Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
- OS: Windows XP / Vista
- CPU: 3 GHz
- RAM: 1024 MB
- Graphics card: 256 MB
- Memory requirements ( HDD): 5.7 GB
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights is the third and last part of the racing game Juiced series, for a total of six platforms ( Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Windows, Xbox 360) was released in 2007. He was, like its predecessor, by Juice Games and published by THQ.
The game deals with the same themes as its predecessor: It's a Street Racer, in which not only the driving of race, tuning of vehicles plays an important role. It is similar to the tuning TV Show Hot Import Nights from the U.S., after the part of the game series is named. Compared to its predecessors Juiced 2 offers the greatest scope in the field of tuning options and the vehicles. Especially in the field of optics, it has been greatly expanded, as is possible, for example, apply sticker on almost all body parts. Significant changes were made to the career mode, for example, the race calendar was replaced by a league system and the races are now mainly take place at night.
- 5.1 Evaluation in game magazines
- 5.2 sales
Gameplay
Generally
Juiced 2 is like its predecessors, a street racer. That is, the races will be on normal, locked for the race traffic routes, rather than on the racetrack. The game relies on the same basic principles as its predecessor. Plays a major role once again the tuning of one's own race vehicles, since the vehicles included are rarely competitive in their series version. In contrast, the degree of realism plays a subordinate role, making the game, unlike the two previous parts of the series, more tends towards Arcade. In detail about the crash behavior has been modified. While there is a more detailed damage model, but this only affects the look of the car from. The effect on vehicle handling due to major damage to your own vehicle is omitted. Also on career mode numerous changes have been made. The player gets a face for the first time, he can choose a character from a number of. The Respect system from the predecessor, in which a central point represents the evaluation of the cleanliness of the player's driving behavior has been removed. Was taken over the Betting System: The player speaks before a race one of the AI opponents and makes a bet with him to a certain amount. Some racing events also slips can be placed instead of money, these races are called duels.
Furthermore, introduced two new camera modes: in addition to the tracker, bumper and a side perspective is now also a camera position just above the bonnet and a cockpit view to choose from. A major difference to its predecessors is the new way to restart career races, stakes and set cars will be lost. For developed in racing damage the player no longer has to pay, the cars are repaired automatically by race.
Race types
From the predecessors of the two modes were taken round course races and sprint races. In the first case it comes to driving on a circuit, the Second to driving on a small section of a circular course. In both types of races is the only goal, to arrive the first at the finish. In addition to these modes, some new ones have been added to the game:
For the first time there is drift racing. In these races, the placement does not depend on the position in the field, but rather on the score that the player earns for performing various drift maneuvers. Two factors are crucial: The speed at which the drift is carried out and the drift angle. The higher both are, the more points the player, at the same time it also increases the risk of colliding with the track barrier. In such collisions, the player loses 25 % of the points of the drifts. There are different types of drift races. In simple drift racing, the player starts with six or eight other opponents who struggle to achieve the highest overall score within a certain period of time. With endurance race is about to surpass a certain target number of points with a single drift. If the drift is interrupted before reaching the target score, the event is lost.
Last Man Standing races are held on regular round courses. In this racing type, there are different ways to win: By time, by rounding or by survival. A victory by one time gains by being in the first position in the field when the entire race time has expired. A victory by laps wins it by the necessary number of rounds you drove the first driver. The victory by survival gains one by pushing opponents off the track. For each driver differs from touching a wall or guardrail with his car. When only one driver is left, the race will be stopped and the remaining drivers will be declared the winner. Elimination race there as a circuit racing and as a drift race. In the round course race separates each round from the last placed rider, until only one driver remains. Drift elimination races are a combination of circular course racing and drift racing. The race is held over several rounds, where there is a target number of points in each round, which must surpass the player. If he fails, he is ruled out, as the last placed in each round.
The races are held on fictitious routes in real places ( eg Paris or Sydney ) and are usually characterized by a well-known building.
Career Mode
The career starts in a night club where the player is a character and a first car chooses. After that, he can deny the first race. The race calendar in the upcoming race in previous series parts were recorded and participation could be announced on race, was removed. Instead, a league system was introduced. The player may first race of the lowest league, the rookie league to participate. Each league consists of a certain number of races that can complete in any order the player. In order to progress in the career, it is often not necessary to finish all the races of a league, because progress can be achieved by the masters of so-called challenges. Challenges are certain tasks like betting against certain opponents, special maneuvers or a fixed number of race wins. The player must be in each league, more than half of the challenges. Then he can play a special event, which allows him to move up to the next higher league. Through each leagues rise further vehicles will be released. Although these are still divided into classes, but these are based on the leagues, not according to their horsepower. The evaluation of the cars and the associated selection for the leagues will be made by the program based on various parameters such as engine size or degree of tuning.
Also in Juiced 2, the player can build their own racing team. This is for team race even necessary, which must start two or more riders of the same team. The system, according to which the own racing team can be developed, it was slightly modified. Crew members do not register more in the course of career to the player, instead the players are from the beginning to recruit drivers available. For the recruitment, however, the player must pay a certain amount. The drivers come only in this team race used. The only way to be a spectator, while the team members' only race instead of the player is eliminated. Later in the game, the player must also compete in races against his teammates. Overall, the aspect of team - building is thus stepped into the background in comparison to its predecessors.
