THE newest instalment to one of the greatest racing games ever made. I did not think the original Hot Pursuit could be improved but this game delivers. It has a good array of challenges to keep you occupied with hours of game play.

There are two primary modes to choose from, Hot Pursuit and Championship.

Within these you can select to race in free runs, lap knockouts or a simple race with your choice of laps.

In Hot Pursuit you can participate in the Ultimate Racer competition where you race against fellow high performance cars and the cops.

In Championship the main tournament is also good but is too similar to other games such as Gran Turismo.

By completing races in these sections you unlock new tracks and cars as well as being able to progress down the competition tree.

The graphics are awesome and some of the best I have seen displayed on the PS2.

The cars look spectacular and the detail is amazing the spokes on the alloys look immaculate even when the wheels are spinning.

The varying weather conditions also add to the experience.

When you speed through water or leaves on the track they shoot up everywhere and you feel a loss in traction, which adds to the realism.

I was very impressed by the reflection of the surroundings in the cars.

The in-game sounds are crisp and precise.

The screeching of tyres is satisfying as you burnout round corners and at the start line.

The sound of police sirens varies as the police cars come closer or more distant allowing you to judge where they are coming from.

There is quite a good selection of background music but I did have to turn it off after a while, as rock music is not my preference.

The sound the engines make on different cars is impressive and the high revs would bring a smile to any boy racer.

The controls are the usual for racing games but there are a couple of extras.

The L2 and R2 shoulder buttons activate special features.

The L2 button freezes the race and then the camera view spins around your car in a Matrixstyle scene, which allows you to see where the other contestants are round you.

The R2 button is most important in Hot Pursuit as it sends a stream of fire out of the front of your car allowing you to view about a hundred metres of track ahead of you.

This means you can see any roadblocks and make the necessary adjustments to avoid them.

As you compete in more races you receive points that unlock the need for speed versions of the different cars such as the McLaren F1, Porsche 911 Turbo and Dodge Viper GTS.

The faster the car you get the police have a car to match it so you can never completely outrun them.

However they try everything to stop you including roadblocks, dangerous driving and even an attack helicopter that drops barrels of explosive on the track and fires missiles.

Overall this game is a must buy and I cannot recommend it enough.

Overall: 4.5/5 James Tramontano