Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 a POS? Why, yes, yes it is.

[adamsappel]

I was at Target yesterday and saw that Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 was marked down to $14.99. I knew that the criticism was that both the GC and Xbox versions were inferior to the PS2's, but I wanted an arcade-y car racer for the Cube and having rented and enjoyed the PS2 version, figured this would fit the bill and for fifteen bucks couldn't be so bad. Man, what a turd this port is. I'm only going on memory, but the tracks seemed to have fewer shortcuts and other elements like forest fires and jumps were gone as well (or I didn't see them during the time I played). Graphically, it looks like an N64 game. I didn't mind the floaty controls so much since I'm playing Auto Modellista and NFS is rock-solid in comparison, but the collision physics were way off. I was actually ashamed to have this game in my collection, so today I went to Game Crazy and they gave me over $15 credit for it, so I picked up XGIII, which I find to be a much better game and a lot of fun. So, while I am wiser now, I still need an arcade-y car racer for the Cube. Anything out there?

[Mark E]

I think this is a largely ignored part of the problem with the Cube's third-party software line-up actually: shit conversions. I don't know why anybody would pick a crappy, watered-down (from the PS2 no less!) version of a game when they could instead pick up a piece of high-quality first-party software that has been optimized, tricked-out, and decked-out to run like a dream on the Cube.

 

I mean, damn, I bought SSX Tricky and I love it, but it has slowdown and the game is not exactly pushing the cutting edge anywhere. There's a serious problem with Cube third-party non-exclusive titles that I think hasn't properly been pointed out as part of the culprit in the subpar third-party sales.

 

Case in point, I'm not buying Baldur's Gate on the Cube because I'm not supporting a half-assed port chock full of needless slowdown and chop. I loved the game playing it on my friend's PS2, but why should I show any manufacturer that I'm willing to settle.

 

Freakin' Catch-22's, I hate 'em.

 

Anyway, I'd wager your best bet for racing on the Cube will boil down to either F-Zero or the new Mario Kart. Probably not quite what you were looking for, but gotta make do I guess .