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Need for Speed Payback

Electronic Arts
Nov 10, 2017 - PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5
Weak

OpenCritic Rating

60

Top Critic Average

16%

Critics Recommend

PC Gamer
53 / 100
IGN
5.9 / 10
Eurogamer
No Recommendation
Easy Allies
2 / 5
Metro GameCentral
3 / 10
GamesRadar+
3.5 / 5
Game Informer
6 / 10
Polygon
6.5 / 10

Need for Speed Payback Review Summary

WeakCritic Consensus

Unremarkable Open World

Vile Gambling Systems

Throwaway Characters

Need for Speed Payback is a roadblock for the franchise. A grindy progression system backs up mediocre driving, a lifeless open world, and forgettable storytelling.


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Need for Speed Payback Media

Need for Speed Payback Official Reveal Trailer thumbnail

Need for Speed Payback Official Reveal Trailer

Need for Speed Payback Screenshot 1
Need for Speed Payback Screenshot 2

Critic Reviews for Need for Speed Payback

Enjoyable arcade handling packaged within a game that gets monotonous long before it rewards your time investment.

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IGN

5.9 / 10.0
IGN

Need for Speed Payback is a big, competent, and confident arcade racer but it's really let down by its linear cop chases, its overwrought and insidious upgrade system, its dreadful dialogue, and its superficial action sequences. It feels fine and it looks flashy, but Payback really went all-in on its direct-to-DVD revenge tale and it was a bust for me.

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Eurogamer

No Recommendation / Blank
Eurogamer

Need for Speed returns in this, a grossly unremarkable open world racer that marks another step back for the series.

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Metro GameCentral

GameCentral
3 / 10
Metro GameCentral

The worst Need For Speed game of the modern era, that leaves no stone unturned in its attempts to make itself as boring, repetitive, and exploitative as possible.

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Need for Speed Payback successfully returns to its Fast and Furious roots with aplomb, but a focus on the grind and a beautiful but empty world means it ultimately falls short of greatness.

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This open world has plenty of racing content, but bad progression, technical problems, and throwaway storytelling make it hard to get invested

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Need For Speed Payback doesn't do many favors for itself. It's a fun racing game whose flashy story would be fine if I felt like I was building a blinged-out career worthy of it. Instead, I felt driven toward pure stats upgrades, heedless of what the car was or what it looked like.

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