Need for Speed Most Wanted

"A heart pumping, exhilarating joy ride"

Ever since Vin Diesel and Paul Walker pulled up on the big screen in The Fast and the Furious in 2001, there has been an ever increasing demand for ‘hotted' up cars and EA's new Need for Speed does just that…at least in a virtual world anyway. However, these films and games didn't generally appeal to me as I had no interest in them. After being forced into playing Most Wanted, I must say I totally had the NFS series wrong. After about half an hour I was having some of the most fun I've had on the PS2 since going on a crime spree in Vice City.

The game took me a while to get used to due to the total disregard for the laws of physics where I was stopping to go around corners where as my opposition was sliding around corners at 110mph (177kmh) without slowing. I soon adapted to this and was having heaps of fun sliding around corners with other racers or being chased by police, sometimes both. NFS provided an exhilarating rush of fun and adrenaline as I weaved in and out of oncoming traffic at 150mph while trying to lose the several cop cars chasing me.

The career mode starts you off in a flashback as it leads you into your current position. You start off pitted against your future rival (a.k.a Razor) however you are forced to quickly retire from the race as your car has been rigged with an oil leak and you lose your very nice beemer to him. You are befriended by Mia (played by the lovely Josie Maran) as she helps you back up as you try to work your way up the 15 person blacklist so you can get that precious pink slip back off Razor.

It seems a pretty basic storyline but what makes it good is the great acting that actually makes you feel anger against Razor and his crew. EA have used new technology for the game that allows people to act in front of a green screen who are then ‘digitalized' and placed into a computer made scene. This effect provides some of the best cutscenes since Final Fantasy. The use of the actors also provides unprecedented character movement and facial expression. The scenes can also provide some good humour but one let down is the lack of cutscenes as you move up the blacklist.

To move up the blacklist you have to complete a certain amount of races, a set amount of milestones and have a total amount of so much bounty. As you move up the blacklist, each number generally goes higher. Completing races is pretty straight forward but there are several different types of races. These include drag, lap knockout, speedtrap, tollbooth and sprint. The milestone goals involve the police and include goals such as getting clocked at a certain speed or having to start a pursuit, make it last longer than a set time and then escape the police. There is a decent variety of goals to complete to keep the game going but they can get a bit repetitive after a while. After beating a blacklist member, you also get the chance to choose one of 6 markers that may have a unique upgrade or even the pink slip to their car.

As well as the career mode, there are also quick races where you can use the default ‘hotted' up cars or the stock standard cars. There is also an additional amount of challenges that can be completed outside of career mode.

During the races, all roads are blocked off with large walls that point you where to go. This is very convenient as there is a lot of places to drive on Most Wanted and you can easily get lost. This is a good feature as it doesn't just leave you in one small area trying to lose the police. There are also hundreds of little, sometimes hard to see shortcuts that can be used to gain a little advantage on your competition.

In total there are 32 different cars to buy and hundreds of different ways to customize it. From turbos, suspension and engine upgrades, to body kits, rims, roof scopes to paint jobs, window tints, decals and even custom gauges. Most Wanted truly lets you ‘pimp your ride' exactly the way you want it.

The in game graphics aren't the greatest as there are some sharp lights and angles on the cars and the backgrounds are just 2D cutouts but you'll probably be more interested in the oncoming traffic than the scenery around you. The lighting effects as you come out of tunnels are well done as well as the sparks that let loose when sliding your car into something. The graphics look great when upgrading your car with body kits etc and nothing obscure. The graphics aren't the best but they do the job.

The lack of permanent damage to the cars can be seen as a let down as this may have made players drive a little less recklessly as there is no damage (other than broken windshields, dinted cars which is all repaired when you return to the garage.) However, adding damage may have removed some of the fun of the game.

The sounds are pretty authentic from the screeching sounds of the car sliding to the screeching sounds of the police sirens, it all sounds good. The soundtrack isn't the greatest in the world but the type of music keeps your heart pumping and you're blood rushing in a high speed pursuit.

The AI of the police and other racers is good although you sometimes have to question the police with their roadblocks. Sometimes they'll place roadblocks on the road but will just ignore the side strip of grass on the sides which allows an easy pass around it. However, make sure not to hit any walls or those cops will have you surrounded and blocked in post haste leaving you busted.

Before a pursuit, the onscreen radar tells you how close a police car is beeps faster the closer you get. This helps if you don't want to get into a police chase as you can easily turn around and go the opposite way. During a chase, there are icons on the map that show you where pursuit breakers are. Pursuit breakers are places that you can hit that cause major destruction such as a water tower falling over. If it doesn't hit the cops chasing you it will at least slow them down. Once the police have been evaded, you will have to continue hiding during the cool down. There are several hiding places also located on the map that allow quick hiding spots that end the cool down quickly and safely.

The controls follow the general Playstation 2 racer with X to go, square to stop etc. The nitrous button is conveniently placed at L1. There are no problems with the controls.

Overall, if you enjoyed starting a rampage trying to get as many police involved as you could in Grand Theft Auto, you'll love this. For those of you who are serious racers, you may want to try before you buy due to the lack of realism. For anybody who has a PS2, this is definitely worth a rent at least.

Graphics:8/10 - Good for the most part
Sound: 8/10 - Detailed and clear. Soundtrack isn't the greatest but it keeps your heart pumping.
Gameplay: 9/10 – Lots of fun driving way over the speed limit while evading the police
Lasting Appeal: 8.5/10 – Provides hours of fun as you work your way up the blacklist but it can get a bit repetitive.
Overall: 8.5/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/05