a satisfying arcade racing experience.