Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights – Xbox 360 Review

I love racing games and to me it doesn’t matter if it’s an arcade racer or a sim as long as it is fun to play. The first game had some things I liked but also had a high level of frustration due to the way the game was built around fees and dates. It seemed they could have had a good game on their hands but for whatever reasons it sort of fell through the cracks.

It is a challenge to bring something new and exciting to a racing title. So when THQ released the demo for Juiced 2, I was interested. I also heard about the online features and wanted to see how it would stack up against the original game. Read on to see if Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights made up for the first game.

Gameplay

The first things I noticed are the entry fees and damage fees were taken out of the game. The game has a decent angle now with a new twist for the series. A “DNA” feature has been added that keeps track of your driving tendencies and habits. If you’re aggressive, it will add that trait to your DNA make up and keep building a DNA string. It looks cool and will come into play which I liked.

Make no mistake, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights is still an arcade racer, the developers tried hard to set the game apart from the competition. There are a few issues with the single-player carrier. The main issue I had is that it’s almost too arcade-like and never gives players a sense of realistic racing. This may sound like a contradiction but even fans of arcade racers like the feeling of something realistic. When any game manages to mix the two elements right the title winds up being a hit. As it is, Juiced 2 shows off some new things and some great drifting races but the over-the-top races and AI just seem to ruin the overall single-player mode.

One thing I did enjoy was the challenges you had to complete and the fact, once you learn the game, you could knock out several of those in a single race. The challenges include shadowing, setting the fastest lap time, and reaching a certain speed. After a few races and learning the games quirks, the game is enjoyable. I also liked that betting is an option in every race. They made it a little harder than just betting everything. You will see each racer and a short bio screen, and then it will focus on one of the racers. You can then speak with them or choose someone else and wager with them. The AI will either accept the bet or they can set another amount. If you choose a large bet, chances are the AI will lower it and so on. The game has a unique neat angle on this.

Juiced 2 at times seem a bit too similar to Midnight Club and other well-known arcade titles. This is where the game hurts itself and it looks too arcade-like. It’s too bad since the betting angle and the DNA system worked very well in the game. They also offer plenty of modifications, Kits and parts. Although a bit simplistic, it worked for the titles theme. It is the type of game that can be fun if you race a few races then go on line and take a break from it. It’s not the type of game you will want to sit and play for a long time.

Control

The basic controls are set-up perfectly for the Xbox 360 controller. Learning the controls will take less than 15 minutes although learning the way the DNA and crew members work takes a bit longer. The real issue is learning how to use the controls while racing since it has a loose feeling. Most fans of arcade racers will understand this term. In case you are not familiar with the term, it just means the car tends to be less responsive and you will need to over-adjust in one way or the other while in a race. They would have had a better game on their hands if the controls were tighter and more responsive.

Xbox Live

It’s odd but the game actually seems to play and respond better online. It has a good online carrier mode and you can even watch races and wage bets on the outcome if you’re short on cash. The online mode almost mirrors the offline mode and now you can race with real people. Here is where I really started to like the title overall and saw that the AI was one of the issues turning me off from the game. The online depth is great and I would have loved to see other games offer the sort of mode Juiced 2 delivers online.

The lobbies are a little hectic due to the number of options available. The host needs to know what track or event people want to race and this could have been tweaked to make it easier. I was still impressed with the online mode and really would rather play Juiced 2 online than offline. I think if they take the chance and release another game in the series, they should really take the best of the online and build around this. They just may have something when you add the DNA, betting and customizations available.

Graphics

Another issue is the graphics or lack or them for the Next-Gen console. The game never comes close to the power of the Xbox 360. Most of the cars and effects look okay but never stand out as great or that “wow” factor a racing game needs.

This gives the game an out of place look which hurts the game overall. The only time it even looks like something on the Xbox 360 is during the intros with the flag girls. The intros prove they could have made the whole game look this if more time was taken.

Audio

Sound effects sound decent and the engines are realistic sounding although the game also sounds familiar to the last Need for Speed game where the other drivers trash talk you. It seemed over-done and really hard at times to understand. Of course, when I am racing, I am worried about the course and other drivers and not the audio as much. The music and other effects are okay but never stand out.

Replay Value

In Juiced 2: Hot Import nights they added different things to make the sequel stand out. While they had some great ideas, it seemed rushed or just never meshed. Talking about the replay value is difficult. If you plan on playing online, then the replay value is going to be higher. I think I said it best when I said this is the type of game you will play for a short time and then move on.

Bottom Line

Overall Score: 6.0/10.0

Additional Comments

I like what Juiced 2 was trying to add and they have a decent online mode that some other games should take notice to. I just think the game was somewhat rushed and this hurt what it really had to offer. It is fun to play and better online but for now I would only recommend this as a rental. If you like it enough, wait until after the Holiday season and get it at a cheaper price. I really hope they don’t give up on the series. Hopefully, they try for a more balanced and solid game next time.

Links

• Official Juiced 2 Hot Import Nights Website

Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360

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