

Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a street racing game and the first entry in the series to feature an open world environment. Set in the fictional city of Bayview, players drive freely between events while building their reputation through circuit, sprint, drift, drag, and Street X races, as well as outrun challenges and Underground Racing League tournaments. The game expands on its predecessor with broader vehicle customization options, a sponsorship system, and new race types. SUVs appear alongside the returning roster of tuner cars. Shortly after becoming the top racer in Olympic City, the player is ambushed and their car is destroyed by an unknown assailant. Six months later, they relocate to the city of Bayview to start over, guided by a contact named Rachel Teller who introduces them to the local racing scene. As the player earns sponsorships and builds a reputation, they draw the attention of Caleb Reece, the leader of a crew called The Wraiths who is attempting to control Bayview's racing scene by manipulating sponsorship deals. Rachel reveals that Caleb is the same person responsible for the attack in Olympic City. After turning one of Caleb's crew members to their side and surviving multiple attempts to sabotage their career through rigged tournaments, the player challenges Caleb directly, defeats him, and claims the title of Bayview's best underground racer.
RacingActionburnoutstreet racingonlinedriftingmotorsportssplit-screen multiplayerlanguage selectionhumanpolygonal 3dlicensed soundtrackunlockablesmotion blurXbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 2
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Character
Resolved, plot-driven, earnest and unpretentious.
- resolvedopen-ended
- character-ledplot-driven
- earnestironic
- unpretentiousprestige
- gravecomic
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
About the game
- Platforms
- Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 2
- Developer
- EA Black Box
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Released
- November 9, 2004
- Modes
- Single player, Multiplayer, Split screen
- Perspective
- First person, Third person
- Engine
- EAGL 2
- Time to beat
- 16 h main story
IGDB rating 8.1/10 from 884 ratings.
Screenshots






Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
Need for Speed: Underground 200387% alikeBoth resolved, earnest, plot-driven.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 200884% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted 200582% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, unpretentious.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 200382% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, grave.
Both plot-driven, resolved, earnest.
Both plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Mega Man Battle Network 2 200181% alikeBoth resolved, earnest, plot-driven.
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 200581% alikeBoth earnest, resolved, unpretentious.
The King's Avatar 201773% alikeSeries · Both earnest, classical in form, resolved.
Madan Senki Ryukendo 200670% alikeSeries · Both resolved, earnest, unpretentious.
Often played with
Similar games per IGDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.








