Need for Speed Reviews

Need for Speed is ranked in the 28th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Nov 4, 2015

This year's installment of Need For Speed isn't the end-all-be-all, but it has proven there are still great things to be offered to the genre. Each car is crafted extremely well both visually and audibly. Engines give strong roars as they power up for quick releases. Tires scream with a certain screech when pulling off the perfect drift. Through the nuts and bolts, getting to the core of the title, it's all mostly safe and directed in a simple form. It's a solid base to grow from—few complaints but few things to gush over.

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7 / 10
Nov 7, 2015

Need For Speed feels like a plucky contender, that is close to greatness but tragically falters at number of key moments. There is genuinely plenty of fun to be had in its world, and the return to the themes of Need For Speed: Underground are welcome. However, there simply isn't the level of consistent quality that the franchise has had during Criterion's stewardship, despite a large number of their staff moving to Ghost Games, and indeed in a number of ways it feels like a step back from 2013's Rivals. This year's Need For Speed is close to greatness, but it doesn't quite make the podium.

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70 / 100
Nov 2, 2015

The Need for Speed reboot improves upon several of the more recent installments in the game, which were plagued with problems more serious than these. But I was disappointed when my pure joy in the look and driving feel of NFS drained away over time, sucked out by boring treks across the city and one too many encounters with unfair A.I.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2015

EA's famous racer is promisingly rebooted in its 21st installment, but still needs some work under the hood

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Drew Leachman
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2015

Even with its missteps, I really enjoyed Need for Speed. It tried to return to form in some aspects and it really scratched that itch I was looking for with a car customization game. It handles how the player wants it to, and while performance can be spotty in some instances, it's still a great looking and playing racing game.

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7 / 10
Mar 18, 2016

Like the stereotypical school heartthrob, Need for Speed is vapid but beautiful and strangely exciting. It's a surprisingly enjoyable arcade racer, but one that's more for casual downtime than for a serious commitment.

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EGM
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Nov 2, 2015

You'd be hard pressed to find an automaker willing to take an extra year to reset their car line much like Ghost Games did here with their second run on Need for Speed.  What we get is a more focused and competent racer but one seemingly unwilling to risk standing out from the crowd.

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70%
Nov 12, 2015

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.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2015

A title which offers good action, but perhaps a hair too repetitive and lifeless for some.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2015

It's a good game but not necessarily a stronger one when compared to prior titles, especially if the stuttering on the Xbox One isn't addressed. For that reason, race fans may want to hold off on this title to see if things get smoothed out on this platform.

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7 / 10
Nov 3, 2015

Need for Speed features a great line-up of cars, backed by the most authentic customization in the history of the franchise. The 'Five Ways to Play' and icons entice you to change up your style as you progress through Ventura Bay. While some issues might be frustrating, such as garage-space, no daytime and frame-rate drops; Ghost Games will hopefully continue to update and enhance Need for Speed in the months to come.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2015

Das neue Need for Speed klang im Vorfeld prinzipiell nach einem sehr ambitionierten Projekt, scheitert aber an der Umsetzung in fast allen Bereichen. Falls ihr einen auf Tuning und Drifting ausgelegten Racer sucht, ist das neue Need for Speed genau das richtige für euch. Lange Spaß werdet ihr beim ständigen Online Zwang und der schwachen Geschichte wenig haben. Die wenigen gut gemachten Gameplay Parts, überzeugen im Gesamtbild leider zu wenig.

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70 / 100
Feb 19, 2017

Need for Speed is a great option for someone looking for a casual racing game. If you want to have the ultimate racing experience though, you are better off looking elsewhere.

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Nov 16, 2015

I spent a lot of time wondering exactly who Need For Speed was aimed at.

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69 / 100
Nov 3, 2015

Need for Speed is not a horrible game, but it is definitely not the amazing 'reboot' experience I was looking for.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2015

A perfectly serviceable racer with great looks, plenty of customisation options, and passable driving, but it's a real shame that latest reboot of this franchise had the hallmarks of the greats in the series' past and could have been truly special.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2015

With strong arcade-style racing, great visuals and sounds, Need for Speed looks the part, but falls short in other areas such as poor A.I., limited body part options and lack of incentives to keep you motivated to race.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2015

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.

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6.5 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2015

The online requirement seems pointless, but it's an enjoyable racing game overall.

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7 / 10
Nov 6, 2015

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.

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