For Your Viewing Pleasure, Chickenman's Top Ten (Part 9)

Previous Games:

The Sims (PC)

Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)

Hitman: Blood Money (PS2)

Everything or Nothing (PS2)

Rise to Honor (PS2)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (XBox360)

TimeSplitters 2 (PS2)

Splinter Cell (PS2, XBox360)

Once upon a time, before Paul Walkers and Vin Diesels filled people's heads with the garbage that cars need to be modified and souped up to be fast or cool, Need for Speed made games featuring cars that came direct from the factory fast and didn't need to be upgraded. Surely, there is a place and time for that, but Hot Pursuit 2 seemed more pure in that it was about the driving experience, not having that perfectly tuned and balanced car. And it was fun! I'm not sure I have the time or patience to learn how to play Grand Turismo or some hardcore simulator well. When I have tried, I feel so constrained and the need to be cautious, not the need for speed. Some simulators, such as the honorably mentioned Forza 2, offer some driver's aids (such as stability management or suggested brake lines) that reduce the frustration and make the simulation experience more fun. However, newer Need for Speed games fail to do driver's aids well, being like a nanny driver's ed teacher where instead of a suggested brake line, it brakes for you.

What also should be mentioned is the strong soundtrack (audio seems to be an important theme among these Top Tens) that goes well with the game, as shown in the video above. Listening in on the police radio adds to the experience, where they seem to have a personality, unlike later NFS cops. The visuals were especially strong for its release date and still look good. It is a must-have for racing gamers, and still is hot and spicy chicken.

Honorable Mentions:

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix (PS2), Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox360)