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Juiced is a video game for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows and mobile phone. The game was delayed for release in 2004 because of its original publisher Acclaim going bankrupt. The game was then picked up by THQ, the game was then further delayed as changes were made to the game.
In early 2006, UK software publisher Focus Multimedia re-released the PC version of Juiced at a new budget price point as part of its Essential games range.
The game offers many different modes including a career mode and arcade mode that present the player with challenges which gradually gets harder. A player can customize the car to suit their style and unlock new ones (by unlocking in arcade mode). Whilst racing there is a selection of background music from a variety of artists including Shapeshifters. A special feature added was the use of nitrous as expected since it is similar to other racing games which have the feature. This can be particularly useful for when the player is behind an opponent or is behind time, but the AI can also use the nitrous oxide.
The game system itself highly inspired by the Underground Need for Speed series itself inspired by the Shutokou Battle series, but the racing style are realistic, similar to Playstation's Gran Turismo. Damages are also distinctively visible on Juiced, and must be repaired before the player can tune up the car.
Plot
The story starts in Angel City where you start your racing career. T.K. (leader of the Urban Maulerz) makes his introduction and offers the player to race him. The challenger gives the player a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX (from his crew garage)and you race T.K's Mazda RX-8. However, before the race starts, you place a bet with T.K. When the bet is set you race. After the race (win or lose) race winnings and the bet pool goes to the winner, T.K. makes the player a Juiced racer and gives the player a choice of any three tuner cars to offer so he can keep his own car. T.K gives the player a garage and his own mechanic(so he can customize a car). After that, T.K. gives you his phone number and tells the player about entering events and upgrades, then leaves you. The player learns about the Juiced races(being a little weird than other street races). The player races through a series of races, with other crews in Angel City, unlocking rewards, meeting new crews and earning their respect.
Unpublished Acclaim Entertainment version
Juiced was originally intended to be published by Acclaim Entertainment, set to be released for the Playstation 2, Xbox and PC in late 2004. However, the game got caught up in Acclaim’s bankruptcy issues, and never got released. Game magazines around the world wrote reviews on nearly-finished copies of the game. The game was then picked up by THQ and published in 2005.
Gameplay and features
The player can choose a wide variety of car modifications, such as visual modifications, performance modifications and more. All of these customization options provide a personalized and unique car to suit the player’s needs. The gameplay offered to the player includes a career mode, sprint, race, solo, cruise, and a new show-off mode where the player does tricks with his or her car to keep the crowd entertained.
A feature that was seen in other car modification games, such as Need For Speed: Underground, was a nitrous button, which was useful if the player was far behind the competition and needed a little boost. This feature was also presented in Juiced.
The original version of Juiced affords 6 game modes:
- Career – this is the main point of the game – to race so you can clock the game
- Sprint – this mode offers an A to B race
- Race – this mode is simply to race around the track with 6 other AI-driven cars, and beat them
- Solo – this mode is simply to race by yourself
- Cruise – this mode is where you drive around a selected track, with no time limits or lap counts
- Show-off – in this mode you drive around the track and perform tricks such as a "burnouts", 360-degree "doughnuts" and so on, to keep the crowd entertained.
Acclaim’s bankruptcy issues
During the development of Juiced, Acclaim got caught up in their financial issues and eventually filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy before Juiced was set for release in late 2004. Delays were made as Juice Games did not have a game publisher to publish Juiced, but then THQ picked it up and published the game instead. More delays were made as Juice games changed the game completely so THQ would publish it.
Copies of the game and promotional items
After Acclaim went bankrupt, they held an auction to sell everything they owned that had a reasonable value. All of the promotional posters were destroyed, but some made it out and was sold along with a few of their other items that were auctioned at the time. The promotional posters are highly coveted around the world today, and a whole set of them was seen on Ebay America in early February 2007. Copies of the game can be made illegally, but no originals are known to be at the hands of the public at this time.