3/5 ★ – NyanScout's review of Need for Speed: Underground 2.

I loved this game as a kid and it's an important step in the franchise, and I do still like it, but it's time to take the rose coloured glasses off and admit that this game has problems. The best and fastest car is the Toyota Corolla - which I love, but it means if you want to compete with the bullshit AI on hard you're better off using it. Also, it's best to NOT upgrade parts of it, which just feels backward. I'd be fine with a slower car, but the fact that the others handle so badly meant I just couldn't suffer laps of Supra. The U.R.L. races are mind numbing, but an interesting idea, overall the games tracks are way more interesting than UG1, but the handling is much worse. Open world is aesthetic and enjoyable to drive around in, but empty and kinda useless. The soundtrack is good but not nearly enough songs for how much they padded the game. Used to love the customisation as a kid, now most of them look so cringeworthy, not helped by the need to pile on everything to progress the game. Despite all that, it's still an important landmark in racing game history.