OVERALL RATING		3.5
Presentation		3.5
Control		3.5
Gameplay		4.0
Fun factor		3.5
User Rating		3.0

The 2 Fast 2 Furious movie was released almost two years ago but that didn’t stop Digital Bridges from working on a racing title inspired by the film. After all, it was the same situation when the first Fast and Furious title was released and it still went on to be a highly successful download. There have been many waiting for the sequel, and now it has finally arrived.

At first glance, the most dramatic change is that it no longer has a top down view of the racing action. The new 3D view provides a more enticing perspective. Races take place on 12 tracks located throughout popular locales around Miami and each must be paid an entry fee before you can participate in it. You will also have to have completed the previous track in first place to do so. Depending on your ending position, you can gain money to upgrade your car and pay the entry fee.

Racing takes place from point A to point B with countless twists and turns in between. Littered throughout the tracks are potholes and palm trees as extra obstacles. Opposing racers provide a constant challenge and will repeatedly block your lane or bump your car. As new tracks are opened, they will become more difficult to maneuver and compete in, so you’ll certainly have to pay attention to upgrading your vehicle.

Upgrades to you car include engines, acceleration, steering, body and nitrous. A new engine or acceleration kit affects automobile speed. Steering will affect stability and body will protect against car damage. Buying nitrous will give you a temporary speed boost. These can be upgraded to certain levels and each upgrade will cost more than the previous.

As mentioned earlier, the new perspective creates a more realistic racing experience. As your upgrade your car, the tracks will fly by faster and demand more attention. Colors and details of the automobile and landscape vary, and this will depend on your handset. A lower end handset will provide only drab colors and a fair amount of detail but a higher end handset will provide multiple colors and shades plus nicer looking objects. (The higher end handset will also provide more opposing vehicles.) The audio consists of start-up music and in-game screeching sound effects, but the quality will also depend on the handset. Controls are fairly responsive though if you hold on too long while in a turn, you can spin out frequently.

2 Fast 2 Furious comes with an online component where you can upload your best scores and compare them to others. You can also use a Ghost feature on each track that will download the best race to date so that you can try your luck against the leader. These inclusions add longevity and fun to the game once you’ve completed it. We’ve still yet to find a racing game that truly lights our fire but 2 Fast 2 Furious does as well, if not better, than most others out there.