Need for Speed goes legal…
I have always been a fan of the Need for Speed franchise and so when I heard a new game was coming out I was naturally pleased, and couldn’t wait to get my grimey hands on a copy. I rushed out on release date, and managed to get a copy to my delight. I got home and slapped it on, and all of a sudden my happiness turn into a somewhat sceptical view on the whole affair.
Right from the off you’re bombarded by the fact that Need for Speed has moved from street racing to organised legal events at race tracks all over the world. This for me was a slight disappointment as the whole illegal street racing vibe of the previous titles was what kept me hooked.
After this initial shock I took the plunge into my first ‘race day’ where you are given a pre-tuned car to thrash about a couple of courses and learn the basics. This is a good way to start the game as all the cars racing are exactly the same spec and thus giving you a fair chance at your first victory from the very beginning.
The ultimate goal is to become ‘street king’.
In this game there are 4 different event types to have a go at. These are drift, grip, drag and speed events. When choosing an event for the first time the game offers a very helpful and educational video to accompany the event which outlines the details of each giving some helpful hints and tips too. This is a great little feature as it helps the player come to terms with these 4 events.
Another nice feature is the damage system. It offers a very realistic take on damage done to cars during crashes. However, one downfall is that I felt that it was too easy to total (i.e. write off) a car in game, and it was frustrating to keep starting a race over and over again.
The career mode plays through nicely. The ultimate goal is to become ‘street king’. This is worked towards throughout the career mode by buying progressively better cars (which are unlocked as you complete race days) and tuning them up. All the events have a king. You challenge these at their own event and once beaten you then become the king of the event. When you’ve conquered all 4 modes and become Street King then the career is complete.
The game also offers the ability to go and compete online. This is good. You can make your own race days in which you choose the location and race events, and then race in either ranked or unranked matches. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the game.
To conclude, this game is another solid entry in the Need for Speed franchise with a well organised structure, good graphics, realistic smoke effects and damage, lovely cars, and a fun online driving experience. However, I do feel the game is slightly repetitive, and the game is quite short. Not the best Need for Speed, but well worth a look.
