Game Hits Gamestore

06/09/01
Crazy Taxi 2

Developer: Sega Hitmaker

Publisher: Sega

Platform: Dreamcast

# Of Players: 1

Difficulty: Above Average

ESRB Rating: Teen

Geeky: Alright, Fat, I've had enough of this crap. Time to get off of yer ass and help me do some reviews for the site.

Fat: Wha? Oh, okay....What's got you so fired up all of the sudden?

Geeky: Well, think about it. We have a reputation to uphold. We haven't been too visible lately, and all these new whippersnappers are starting to write for the site. Web traffic's actually picking up, and there's probably people out there that have never read one of our reviews.

Fat: Ah, I see...so we can recycle the same old crap we usually do, and these new readers will percieve it as new.

Geeky: Exactly. I think it's time that we've made our presence felt more. Maybe we'll get the attention of somebody major....and....they'll send me DEAD OR ALIVE 3 for the X-BOX!

Fat: Mmmm...hmmm. I...seriously doubt it.

Geeky: I don't need your negative attitude, bunky. If you're gonna stomp all over my hopes and dreams, do it in your head, or at least out of earshot.

Fat: Uh....Sorry. So what should we review?

Geeky: Honestly? DEAD OR ALIVE 3 for the X-BOX!

Fat: Small problem. We don't have it and we never played it.

Geeky: I know that! That's why somebody should send it to me!

Fat: I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait like everyone else, and get it when it comes out. As for what to review....have you played Crazi Taxi 2 yet?

Geeky: Hmm?...oh, yeah. It's no DEAD OR ALIVE 3 for the X-BOX!..., but it's alright.

Fat: Now Geeky, you know we don't do reviews like that. We give an overview first.

If you're not familiar with the first Crazy Taxi game, it's time to clean up around that ROCK you've been living under for the last couple of years, but basically you are a cab driver out to make some crazy money and pick up people around town, giving them the thrillride of their lives by showing off your driving skills, performing death-defying stunts, and getting them to their destination at the fastest speed possible. The farther the destination, the more money you can make off of the fare. If you're too slow, your customer bails out on you, ya don't get squat for payment, and you run out of time (maybe Crazy Taxi employees have a real strict union that doesn't let 'em drive around without a fare for more than 30 seconds, I dunno).

Geeky: The first Crazy Taxi game took place in a pseudo-San Francisco area. This one, like some stage in DEAD OR ALIVE 3 for the X-BOX (or so I'm told...I'd have to have a copy SENT to me to know for sure, hint hint), is in a fantasy version of New York. You have 4 new drivers to choose from, each with their own style and unique Taxi cab: They are Slash (The first game's first Driver was Axel, I wonder if the guys at Hitmaker are Guns n' Roses fans? or maybe DOA3 for X-Box fans...), Iceman (DOA 3 for X-Box has a real cool new Ice stage), Cinnamon (she's a chick, like the chicks in DOA3 for the X-Box) and "Hot-D" (He's an old guy, like the old guy in DOA3 for the X-Box)...

Fat: ...You are REALLY starting to annoy me with that.

Geeky: Scientific Studies prove that constant repetition of certain phrases (like "send Geeky DEAD OR ALIVE 3 for X-BOX, please", as an example...) invokes a feeling of familiarity and increases the chance of people reading it to remember the phrase that was spoken.

Fat: ...Studies also prove that beggars who write reviews for a local gamestore fan site that is read mostly by people who KNOW you...and don' like you...don't get ANYTHING.

Geeky: Yeah...well, nobody likes YOU either. You're kinda like the wrestler guy, Bass in DOA2..nobody wants to play with you...

Fat: Shaddup. Moving on...Crazy Taxi 2 has a different feel from the first, as the Streets in New York are even more convoluted than in San Francisco, and it looks like the game area is larger with more destinations as well. Like the first game, this one has two maps, but this time, the larger map (Round Apple) is the main one, and the "Small Apple" is the alternate, covering a different part of the city.

Geeky: Crazy Taxi 2 also has some new moves that'll help you cut seconds off your time if you master them, much like DOA3 will have new moves that'll cut life off of my opponent's power meter. The Crazy Dash and Crazy drift are joined by the crazy hop, which is a vertical jump that'll help you jump over obstacles and oncoming traffic.

