For example, oncoming traffic will often turn in towards the player's car. The game is totally unforgiving when it comes to its traffic system, though-expect to crash into a lot of NPC cars. It's definitely not a game that overlooks reckless driving, as most standard arcade racers will, and there's a focus on using good racing lines and cornering.
The competitive circuit and point-to-point races are traditional arcade rubber-banding with a slight simulation twist. With the structure of play, it's unlikely that most people will drive everything they find since the campaign steers the player towards devoting time towards upgrading whichever cars suit their preference. Once discovered, vehicles can be driven immediately, or chosen later at leisure. The sole caveat is that players must find them hidden throughout Fairhaven's environs.
There is much to do and much to see, and so many billboards to hurtle through at high speeds.Īll that hurtling will require cars, and the game boasts a vast range of vehicles. Keen travelers will recognize familiar landmarks that bear more than a passing resemblance to locations in London, Paris, New York, and Boston, to name just a few. Racing through Most Wanted's city of Fairhaven is a joyous experience. Criterion's latest effort seems to occupy a middle ground between both ends of the spectrum. LOW Hurtling straight into a divider at almost 200mph.Īs someone raised firmly in the simulation racing stable, I was a touch dubious about Need for Speed: Most Wanted -arcade racers have always felt far too forgiving and chaotic to hold my interest. HIGH Blistering down a sunset highway at almost 200mph.