Need For Speed Underground 2 looks absolutely magnificent and modernized with this work-in-progress remake mod!

Although the Need For Speed franchise spent a rough generation since Rivals, the series still has millions of fans who have been loyal to this franchise for decades.

Back in the sixth generation of consoles, Need For Speed was easily the most successful arcade racing franchise at the time, and probably the first choice of every racing enthusiast. This popularity reached its peak with Need For Speed Underground 2 and Need For Speed Most Wanted (2005), two back-to-back masterpieces that took the world by storm.

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While a reboot of Need For Speed Most Wanted in 2012 was nothing even close to its predecessor, the other hit, Need For Speed Underground 2, didn't even get a reboot or remake after all these years. Although Ghost Games somehow hinted at Need For Speed 2016 as an Underground reboot, that couldn't bring the same success for the company!

Need For Speed Underground 2 Fan Remake Features Dynamic Weather System and Power Sliding!

Hopefully, a YouTuber has recently shared some footage from their next project, which is supposed to be a full Need For Speed Underground 2 remake in Unreal Engine 4!

Watching the footage above, you can easily realize the better reflections and lighting of the game, but more than visuals, the modder, Ivan Novozhilov, has put more effort into revamping gameplay and delivering new mechanics.

Below, you can read the full list of changes in this remake project, which is still under development and doesn't have a release date yet.

Car:

  • turbo
  • -nitrous (not used here)
  • earn NOS back by doing some stuff (airborne, powerslide, almost crash…)
  • completely new steering.
  • optimized auto transmission and clutch
  • fixed slip ratio (no more stuttering)
  • collision sounds and sparks
  • suspension compression sounds
  • -sweetener (hear da backfire)
  • turbo, sweetener, engine, and transmission sounds are done and “picked” depending on the performance upgrade.
  • drastically changed driving behaviour. It’s still in the making and a lot of tweaking, strongly depends on slip angle and traction, these values are changed depending on the speed to allow arcade-y driving behaviour and nice drifts at low speed. depending on the game mode this may change in the future.

Zones:

  • audio zones
  • reverb zones
  • named zones
  • every island has a distinctive colorization.

Graphics:

  • optimized graphics for much better performance and an overall more pleasant look.
  • optimized weather cycle
  • new textures
  • added more missing meshes

Misc:

  • traffic node system(you cannot see but it is there)
  • more optimized camera shake
  • more optimized radial motion blur
  • destructible environment (signs, water barrels…)
  • music from UG1, UG2, MW is implemented.
  • whoosh sounds
  • new camera lag and rotation (lag)

UI:

  • drift score counter + nifty messages
  • drift zones (these blue red white striped decals) are used for additional multipliers along with speed for the drift score.
  • menus are in the making and already working partially but not shown here.

Thus far, Electronic Arts have not reacted to this unofficial remake, but regarding the quality of this project, the company might process legal actions to stop this remake from being released officially.

Source: DSOG