here are a select group of Midnight Club II online reviews from the last 2 weeks, with a few choice quotes per article.
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=100069.4 out of 10, Editor's Choice
"The nitro-fueled intensity that is MCII grabbed me like no other game before did, keeping me enthralled to the point that not only did I feel I needed to forego basic bodily functions but requiring even that I ignore that screaming itch on my foot."
"Speed has never been conveyed to such an extent as what is found in Midnight Club II. The passion of intensity evoked within the player is unprecedented, to the point where they might have to make an addendum to the FCC video game epilepsy warning, or something."
"It's like trying to explain the beauty of a flower, or the importance of gravity, or the gravity of levity. But knowing that words alone cannot do this game justice, I'll attempt to sum it up in three small words: speed, speed, and, wait for it .. speed."
http://www.psxnation.com/reviews/ps2reviews?idnumber=00046910 out of 10
"From top to bottom and even in-between, "Midnight Club II" is the type of dream racing game that you wish developers were able to crank more often."
"From edited courses to "Mario Kart"-type power-ups (Ice, Reverse Steering, etc.) that can turned on/off, this is the game that "Need For Speed" and "Test Drive" have been wishing to be since their days as struggling PSOne franchises. "Burnout 2" came close last year, but for 2003 accept no substitutes: "Midnight Club II" is the s***!"
"Polished online interface + incredible sense of speed (i.e. bikes out of hell!) + perfect arcade handling (wheelies anyone?) + plethora of modes to tinker with + no "GT3: A-Spec"-type customization or realistic physics = the best PS2 arcade racing ever made. It's official now: Rockstar Games owns the PS2 (and all of us along with it)!"
http://darkstation.com/reviews/article233.html9 out of 10
"What is so great about Midnight Club 2 is that this is a game that you won't get bored of for quite some time. The career mode is quite lengthy with plenty of replay value. The online portion of the game is probably one of the most impressive online games for the PS2, with several customizable options, the online mode is one you could come back to over and over again. There is also a track editor, which just seals the deal that this is a fun game."
http://www.gamingnexus.com/Review.asp?ID=2289.2 out of 10
"Rarely do racing games come around that are as much fun as Midnight Club 2. With an online mode, customizable levels, a sizable career mode, and fun multi-player games, this is one racing game you shouldn't pass up."
http://www.pgnx.net/reviews.php?page=full&id=21559.6 out of 10
"Overall, Rockstar San Diego has shown us what a racing game should be like. It should be fast, it should handle well, and it should have great graphics and sound. More importantly, it should have massive replay value. If you enjoyed the first game, you'll love this one. Even if you didn't like the first one, PS2 owners looking for something worthy game to brag to Xbox Live owners, will love this. We finally have another worthy online game and a good racing game to boot."
http://www.takeoutmusic.com/articles/midnight_club_2_ps2_game_review.htm5 out of 5
"In a few short words, THIS GAME IS THE BEST RACING GAME EVER. Go buy this now. If you want, you can read the rest of my review but you don't really have to."
"Basically, I rate games on if they get my adrenaline pumping or make my blood boil in a good way. This game does both to me at the same time. Pick up the best racing game ever and thank me later."
http://www.gamerstemple.com/vg/games/000098/000098r01.asp93% out of 100%
"High speed and high thrills racing action in a great looking game. Midnight Club II is the most enjoyable arcade racer to come along in quite some time."
http://www.psxnation.com/reviews/ps2reviews?idnumber=00046910 out of 10
"From top to bottom and even in-between, "Midnight Club II" is the type of dream racing game that you wish developers were able to crank more often."
"From edited courses to "Mario Kart"-type power-ups (Ice, Reverse Steering, etc.) that can turned on/off, this is the game that "Need For Speed" and "Test Drive" have been wishing to be since their days as struggling PSOne franchises. "Burnout 2" came close last year, but for 2003 accept no substitutes: "Midnight Club II" is the s***!"
"Polished online interface + incredible sense of speed (i.e. bikes out of hell!) + perfect arcade handling (wheelies anyone?) + plethora of modes to tinker with + no "GT3: A-Spec"-type customization or realistic physics = the best PS2 arcade racing ever made. It's official now: Rockstar Games owns the PS2 (and all of us along with it)!"
http://www.cybergamingnet.com/reviews/236.php4.5 out of 5
"This is pure arcade racing at its best while offering nearly limitless replay value. This game boasts an impressive number of modes, options, gameplay elements, and vehicles as well as three sprawling urban cities."
