This is the second attempt from THQ to somehow equal the success of Need for Speed series. Unfortunately Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights remains just a pale arcade-racing game available for Playstation 3, XBOX 360, and PC. Continuing in the same tradition: pimp the car, put some bling-bling, and race, Juiced 2 is nothing else but a clone of Need for Speed Underground with some new but not so important additions: design your own character, driver DNA, improved modding editor for exterior and interior, online career and crew (you can download anyones DNA and use it in your team to complete the career), and a new betting system.

Character's Editor

As you start the game the first thing to do is to design your own character. You can choose from five models, either male or female. All the models have modular body-parts, so you can easily change their outlook. You can edit their eyes, hair, brows, clothes, face, nose, color skin etc. But in the end your character will look similar to the original, if you don't choose to make it look hilarious. Anyway, it's a good addition to the game and enough detailed to make you play a little with it.

Character's DNA

DNA is a new and original addition to the game. Every opponent (including your character) has a DNA scheme. This scheme shows the main abilities of the driver and how is he progressing. The scheme has three branches representing three different specialties: Circuit, Drifting and Gambling. It's obvious, the Circuit and Drift shows the capabilities of the driver in these two events based on: overtake (how much you overtake), nitrous (how you use the nitro), spooking (how many opponents you have spooked), powerslide (how many times you use the powerslide in a curve), cornering (cornering without touching the walls), points (points earned in drift events), chain (how long can you drift). But Gambling is about additional earnings such as pink slips (how many cars have you won), driver bets (how many bets have you won against other competitors), and spectator bets (a new way of earning money by betting without racing).

The good thing about the DNA is that anyone else can download your DNA and race against it. Of course you can do the same thing with others DNA in the DNA lab which is the replacement for the Quickrace option. Here you can also race against some real celebrities like: Samuel Hubinette (swedish drift driver), Djibril Cisse (French soccer player), Smudo (German hip hopper and member of a racing team), etc.

Cars

After you end up editing you character, the next step is to get a new car in order to begin racing. Oh, I forgot. Before acquiring any car, you have to compete in two races to qualify for the rookie league. I f you have also complete this step, it's time for your new ride. Fifteen cars are available at the beginning from twelve manufacturers, including cars from around the globe. You can choose a Japanese car such as Nissan 200SX, or an American muscle car such as Camaro Z28, or a little European bug called Citroen C2 VTR.

Pay attention to any technical detail of the car. A rear-wheel traction will be much better in drift races than a front-wheel one. Also every car has a bar which shows how much you can tune it. Don't forget the fact that you have to complete ten leagues, which demand even better vehicles, so look up to which league every vehicle can compete. Further in the game more cars will be available to try out and buy (exotics, or modern muscle cars).