Midnight Club 2
- January 3, 2008
- Rockstar San Diego
- 2h median play time
As a standalone game, Midnight Club II is an amazing arcade-style recreation of the kind of street racing featured in The Fast and the Furious.
Midnight Club 2 is an arcade-style racing game set in the illegal street racing scenes of Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. Compete in single-player or multiplayer mode, rising through the ranks of the underground syndicate and claiming defeated racers' vehicles. With no rules and aggressive AI, you'll need to exploit shortcuts and use daring driving techniques to outmaneuver the competition and evade the police. However, the game is known for having several bugs.
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation 2
Playstation 3
Xbox
Reviews
- Midnight Club II is a nostalgic classic that offers fast-paced, challenging races across three beautifully designed cities: Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo.
- The game features a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the racing experience and adds to the overall atmosphere.
- Players appreciate the freedom to choose their own routes during races, making each race feel unique and allowing for creative shortcuts.
- The graphics and controls feel dated, which can detract from the experience for modern players used to more polished titles.
- The game can be frustratingly difficult, especially in later races, leading to repeated attempts that may discourage some players.
- There is a lack of car customization options, which disappointed fans who enjoyed this feature in later entries of the series.
- music58 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its exceptional soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. While some players wish for more variety, the majority agree that the music perfectly complements the racing atmosphere, making it one of the best soundtracks in racing game history. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a key element that keeps players engaged and adds to the game's nostalgic charm.
“Came for the mechanics; stayed for the soundtrack.”
“The atmosphere and music is what makes this game so lovable.”
“The music is so well-utilized, from the choice of the music selected, to the vibe they add to their particular city.”
“The music is too bleak mostly, the usual: some rap, some electronic tracks - but almost all unnoticeable and uninspiring.”
“Overall, with all positives, like originality, somehow decent engine (even if looking dated even at the release date), big cities to cruise around... and downsides, as very scripted-events-based AI, the feel of speed, which is really eluding with each race, with mostly unnoticeable cars which you can't enhance anyhow... with the dull soundtrack... well, it's 6/10 on my scale.”
“Too bad the music sucks, and the controls suck... this could have been halfway playable.”
- graphics45 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its 2003 release with pixelated models and low-resolution textures. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and atmosphere, many find the visuals lacking compared to modern standards, noting that they may detract from the overall experience for those who prioritize graphical fidelity. Despite these shortcomings, the game's design and environment still manage to evoke a sense of enjoyment for players willing to overlook the dated aesthetics.
“Although the graphics aren’t the most realistic I’ve seen, it still looks amazing and manages to capture the night street racing atmosphere extremely well.”
“The graphics certainly aren't going to floor you, but as long as you run the game at your desktop's native resolution, it'll look surprisingly pretty for a game from its time.”
“The graphics are now dated, but the city design is what keeps you coming back.”
“That said, the game definitely shows its age: the graphics are obviously outdated with pixelated models and low-resolution textures; menus are kind of ancient and confusing to navigate; control (key binding) is complicated and not handy; dialogues and music are full of the early 2000s cheesy tones.”
“The graphics are what you expect from such an old game, of course.”
“The graphics are really bad, probably because it’s really old.”
- gameplay31 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this racing title is characterized by its fast-paced mechanics and a focus on street racing, offering players a mix of freedom in route selection and unexpected challenges. While the driving mechanics are considered somewhat primitive and inconsistent compared to modern standards, they still provide a fun experience, enhanced by a vibrant soundtrack and humorous character dialogue. However, some players note issues with AI behavior, occasional bugs, and a trial-and-error approach in career events, leading to a mixed reception overall.
“This particular entry stands out for the fantastic scenery, three amazing maps, fast-paced gameplay, and humorous dialogue by the characters, even though there is no particular storyline.”
“Driving mechanics hold up well despite being almost two decades old, and it offers some quite unique features - since it focuses on street (illegal) driving, the game gives lots of freedom in choosing your routes and adds lots of random sequences such as big trucks coming out of nowhere or car crashes accidentally blocking ways.”
“From its core racing mechanics to the amazing soundtrack, this game has it all.”
“The AI is inconsistent and really stupid, the graphics are bad for a game from 2003 (I don't care much about the graphics, I care about the gameplay) and the steering is inconsistent and really... I don't even know how to describe it, maybe tricky.”
“It was obvious right in 2003, with the awkward visuals from the early PS2 era, with gameplay that was not developed much since the first Midnight Club and was left behind by NFS Underground and other racing titles released in 2003 and around.”
“The arcade-style driving is solid but the career events are a frustrating mess of trial-and-error gameplay.”
