Need for Speed Reviews
Need for Speed is likely to disappoint just about anyone who tries it out. Whether you're a casual fan looking to scratch a racing game itch, a younger player, or a loyal fan, there's bound to be something that frustrates you. Its story is run-of-the-mill, its competitive gameplay is undercooked, and its open world features are dull. Need for Speed tries to cast a wide net and instead comes up empty.
The aesthetic of the game is immaculate, stark yet beautiful, suggesting what a Fast and the Furious might look like as helmed by Michael Mann.
Utilizing the full extent of the current-gen hardware, Need for Speed revs up into a promising experience that is all about underground and urban street racing, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee a smooth ride.
Without much new, Need for Speed is less of a "reboot" and more of a "rehash."
A slightly disappointing return for EA's racing franchise, Need for Speed doesn't do anything to push things forward. You'd think that a hiatus might have given Ghost Games time to inject a little extra vigour into Need for Speed, but the overall result is falls woefully short of expectations. Still, the racing part remains good, clean fun, which is what really matters.
Need for Speed operates in two parallel universes. There's the racing, which benefits from better customization, diverse handling models, competitive visuals, and assorted racing challenges. These are the things that you expect, and Need for Speed delivers. Then there are the full motion video sequences, which thrive on first-person fist bumps, Monster energy toasts, and people saying the word "hashtag" without irony. For me, this presented a distressingly serious alien world, and I savored every second of it.
The online requirement seems pointless, but it's an enjoyable racing game overall.
Need For Speed is an okay racer. But with the likes of Forza 6, Project Cars and others that completely out performed this one, it's very hard to recommend.
Need for Speed is fast, fun and good looking. Godspeed.
Who would have thought that Need for Speed is still going strong after two decades and given the last few instalments of this franchise, it's good to see the game go back to basics without the over the top arcade experience which the series has become.
There are so many glaring flaws right up front; the framerate bottoms out, the story characters forced upon the players are atrocious and the always online requirement simply eats up bandwidth while adding nothing to the experience. When it hits that perfect line, however, this manages to be a satisfying and beautiful experience.
A title which offers good action, but perhaps a hair too repetitive and lifeless for some.
So if you're looking for a fast-paced, fuel-injected bit of fun with no strings attached, there's really no good reason not to at least rent Need for Speed 2015. In my opinion, it easily beats out juggernauts like Forza for the top spot of racer of the year.
Yes, there are better, more realistic racing experiences on the market, but few titles can match the pure engagement that this year's Need for Speed offers.
The new reboot gets a definite recommendation from me, especially if you're a fan of older Need for Speed titles, and arcade racers alike.
Instead of exciting racing, Need for Speed seems more focussed on tapping into trends and desperately trying to stay relevant. Instead of bringing something new to the table, it aims to recycle ideas from its peers.
Either you never thought Need for Speed was top of the arcade racing pack or (like me) you at least think they abdicated the crown a long while back. I don't anticipate much dispute there, and this Need for Speed is unlikely to put them back on top. A lot of love's been put into this PC port, but the game that's been ported over is a mediocre arcade racer at best.
Neither fast nor furious
As it stands, you can do better than this year's Need for Speed. Sure, it possesses all the traditional EA spit and polish we're used to what with a punchy soundtrack and fantastic production values, but they do little to elevate one of the lesser entries in the franchise.
The biggest shame about Need for Speed is that the driving is so satisfying that it makes the fact that the rest of it is so throwaway stand out that much more. This game would have benefited greatly from a mode where you can just get matched with other players and do a bunch of different race types back to back. Instead you're stuck in an online only game with other players who you won't actually be doing any races with. It's got a damn good soundtrack though.