Need for Speed Underground 2 came out in 2004, and since then, EA has published other titles, but none have nailed the raw thrill of designing your vehicle from the ground up while the bass thumped in the background. Apfelbaum, a lone developer, had a single goal: to bring this classic into the present day using Unreal Engine 5.
Apfelbaum began work last year, moving the game’s assets over to breathe new life into Bayview’s sprawling city. This remake keeps the original’s driving experience – those sharp turns and engine growls that prompted numerous replays – but with sharper edges and darker shadows. Download the build from RPGGameplay’s Discord server and you’ll be in right away, with no strings attached. Launch it, choose a car, and you’ll be met by the traditional sound of tires on asphalt, now enhanced with details that pop on modern screens.
Early builds let users to roam the city, observing how light bounced off hoods and buildings took on new significance. The graphics were upgraded without slowing down the gameplay; reflections grabbed street signs, and shadows stretched long under passing lamps. Before adding frills, Apfelbaum focused on getting the essentials correct, such as having the camera track your movements accurately and the audio boom. That paid off: sessions lasted longer than intended because the controls felt right and you’d return for another loop around the block.
Over the summer, day/night cycles were introduced, splitting Bayview into time chunks and altering how the city breathed. Apfelbaum made the changes seamless, so hours pass without you noticing. When combined with increased handling – tires gripped stronger on dry roads and looser in wet conditions – drivers moved from muscle memory to new difficulties.
Rivals and traffic are the next challenges to overcome; they are currently absent but on their way, and hopefully, we’ll see them soon. Apfelbaum has given us a preview of what AI tuning will entail, adjusting the mechanism to build aggressive packs that aren’t as clumsy as they are now. Once that’s completed and the additional features are published, career mode will be completely functional.
Bayview will also become much more intriguing; the entire area will open up, creating a network of districts to explore between events; you will undoubtedly want to get lost in there. Nothing has been announced regarding a release date, but if activities continue at this rate, it appears like something will be completed by the end of year.
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