Need for speed? Check this out

Although "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2" represents -- deceptively enough -- the sixth title in the "Need for Speed" series, the game manages to include fresh and exciting gameplay. With an emphasis on evading the law in chaotic, high speed chases, one can easily see the inherent appeal of the game.\nThe game's two single player campaigns (one in absence of police, the other crawling with more cops than the IU campus on a Saturday night) allow for a unique and engrossing method of unlocking new vehicles and levels. Players can choose to play through the levels (most of which offer a prize, while some merely offer access to new levels) in any variety of sequences, allowing them to earn and work towards the prizes they most desire. \nThe true bright spot of the game lies in its multiplayer modes. Players can race head to head with or without cops enforcing traffic laws, or one player can assume the role of an officer of the law and ruthlessly administer justice to speeders. The cop player has a variety of tools at his disposal, including the ability to call for road blocks, spike strips and helicopter air support, and has an unlimited turbo boost to catch up with speeders. There's nothing quite as satisfying (and hilarious) as calling in a helicopter to drop explosives on a speeding friend's car, ramming the snot out of his thus immobilized vehicle, and then watching your cop give the violator a lecture and a ticket to boot. The only major flaw here is the lack of ability to disable the time limit for this mode, as it is nearly impossible for either player to win in the allotted time (the cop must make three arrests, the racer must complete a predetermined amount of laps).\nGraphically, "NFS: Hot Pursuit 2" looks nearly as good as any other console racing game out there. At certain times throughout a race, the game's camera view switches to show a slow-motion shot of your car flying through the air or smashing through a police road block-making for a really cool effect. \nWith enough arcade action to appeal to those who normally stay away from the driving-game genre, and enough straight forward racing modes to please a regular of racing games, "NFS: Hot Pursuit 2" is worth renting.