Hot Pursuit 2 is no ordinary driving game. In fact, with its emphasis on car chases and mission-based gameplay, it is quite reminiscent of GTA III - just without the insane level of violence, of course.

The game features 6 game modes, 15 massive tracks and 55 licensed cars, most of which have to be unlocked by completing certain tasks. There are two main one-player modes on offer. World Racing is the standard reach-the-goal-line-before-your-competitors race. There are no cops to worry about, nor are there any missions that must be fulfilled. The other one, simply called Hot Pursuit, is the heart of the game. Usually you are given an objective involving reaching a certain point in a level without getting caught by the cops.

The first thing I noticed when trying out the first level was the great sense of speed and the lush landscapes. Right from the start, you know you are in for a non-stop roller-coaster ride, and just a few seconds later the rear-view mirror reveals the first police car quickly approaching. The only solution is to step on it and zoom past two other cars until you reach a devilishly positioned U-turn. This is obviously where steering comes in. I found steering a bit hard in the beginning, because it is not totally responsive, and so you have to tilt the control stick well in advance. Not really a huge problem, since it is simply a matter of getting used to it, but it may prove frustrating for beginners. Anyway, later on I encounter another cop, who is blocking the road completely, so I have to drive off-road in order to avoid him. The two cops quickly catch up with me, though, and they keep bumping into me, making my car spin around like crazy. When I finally regain control over the car, the situation gets even more complicated. Suddenly huge police helicopters emerge dropping explosives all over the place. So there I am - chased by multiple police cars, having to avoid bombs falling from the sky while overtaking competitors at neck-breaking speeds. ”Intense” does not cut it – this is absolute madness…but great fun.

During all this frantic action, the framerate remains consistently high, which is a testament to the powerful graphics engine of this game. The tracks themselves are vast and filled with multiple routes and shortcuts, and the draw distance is impressive - I did not notice a single pop-up effect. Dust and smoke effects are also very well made. However, there are a few graphical short-comings. First of all – the crashes. After Burnout’s suberb crash sequences these look a bit, well, flat in comparison. Some minor collision detection problems are also evident. Furthermore, most trees and bushes consist of boring 2D sprites that do not fit into the otherwise smooth presentation. It is worth mentioning, though, that these gripes are fairly insignificant, because they do not really impact the gameplay.

On a more positive note, the multiplayer is going to be fantastic, I think. This is mainly due to the fact that you can choose whether you want be a cop or not. Imagine a 4-player race where two of you are the cops who try to catch the others by chasing them around, crashing into them and making road blocks together. Extremely cool!

So there you have it. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is not just another racing title. It is highly exhilerating in both multiplayer and on your own. The only thing I am not so sure about is the game’s longevity. I only played the game for 15 minutes or so, but how long will it take until the fun and excitement wear out? That is my primary concern. And only time will tell.