"Racing through the levels is near flawless and incredibly fast, the AI is solid, and there is plenty of modes to choose from. This should really be a no-brainer for fans of the racing genre, movies like "the Fast and the Furious", or just racing in general."
http://www.gaming-age.com/cgi-bin/reviews/review.pl?sys=ps2&game=mc2
A-
"I have found a racing experience so deep, so rich, so maddening and addictive, that forcing myself to put the PS2 controller down inspires a reaction not dissimilar to Chris Rock's crackhead in New Jack City - shaking, short temperedness, and a desire to get back to my addiction as soon as possible. Midnight Club 2 is that enjoyable."
"Overall, Midnight Club 2 is the best racing game I've played in months, and anyone looking to release a title in this genre now should look long and hard at what Rockstar's been able to pull off here. This is how a sequel should be put together, fixing what was wrong with the original and bringing a great new experience to the table. The new standard has been set - and Midnight Club 2 is it."
http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/midnightclub2/B+
"And damn it if these cities don't look good. The developers were clear in that they didn't want to make a perfect spot on conversion of the cities in the game, but rather a caricature, thereby being able to place landmarks closer together and enable a ton more shortcuts and jumps. The result is having each city feel like you think it should feel. Sure, LA veterans might complain that LAX isn't a five minute drive from the Staples Center, but I don't really care. This game makes driving in Los Angeles fun. If that's not an accomplishment, nothing is."
A-
"I have found a racing experience so deep, so rich, so maddening and addictive, that forcing myself to put the PS2 controller down inspires a reaction not dissimilar to Chris Rock's crackhead in New Jack City - shaking, short temperedness, and a desire to get back to my addiction as soon as possible. Midnight Club 2 is that enjoyable."
"Overall, Midnight Club 2 is the best racing game I've played in months, and anyone looking to release a title in this genre now should look long and hard at what Rockstar's been able to pull off here. This is how a sequel should be put together, fixing what was wrong with the original and bringing a great new experience to the table. The new standard has been set - and Midnight Club 2 is it."
http://www.cybergamingnet.com/reviews/236.php4.5 out of 5
"This is pure arcade racing at its best while offering nearly limitless replay value. This game boasts an impressive number of modes, options, gameplay elements, and vehicles as well as three sprawling urban cities."
"Racing through the levels is near flawless and incredibly fast, the AI is solid, and there is plenty of modes to choose from. This should really be a no-brainer for fans of the racing genre, movies like "the Fast and the Furious", or just racing in general."
http://www.the-laser.com/midnightclub2.htmA
"The fast, arcade-style racing is quite addictive because the game sucks you right in with its intensity. Midnight Club will definitely have you going for 'just one more' race repeatedly."
"Midnight Club II is an incredibly fast and fun title. It's graphics and structure are a vast improvement over the original game with tight, fluid controls that put you right in the driver's seat. Midnight Club II is intense, and addictive, making it an absolute must-have addition to any PS2 racing fan's library."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/26/nedu126.xmlTalk of brainstorming 'may offend epileptics'
By Liz Lightfoot
(Filed: 26/04/2003)
The term "brainstorming" has become the latest target of political correctness, according to a charity.
Trainee teachers are being told to avoid the word for fear of offending pupils with epilepsy. Instead they are being advised to use "word storm" or "thought shower".
However, charities working with epilepsy say "brainstorming" is not offensive. "We had several inquiries from teachers about it so we did a survey of our residential home," said Gemma Baxter from the National Society for Epilepsy.
"We also contacted people with epilepsy in the community and the overwhelming response was that 'brainstorming' implies no offence to people with epilepsy, and that any implication that the word is offensive to people with the condition is taking political correctness too far."
People found it more offensive that the question was being asked of them, she said.The Teacher Training Agency said it was not responsible for the suggestion that students avoid the word.
"We are responsible for overseeing the general quality of the courses provided by universities and colleges and we don't get involved in the minutiae of what they teach."
