" The game could have been more polished. "

      Title: Supercar Street Challenge by Activision

      Format: Racing for PS2

      Reviewing Monkey: Simi N.

      The Hype: Design your own car and race it through the streets of seven cities worldwide. Find alternate routes that will put you ahead of the competition. Blazing speeds and awesome weather effects will keep you coming back for more.

      What This Monkey Thought...

      Graphics: This game has some really good graphics. I mean it has to hold its own against games such as Gran Tourismo A-spec, so it had better be good right? Well for the most part they did a good job. The cars look nice, although they are lacking in the texture department, and the courses come across awesome. The buildings are spectacular. But what really brings it all together are the little details. My favorite thing in this game is racing over wet cobblestone streets, because the reflection is stronger in the grout lines (the lines between the stones) just as it would be in real life because water would collect there. This is just one example of the many nice touches in the game, most of which have to do with weather. The only problem is that there are a few spots where the frame-rate will drop (especially in the designer series) and drive you crazy. 4 out of 5.

      Sound: Well, I think this is my least favorite part of this game. The soundtrack is a bunch of generic techno that doesn't really add anything to the game's value, but also won't annoy you too much. Beyond that are the sound effects and they are definitely lacking. The sounds are overly generic and aren't at the levels that they should be. Your engine and squealing tires seem too quiet, and the opponent's engines are too loud, which makes driving with a manual transmission a real chore. 2.5 out of 5.

      Playability: This is the area that most people don't seem to like in this game. I will lay it all out for you right now. This game should be played with the knowledge that it is an arcade style racer. If you realize this, than you will probably be able to accept the fact that hitting a wall at a good angle won't slow you down too much. Basically this makes the game easy to pick up, especially for those who don't usually play racing games. Other than that it is your standard racer. It pits you against seven other super cars on the streets of seven cities worldwide. But with the cool addition of the Steve Saleen Design Studio where you can morph the body of your car to make it look the way you want using several templates. You could spend hours on this alone. And finally this game really gives you a sense of speed. It is absolutely exhilarating. I haven't had this much fun with a car racing game ever. 4 out of 5.

      Level and Environment Designs: Definitely the shining point in this game. The tracks are all different routes through seven different cities. They range from fairly simple loops to unbelievably twisty, triple-hairpin, and stress-inducing madness. The best part is that there are tons of shortcuts that you can take to give you an edge over the competition, but unlike most games there are an equal number of routes that will make you lose time, so be careful when exploring. The cities look great with details, great textures, and good variety. 4.5 out of 5.

      Multiplayer: While the multiplayer mode is fun, it tends to see frame rate drops much more often than single player mode (especially when it is raining). But other than that it is pretty sweet and is only held back further by the fact that you have to unlock many of the tracks and cars by progressing through the one-player mode. But you definitely have a nice amount to choose from in the beginning, it would be nice if you were able to use all the cars at the outset. 3.5 out of 5.

      Replayability: There are many modes in this game and a few of them will require a lot of skill in order to beat. The game definitely takes some time to get through completely, but I'm sure that anyone would go back for more. Once you get a taste of the speed you can't help it. 3.5 out of 5.

      The Verdict:

This is a good arcade style racing game. You get to race at super high speeds through the streets of seven cities, and you even get to design your own car, make it look the way you want it to and race it against existing super cars. The game could have been more polished, and will be too arcade for some people, though.

      The Good: Good graphics, tons of speed, plenty of cars to race, great track design, shortcuts!

      The Bad: There are some aggravating frame rate drops, the game gets really hard right towards the end, and the bouncy walls will turn some people off.

      The Overall Ugly: This game is a fast and fun racer. Especially for those who just can't seem to get the hang of simulation racing games.

      What it's Worth: Worth a good $39.99.