Smuggler's Run 2

Smuggler's Run 2: Hostile Territory or simply Smuggler's Run 2 is a video game released for the PlayStation 2 in 2001. It is a sequel to the 2000 game Smuggler's Run. Like the first game, the player is a smuggler trying to deliver illegal cargo to destinations within 3 large maps in the game using several different types of vehicles to make deliveries in a given amount of time. A GameCube version was released in 2002 titled Smuggler's Run: Warzones.

Smuggler's Run 2: Hostile Territory
Developer(s)	Angel Studios
Publisher(s)	Rockstar Games
Producer(s)	Glen Hernandez
Designer(s)	Wing S. Cho
Programmer(s)	Charles T. Eubanks
Artist(s)	David McGrath
Writer(s)	Dan Houser Navid Khonsari Robert Bacon
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, GameCube
Release	PlayStation 2 NA: October 30, 2001 PAL: November 2, 2001 GameCube NA: August 6, 2002[1] PAL: October 18, 2002
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

The game was originally supposed to take place in Afghanistan but following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, the developers changed setting to the desert regions of Caucasus.^[2]

As in the first one, the police can drive the same cars but with much greater max speeds, the ability to go faster, slower and turn in midair to land on the player off jumps, extreme acceleration, and they can easily outnumber the player. Along with very inflexible time limits, this often leaves no room for mistakes.

Gameplay

Similar to the original game, the overall objective in most missions is to deliver illegal contraband from a pick-up to a drop-off spot in a given amount of time. The player would also have to avoid the local army and border patrol during these missions. Now, players also have to follow vehicles without being seen, destroy enemy vehicles, and evade police after all other objectives are finished. The player is given a number of vehicles to choose from.

Plot

The game takes place in three locations with the player working for a small smuggling company named Exotic Imports (EI or EXO for short). The story focuses on the activities and objectives given by the Colonel to EI. It starts in Russia, where the player finds out who they are working for and the basics of the game. Then, after being told to leave immediately from the area by Shodi (the main client) to Vietnam, Exotic Imports then learns of the CIA being involved after the Russians track 2 kg of Weapons Grade Plutonium. The story switches back to Russia, where Frank (the player's boss) asks the Colonel what is happening with the "nukes" and involvement from the CIA. Frank, only caring for money, agrees to continue smuggling nuclear devices. However, the rest of EI decide not to, and try to stop a missile in order to avert a Third World War. This reveals the Colonel's intentions, and Frank escapes with all the passwords, showing his plans. EI stop Frank, and then it shows the player flying off in a helicopter with a cheque for $100,501,000.

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
	GC	PS2
Metacritic	79/100[3]	77/100[4]

Review scores

Publication	Score
	GC	PS2
AllGame	N/A	[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly	8.5/10[6]	7.5/10[7][a]
EP Daily	N/A	7.5/10[8]
Eurogamer	N/A	7/10[9]
Game Informer	7.75/10[10]	7.5/10[11]
GameRevolution	N/A	B[12]
GameSpot	7.8/10[13]	8.3/10[14]
GameSpy	[15]	93%[16]
GameZone	8.8/10[17]	N/A
IGN	8.4/10[18]	8.7/10[2]
Next Generation	N/A	[19]
Nintendo Power	3.6/5[20]	N/A
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	N/A	[21]
Maxim	7/10[22]	8/10[23]

Reception

Both Hostile Territory and Warzones received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[3][4] Jim Preston of NextGen called the former "A small improvement over the original that also smartly retains all the fun."^[19]

The D-Pad Destroyer of GamePro said of Hostile Territory, "If you were a fan of the original, you'll probably love Smuggler's Run 2. It's less a sequel and more like what the original should have been. If you couldn't be bothered with Smuggler's Run, this version doesn't really add too much---just leave it in the dirt and go on to the next pick-up."^[24][b] Much later, Four-Eyed Dragon said, "Despite its questionable ethical objectives, Warzones is simply a frantic driver that has you racing from one point to another while trying to avoid the local law."^[25][c]

The latter was nominated for the "Best Driving Game on GameCube" award at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 Awards, which went to NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona.^[26]

Notes

1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the PlayStation 2 version, one critic gave it 8.5/10, and the rest gave it each a score of 7/10.
2. GamePro gave the PlayStation 2 version 4/5 for graphics, 3/5 for sound, and two 3.5/5 scores for control and fun factor.
3. GamePro gave the GameCube version three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4/5 for sound.