Need for Speed Unbound Reviews
Need for Speed Unbound is a great entry in the series that has been hard-pressed to find a successful formula for its past outings. While the visual mix of graffiti and realistic visuals may not be for everybody, it’s hard to discount the fact that the racing experience is quite solid. Online multiplayer could use some work, and the game is being anchored right now by its fun and engaging single-player mode, so fans looking to take their rides online might be slightly disappointed at the proceedings.
Need for Speed Unbound is the best-looking game in EA's arcade racing series, but it still falls short in several areas and cannot be called one of its strongest titles.
Review in Greek | Read full review
With a distinct and interesting artstyle, which mixes a realistic car and city with streetart cartoon drawings for special effects, NFS Unbound definitely sets itself apart from the rest. The game sports a Souls-like mechanism of risk vs reward and a day-night cycle that work, but also hinders progress through the storyline. the races are fun and the many collectibles are well integrated. The near-mandatory police chases quickly become a nuisance and we wouldn't mind if those didn't make a return.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound sees Criterion put its spin on the formula laid down by its predecessor and the result is a stylish racer that is mostly fun but sometimes frustrating.
Minor gameplay tweaks and some cool visuals are introduced, but that's hardly enough to keep any part of the game above average. Not great but also not terrible.
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
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.
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
There's no split-screen competitive mode, there's no just sitting and customizing cars outside of career mode, and there's only the one career mode file. Accessibility options don't include button mapping, though that can be done from the Xbox itself. It's a step in the right direction, narratively and visually more interesting than Need for Speed has often been in the past, and a satisfactory if not mind-blowing driving experience.
Multiplayer is also a fun addition to Need for Speed Unbound that allows players to bet other players and unlock cars that become available in both the game's story and multiplayer modes. Racing other players feels satisfying but would be more interesting if Unbound's world was more interactive and had a larger variety of activities. While Criterion has successfully returned to the genre, it feels like the developer is being held back from delivering a truly colorful and over-the-top experience it's previously achieved in games like the Burnout series. The team should take the driving mechanics and the cartoony visual flairs from Need for Speed Unbound and turn those features up to the next level in their next arcade racer.
Need for Speed Unbound is a game quite interesting to drive, visually appealing and have countless cars to choose from (although we wont't ever have the money to buy them!). However, it becomes fatal and boring due to the repetition imposed, either by the racing, running from the police, or even the frustration of having to decide which tracks to do with all the nuances that entails. With the help of a good soundtrack, we can almost smell the Underground but unfortunately it's not quite there yet.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, Need for Speed Unbound is a fantastic racing game that is hindered by a few flaws and terrible dialogue. Even with that, it’s still a bang-up good game, one with a lot of fun! With Unbound, some have been proclaiming that Need for Speed is back when in reality, Need for Speed has always been this good. As a lifelong fan, I should know! I recommend you try NFS Unbound if just for the art alone. But is this latest Need for Speed a must-play? Maybe not at the full $70 pricetag. I would wait for a sale or play it through EA Play. In fact, if the graffiti art flourishes aren’t doing it for you, go pick up NFS Heat; that’s basically the same game and is just as fun.
Need For Speed Unbound is undoubtedly a good game, but it is sad to note that it could have been more. Criterion relies, perhaps a bit lazily, on the seeded Ghost Games, rehashing what is the skeleton (and little more) of the previous Heat. After 3 years of development, the result is almost inexplicable, and indeed it is unfortunate that a team like Criterion, which has rewritten the rules of the game at least a couple of times, now finds itself in the position of tracing the work of those who preceded it (as well as rehashing part of its past).
Review in Italian | Read full review
Need for Speed Unbound is a game that has style, but certainly this style is not for everyone...
Review in Greek | Read full review
There's a lot to like in Unbound, but some of the characters and the tedious police chases bring down what is otherwise a thrilling high-speed race through Lakeshore.
Despite its flaws, I found myself always craving one more race; I could drive faster, customize my car better, and drift in even cooler ways than before. While not perfect, Need for Speed Unbound is the best the franchise has been and years — and hopefully a sign of even better things to come.
I really hope we see more from Criterion and its take on the NFS franchise, because this just feels like the starting few laps rather than the full tour.
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 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.