Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Crash Time II puts you in the driver’s seat as Semir Gerkhan or Ben Jäger, the dynamic duo of the Autobahn police. From the outset, you’ll tackle 32 story-driven missions that range from infiltrating illegal racing circles to high-octane rescue operations. Each assignment unfolds as a self-contained “episode,” allowing you to jump in and out of specific cases at your leisure, and you can even repeat secondary objectives to hone your skills or hunt down hidden collectables.

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The game’s most significant innovation is its semi-open world, divided into a bustling city and its surrounding freeway network. While the chapters are mission-focused, the freedom to cruise the streets adds an extra layer of exploration. Scattered throughout the map are collectable car parts which, once gathered, let you upgrade your standard police cruiser for better speed and handling—giving you a tangible reward for veering off the beaten path.

Missions are carefully broken down into linear sub-goals—think tailing a suspect, forcing another vehicle off the road, or dashing through waypoints under tight time constraints. You never exit your car, but that doesn’t dull the intensity: you must balance reckless pursuit with preserving your tires and minimizing damage. The game’s forgiving damage model encourages spectacular crashes without instantly derailing your progress, provided you keep those wheels intact.

Difficulty settings let you customize your challenge level before each mission, while successful runs unlock extra starting points, new missions, and an expanded garage of police vehicles. A separate mode allows you to create custom races—selecting cars, circuits, and lap counts once they’ve been earned in the main campaign. Online multiplayer follows the same unlock progression, rewarding committed players with ever-larger rosters of high-performance police and pursuit cars.

Graphics

Crash Time II makes a strong first impression visually, especially by series standards. The two-zone map presents a convincing urban core, complete with reflective skyscraper windows and realistic traffic patterns, while the adjacent highway invokes the churning asphalt and speed-lane dynamics of the Autobahn. Lighting transitions—from sunny midday to moody twilight—add nice atmospheric touches to your chases.

Vehicle models are detailed and faithful to both real-world police cruisers and show references. Paint finishes, light bar effects, and bumper scuffs all render crisply, while the occasional burn mark or crumpled fender after a high-speed collision reminds you of the game’s action focus. Environmental objects—traffic cones, roadside barriers, and city street furniture—also respond believably to impacts, enhancing the sense of physicality when you nudge rival cars off-course.

Cutscenes blend in-engine camera sweeps around buildings and vehicles with original voiceovers from the TV series actors. These sequences aren’t blockbuster-level cinematics, but they maintain consistency with gameplay visuals and lend authenticity by having the real Semir and Ben narrate critical moments. Minor popping or texture draw-in can occur during fast freeway stunts, but these are rare and don’t detract significantly from overall immersion.

Story

Rather than a single overarching narrative, Crash Time II serves up episodic adventures mirroring the structure of Alarm für Cobra 11. You’re presented with cases one after another—rescuing hostages at an abandoned warehouse, thwarting underground street racers, or intercepting hijackers on a moving truck. Each chapter feels self-contained, capturing the TV show’s “crime-of-the-week” formula.

Voice talent from the original German series lends credibility to the proceedings, so dialogue exchanges between the protagonists work well. However, because the missions don’t build to a larger climax, some players might miss more defined character development. Semir and Ben remain good-natured partners throughout, but the game focuses squarely on action rather than personal drama.

The episodic format does have its strengths: you can dip in for a quick mission without feeling lost, and replaying individual cases is straightforward via the in-game case list. If you’re looking for plot twists or a layered storyline, you may find the narrative light. But if you want pure police chase scenarios with minimal exposition, this approach delivers exactly what it promises.

Overall Experience

Crash Time II successfully translates the high-speed thrills of Alarm für Cobra 11 into interactive form. Its mission-based structure, bolstered by an open-world component, strikes a solid balance between structured objectives and free-roaming exploration. The varied tasks—from high-speed pursuits to precision checkpoint runs—keep the gameplay loop consistently engaging.

Graphically, the game holds up admirably for a mid-2000s release. Detailed cars, dynamic lighting, and faithful voiceovers combine to create an authentic Autobahn policing experience. Occasional technical hiccups—like texture pop-in during breakneck freeway blasts—are rare and do little to dampen the excitement of a perfectly executed PIT maneuver.

Although the lack of a unified storyline may disappoint players craving deep narrative engagement, the episodic design makes it easy to pick and choose your favorite “cases.” With its unlockable vehicles, difficulty options, and custom race modes, Crash Time II offers strong replay value for fans of arcade-style police pursuits. In the end, it’s a compelling buy for anyone who’s ever dreamed of enforcing the law at 200 km/h on Germany’s most notorious roads.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10