Need for Speed™

It’d be fair to say that anybody who is into video games has heard about Need for Speed series at some point, even if they have never experienced any of these games first-hand. Renowned for its fast-paced racing and gorgeous cars, the Need for Speed series has been around for more than two decades and spanned many different gaming platforms.

Over the years the focus has been shifted as different trends have come and gone, but the primary goal of trying to improve upon the previous entries has been at the fore.

Graphics 4,5/5

Need for Speed has exceptional graphics that captures the mood and atmosphere of the game. The way light reflects off the vehicles, and wet pavements are astounding and realistic.

Racing at speed through the soaked streets here is incredible. The cars glisten with beaded water drops and the streets gleam, a tapestry of mirror-like asphalt reflecting light from all angles. However, the sudden transitions from the darkest night, to pre-dawn, and then back to night again are horrible. These transitions seem to be linked to the parts of the environment so they can happen multiple times during a single race.

Need for Speed sounds as good as it looks, with the throaty burble of engines and the crackle of exhaust overrun which are all similarly well-realized. And the dance-inspired soundtrack is great to drive to.

Gameplay 4,5/5

Your garage is limited only to five cars, but the focus here is rather perfecting than collecting. You can complete most of the game in a single car, cramming upgrades into it to stay ahead of the competition.

Performance customization is simplified to the basic kind as there is a little more to visual changes. You can sweep around your car, add flair to fenders, swap external panels, adjust stance, install canards, and more. There is also a freeform livery editor that definitely beats the pre-set designs and wraps.

However, you can modify everything. For instance, after completing the story mode you may splurge on a classic Ferrari F40, but you will barely be able to do anything to it. That is disappointing as it doesn’t match the game’s philosophy

It’s still great to have customization of any sort, though. With the main slider, you can adjust all settings, nudging your car towards a grip setup or a drift setup, plus you can dive deeper and accustom certain steering, braking power, tire pressure to fine tune your ride.

Need for Speed’s narrative plays out in a series of short cut-scenes, brimming with slang, excessive drink consumption and a comical amount of first person fist-bumping. Each of five main characters who speak to each other like living internet memes represents one of the game’s themed racing threads. Each of them leads to an encounter with a real-life automotive star.

The best thread is Outlaw, which is a mix of all the game’s race types with the cops on your tail. In this game, the police AI seems to be more fair and bound by the in-game physics than it ever was. Need for Speed is not a long story. Although there are 79 main events, you can blast through them in just two days. And there are few races that you might need to repeat. This length might not be an issue if the multiplayer was more robust, but it isn’t.

Need for Speed is not a long story. Although there are 79 main events, you can blast through them in just two days. And there are few races that you might need to repeat. This length might not be an issue if the multiplayer was more robust, but it isn’t.

Controls 4/5

The controls are fine overall, but there is no customization of the controller setup, and no manual shifting either, which is a shame for a drifting game.

Also, there is no support for wheel and pedal sets which are not necessarily suited to the game anyway, but having this option would have been nice.

Replay Value 4/5

Once the storyline is done, there is not much of an endgame beyond replaying missions and trying to improve your scores, but there is also an additional paid content available to extend the game's interest beyond its storyline.

Need for Speed is challenging in its own right, so it always fun to come back to the game.

In-game purchases

Need for Speed for PS4 costs $19,99 as a single purchase. It doesn’t require any additional payments, but you can buy a Deluxe upgrade for $9,99 to get some extra mission and vehicles.

Conclusion

Need for Speed looks and sound incredible; plus, it surprisingly reverent to real-world car culture. It reminds the glory days of Need for Speed Underground 1 and 2 with a laid back attitude and plenty to enjoy.

The game is an excellent joyride as it jumps back into the world of street racing. It’s fun, challenging, and has lots of features that make it worth a look. It’s not without some shortcomings, and there’s plenty of room make improvements, but overall it’s a nice addition to the NFS line-up.

• Graphics 4.5
• Gameplay 4.5
• Controls 4
• Replay Value 4

Pros

Visually stunning city;
Deep, rewarding progression;
Great customization;
The nail-biting sense of speed.

Cons

Rubberbanding AI;
No manual shifting;
Sudden transitions from the darkest night to predawn.