Need for Speed: Rivals Reviews
The online experiences may be underwhelming or downright frustrating for some, but that's not enough to overshadow the strong precedent Ghost Games has set for the next generation of online racers.
Need for Speed Rivals is a great entry in the series and a huge improvement from Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit. AllDrive brings multiplayer to a new level, and the experience sets the bar for all racing games from now on. That said, since AllDrive is so important to the overall experience, multiplayer gamers will likely get a lot more out of it than those who play alone. But, if you're looking for a racing game that's rewarding, fun, and visually impressive, then Need for Speed Rivals is the game for you.
This is agonisingly close to being at the front of the pack, and is the best arcade racer on the PS4 by default, but its missteps mean that it's a millisecond away from a podium place.
Need for Speed Rivals is a competent arcade racer that is sure to get the heart rate up with some real 'edge of your seat' cops vs racers action.
[A]s an alternative to the likes of Forza Motorsport 5, Need for Speed Rivals offers a deep, extensive and enjoyable racing experience that seamlessly flits between single and multiplayer.
Need for Speed: Rivals delivers a satisfying foray into a new generation for the racing genre with impressive, integrated multiplayer and sleek graphics.
Need for Speed: Rivals is like the love child of GTA and Grand Turismo. It avoids the repetitive closed-course race tracks in favor of a fun, free-spirited open world racing experience.
Need for Speed: Rivals is one of the most impressive launch games for PS4. It is very pretty visually, and it has enough content to keep players busy for quite some time. There are some drawbacks to its design, but nothing that will derail the fun. For those looking for that next-gen racing experience…well this is really your only option on PS4. But I am glad it is an option, because it is incredibly impressive and fun.
The bottom line on Need for Speed Rivals for the Xbox One is that it's a gorgeous world that is pushing the hardware to its limit. Gameplay, however, is as close to the same as its Xbox 360 predecessor. For those who have the Xbox 360 version, it isn't a must buy. If you're jumping into the world for the first time, though, then you will enjoy the best-looking Xbox One game outside of Titanfall.
Need for Speed: Rivals is a massive playground that sports many races and chases, The game has a few flaws, but overall it's a thrilling next-gen arcade-style racer.
While the driving is superb and the visuals are stunning, the inherent limitations of Rivals' AllDrive concept begin to hamper the experience near the end. The result is a game that's three-quarters great fun, one-quarter miserable, frustrating slog.
It's most certainly a launch title racer and it's not doing much to rectify that. I'm reminded of the limited scope of Motorstorm as a launch racer for PS3. Like Motorstorm, however, the core Gameplay is solid enough to earn a recommendation to NFS fans
If you like to bring grief to other players, this may be the racing game you've been waiting for.
Need for Speed: Rivals will wow you initially, but there are too many missteps for it to keep you engaged for a sizeable length of time. The nonsensical story, surprising lack of features and an online component that may as well not be there overshadow the fantastic driving mechanics and lead to a rather monotonous game.
There is no doubt that the driving mechanics of Rivals are fantastic, and most of the game's systems are a success. However, it's a multiplayer-oriented game that fails to bring players together, and the content elsewhere is merely good.
Rivals is more potent, pure and unhinged fun, and probably 2013's most exciting racer.
So, how do you make a series still feel fresh after twenty titles? By listening to your fans, knowing what works and what the fans want, and by delivering a game that's more than just a seasonal refresher. Need for Speed Rivals is clearly ready for the next generation of gaming, and so are we.
If you're looking for a challenging game of cat and mouse with exotic supercars and a gorgeous back drop, Need for Speed: Rivals is what you're looking for in spades. Think fast, drive faster. Going slow is for chumps and old people.
A fun, engaging arcade racer with thrills, spills, explosions and crashes aplenty, Need for Speed: Rivals is let down by the largely pointless AllDrive and a lack of race types. A mixed bag.
Rivals serves as a refinement of ideas and principles established over the last three iterations of Need for Speed. This can lead to a feeling of sameness bleeding over Rival's rough edges while also serving as a condensed interpretation of the series' better ideas. In this regard Rivals acts as a natural step forward, lessons learned and amended properly. For an annual franchise to arrive harder, better faster and stronger than the previous version is no easy feat, but for Need for Speed it's increasingly becoming part of the game.