Screamer 2

One of the best arcade-style racer ever made for PC, Screamer 2 is everything Screamer was, and more.

Sam Damage puts it nicely in his review for MobyGames: "The Good: After the first Screamer Virgin Interactive, the publisher, made some changes. They changed Graffiti to Milestone, the time limits into real competitors, the hi-tech roadcars into rally cars, and the somewhat lame chasing of time limits into a real arcade rally experience. The result is called Screamer 2.

Well, that's not even all they changed. First, there's the graphics engine. It was almost revolutionary at it's time, making good quality graphics with unbelievable level of detail in them. It's still pretty to watch today, even without a 3DFX-card (there's a 3DFX Patch available). The tracks really differ from each other, as Finland is a snowy and very slippy track, the Switzerland is very fast and twisty tarmac track. The rest are somewhere in between.

The driveability is one of the greatest in computer game history. The cars rarely go straight, and mostly the cars go in wild slides around the track. If you lose control of the car, most times you survive by doing a stylish 360 spin and continue driving. The cars really differ from one another, as the rear wheel drive cars are deadly fast but also deadly hard to drive and the FWD cars are easy to drive but not that fast. 4WD cars are somewhere in between.

Another good thing is the split-screen multiplayer mode. The fun is twice as much with 2 players. Usually the races become more like demolish'em derby than rally racing. there is no damage model whatsoever, so that the race doesn't stop after the first big wreck.

The Bad: The sound engine isn't in the level of the rest of the game. The engine sounds are hideous, high-revving whistle and the sound effects are just plain crash-bump-crash effects.

The Bottom Line:Screamer 2 was a perfect-class game when it was published. Currently the game has lost it's teeth in graphics and the sounds were never that good, but the playability that is just FUN is still there. That doesn't lose it's shine. And that's what matters. The graphics aren't that hideous, but 36 months have taken their toll. Whatever, the game offers good playability and very fun moments with it, and as it is a cheap game nowadays I strongly recommend you to take a try. You won't regret it."

Highly recommended, and a well-deserved entrant into our Hall of Belated Fame.

Review By HOTUD