Midnight Club 2: A Nostalgic Dive into Rockstar's 2003 Street Racer
Now it's midnight, and we are into the club – the Midnight Club 2 to be precise Just a mere six months from the commercially massive franchise figure of GTA Vice City, Rockstar launches a sequel to its successful racing game. The perfect time for nostalgia as GTA 6 looms over the horizon, and in its wake, we are reminded of how incredible Rockstar was even twenty years back. Today we are flipping back into 2003 and unearthing what made every child's late-night cruise simulator just this absolute whimsy.
More Than a Story: It's a Lifestyle
Forget it being a story in traditional terms. Midnight Club 2 is about this life. You drive on the streets of LA, Paris, and Tokyo every evening and search for the next street race to humiliate another loser into walking home. You can't buy cars here – you can only take them from whoever's willing to risk their keys tonight. You even get to take bikes on occasion (good luck controlling those!). It's one age-old race after another, just to prove you belong in the club.
The Driving: Beautiful, Unforgiving Chaos
The driving is somewhere between chaotic and outstanding, one word sufficing to the term. Steering seems easy at the beginning, and the next moment you know, you miss that corner. And that one too! Pure rage and restarts are definitely given in those moments. And the AI drivers? Absolute pains, macking () you around, but ultimately the victory takes extra relish.
Each has its speed, handling, and styling concerns with cars. Some are even area-exclusive, giving you that authentic feel (like the pre-Tokyo Drift Tokyo!). While licensing meant the cars aren't exact replicas, who cares when you're doing 150 mph with nitrous blasting? You won't be looking at a little badge in your mirror.
The driving is easy to learn but incredibly hard to master. Those tight corners will trip you up if you can't nail the perfect turn, though not as complex as a rally simulator. However, the handling still holds firmly in 2003 today. Things really get unforgiving out there. You need to build a decent route because you will likely be playing that race at least ten times. In Midnight Club 2, if you're not first, you restart. Period.
The Opponents: Boss Fights on Wheels
In every region, champion racers have only one target – making you spend an hour on a two-minute track. Facing the Paris boss was controller-eating levels of stressful. The amount of restarts and moments of regret are countered only by the instant satisfaction of cornering perfectly or taking someone out. This might actually be one of the hardest racing games ever made. The game babies you for a few races and then turns the heat up way, way high. Then you have the bosses – off the charts – with each one feeling like another birthday passes you by trying to beat them.
And, of course, classic Rockstar style: Most racing games won't allow you to run over a pedestrian... but here, you can!
More Than Forward and Turn: Moves
All this verb is not accelerating and switching lanes. Midnight Club 2 gives you a brilliant set:
- Burn: Quick up and off the line drag.
- Slipstream Turbo: Temporary draft-boosted speed.
- Handbrake Turns: The ones for drifting and tight spot navigations.
- Two Wheel Driving: Rather roughshod, perhaps meant for 30 FPS, but it's there!
Every single thing is there except car customization – that came in the next game.
The Living, Breathing (and Annoying) Traffic
Actually makes the whole game world alive. Sometimes you find yourself wondering where on earth all those cars are off to in the midnight hour. Usually, the police don't go hardcore with just flashing lights. Hit Japan, and they're seriously on your tail! Generally, bikes are quick opponents and hard, but manageable. Contrarily, the buses can get really annoying when they drive past in a convoy.
Personality and Soundtrack: The Soul of the Club
All those one-liners from the characters during the race give so much personality. Among others, you will hear the American chicken stereotype ringing through the slightly wild vibe. In all senses, the music puts that "club" into Midnight Club. While copyright confines the particular licensed tracks from getting named here, the soundtrack is legendary and instantly recognizable in the minds of those who have played the game. Each race is nowadays pretty much scored by its own background, setting the mood for the stereotype racers you're up against.
Including lesser-known underground acts along with the big names, the soundtrack does what very few modern racing games can manage: create a living theme and atmosphere. Many of the new racing games are splendid driving simulations, but you can't say the same about the character that made Midnight Club so great. It was one of the first games that nailed that sci-fi look with neon and glass reflecting the dynamic world. The soundtracks were a compilation of songs, giving a distinct feel to the theme. The ambiance is now gone while newer ones give you the chance to choose among radio stations.
The Climax: Tough Fights and Sweet Victories
Things really start kicking off toward the end of the game. The opponents become harder, such as the Tokyo boss, who also happens to lead the ranks within the Yakuza. After probably losing some metaphorical hair due to the stress, finally, you battle it out with the world champion. The intense, traffic-filled races create such a feeling inside after you finally manage to win.
We Might Never See This Series Again
There is a real chance that a pure street racer like this, challenging and straight to the point, might never come again with the trend nowadays in modern gaming being about other monetization models. And honestly, that breaks the heart a little.
If you haven't experienced this game yet, then get ready to do so. If you already want to add a level of just a little more stress to your already very stressful life, go buy Midnight Club 2 now. You won't regret it... until you look at yourself afterward.
