Need for Speed Unbound Reviews
EA, this ain’t how you move units. This series need to take a cue from the unique styling of the visuals and either needs to revamp the feeling of playing NFS in the next one, or someone needs to put this damn thing down behind the barn like Old Yeller and let Criterion get back to making Burnout games (which is really what we all want anyway.)
On the flip side, NFS Unbound fails to take advantage of its open-world setting in multiplayer. The absence of police online particularly hurts. The way music works in the game is also infuriating. All these shortcomings bring Unbound a few pegs down, in what is otherwise a solid entry in the NFS franchise. If you're on PC, I suggest you opt for the EA Play Pro subscription, complete the Story mode (and skip its abysmal multiplayer), and unsubscribe.
The best Need for Speed title in a long time, Unbound has such a fun gameplay loop and funky style that it's hard to put down. It has a hard difficulty and slightly odd game feel, but most players of racing games will have a blast here and probably fall in love with the chaotic and frantic police chases. Pick this up!
A decent effort but one that doesn't offer anything new or novel. The developer might have changed but the game is still living under the shadow cast by them.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The bar raised with the Heat has reached the next level with Unbound. If the next NFS game manages to surpass Unbound, we can finally have that special NFS experience we expect.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound is a solid comeback for the series, provided you can deal with some potential annoyances. The risk/reward system functions well in creating tension during all parts of a race, but the grind is an annoyance until you get better cars or parts for your initial ride. The presence of elements borrowed from other racing titles is done well enough, but the story can be a chore to sit through if you aren't already using this slang every day. Overall, Unbound is a solid racing title that should hopefully start bringing the series back to prominence.
Need For Speed Unbound has a unique style and a more practical and enjoyable steering system than its predecessors. Although, it still has many of the same shortcomings. The series needs a more daring release with significant changes to this formula.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound is one of the best entries in the series since the golden days of Underground and Most Wanted. There are tons of new changes that give the game a unique spirit and the main focus on street racing combined with a generous vehicle list make this a solid arcade racing.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound has a few original ideas, and though some aspects needed tweaking, the core racing gameplay and a focus on car customization help the franchise keep drifting onward.
Need for Speed Unbound is perhaps one of the franchise's last efforts to stay alive at a time when its glory years are behind it. In the end, it brings together various elements that the fans requested to combine and execute them in a good way, resulting in a fun experience that keeps calling you back.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Need For Speed Unbound shows that NFS series is on the right track. that being said, poor AI and lack of variety in content is noticable. If you're looking for exciting street races with nostalgic feeling, NFS Unbound is a must play game for you.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Need for Speed is back, and it's the best series entry in years. Fresh art style, fun police chases and enjoyable progression system make Unbound a great arcade racing game.
Review in Russian | Read full review
After so many years, the Need for Speed series has taken different forms. But now the series took one of the worst. There is a lack of new ideas and motivation. The story is really written very poorly, the interaction between the characters is often stupid, and the schematic career starts to bore you very soon. Add to all this the shallow online multiplayer. Unbound is an example of a game where form won out over function.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound pushes the series forward in new ways with a change to the game’s economy and overall feel, and it’s primed to take big steps in the coming years.
Need for Speed Unbound is a pleasant surprise, one of the best releases of the year and also one of the best and boldest games in the series. It's an easy recommendation for any racing games fan and we hope that EA and Criterion continue to improve the formula delivered with this title.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I don’t know about you but Unbound feels precisely what the doctor ordered for the Need for Speed franchise. Heat has more or less left me hoping for more, and now that Unbound is built based on the success of its predecessor, it all feels like a complete game.
Need for Speed Unbound is a fun racer with some new event types and an unusual yet undeniably attractive visual style. However, it doesn't do a ton to set itself apart from other racers that are currently out there and its story mode can be quite limiting.
Need for Speed Unbound is a solid arcade racing game. With a campaign that progresses as you start with nothing and work your way up, and limited retries that add stakes to races, the game is more involved than your typical arcade racer. However, the grind in the early game can be frustrating, and the annoying cop chases can turn some players off. NFS fans will enjoy the game, and it is worth the price to try out the game through EA Play Pro, but I can’t recommend blindly buying the game at full price to casual players. It is also worth noting that EA offered the game discounted just weeks after the launch. It is best to wait for the next discount on the platform of your choice.
It is very hard to stand out in this much crowded racing genre, but Need For Speed Unbound pulls it off. The title is easily the best entry in years and sets a foundation that can easily be built upon. After many years of having an identity crisis, I can see the game evolving from here. With a consistent 4K resolution and 60fps framerate NFS Unbound showcases what could be the future of the series.
After several years, Criterion Games has successfully restored the Need for Speed franchise to its former glory, bringing renewed excitement to long-time fans and a promising future for this well-established series.
Review in Persian | Read full review