Need For Speed Underground 2 gets jaw-dropping next-gen remaster

It has officially been over twenty years since Need for Speed: Underground 2 was released but that hasn’t stopped fans from praying that we will one day get a deserved remaster.

First released way back in 2004, Need for Speed: Underground 2 was the eighth instalment in the Need for Speed franchise and released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox as well as the GameCube.

Want to experience more nostalgia? Check out the intro to Need for Speed: High Stakes below!

It was a commercial success and sold over 11 million copies worldwide, even going as far as breaking record sales within the United Kingdom.

However, despite its success, and the subsequent releases in the series, Need for Speed: Underground 2 has yet to receive an official remaster from EA and nostalgic fans are still keeping their fingers crossed.

Fortunately, to give us a slight tease of what we could see from a remaster, Youtuber Digital Dreams has recently released a video showcasing Need for Speed: Underground 2 in 4K, complete with Ray Tracing.

Thanks to the 2004 game being “insanely modded”, it is safe to say that it looks a lot better 20-years on from release and the 10-minute video gives us a rundown of the improved graphics, dynamic lighting and much better looking vehicles, of course,

The video showcases those much-loved tracks and streets and being able to see them in more than one pixel is a definite upgrade.

However, viewers seemed to think differently and took to the comments to share their thoughts.

“I know the focus here is all on the graphics,” one user wrote.

“But without the iconic soundtrack, this is only half a game really. Damn copyright, damn you!

Still looks surprisingly decent in parts for such an old title. The dynamic lighting does a lot here.”

Another said: “Why does it look worse than the original?” Which is slightly dramatic, if I do say so myself.

With many claiming that Need for Speed: Underground 2 was the game of their childhood, it is no surprise that they are tough cookies to please.

However, this video just goes to show what is possible 20-years later.