Beach Buggy Racing 2 is the latest kart racer from Vector Unit, a developer that knows its way around creating some of the best free-to-play racers on Android. This release is a sequel to the original Beach Buggy Racing, and it brings with it improved graphics, new drivers, new vehicles, upgradeable power-ups, and several new game modes.

If you've ever played a kart racer, then you should know exactly what to expect from the core gameplay of Beach Buggy Racing 2. As you race around a track, you will come across powerups and weapons that can be used to your advantage. The goal is to of course race across the finish line before anyone else, all while blasting your opponents with whatever weapons you can pick up.

There appears to be only one game mode when you start, which is the single-player racing mode. Once you work your way through the tutorial, you'll have a couple of different tracks available that will switch out to new tracks as you complete them. The primary goal of this mode is to win your races so that you can level up.

The first thing you'll notice when you start racing is that the game performs wonderfully. I cranked the graphics and resolution settings to the max on my GS8+, and I have yet to notice any framerate dips. Another plus is that the tracks are now wider, which gives the player plenty of room to maneuver without running off the side of the road. The touchscreen controls are also fantastic. They are precise without ever really getting in your way. Moving forward is automatic, so all you'll have to worry about is turning and breaking.

Sadly not everything is perfect. An online connection is required to play. There is also no controller support, so if you don't enjoy using touchscreen controls, you are out of luck. And then there is the monetization. You can expect to find two separate in-game currencies, loot boxes, and in-app purchases that range all the way up to $99.99 per item. It would also seem the game isn't quite complete yet, as the events tab is currently empty, which means those new game modes mentioned earlier have yet to be added in. I'm sure this will change soon enough, but the current lack of different racing modes is noticeable — the game sort of feels empty.

For a free-to-play racer, I have to say I've been having a lot of fun with Beach Buggy Racing 2. It performs well, controls well, and anyone can dive in since there is no price attached to the download. The game does feel a little bare, and I have to wonder how well it's balanced towards the late game. There are already reports in the Play Store reviews that mention a drastic jump in the stars necessary to move from level 3 to level 4, so once you play enough to get hooked it would seem that's when the real grind kicks in. If you don't mind such things, then there's a lot to like about this release.