Course Design and Art.

Outrun 2 is very much like Outrun in design. They've essentially given a nod to every stage from the original in Outrun 2. The original feature fifteen stages on a branching system. You start on the same course every time, and when you reach the end of the course you'll find a branching path. If you take the left course, you'll be going someplace on the easier side of things. The right path leads somewhere tougher. This continues along to the five possible endings. You don't get to race on each course in a single game. You pick your five as you go. One of the great things about the original was the varied nature of the courses. From beaches, to mountains, to forests, to deserts, to industrial areas. Outrun 2 essentially has updated all fifteen courses from the original. There are nods to every last course. The first course of the original is represented in Outrun 2 by Palm Beach. The third course of the original where you raced alongside a cliffside is here as Castle Wall. The mountainous course is here as Alpine. The original's Oil City is here as Industrial Complex. The original was impressive for diversity in courses at the time. Racing games in 1986 didn't really offer different location types within a single game. It's commonplace now for them to offer up every possible location type. Outrun 2 nods to the originals are still very impressive. The visuals are great. You're always noticing new things. The fields of colored flowers and the windmills of Tulip Garden. The torches lighting the way in the fog of Ghost Forest. The density of the trees making up the Coniferous Forest. The sand blowing across the track in Ancient Ruins. All of these little graphical extras were there in the original and they're here looking as slick as ever in Outrun 2. The courses all look great. There isn't a single less than course in the entire game. This applies in the other aspect of course design. The actual lay of the land, and the twists and turns. The game's course design on that level is brilliant. Both the original and Outrun 2 offered flexibility and subtlety. They offer numerous ways to take a particularly nasty turn.  Braking is rarely needed when dealing with turns if you have the skill to power drift your way through.  This is arcade racing. Flying through at top speed is possible in almost every single turn in the game. All racing games are a matter of learning the courses. You'll never master every last turn. There are always a couple that will haunt you and actually keep you coming back for more. Which is a good thing.

Next time should be the final opinion on Outrun 2.