Until rally racing looks as good as Gran Turismo, V-Rally 2: Need for Speed (Electronic Arts’ latest offering) will stand as the best looking game of its kind. Graphics here are just good enough to get the job done, but they don’t slow things down. And wouldn’t that be the ultimate crime for a racing game? You’ll have to keep reminding yourself this as you watch the replays and in-game graphics. There’s a lot of pixelation, pop-up, and draw-in; VR2 could easily be first-gen PlayStation if we only judged by looks.

Music and sound go a step further, although there’s not enough variety. After a couple of hours, I was dialing down the soundtrack so I could listen to my engine roar, my tires slide, and the sound of two Peugeots slamming together at 90 miles per hour!

Gameplay is where V-Rally 2: Need for Speed really shines, and the only two racing games that provide more depth or challenge are Wipeout 3 and Gran Turismo. 84 tracks “out-of-the-box” is impressive, but a built-in Track Editor also adds the option to create as many custom tracks as your little memory card will hold.

There are four main modes in VR2, and each will appeal to different race fans. Arcade Mode plays like it sounds, with four cars competing for first place through a series of asphalt, gravel, and snow tracks. Each track is set in a different country, with a unique look and feel, and conditions ranging from sun to snow. Initially, only Level 1 is available, but taking first place in that stage earns the right to move up to Level 2 and Expert. You also earn new cars to augment VR2’s 16 default models. They’re all cool cars, too; mostly exotic European models, with a few muscle cars thrown in.

Trophy Mode shares a similar set-up (three stages), but requires that you finish with the lowest time at the end of a stage. One stage may include 10-15 races, so even though you don’t have to finish first every time, it’s important to stay ahead of the pack. One nice feature is the option to exit, save a race, and return later where you left off playing.

Championship Mode consists of racing several stages in each country and coming out on top after multiple countries. This mode is fun, but sometimes frustrating, because it’s the only event where damage to your car affects performance. The visible damage each car sustains is hilarious in Arcade and V-Rally, but when you start pulling to the left and slowing down in Championship Mode, it’s not so cool. Luckily, you do get a chance to repair.

The final mode is Time Trial, and it’s the only “solo” race where you’re up against the clock and get to race every track available. Time Trial is a good way to practice up on the hard tracks.

A.I. is tough in VR2, especially in early stages before the good cars become available. Generally, the competition is driving hard and accurately, and they don’t hesitate to ruin your paint job. Trophy Mode is especially difficult because if you get hung up on a track and fall behind by even ten seconds, there’s almost no way you’ll be able to win. Customized handling for each track is vital; never rely on the default, because it always sucks. With the three P’s (Practice, Persistence, and Powerslide), you’ll eventually conquer all; and don’t be afraid to knock some mutha off the road!

The best control option in V-Rally 2 is the Track Editor. Believe me when I say that even if there were only one default track for each country, the Track Editor alone would make VR2 worth buying. You have the option to start with a randomly generated track or build one yourself from scratch. There are ways to bend and stretch the curves to make them more natural, and pre-sets like bumps and weather. If you plan on creating a bunch of tracks, it will be worth buying a separate memory card for this game because the custom tracks take up space.

In-game controls are great, and even though the physics are somewhat loose at times, each level can be customized for things like braking, steering, gearbox, suspension, and tire choice. This way, a car that’s too light can be set low on the ground, and you can dial up acceleration to compensate for poor torque. Best of all, once you customize a track, it will be saved to race that way until you change it around.

Multiplayer is a blast, with very little slow-down apparent. Replays can be checked out for every race, and it’s always nice to watch yourself leaving opponents in a cloud of dust... literally! With so much control left to the player, and so much fun right from “GO,” V-Rally 2: Need for Speed is a winner. Now if it only looked better...