Need for Speed II

Setting

The tracks are based on fantasized or exaggerated race courses in otherwise real settings around the world. For example, one in one course cars race through a Hollywood film set while in another cars race along the edge of the Himalayan mountain range.

Gameplay

Like its predecessor, Need for Speed II allows players to race exotic cars, either against computer-controlled opponents or human opponents via a LAN, modem or serial connection. There are three distinct gameplay modes: Single Race mode in which a player simply chooses a car and a course and completes a single race. In this mode, the player can customize both the number and type of opponents as well as the number of laps to be completed. Tournament Mode in which the player must complete a series of races successfully to unlock a bonus car. The Knockout Mode consists of a series of 2-lap races with 8 opponents; the last-place finisher at the end of each race is eliminated from the competition.

The game features eight real life high-end sports cars and concept cars which the player can drive and race against. The "Special Edition" release of the game added four additional cars. In addition, the game features a "showcase" which provides photos, videos, and technical information about the cars as well as the history of each company and background of each car's development.

The game also features several new elements compared to the previous game in the form of customizable car paint and components of their car including gear ratios, tires, and spoilers.

Special features

As in the original Need for Speed, the game features detailed specifications, history, and audio commentaries on each vehicle. The largest feature are several full motion video (FMV) segments for each of the cars, several of them being the professionally-produced videos for the concept vehicles.

Development

Need for Speed II was developed by EA Canada. The lead programmer for the game was Laurent Ancessi with Wei Shoong Teh and Brad Gour as senior programmers. To ensure the physics of fast car handling and performance were as accurate as possible, the programmers collaborated with the manufactures of each vehicle.

Reception

"Need for Speed II" received mixed reactions from critics. Review aggregators GameRankings and Metacritic assigned scores of 71.39% and 71/100, respectively, to the PlayStation version, and 68.25% to the PC version. A GameSpot critic appreciated the game but criticized most of the tracks as "outrageous" and noted that the selection of cars might be unfamiliar to some players. The Adrenaline Vault praised the game for providing a "good overall driving experience," highlighting its straightforward installation, lifelike sound effects, and the quality of both its interface and music. Another review commended the game for its enhanced graphics, smoother animations, richer colors, and greater detail when compared to its predecessor.

Criticism of the game stemmed from its being easier to play and therefore less realistic than its predecessor. An IGN review felt the game was not as good as the original. Some reviewers felt the steering was a little "jerky," and one went as far as to describe the graphical details as poor. Another issue was that the game required a fast computer at the time, to display the graphics at the highest setting. A reviewer for Computer and Video Games didn't appreciate the combination of super realist cars being driven on fantasy tracks and thought that the crashes "look and feel wrong". The Official PlayStation Magazine said the game had "atrocious handling" and that it soon got boring.

Special Edition

Released on November 6, 1997 in the United States and February 2, 1998 in Japan and Europe, the special edition of NFS II includes one extra track, four extra cars, three bonus cars, a new driving style called "wild", and 3dfx Glide hardware-acceleration support.