Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 is a cross-platform computer game in the racing arcade genre, developed by Criterion Games (the creators of the Burnout series and the 2010 project Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit). The publisher of Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 is Electronic Arts. The game was released in late October 2012. Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3.
Many hopes were linked to Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2. Fans of the first Most Wanted hoped to receive the same crazy racing arcade with plenty of modes, an interesting storyline, and a host of opportunities for upgrading and tuning cars. The expectations of fans were only partially met, and the more conservative gamers were outraged by the significant simplification of the gameplay. Of course, all of this could be attributed to the change of developers (the first Most Wanted was developed by Black Box), but the fact remains that Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 is no longer the game that millions of virtual racers used to enjoy.
In the second part, for example, there is no storyline whatsoever. None at all. There are no heroes or main characters either. The city in the game is an open area – players can drive in any direction and choose races in any order. Accordingly, new cars are unlocked during the exploration of the surroundings – racing cars from the 'blacklist' can be found in the most unexpected places, including on the roofs of certain buildings. Discover a new ride, hop in, and off you go. Also, while cruising through the city, players can perform various tricks, although there are not many 'trick points' in the game. Overall, the city often feels empty and lifeless, and this feeling only intensifies over time.
Many races in Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 take place on the same tracks and routes, so there’s little to talk about in terms of variety. Although there are some competitive modes that offer players more interesting options. In the 'Sprint,' for example, the racer must drive at a specific speed while trying not to slow down or speed up. But such competitions are quite rare, and the majority of races consist of standard speed races or the familiar police chase games for the NFS series.
Interestingly, the police behave somewhat strangely – they often ignore the antics of the rampaging sports car pilots, and gaining their attention can be quite difficult. The best strategy is to ram into a cop at full speed, after which the player can joyfully escape under the joyful wails of police sirens. Although sometimes, after a particularly strong crash, it may not be possible to escape – the car could be in pieces, making any kind of racing impossible. By the way, regarding those little bolts and related upgrade items – car tuning in Most Wanted 2 is still present, though its options have been somewhat reduced compared to the first Most Wanted.
One of the highlights of Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 is its very lush and beautiful graphics, along with the well-designed and accurate car models. However, while the visuals are impressive, the internal content of Most Wanted 2 isn't quite as polished. Although the game is actually quite good, comparing it to Most Wanted from 2005 is not advisable - they are two completely different projects.