Need for Speed II: SE (1997-)

Need for Speed II is a racing video game released in 1997. It is a part of the Need for Speed series and is the second installment, following Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed. The game was released in Japan as Over Drivin' II.

Need for Speed II was met with mixed reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation version 71.39% and 71/100 and the PC version 68.25%. Critics were universally impressed with the selection of expensive cars and the huge number of tracks. However, most found that other issues interfered with enjoyment of the game. IGN, for instance, remarked that "All the right elements are there - cool cars, inventive tracks, decent control - but the execution has been seriously flawed by poor graphics and frame rate." The most commonly cited problem with the graphics was the high amount of pop-up, which Next Generation said "is actually irritating enough to obfuscate what could be a good time." The Official PlayStation Magazine said the game had "atrocious handling" and that it soon got boring. Several critics noted, usually in the form of a complaint, that the game's handling requires players to frequently brake during turns.

Released on November 6, 1997 in the United States and February 2, 1998 in Japan and Europe, the special edition of Need for Speed II includes one extra race track, three extra cars, three bonus cars, a new driving style called "Wild", and 3dfx Glide hardware acceleration support.

Images from MobyGames