First Encounter
Congratulations: You're public enemy number one. Or should I say one-hundred—only the best of the best ever live to see the top of the blacklist in Need for Speed™ Most Wanted. Borrowing its predecessors' most popular elements (the car customization features in Need for Speed™ Underground 2 and the thrilling cop chases of Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit 2), the latest installment in the franchise offers the best of both worlds. Craving arcade racing action, gut-wrenching speeds, and split-second stunts so daring they leave you standing slack-jawed like a deer in headlights? Look no further ... you've met your fender-bending match.
According to the original storyline (told through high-definition, graphic novel-style cutscenes), you're the new kid in town. Your mission: work your way up the ranks of the illegal motorsports circuit, earning a reputation for havoc. The better your street cred—bolstered by shredding the competition and clowning police pursuers—the bigger the messes you'll be capable of getting into. If you can't find the trouble yourself, rest assured scene queen Mia, played by model and actress Josie Maran, will help you locate some. Alternately, you can jump right in and start enjoying the fun from behind the wheel of over three dozen autos like the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Lotus Elise, Mazda RX-9, or Ford Mustang GT. All are collectible, each can be tweaked to your heart's content, and every car is ready to be outfitted with parts and other performance-enhancing upgrades. What's more, across the board, rides are ranked in several areas such as top speed, acceleration, and handling. Bottom line: no two behave quite the same on the open road.
Be thankful for all the amazing options at your fingertips. Circuit, sprint and drag races (won by skillfully shifting gear in time with on-screen indicators) are just a few of the scenarios you'll face. You can also look forward to tollbooth events—timed contests where you've got scant seconds to haul ass between checkpoints—and goal-driven challenges. For example, some of the more exciting sequences I've spotted in an early demo include competitions which hinge on eliminating a set number of enemies, running roadblocks or avoiding capture over prolonged periods. That's right—as if massive ramps, hairpin turns, and zigzagging stretches of pavement weren't enough, you've also got to watch out for the fuzz. Imagine ... there you are, cruising along in your Mercedes SL-500 at 120 miles per hour, when it happens. A blinding flash occurs. Sirens blare. The scene shifts into slow motion. BAM! Just like that, you've attracted the attention of the law. It starts with a single car. Suddenly two appear when you slap Y to look in the rear view mirror. Then, up ahead ... three more cruisers come screeching into view. Stay calm, press B and let the nitrous, with its slick, screen-blurring effects, do its job and you might just avoid their attempts to pin you, box you in, or run you into a median. But what's that up ahead? Sweet ... It's a four-wheeled barricade! Oh, and up in the sky? Yeah—that's a helicopter tracking your position.
Thankfully, you've got some tricks up your sleeve too. An all-new speedbreaker function—think of it as bullet-time for cars—lets you slow down the proceedings and gain momentum, giving you an opportunity to barrel through barriers. Listen in on police chatter (opponents sure do love casually discussing tactics on open radio frequencies) and you'll gain some insight into the obstacles ahead. Don't forget interactive environments either; knock out the supports holding up signs or overhangs, and trouble comes tumbling down into adversaries' paths. There are always handy shortcuts around every bend—try barreling down the boardwalk or veering off into the woods if the heat gets to be too much.
Exciting as play is, it's a shame you can't stop and look at the scenery more often. Gorgeous sunsets, oversaturated colors, and gritty camera filters give highlighted environments—such as construction sites, refineries, city streets, and mountain highways—a surreal, almost mesmerizing quality. Humming along at top speed while tires squeal, officers issue all-points bulletins, and debris (barrels, cones, chairs) goes bouncing down the track, you'll soon be lulled into a happy groove. Which pretty much says it all: Expect a delicious blend of diesel fumes, virtual chrome, online-ready excitement, and forward-thinking game mechanics when the game hits stores this November. See you at the starting line! Article by Steve Richter |
