Midnight Club: Street Racing - PlayStation 2

Midnight Club Street Racing plays like a combination of the high-res street shenanigans of the Dreamcast's Tokyo Extreme Racing and the mission-based mayhem of the PS One's Driver. You've got two fantastic urban vistas to roam around--New York and London--and a jacked-up little runabout in which to do it. The game isn't just about racing, it's about racing from point to point or playing follow the leader.

Graphically appealing (if more than a little flat, but that doesn't detract) and speedy, this may not tax the PlayStation2 hardware, but it may tax your skills as a gamer if you don't keep up.

Maps to the city are available whenever you need them, so it's pretty difficult to get lost. It's advisable to try, however, as there are tons of mini-routes to traverse. No route is sacrosanct, since you can bash through plate glass windows, barrel through underground parking structures, meander across parks and even pogo from roof to roof. In this way, the game has a bit of that good 'ole Driver feel, though the night skies and sombre tone of the city dispel some of this the further in you play.

Midnight Club Street Racing is a great game and yet another reason for new PlayStation2 owners to smile. While not terribly groundbreaking, this is one game that's loads of fun to play. --Todd Mowatt