When I first started playing this game I didn't think much of it. The graphics didn't seem as sharp as the original... then I remembered to turn of light and speed blurring...

This game is as good as the original, and then some. Gone is the linear gameplay where you outfit your ride and then race the next race in the line. Now you can choose to cruise the streets doing not much else besides finding a few hidden shops, and street racing the occasional hoon you come accross. Of course this is a slow way to make money because once you have proven yourself in a few races (2 new race types in this game) you can get yourself a sponsor... and they pay well... VERY well.

My only beef with this game is the garage system. Gone are the days of only having one vehicle, and trading up. Now you have a garage with up to 5 car slots. At the beginning you only get one, but as the game progresses you unlock more via your sponsors. The main beef is once you have bought a part for your car, and attach it, gone is its realistic value. You might have a dumped 200SX in your garage fitted with a turbo kit, NOS, and a variety of visual effects (kit, neons, etc) but if you run out of garage slots and you want a new ride, or are low on cash and want to upgrade your new sweet ride, you're screwed. Gone is the days of selling a vehicle, you can only overwrite it. Keep this in mind as you play the game, because every cred you spend is lost for all time.

Besides this one glaring fault I still find this a VERY enjoyable game to play, especially head to head with a friend running the streets...