- story21 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally considered minimal and not deeply engaging, primarily serving as a backdrop for the racing experience. While there are characters and missions tied to a loose narrative, the focus remains on fast-paced gameplay and the enjoyment of racing through creatively designed maps. Players appreciate the humor and personality of the characters, but many feel that the story does not significantly enhance the overall experience.
“Everything from how they look to their backstory to the voice acting, it's fantastic.”
“Probably the main selling point I could see for casual racing game fans is the three cities you race through in the story; they aren't 'big' but they're designed around the idea of racing and fun.”
“The 'story' mode, featuring characters who embody clichés from around the world within the street racing universe, will have you facing opponents in the middle of traffic, navigating absolutely insane tracks.”
“There's a minor story, but nothing huge to excite yourself.”
“The 'story' mode, featuring characters who incarnate cliches from the whole world, inside the street racing universe, will get you to face opponents in the middle of the traffic, following absolutely insane tracks.”
“The top speed is 20 mph, the cars handle like shopping carts, the story is jumbled, the tracks are barren, the people look like mashed potatoes, and the sound is buggy.”
- stability9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that can detract from the experience, particularly in the main menu and gameplay. While some players find the glitches entertaining and part of the charm, others express frustration with the game's overall performance and server issues. Despite these problems, there are no major crashes reported, and the gameplay remains enjoyable for those willing to overlook the technical shortcomings.
“It is really buggy for me and I'd rather play The Crew than this because I can actually play it.”
“The main menu is a little buggy with a controller, but the gameplay is fine.”
“A major downside is that GameSpy servers shut down, which means you can only do LAN or Hamachi. It also has many glitches to explore and fun minigames in arcade mode.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the ability to tune car performance and enjoy the gameplay, others criticize its outdated graphics, poor controller support, and lack of performance upgrades. Despite these issues, some users report that the game runs smoothly for them, allowing for extensive exploration and enjoyment of the online features. Overall, optimization appears to be a significant concern for many players, impacting their overall experience.
“You're able to tune any performance parts of your car, so if you're not satisfied with the handling, you can adjust to it and become better.”
“In terms of optimization, I've seen some complaints, but for me, the game runs perfectly.”
“I've spent a lot of time on this game, did the career a lot with personal challenges, and most of all the online part of the game where I had a lot of fun.”
“It's not very well-optimized, its graphics haven't aged well, controller support is a pain at best, and its difficulty can frustrate.”
“I guess my only real complaint would be that you can't upgrade the performance of your cars, even though the more desirable cars are unlocked at the end anyway.”
“No performance upgrades, no vanity parts like body kits and wings, less cars, no brand or company licensing, no garage or money system, no tournaments or club races, only challenging other racers, etc.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating blend of music and visuals, effectively capturing the essence of night street racing despite less realistic graphics. The combination of hip-hop, dance, and house/trance music enhances the overall experience, contributing to a unique and vibrant personality that sets it apart from other arcade racers.
“The atmosphere and music is what makes this game so lovable.”
“The best arcade racer; the game itself has a personality and atmosphere that has yet to be topped by any other title. Pure ecstasy, it's like the Trainspotting of video games.”
“Although the graphics aren’t the most realistic I’ve seen, it still looks amazing and manages to capture the night street racing atmosphere extremely well.”
“A mixture of hip-hop, dance, and a mix of house/trance really boosts the atmosphere in the game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its cheesy and stereotypical rival characters, which provide both intentional and unintentional laughs. Players enjoy the amusing interactions and accents, particularly noting the comedic value of the Essex accent, while the overall fun and engaging gameplay adds to the lighthearted experience.
“There are many rivals the player will come across throughout the game, and they're all so stereotypically cheesy and unintentionally/intentionally funny.”
“Awesome racing game, it's very fun to play, it's filled with different hilarious characters who you challenge to race for their cars. The races are hard and very active; sometimes you will do insane jumps over the city while racing. It also has a fun capture the flag arcade game; I can play it for hours.”
“As a British person, I find his attempt at an Essex accent hilarious.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the emotional impact of the game is significant, evoking a wide range of feelings—both positive and negative—while contributing to an immersive experience that keeps them engaged for thousands of hours.
“Many moments have stood out, making me emotional in both positive and negative ways, and have drawn thousands of hours out of me.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight that the abundance of cheats significantly enhances the game's replayability, allowing for varied experiences and experimentation with different gameplay styles.
“The game offers tons of cheats that significantly enhance replayability.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the variety of choices and outcomes.”
“The dynamic world changes with each run, making you want to dive back in for more.”
