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long
chases. If you can shake your police tail within one of two minutes, there’s practically no challenge at all. Longer chases, however, bring out more and more police cruisers in pursuit, more roadblocks, and generally more ornery and aggressive cops, one’s willing to smash into your car with the ferocity of a pit bull.
Although the Need for Speed Underground games were regarded as having visually striking graphics, they can’t match the stunning beauty of
Need for Speed Most Wanted. The game uses real-time lighting and mapping effects that enhance already impressive visuals, especially the cars, which include some of the most sexy and sophisticated road machines around today such as the Lamborghini Gallardo and the BMW M3 along with street-muscle monsters like the new Ford Mustang
GT, There are 36 cars in Need for Speed Most Wanted, and all have a photorealistic quality, all shiny, smooth and spectacular. And, of course, with this being a street racing game, you can tune your car and modify it with street kits that turn already sweet-looking rides into one-of-a-kind beauties. Along with Gran Turismo 4 and Burnout Revenge,
Need for Speed Most Wanted has some of the best car graphics in a current-generation game.
Environmentally, the game sheds its nighttime racing shroud and uncovers a sunshine-drenched industrial and urban landscape with a mix of pastoral country roads connecting them. Cities are still around, but just as often, you’ll find yourself careening around the curves of docks and warehouses, or golf courses in suburbia. The world of
Need for Speed Most Wanted is expansive, although not as varied in its appearance. There are plenty of déjà vu moments if you happen to pay attention to the scenery whilst escaping the cops. But a few cop traps marked by special icons you can set off to slow down or disable the police following you in hot pursuit (like a large doughnut that crashes down from a policeman’s favorite hangout onto their car) and shortcuts and hiding areas break up the familiarity somewhat. The further you get to completing the game, more connected parts of the environment become drivable. A free roam feature allows you to test out the roads before taking on a racing challenge. Overall, there is a realistic look to the environment wherever you go.
You’ll feel a real sense of speed racing around the scenic world. This is a fast-moving game, When you hit top speeds, you’ll feel that you’re really zooming around, both from the crisp-moving frame-rate and visual clues, including a “wind” effect, where there’s a noticeable, seeable “wind tail” on your car as it rips through the winds of the road. Tack on slow-motion, highlight-reel moments when you make a big jump and Need for Speed Most Wanted’s graphical package takes the checkered flag.
But the awesome nitro-fueled visuals wouldn’t be worth much if the game didn’t provide a solid control schematic for you to drive with. Most Wanted isn’t technically correct in how cars handling like Gran Turismo is, instead employing an arcade-style schematic just like Burnout Revenge. There is a forgiving-yet-sometimes-confusing collision control that keep you on the road despite smacking into other vehicles, guardrails and buildings. If you spin out after hitting into something you shouldn’t be ramming your car into, Need for Speed Most Wanted tries to straighten you out, and that leads to you sometimes practically driving sideways as you’re trying to right yourself at the same time the game’s attempting the same thing.
However, besides that minor control issue, the cars hug the road well with control that is instantly responsive to your needs, including breaking, hard-turning and drifting techniques that get you around the corners and away from the cops. You can also put into play a short “Matrix”-type slowdown control, which will decelerate your car a la the “Matrix”-style suspension of real-time movement. It’s a strategic element that can help you avoid crashes or police roadblocks at a more manageable speed pace without losing control.
Online, Need for Speed Most Wanted doesn’t overwhelm gamers with excitement. Races can be a bit stuttering, but mostly you’ll experience solid online gaming. However, my recommendation is to make sure you have a super-charged vehicle (like the Lamborghini
Gallardo) with every possible upgrade, including some nitro boost). Otherwise, you stand no chance of winning a race against the majority of players that come to the starting line with asphalt-eating beasts that will leave you and your less powerful car in their wake.
EA made the right decision in avoiding the temptation of sequel-itis with Need for Speed Underground 3 and instead steered into a fresh-yet-familiar direction for one of the best racing franchises around.
Need for Speed Most Wanted is an exceptional racing game, with stunningly awesome graphics and a solid
gameplay, albeit somewhat lacking in the A.I. smarts. Online success requires a tuned-to-the-max car, but if you have the requisite vehicle, can be a lot of fun. Street racing gamers will once again fulfill their need for speed and vehicular mayhem.
- Lee Cieniawa
lcieniawa@armchairempire.com
(December
28, 2005)
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