Need for Speed II
| Need for Speed II | |
|---|---|
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Cover art featuring Ferrari F50
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| Developer(s) |
EA Canada (PS) EA Seattle (PC) |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Producer(s) | Hanno Lemke |
| Designer(s) | Scott Blackwood Hanno Lemke |
| Programmer(s) | Laurent Ancessi |
| Writer(s) | Gregg Giles Richard Mul Scott Blackwood |
| Composer(s) |
Saki Kaskas Jeff van Dyck Alistair Hirst |
| Series | Need for Speed |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, Microsoft Windows |
| Release |
PlayStation Microsoft Windows |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | (PS1) 71.39% (PC) 68.25% |
| Metacritic | (PS1) 71/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| CVG | 7.8 out of 10 |
| GameSpot | 7.0/10 |
| IGN | 6.0/10 |
| OPM (UK) | 5/10 |
| Adrenaline Vault |   |
Need for Speed II (released in Japan as Over Drivin' II) is a racing video game released in 1997. It is a part of the Need for Speed series and is the second installment in the series, following Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Need for Speed II was met with mixed reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation version 71.39% and 71/100 and the PC version 68.25%. A GameSpot reviewer liked the game but felt most of the roads were "outrageous" and that the cars would be unfamiliar to many. An Adrenaline Vault review described the game as a "good overall driving experience" with easy installation, realistic sound effects and both an excellent interface and music. Another review like the crisper graphics, smoother animation, rich colors and increased detail compared to the original.
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Wikipedia