Fat: Also new to Crazy Taxi 2 is the multiple-passenger fare. This time, you can pick up sets of 2, 3 and 4 passengers, ranging from disco dancers to mimes (that talk) to cheerleaders, each with a different destination. The challenge here is that if you don't drop the whole group off by the time their timer runs out, you get no money. Please note that you still can't pick up other passengers once you have 1, or 1 set of them. As you might expect from New York, the language of the passengers is a bit stronger this time around (Those who have an aversion to having "you SUCK you DUMBASS!" yelled at them may want to skip this game).

Geeky: The first Crazy Taxi had the Crazy Box (X-Box), this one has the Crazy Pyramid, which is another set of mini-games that are designed to help you learn the Crazy tricks (much like a DOA training mode, a feature almost CERTAIN to be in DOA3 for the X-Box). Besides the usual challenges of popping balloons and using tricks to get your fare to their destination, there are now new games like crazy golf and crazy hurdles to hone your skills. As you move up the pyramid by winning the mini-games, you can unlock new features, such as a maps, new vehicles, new characters, and more.

Fat: Once again, music is supplied by the Offspring (cussing intact), but instead of Bad religion, this time we're treated to new tracks by Masters of Mayhem. I usually only hear the Offspring tracks though, and this time, it sounds like they have more complete versions of the songs that are playing. Once again, the like in music is based on taste, though a bit more variety (ala Jet Grind Radio) would have been nice.

Geeky: I wouldn't mind some new tracks from Bomb Factory, which made the intro music in Dead or Alive 2, and possibly will make more for DOA3 for the X-Box. Did I mention I would REALLY appreciate someone sending me a pre-release copy? I'm sure I'll give it a good review...

Fat: Yeah, so am I, ya fanboy. Now, on to the play critique. Basically, the Taxi magic is intact. I've heard some people say that this game seems slower than its' predecessor, and thought so myself at first, but once I got back into the Taxi groove (like using a crazy Dash every 5 seconds), I can tell you that if anything, this game is faster. I have seen no signs of the sporadic slowdown that was present in the first game, and the new moves really can help you keep up your speed, if you use them properly.

Geeky: I find Taxi 2 somewhat tougher than the first game. There isn't an option to turn up the time limit in this one, and the landmarks are quite a bit more distinct in CT1, though some looks at the map and a few plays are mostly what it takes to find your way around. Also, the time limits for some of the passengers, especially the multiples, is insanely short. It is imperitive to find and use as many shortcuts as you can. Graphically, this game is as good as the first, but no better.

Fat: ...you didn't mention DOA3 this time.

Geeky: Oh yeah, for the X-Box. Thanks for reminding me. If one of you avid, kind and generous readers out there has a spare pre-release copy of DOA3 for the X-Box that you're not using, send it on over to Gamehits...no, better yet, send it straight to me...3923...

Fat: ..Are you sure it's WISE to give your address out over the web? And you're forgetting something...you don't even HAVE an X-Box.

Geeky: Ah, right. Somebody should send me one of those too. Let's see...if any of you wanna barter, I got lotsa comics, and some DVDs, and some porn....

Fat: Face it, Geeky...NOBODY is gonna send you DOA3 for the X-Box...but, uh...if somebody would like to send it, I'd really appreciate a pre-release copy of PS2 Virtua Fighter 4....

Geeky: ....You pathetic beggar.

GRAPHICS: (Fat) 8.8 (Geeky) 8.6

SOUND: (Fat) 8 (Geeky) 9

CONTROL:-Pad (Fat) 8.9 (Geeky) 8.4

CONTROL:-Wheel (Fat) 7.4 (Geeky) 8.9

WORTH A RENT?: A crazy Taxi game is always worth renting for a quick spin.

WORTH A BUY?: A lot more so than that PS2 version of Crazy Taxi 1, and it's cheaper too.

WORTH BUYING THE SYSTEM FOR?: If this game isn't, there's a ton of others that are.

FAT AND GEEKY'S FINAL THOUGHTS: As far as game sequels go, CT2 is pretty good. It keeps the fun factor of the first game, and adds to the challenge.

Click on the pics below to see larger pic.