Pixelbite, the creators of the Reckless Racing 1-3 and Reckless Getaway, have just released Reckless Getaway 2 onto the Play Store. If you are unfamiliar with the first title in the series, this sequel is more of the same, a getaway racing experience where your goal is to run from the cops as long as you can survive. Utilizing simple left and right controls and fancy graphics, Reckless Getaway 2 is a great convergence of casual and core gaming.

Sure, Reckless Getaway 2 may be more focused on the casual side of things with its collection aspects, and random loot crate draws. But it's hard to argue with the amount of challenges and modes available in the game that lean more towards core gaming mechanics. To be clear, these challenges and modes are not available through a traditional selection method. You will have to hunt them down in order to complete them.

The gameplay works like this. You have a left and right arrow on each side of the screen that steers your vehicle. A round of play will start the second you touch one of these virtual buttons. From there you are off to the races. Specifically, you are running away from cops who are chasing you. While there is no noted goal to the gameplay short of gaining the highest score, you can run across different mode markers which will grant you different tasks or abilities. Keep in mind that these modes will only last for a limited amount of time. There is also the addition of challenges, which are highlighted when you choose your vehicle and can be attempted while driving. Challenges such as driving over as many street lamps as possible are a good example of what you can complete in a round of play. What is funny about these challenges is that they are left pretty ambiguous, leaving you guessing as to what it takes to complete one. I feel this encourages exploration, which helps extend the gameplay. Short of the challenge and mode markers, you will want to gain as much currency as possible while driving around, since the currency is how you unlock new cars.

When it comes time to unlock a new car, you have two different methods to choose from. The first method is to buy any car with an in-app purchase outright. None of these IAPs run higher than $2.99, and the vast majority are only $0.99. You can also unlock many of the game's cars through earning in-game currency. Once you have enough of this currency, you can take a draw from the game's loot crate system. This will, of course, take more time than straight up purchasing your cars, but I find it's half the fun in playing the game.

All in all Reckless Getaway 2 is a solid effort from Pixelbite, just as their other games have been in the past. The IAPs are low and not really necessary unless you need to own all of the cars at once. The gameplay itself is pretty solid, and the open-world design leaves you a lot to explore. Once you add in the challenge system, there should be a good bit to delve into for a good while. If you are looking for a casual racer with some core mechanics, Reckless Getaway 2 is an excellent choice.

Reckless Getaway 2 Developer: Pixelbite
Price: Free
4.4
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