DNA System
A major innovation is the so-called DNA system (also: DNS system ). Every driver, both human and AI driver, has its own DNA. In these various values with respect to the driving behavior of the character is stored, such as the aggressiveness of the driver, whether it likes to drift in corners or how often he uses nitro. While driving, the program continuously monitors driving style of the player and transmits the values determined in the Driver DNA a. DNA is so statistics on the individual driving behavior.
In the game, some drivers DNAs of celebrities stored (eg Smudo ). These occur also with specially tuned car that correspond most real models (eg Smudos BioConcept Mustang ).
The goal of this system is that the players are more enemies than just the in-game AI opponents available. Driver DNAs can be exchanged between players. Exchanged DNAs can be read and evaluated by the game, then a new enemy AI is created that travels with the properties that are specified by the DNA.
Rolling stock
Juiced 2 includes largely the vehicles of the predecessor, ie a mixture of sedans, small cars and sport coupes numerous volume manufacturers such as Ford, Toyota, Nissan and Chevrolet. According to the title of the game also many Japanese cars class of super sports cars were introduced for the first time and opened up.
The vehicles are still divided into classes, this classification is, however, bound to the leagues. At the beginning of the career of the player as in previous small cars are predominantly available. Through each league ascension new vehicles to be unlocked. The vehicles will be sold exclusively in the production version. Tuning parts must purchase separately the player.
The following table lists all of the 93 vehicles that are playable in Juiced 2:
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Juiced 2 includes 36 songs and focuses mainly on the field of electronic music. The majority of the pieces are by artists who are assigned to the Style Big Beat. About half of the songs were written by British DJ Adam Freeland, who also contributed songs for games like Grand Theft Auto, Pure, The Sims or Rez. With Wolfmother and Queens of the Stone Age, but rock bands are also occasionally represented.
History of development
Nearly a year after the development of the PSP offshoot Juiced: Eliminator announced the studio Juice Games in the spring of 2007 in the Swedish magazine Gamereactor to the development of a new part of the Juiced series. One goal of the development was more adapt the game to mass taste, as some gaming magazines on previous Juiced practiced similar criticism of various elements such as the driving behavior or the gameplay. Breakfast was advertised the large number of vehicles and tuning parts that should surpass its predecessor by far. A presentation of the game was a few months before the publication in San Diego, as part of the Hot Import Nights series.
The developers programmed a completely new graphics engine for the game. This was done by using the current state of the art (for example, working with quad-core processors) to keep up and increase the level of detail of models and environments. However, care was taken to backward compatibility, so the game is not alone on techniques such as DirectX 10. Therefore, not all the opportunities that were offered by the architecture of Vista, exploited. Since the game takes place entirely in the evening or at night, an emphasis was placed on light effects.
For the application of the game THQ completed a number of contracts with models, some of which are at different points in the game ( cover design, loading screens ) can be seen. As an additional source of money, the developers built a advertising into play.
Reception
Review in game magazines
Juiced 2 received from game magazines sometimes very different reviews that differ in part strongly in the endnotes of each other. Due to the similar basic concept of the game, like its predecessor is also often compared to titles of the Need for Speed series.
Was frequently praised the comprehensive customization system in Game Zone is talk of a " mad diversity". Also positive the many different ways the game be construed to guarantee for a large, long-term change.
4players praises that were arrested on Street Racer concept, while its competitors have developed in a different direction. Accordingly reaping the wide range of vehicles and tuning parts high praise. The design of routes and events seen by the author very positive. Criticism is binding to the Windows Live service, since a Windows Live account is required for online play. Minor criticisms ask for the author, the loading times and the immature DNA system dar.
The British magazine IGN Entertainment praised the diverse challenges of the game that ensure a long enjoyment of the game. This mainly includes the diverse race modes. The design of the routes is praised because she was very innovative and creative. Furthermore, the soundtrack will be positive, because fitting rated. Criticism has been leveled at the controller, which requires much acclimatization time and lacked realism. Likewise, the graphic is criticized, especially in the cockpit view, and at certain points on the routes brightly lit show dirty textures.
Gamona praises the creative design of the lines and the appealing look of the game. Furthermore, the scope of the game is praised with the great vehicle selection and the diverse race modes. Criticism gets the game for an attenuated performance tuning. In addition, the lack of realism in the damage model, namely criticized the absence of the effects of damage on the driving behavior.
Gamestar criticized the lack of a back story, which makes the gameplay in some places a little tough. My main point of criticism also take up other magazines, but relates to the control of the game. The control is often referred to as cumbersome and limited. Especially the lack of support for steering wheels is considered negative. This problem is attributed to the development of a large variety platform.
GameSpot gives the game a much lower rating than other magazines. The author of the review strongly criticized addition to the control that the AI drivers often make use of cheats, which can be frustrating for players and the game takes a lot of realism. Similar criticism is expressed about the driving physics.
Sales
The sequel to Juiced 2 did not meet the sales expectations of THQ, information about the sales figures were not published. The games series but was officially set for this title. As a reason for the failure of the publisher called his request to the developer to develop the game for a total of six different platforms. This had led to a significant decrease in the control and technical problems as well as to a weaker graphics performance. A few months later came conjectures on the basis of job, which will work at Juice Games on a new project. Some magazines came from a successor to Juiced 2. But as part of the austerity measures in THQ Group, this project was classified and stopped as too risky. An official confirmation if the selected project is a new part of Juiced series, failed to materialize, however. The development studio Juice Games has been renamed as part of restructuring at THQ in 2010, THQ Digital Studios UK. Besides, numerous employees were laid off. 2011, the studio was finally dissolved completely.