What do you think about OUTRUN 2?

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

I really looked forward to the home release of "OutRun 2" on oct 1st and purchased the game along with an XBOX last week to be able to play the game at home. I like it very much!

 

I also got myself the official demo cd of the game in advance... only three levels (actually 2 and 2/3), but they kept me motivated enough for the final release.

 

What do you think of the game and did it reach your expectations?

 

Best regards,

Simon

[NE146]

Think? I think it totally rocks!! I love this game and am playing it a lot more than Burnout 3 (although of course they're 2 totally different styles of racing games). The 'mission' mode seems pretty hard though

[devils advocate]

Every place I check has this slated for release on October 25th. Am I missing something here? I'd love to know where you got this early, as I have been dying for a copy!!

[Adrian M]

I played the demo and I don't know what to make of it just yet.

The demo track is a bit short and the game retains its arcadey roots. For my money, I think Colin McRae 2005 would be a better value for me as I mostly enjoy rally racing games.

 

Also, I've never been a fan of the original Outrun series.

[Simon]

Every place I check has this slated for release on October 25th. Am I missing something here? I'd love to know where you got this early, as I have been dying for a copy!!

Here in Germany it was officially released on oct 1st, but some resources provided it a day earlier...

 

Next important date for me is oct 15th when Donkey Konga gets launched over here. IIRC this one was released earlier in the US.

 

Best regards,

Simon

[sega saturn x]

I was never a fan of the original oyt run nor do i care alot for raceing games. However i always enjoyed the burn out games and i doubt out run 2 will eclipse burn out 3 for me.

[NE146]

They are completely different types of driving games.

 

Outrun is pure arcade style faithful to the original game. It's all about making time to your next checkpoint. You crash and flip and keep driving (and of course lose precious seconds). That's it. You will often find that you only make it past checkpoint 2 and you miss checkpoint 3 by only a couple of seconds. Running out of time and slowing to a crawl a mere couple of feet from the finish line then starting all over again from the beginning to see if you can make it "this time" is what Outrun is all about.

[NintendoDieScreaming]

I'm getting it the day that it comes out (Here in the US.)!!!!!

 

I can't wait. The original OutRun is one of my favorite games of all time, and I've been playing the shit out of the OutRun 2 demo.

 

[Adrian M]

Running out of time and slowing to a crawl a mere couple of feet from the finish line... is what Outrun is all about.

 

Actually, you're thinking of Rad Racer (Rare/NES). The classic Outrun and Hang-On games didn't give you "coasting time" when you ran out of gametime. You'd instantly stop and the game would be over.

[NE146]

Running out of time and slowing to a crawl a mere couple of feet from the finish line... is what Outrun is all about.

 

Actually, you're thinking of Rad Racer (Rare/NES). The classic Outrun and Hang-On games didn't give you "coasting time" when you ran out of gametime. You'd instantly stop and the game would be over.

 

No I'm not thinking of Rad Racer. I'm thinking of Outrun, and if my verbage was misleading, you get pretty much zero coast time in Outrun 2. When I say 'slowing to a crawl', I mean it happens precisely at the second your timer reaches zero. i.e. at zero.

 

Granted in Outrun 2 it doesn't happen as abruptly as Outrun (Outrun freezes the game, Outrun 2 slows down your car), but when you're doing 100 mph w/ one second left, then 0 mph at zero seconds left. it's abrupt enough

[joshua]

hmmm... looks like it isn't slated for release here in the states until mid october. i thought the first one was great! , yet i've not saw any pics of this one, does it maintain the eyepopping LOOK of the first one with the BRIGHT colors along the beach and other areas? and is the red ferarri intact?

[Major Havoc 2049]

I think it comes out October 12th in the US.

 

This shows some awesome footage of OutRun2 and Spikeout(3D Streets of Rage type game) from the recent Tokyo Game Show 2004:

http://www.xbox.com/ja-JP/xboxtv/default.h...8839&bw=hi&ltn=

 

[liveinabin]

I've had it for a few days now and it's wonderful. Even with all the myriad improvements that the 16 year wait has obviously brought from a technical standpoint, it still actually FEELS like Outrun still.

You even get the original game to play as well (surprisingly good with the Xbox controller).

This has everything I thought Japan had lost, insane optimism, wonderfully cheesy music and insane voice work.

To break down what Outrun 2 really is is this:-

Outrun 1 with lush visuals and the handling of Ridge Racer.

 

Yeah, I'm sure the experience is limited (although the Xbox exclusive missions are fun and challenging) as it's basically an arcade game, but then so was the original, and we're still playing that.

[junglehunter]

I've been playing the demo online for the past few days. I can honestly say I'm not liking it a whole lot. Is the full game much better?

[+Cafeman]

I plan on buying the X-box just to play it. And Panzer Dragoon Orta.

[icbrkr]

Played the game last night...

 

it rocks!

 

The original music is still in the game (Magical Sound Shower, Passing Breeze, etc), of course updated. It still feels like Outrun, just updated. Definetly a game I'm going to pick up...

[Simon]

I plan on buying the X-box just to play it.

So did I. I purchased my Xbox just to play the demo and afterwards the complete game...

 

All the best,

Simon

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

I just discovered the original "Out Run" inside "OutRun 2". You simply have to reach all five goals in the arcade race - the difficulty level doesn't matter...

 

The Xbox version of the original "Out Run" is quite nice, but I prefer playing it on DreamCast (included on "Yu Suzuki Works Vol. 1"). I even think that the DC emulation of the old game looks a bit better...

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Adrian M]

The more I play it, the more I like the powerslide physics. For some reason, I'm reminded a little of Sega Rally when you initiate a slide and attempt to keep it going. I do like the long draw distance and the simplified control is disappointing at first for those who've logged some quality time with the latest batch of rally racing games, but you get used to it.

[IronMongeR]

Bloody love it. Don't compare it to Burnout 3. They're so different it's pointless. Go and buy now!

[liveinabin]

I quite agree. You need both Burnout 3 and Outrun 2.

It's like comparing Asteroids and Space Invaders, both contain spacecraft..

[Atariboy]

Even though I like it, I wish they hadn't included power sliding, and made it more like the original.

 

Despite being arcade game, its still stupid to be able to powerslide around corners on pavement. It has its place in rally games and dirt track oval games, but its stupid here.

 

Wish Ridge Racer had never existed.

[liveinabin]

Well, the only alternative to that is (shudder) using the brakes!

If a racing game uses brakes or gears to corner, I usually avoid it. No fun.

I've been playing Ridge Racer 4 for 6 years now and I couldn't honestly tell you which button is for the brakes. Never pressed it

[Atariboy]

Doesn't even need the brakes.

 

I never needed to brake in OutRun. Using the gear shifter (just high and low) and lifting off the gas was enough to make any turn.

 

 

Was hoping to see things similar in this game.

[liveinabin]

You can still totally play it like that. Apart from the heart-attack mode and some of the challenges, drifting is optional. You can complete the course without doing it. Done it myself. You can pull off some truly tight drift moves in manual gear mode though.

Incidentally, didn't the original Outrun car drift a little? Or was I just cornering REALLY badly?