About Our Head-to-Head This feature series is designed to compare multi-platform videogames. The basic rule of thumb when comparing a game across multiple systems is this: never assume anything. Sometimes the results are obvious, other times they are not. The goal of the Head-to-Head is to arm readers with enough information so they can make their own decision. We will make our recommendation in each area, trying to base the decision on the facts and not personal biases. Whether you agree with the outcome or not, we only hope that you could make a sound decision based on the information we've provided. That is the main goal. All comparisons are drawn on the highest level of equipment possible; essentially, we make sure everything is compared and contrasted in its best form. In the following, we hope you find all the information you need. If not, please feel free to follow up with a question to our mailbag. |
Need for Speed Underground 2 (GCN, PS2, Xbox, PC)
Only a year off of its blockbuster, mod-crazy hit and EA is already back with a sequel. Need for Speed Underground 2 builds on the millions of customizing options and adds the ability to tune and upgrade your car's performance as well. All of this takes place in the heart of a huge metropolis and, unlike the original NFSU, you'll be burning rubber anywhere you want to go, looking for challenges that appear on your map.
With an impressive list of cars and customization options, it's a solid sequel worth taking for a spin on GCN, PS2, Xbox, or PC. Are they very different from each other? Hop in as we put them each on the Dyno and see what the really have to offer.
Features
In this section, we examine what relates to the main gameplay experience. Following, we have arranged a simple breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages between each system's gameplay features. If there are no advantages in any specific area, it means both share the same content.
GameCube Advantages
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The Breakdown: From the standpoint of customizing your ride and experiencing the thicket of the single-player and even split-screen multiplayer modes, NFSU 2 is the same game on all platforms. For replay value, GameCube is the only version that lacks online; and, the PC version is the only one that has LAN play available.
Winner Ranking:
1. PC
2. PlayStation 2/Xbox (tie)
3. GCN
Control
Here, we examine the primary functions of a controller. To avoid bias of liking one controller over another, or preferring things like a D-pad over the analog sticks, we simply lay out what the controller map is and make a final recommendation if gameplay is at all affected. Usually, this section is much more personal to the reader (you).
Platform Advantages
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*NOTE: PC version can be mapped in any way on a keyboard or with gamepad.
The Breakdown: None of the platforms really have any significant advantages or disadvantages over one another. Go with your controller preference.
Winner Ranking:
1. GameCube/PlayStation 2/Xbox/PC (tie)
Sound
In this section we consider the differences in both the quality of the audio as well as the surround sound effectiveness. For stereo television users, notes about the surround can usually be disregarded.
GameCube Advantages
Xbox Advantages
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The Breakdown: No version sounds poor. GameCube and PlayStation 2 are pretty comparable in terms of both quality and surround separation, but Xbox has the best quality and surround via Dolby Digital. Unfortunately, the PC version only supports stereo, although if you upmix that into Dolby Pro Logic II or another format with your receiver it will still sound decent. So, whether you would prefer higher quality audio on the PC or better surround with GCN/PS2, that's for you to decide.
Winner Ranking:
1. Xbox
2. GameCube/PlayStation 2/PC (tie)
Graphics
Perhaps one of the most-read sections of our Head-to-Heads, this commentary/breakdown will give you an idea what platform features the best visuals. It provides quickly-understood side-by-side screenshots that can be blown up (by clicking on them) and a list of what makes one version better or worse looking.
GameCube Advantages
Xbox Advantages
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Gallery
The Breakdown: This is an interesting case of visual differences. The PlayStation 2 looks great with lots of subtle touches like motion smears on lighting, great rain effects, and good color. If only it supported progressive scan, it would arguably be the best-looking console version. Xbox is the top contender for that spot, but this depends on taste -- it can be too saturated, too dark and this produces some odd-looking "black cars" and less noticeable reflections. Xbox is sharper and better filtered than the rest of the console versions, and in progressive scan there's no question that it looks really nice. If you're not playing in progressive, though, the PS2 is a very safe bet since it was the lead platform.
GameCube is without a doubt the oddest of the ports here. It doesn't suffer at all from being too dark like Xbox or PC can, and this brightness actually looks great sometimes. However, the overall effect is that it's too bright and out-of-place in terms of lighting. You'll notice in some of the pictures that backgrounds are too contrasted with the foreground, for example. Rain effects, too, just don't have the right atmosphere because of this. So, all said and done, it doesn't look bad, and in fact is quite decent in progressive scan and widescreen, but compared to the other versions it's definitely only going to mesh with a few people's preferences.
Lastly, PC is obviously going to be the best-looking one in terms of textures, resolution, and overall sharpness. It's extremely sharp and powerful cards add in more reflection effects, which looks great. However, as you increase the resolution over 1024x768 or so it becomes painfully obvious the textures are too low-res and unfiltered to match a PC resolution like that. So, at something like 1600x1200 you'll get a really sharp game at 30 frames per second, but because of the pixelated roadways and such it's just better to set it lower and achieve a faster framerate (which is definitely a plus in a racing title).
Overall, the PC is still our most recommended if it meets your tastes. After that, Xbox, especially if you have an HDTV. However, the PlayStation 2 version looks the best of the bunch in terms of effects and art implementation. Don't underestimate it -- it's a good one to play if you can't enjoy the benefits of progressive scan on your TV. GameCube we recommend the least in the visual department, only due to its out-of-place look more than anything. If the screenshots look fine to you, and you have the HDTV setup, then you'll probably be totally fine with it.
Winner Ranking:
1. PC
2. Xbox
3. PlayStation 2
4. GameCube
Presentation
Here we critique how the experience "feels" on each platform. Sometimes it's completely identical, other times a developer has improperly ported things like menus, FMV cut-scenes, etc. Load times are usually the most commonly highlighted element of presentation.
GameCube Advantages
Xbox Advantages
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The Breakdown: Not really any presentation differences in terms of extra bonus content or anything like that. Mostly, it comes down to load time differences (mostly inherent to the platform hardware anyhow); PC loads the fastest on a full-install, GameCube and Xbox are about even, and the PlayStation 2 usually takes about 10 seconds more than that.
Nothing really to worry in regards to presentation, then.
Winner Ranking:
1. PC
2. GameCube/Xbox (tie)
3. PlayStation 2
Final Verdict
Looking for our overall recommendation? This is the place to find it. We base this final verdict not on how many "sections" each platform has won. It is not a total accumulating in any way. It's about the overall impact of each element; usually features are the most important because they affect gameplay, but the visuals often carry a lot of weight as well.
Overall GameCube Advantages
Overall Xbox Advantages
Overall PC Advantages
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In the end, every version has its own quirks. Definitely consider them all and figure out what works best for you.
Overall Winner: PC
Winner Ranking:
1. PC
2. Xbox
3. PlayStation 2
4. GameCube