The visuals in SRS are actually pretty good. The car models are by authentic carmakers. With over 50 official licenses, you can find a ride that suits your taste with no problem. Surprisingly the game has actual car damage that not only effects the look of your vehicle, but the handling as well. You will want to keep your car shiny and clean as it costs to repair damage. The environments are made up from a large city setting in which you drive around looking for races, crews, and women. The wet track that was made famous by NFS returns here yet has no effect on the car’s performance. Unlike NFS, there are day, dusk, and night settings that provide a more surreal environment. Lighting effects are great, and the game supports 480p for the Xbox. There are 18 very hot models that you attempt to score as your girlfriend in this game which also make winning that much more enjoyable. The only odd fact is you keep your girl in a garage until you are ready to race. All in all the game looks sharp, and the damage effect gives SRS a slight advantage over its competition.

Audio is pretty standard. You have authentic engines for each vehicle type. You have decent ambient and crash sound effects. You also have a so-so soundtrack that is chock full of B Grade tunes. No custom soundtrack feature is provided in the Xbox version, which is a disappointment to say the least.

Gameplay is where SRS really shines. While it is easy to say the game is slow at first, you can bet your bottom dollar that once you get the upgrades and better rides that this game picks up speed quickly. With plenty of both underground and sanctioned races to choose from, there is no shortage of full throttle action to be had. The wealth of upgrades that you can tweak and test is incredible and all licensed. In a twist for the genre, you must obey the rules of the road while cruising, or the cops will pull you over. Whether you stay on the wrong side of the road too long or you are caught speeding, the cops will show no mercy in trying to deal with you and offer you a fine.

The most impressive aspect of SRS is the A.I. While most racing games have poor A.I. from either the lack of challenge or rubber band intelligence to come back and win at whatever the cost, you will find that each car on the road drives as if a real driver is behind the wheel. The A.I. will be aggressive, but will still make the same mistakes as you and I, by either taking turns too late, trying to avoid collisions, etc. This keeps the game exciting and incredibly fair. What’s more, you can take your ride online and try your luck against players all over. Online feature is offered on both Xbox Live and PlayStation 2, but Xbox Live owners get scoreboards and friends lists. While online, you can put your automobile up for grabs with a pink slip race. You lose; you lose your car as your ride is transferred off your hard drive and onto your opponent’s! Even cooler is the fact you cannot copy your ride onto a memory card on the Xbox or onto another on the PS2 to try to save your precious prize. You lose, you lose…tough luck buster. The story mode part of the game will keep you playing for a solid 30 plus hours trying to upgrade your ride, earn money and respect, and pack your garage with nice vehicles and girlfriends. There is a lot under the hood in SRS, and with the solid game play makes for a fun ride indeed.

Overall, if you are a fan of this custom street racing series, SRS will easily fill the void. There is plenty of cars, parts, races, and with online play, you may be racing for a good long while. Just be sure you give the game a chance before you give up, as mentioned before, the game starts off a bit slow. Once you have a few upgrades earned, the game becomes fun in quite a hurry.