This had the potential to be the best game in the Underground series. The original game still holds the crown as the best.
They've made a lot of improvements over the previous titles. Gone is the open world, the progression is more linear like in the first game. The visual rep is also gone, so you don't need to install any mods to get rid of it. Drifting is more involved than just moving your car from side to side. Gone are the boring URL races from Underground 2. The core gameplay loop is just as fun and engaging as the first two titles.
The confusing structure is the biggest drawback. You have to replay the same events multiple times at different difficulty levels in order to progress. This pads out the length of the game and makes the progression more confusing than it should be. It reminded me a bit of those old school JRPGs where you were forced to backtrack and grind levels by killing weak monsters.
This is a minor gripe, but I wish they had kept the magazine and DVD covers. I know they were cheesy, but they added to the charm of the previous two Underground games.
Still, this is an impressive game for the PSP, and I'd still recommend it to fans of the series. But don't attempt a completionist run unless you have 30+ hours to spare.
They've made a lot of improvements over the previous titles. Gone is the open world, the progression is more linear like in the first game. The visual rep is also gone, so you don't need to install any mods to get rid of it. Drifting is more involved than just moving your car from side to side. Gone are the boring URL races from Underground 2. The core gameplay loop is just as fun and engaging as the first two titles.
The confusing structure is the biggest drawback. You have to replay the same events multiple times at different difficulty levels in order to progress. This pads out the length of the game and makes the progression more confusing than it should be. It reminded me a bit of those old school JRPGs where you were forced to backtrack and grind levels by killing weak monsters.
This is a minor gripe, but I wish they had kept the magazine and DVD covers. I know they were cheesy, but they added to the charm of the previous two Underground games.
Still, this is an impressive game for the PSP, and I'd still recommend it to fans of the series. But don't attempt a completionist run unless you have 30+ hours to spare.