Need for Speed Unbound Reviews
Need for Speed Unbound hasn’t strayed very far from the fundamentals of 2019’s Heat, but its bold new animated style impresses.
Criterion takes the reins once more for an arcade racer that's capable of going toe-to-toe with the all-conquering Forza Horizon.
Some well-judged bold calls in both mechanics and visual direction elevate a familiar arcade racer above NFS's previous monotony.
As a result, Need for Speed Unbound feels like it comes to a stop before it ever gets going. The polish in the moment-to-moment gameplay cannot be ignored, but as a whole, Need for Speed Unbound is just another forgettable entry in the long-running franchise.
Beyond its unique art style, Need for Speed Unbound doesn’t do anything to reinvent the steering wheel, but it doesn’t need to. This is Need for Speed, so you know what you’re here for - fast races, cop chases, and more cars than you know what to do with. Unbound is all of that packaged in the series’ most stylish entry to date.
At 4K/60, Need for Speed Unbound is a clear showcase for the new generation of consoles"
Need for Speed Unbound feels like a foundational entry for where the series could go from here. Competing across the title’s many events is a blast, and I love the juxtaposed visual aesthetics. Though some elements left me wanting, Unbound is as much fun as I’ve had with a Need for Speed title in years.
Need for Speed Unbound delights with a vibrant new art style and some exciting arcade racing, but familiar issues are as frustrating as an inopportune oil slick
Heat, a solid game that built up a dedicated audience, probably didn’t get the fairest shake in public opinion after it launched three years ago. Electronic Arts reorganized its action-racing development in response. Unbound arrives with the same lack of glamour, the same diminished cachet, but it is so much more fun, and so much more worth my time racing and running from the law, that the game feels like racing’s comeback player of the year.
Need for Speed Unbound is unlikely to pull the franchise out from underneath the shadows of bigger, more popular racing games in 2022. But I do think it has a chance of helping the series stand out more. And regardless of if Unbound becomes a big hit or not, it’s a damn fine game with some great ideas that make every race more exciting and every upgrade feel more valuable. And it looks rad the whole time, too.
Need for Speed Unbound brings plenty of style and builds upon the high stakes dynamic established in 2019's Heat to create an engaging and enjoyable open world racing game.
Need for Speed unbound offers some genuinely cathartic, high-speed thrills, but it does little to turn heads besides wearing its flashiest colours.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Need for Speed Unbound proves that having a distinct style and cool premise does a lot to elevate a game.
A pure Need for Speed experience for the Z generation, blessed with a fresh style and a great soundtrack. The races are fun, the sense of speed is great, and the progression is real. The only pity is that Lakeshore City is a very lacklustre open world.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you’re looking for a game to kick back and play race after race with a sizable campaign and other options including an online mode, Need for Speed Unbound has plenty to keep you busy and entertained.
In the end, “Need for Speed Unbound” is a street racer simulator that nails what it sets out to do. The style that you can bring to the racetrack goes from you to your car and even the comic-book graphics you summon with your racing skills. At the same time, it doesn’t feel arcade-y; it still feels like a beautiful racing game. It doesn’t sacrifice style for substance, or vice versa. It just brings one of the best racing experiences of the year.
The best Need For Speed in a decade – but that says far more about the moribund state of the franchise than it does this workmanlike new entry.
Need for Speed Unbound is the best arcade racer of 2022, and a real statement from EA and Criterion. Why it's snuck out with so little fanfare will be one of the mysteries of the year.
Need for Speed Unbound does not reinvent the wheel, but it does tune it. Criterion Games wanted to stand out with its new artistic style and a more than remarkable technical power and has succeeded. This is not the best driving game of the year, but we do see an NFS that wants the saga to return to the highest categories. Funny, fast and furious.
Review in Spanish | Read full review