Well, with the best in showing mettle: Cars are my life; cars are my oxygen; cars are my religion. Auto shows are my Mecca. The roar of a finely tuned engine. That's music to my ears. The smell of gasoline and burning rubber. Pure bliss. My life revolves around the art of automobiles and raw power. So, something like Midnight Club II comes knocking in the promise of illegal street races through the landmarks of the world. Naturally, my expectations shoot through the roof. And let me tell you, this game not only met them, but grabbed the wheel and floored it - taking me on quite possibly one of the most exhilarating, heart-thumping, and totally addicting rides I would experience in years. This is not just a game, but pure unfiltered speed and supremacy on the street.
Beyond the Polish: The Heart of the Rivalry
And then there are the racing titles, even those excellent such as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, which make one feel a tiny bit too antiseptic, focusing too much on replicating each nut and bolt. Midnight Club II does things a little differently-and perhaps even more addictively. Official manufacturer licenses it does not have, so don't expect the dream rides to be there as perfect facsimiles, but the cars themselves still become generic extensions of your ambition. But here's the marvelous twist: what really sucks you in, what keeps your wheels spinning, are the ultra-delicious characters you butt heads with. Rockstar was without a doubt quite intelligent in knowing that really, a race isn't just about the machines; it is about the rivalry.
Facing the Competition: Personal Battles on the Asphalt
Before every screeching tire face-off, your rival makes sure you know who you're racing against. Moses is the first guy you ever face, and he's a good example: He's haughty, decked in bling, with a voice that could shake a chassis. "Look at this little shrimp," he growls. So instantly you know that this isn't just some anonymous AI, this is personal. The character models and their expressive animations are all top notch, giving each rival a pretty distinct personality. This character focus, putting a face to the memory of any competition, adds value to every single race. You're not just trying to beat a car; you're trying to dominate a person, and that makes every victory infinitely sweeter.
Urban Jungle Warfare: Dynamic and Humanized Racing
Once the signal drops, Moses tears through the urban jungle, an absolute blur of speed and aggression, while your only job is: to hold on and find an opening. And the cities of Midnight Club II-the vibrant chaos of the present Grand Theft Auto universe-all but buzz with life. Everything moves in a constantly flow of traffic with the scurrying about of pedestrians, every intersection being a hazard. And then, something wonderful happens. Moses makes an error. Pounding him too hard, he loses it, spinning out, and then crashing into a solid object. For a car enthusiast, watching an opponent falter under pressure in this manner, making a real-world driving error, really translates into enjoyment. It humanizes the competition, and the whole experience.
The Unscripted Thrill: Raw, Addictive Gameplay
And it is in this aspect that Midnight Club II portrays the genuine tension of street racing. It is not only riding lines that have been kitted out perfectly into an AI program. You, too, are dicing against AI drivers who present just as much vulnerability to the whims of the city. Suddenly, a taxi pulls out, truck swerves-left, right-no two races can be the same again. It's that feeling of constant surprise; that quality whereby anything goes, that keeps you glued to the screen with white-knuckle action on the controller. The next dose of drama has always to be anticipated, that next occasion, that next near-miss. It's this raw, unscripted energy that makes the gameplay so unbelievably addictive.
Win the Race, Win the Ride: The Perfect Reward
Beat Moses and his precious machine is yours. This "pink slip" scheme is the crux of the advancement in Midnight Club II, and it is done superbly. There is nothing quite as satisfying as taking that car used blatantly by a rival to throw taunts at you and then turning it to face that next person in line. These aren't just unlockables; new cars are almost always imperative for keeping pace against ones competitors. In an unlockable-laden world of games often filled with weird and bizarre tidbits (remember Rygar's Pizza Diskarmor), the reward system attached to Midnight Club II completely synchronizes with the thrill of car culture: win the race, win the ride.
The Sweet Taste of Victory: Replays and Reflection
There's nothing like the pure, adrenaline-soaked high of winning Midnight Club II – and trust me, these races will push you to your limits. It is among the highest highs I have experienced while gaming. Plus, getting to watch a replay of the actual race you won just gilds the lily. I'm having trouble remembering a more satisfying end-of-game ritual than putting the controller down, leaning back, and watching your victory unfold from every possible perspective, perhaps admiring the view during a great drift or just relishing the view during a daring overtake. The replay controls might be slightly lacking (with no saving or directing controls like in Driver), but the ability to pause, shuffle through the various camera angles, or slow things down is simply awesome. I could easily spend an hour just dissecting my performance after every win, admiring a slick turn, or shaking my head at how I made it through that impossibly tight gap: "What a thing of beauty" I would say. "That was pure driving skill."
A Digital Extension of Self: Your Driving DNA
Different viewpoints during replays gave an incredible weight to the experiences I had with my car, a digital extension of myself. It is almost like the car was holding a mirror reflecting my driving style. It didn't matter if it was cautious through long straights or full-throttle during a hairpin; it all came together into one picture: my driving signature. It was without a doubt me out there on that virtual street. The connection, the aspect of seeing your own skills and personality shining through on screen, is what makes a truly exciting racing game. Midnight Club II has it in abundance, and it has shown me a lot of my own driving DNA for quite some time, which is a major reason I found a lot of fun in this game.
Scuffs on a Masterpiece
Of course, it has its fair share of scuffs. The visuals aren't bad but still pale in comparison to those gleaming polish of a Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 or that of Gran Turismo 3. The hip-hop/techno soundtrack is a good fit, but after a while, it becomes a tad monotonous. And give me a break. Some of the later races are just plain unfair. But, cliché in tow, this game really gets the heart racing. Midnight Club II made my car-culture-cravings but also provided an exhilarating street racing experience. As I found myself barreling at over 200 mph into oncoming traffic during the nail-biting final moments, it was quite liberating.
Score: 9/10 (Buy & keep for every serious racing fan.)
Note: This review is for the Pc version of Midnight Club II.