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Need for Speed Most Wanted Review!

 

 
Overview:
 

Systems: , , ,
 
Graphics
9.0


 
Gameplay
9.0


 
Sound
7.5


 
Replayability
8.5


 
Total Score
8.5
8.5/10


User Rating
4 total ratings

 


Need For Speed: Most Wanted makes a triumphant return and brings us an unrivaled racing experience. Criterion Games has picked up the NFS franchise and shaped it into a blend of racing, exploration, and dominating your friends. Will you top the wanted list or be taken out by the best?

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Posted November 5, 2012 by

 
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In 2005, Electronic Arts released Need for Speed: Most Wanted and gave the NFS franchise a new direction. With the introduction of open world free roaming, also used in NFS: Underground 2, players were given the freedom to explore the in-game city and tackle races at their own pace. This not only opens up the entire city for travel, but gives racers multiple paths to their destination. 2012’s Most Wanted follows this same formula but adds a plethora of new features and updates, carrying on the previous title’s success and taking it a step further with expansive multiplayer features.

Story:

Racing games typically have plots that are minimal at best. Most Wanted is no exception to this, however for what the story is it accomplishes its job. The entire storyline can be summed up to: reach the top of the most wanted list, a list of people who are the most famous racers in the city. The entire game is spent taking down the most wanted racers in order to secure your own spot on the list. Certain races create scenarios where police are involved or a personal vendetta is carried out against the other driver, but these are not part of any ongoing story or overall plot. The game explains the situation and lets the player choose their own adventure on their way up the most wanted list.

Gameplay:

The racing controls are superb with each of the cars handling in their own unique way depending on weight and other statistics. From high speed traffic dodging to pulse-pounding drifts, the player is completely in control of their car and the controls never fail to impress. Most of the racing is done at break-necks speeds, so smooth and responsive controls are a must for racing games of this caliber. While most of the game is spent racing in order to earn speed points, upgraded car parts, and a place on the most wanted list, the rest will be spent evading police and performing brutal takedowns on rivals in order to take their unique cars.

Each car is available from the start, with the exception of the most wanted cars. Each vehicle is hidden somewhere in the city and all the player has to do to drive it is find it. Once a car is obtained unique races are unlocked for it that will reward speed points and upgraded parts, such as tires, nitrous, and a reinforced chassis. Races range from the standard start-to-finish to maintaining an average goal speed on a course; and even a desperate attempt to evade police and avoid being taken down. While this formula sounds air-tight in theory, putting it in practice is another story. Having to unlock the same features for each car separately will keep the player occupied, but can become tedious and might lower motivation to continue. I personally did not feel compelled to complete every race for each car, but did not mind unlocking a few similar features for each of the cars I wanted to use.

Graphics:

Simply put, Most Wanted is visually stunning. Each car is loaded with detail in environments that seamlessly range from city to mountain road to countryside and even a sand-covered beach. Most impressively, on top of all of the detailed models and areas is a lighting system that is absolutely unrivaled. The game uses a realistic day / night cycle that does a fantastic job at showing off the game’s advanced lighting engine; headlights cast their own shadows on each object they touch, exiting a dark tunnel takes you into an over-bright blast of sunlight, and transparent puddles of water after a heavy rain will reflect the light and world around them. The only negative I ever saw in the graphics were some mountain / rock textures that were stretched awkwardly over the hills, very small corners that are expected to be cut. Other than that, this game graphically goes beyond “impressive” in description.

In a game this detailed, it is very important to have a balance of graphical beauty and smooth gameplay. Both are cranked up in this situation and Most Wanted still runs flawlessly. Not one time did I ever notice any frame rate issues or visual lag, and I’ve got those amazing graphics maxed. One huge positive in this case is that the game world all loads seamlessly without ever having to see a loading screen once playing. This makes driving around and racing a nice hassle-free experience from which most games should take notes.

 

 

Sound:

The sound effects are exactly what one would expect from a racing game: roaring engines, screaming tires, and the teeth-clenching sound of high speed collisions. Each car has its own realistic engine purr that turns fiercely into a vicious roar when the accelerator hits the floor. The soundscape of just about any race completely immerses the player into the action and never falters in its purpose. Police sirens will let you know when the cops are on your tail and give you an incentive to step up the pace. The game’s soundtrack is a mash up of electronica, dub-step, and punk rock that blends in awkwardly with a high-octane racing game. The music more reminiscent of a car commercial and doesn’t really convey the “high speed racing” feeling. Either way, music is subjective and some players may find it fitting based on taste. The console versions of the game supports custom soundtracks, but unfortunately the PC version does not feature the ability to import your own music.

Verdict:

Need For Speed: Most Wanted is one of the best racing games I have played in years. With its superior graphics, powerful sound effects, and addicting gameplay, Most Wanted stands out above the rest. Not only does it present a strong single-player experience, the game also boasts an impressive online feature that may actually be better than the offline mode. The online mode allows you to group up with friends or strangers and take part in various races to prove who is the best, while earning experience and unlocking upgrades along the way. This game is a definite must-own, and will keep you playing for hours and hours trying to unlock all of the parts and check challenges off of the list. Do you feel the need for speed?

 

 

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Written by Guest Reviewer: Dragonlee71


Guest Contributor

 
Guest Contributor


  • BearFanJerry

    Very helpful…Thanks DragonLee, once again your review is spot on !!