The coolest NFS games. Five of the best Need For Speed in the history of the series
The Need For Speed racing series is a true legend in its genre. The first part of the racing game was released in 1994, when no one could have suspected that it was the brainchild of Electronic Arts that would set trends in the world of computer racing for a long time. The series has 23 parts on different platforms, with completely different concepts and themes. Among them there are both very successful and best parts of Need For Speed, as well as frankly failed games. All races can be divided into several time periods and the most successful and significant for players and the industry can be identified among them. Let's look at each NFS epoch in more detail.
Release 1994 to 2002
Many gamers still believe that all the best parts of Need For Speed were released in the first generation of games. In 1994, the first part was released on 3DO, and a year later it reached personal computers. The player was given access to all vehicles and tracks at the very beginning of the game. The description of each car has a separate video and text with characteristics. NFS was one of the first games in which developers tried to copy the real physical model of cars. This part cannot be called the best, but it can easily be considered one of the most significant, since it was with NFS 1 that the era of “Need for Speed” began.
Second part
Need For Speed 2 was released in 1997. Every aspect of it was improved, from the graphics to the vehicle fleet. The creators have added new modes, track design, variability and much more. One of the main features is that only in the second part was it possible to drive exclusive supercars of that time.
Hot Pursuit
1998 and the release, according to most, of the best part - Need for Speed 3 Hot Pursuit. Based on the name, a police chase mode was added to this race, which means that the dynamics and variety of the project have increased significantly. Due to strong progress in graphics and 3D technologies, in the third part of the series, the developers managed to achieve excellent pictures, changes in weather, time of day, and so on. The game simply amazed the imagination, which is why it still remains the best part of Need For Speed, not only during the release period, but also to this day. The love of millions of fans can indicate that Hot Pursuit is a true legend and can make many gamers nostalgic even in 2017.
High Stakes
In 1999, High Stakes was released, which improved and refined all the ideas presented in the previous race. The main innovation was the High Stakes mode, where racers fought for their own cars. This moment added excitement and interest to what was happening. Now you receive a cash reward for winning championships and can install upgrades on your cars. To the delight of PC gamers, the creators have added absolutely all the tracks from their favorite Hot Pursuit. The High Stakes game did not become legendary, but it gained its audience and fans, so it can be considered a good and successful part.
Porsche Unleashed
The next game from 2000 is somewhat out of the ordinary in the series. Porsche Unleashed was entirely dedicated to Porsche products. The whole game was built on the love of cars of this brand. This was evident in everything - descriptions of sports cars, tests, level design and tasks. The game was appreciated not only by Porsche fans, but also by other gamers. Porsche Unleashed can be considered the best latest Need For Speed title of that generation.
The game captivates with its landscapes and requires the driver to love and respect his car. Before starting your career, you had to pass tests, and unlocking vehicles took place by era, which added interest to the process.
Hot Pursuit 2
After a successful experiment, Electronic Arts returns to its roots and its previous ideas. Hot Pursuit 2 was the first game for EA's new Black Box studio, which would go on to produce the best of Need for Speed.
The game continues to develop the concept of the third numbered part. Racing is now divided into two championships - regular competitions and police chases. If the first mode was quite boring, then racing with cops could entertain and challenge any gamer. This is why fans loved this game. Hot Pursuit 2 was also the first game in the series to feature an entire soundtrack featuring licensed tracks from various artists, making NFS songs the face of the game.
The era of street racing and tuning
In the early 2000s, the movie “Fast and Furious” was released, where the main theme was night racing, neon lighting, chases with cops and girls. In the wake of the success of the film, the company began developing the thematic part of NFS and released Underground in 2003.
This game has become truly iconic and significant in the fate of the entire series. The radical change in direction benefited the project. Instead of expensive supercars, you will find cheap Japanese cars and city cars, which you need to improve with your own resources and resources. The police disappeared from the streets, but a full-fledged night city with neon lights, music and other paraphernalia was added. Underground hasn't yet added an open world, but that hasn't stopped players. The complexity of the races also captivated me - at the end of my career it took several attempts to reach the finish line first (the rest of the places, as we know, were not rewarded in any way).
EA caught the wave and understood what gamers needed. Exactly a year later, the sequel Underground 2 comes out. The creators left the concept intact and decided to add more features and improve the graphics. Many players are still arguing which part is better: Need for Speed Underground or Underground 2. On the side is a second open world, improved graphics, more tuning options, modes and a tolerable plot. The first one was captivating with its complexity, soundtrack and dynamics. Underground 2 truly gave the player complete freedom. For example, to improve the appearance, you first need to find the appropriate parts store. To gain fame, you need to earn style stars and be featured on the covers of car magazines, and sponsorship contracts provide discounts on components. A true dream for a street racer in the early 2000s.
Most Wanted
Here we come to the game, which is rightfully considered the last best part of the Need For Speed game. In the wake of the success of night racing in the open city, the developers are beginning to develop their idea. Night gives way to day, peace officers are added and the stakes are raised. In Most Wanted, the vehicle fleet has been changed - now the player has access to not only inexpensive city cars, but also supercars. The tuning system was simplified, but this did not affect the gameplay in any way. The main pride of "Bridge of Wonted" is the chase. Competing with the police is truly interesting and challenging. The plot is presented by a “black list” of 15 racers who must be defeated in stages: gaining reputation points, winning races and completing tasks in pursuits with cops. The last part is the most interesting in the game. Need for Speed Most Wanted deservedly received high ratings, warm reviews from the community and a long life. At the moment, you can safely run “Bridge of Wonted” and not be afraid of the outdated graphics, and in terms of dynamics, this part “matches” many modern races.
Controversial parts
After the very successful Most Wanted, the developers hit a losing streak. In 2006, a sequel to The Bridge of Wonted was released in the form of NFS Carbon. Almost all the favorite elements remained in place - bosses, police, tuning and racing modes. However, the game lost its face and was too short, and the graphics left much to be desired. A passage that is not necessarily recommended for familiarization at the present time.
In 2007, EA Black Box changed direction and released Pro Street with semi-professional racing. The concept of tuning, a large fleet of vehicles and bosses in each type of competition turned out to be interesting, but other decisions were controversial. Firstly, many did not like the physics of car behavior. Secondly, the passage of the career mode is too long and gets boring in the middle. We recommend you read it if you are tired of the topic of street racing.
2008's Need for Speed Undercover is considered one of the worst games in the series. The creators returned to street racing and the police, adding a plot with cinematic inserts. As planned, Undercover was supposed to bring back fans of Most Wanted, but in reality it turned out differently. Poor performance, low level of artificial intelligence, boring tasks and many other little things affected it. The advantages include a large fleet of vehicles and tuning.
NFS Shift is difficult to put on par with previous races. EA Black Box was developed together with another studio. The part is aimed at serious professional racing with a realistic model of behavior. However, normal physics did not work out the first time, so players were left to admire the beautiful graphics and a large fleet of vehicles.
Return of NFS
In 2010, the developers of the game were Criterion Games, known for Hot Pursuit 2010, which is a remake of the original part with many improvements. This game boldly ranks with the legendary Most Wanted and is called by many the best part of Need For Speed. Reviews for it are extremely positive. Everything is good in Hot Pursuit 2010: luxury cars and beautiful graphics, picturesque scenery on the tracks, various competition and chase modes. It’s also worth noting the excellent multiplayer, in which you can still meet nostalgic players. Hot Pursuit 2010 is the second part of the series after Most Wanted, which is definitely recommended to get acquainted with.
The Run
The Run is also an experiment, just like Shift. The game completely abandoned the open world and tuning in favor of plot and entertainment. It didn't turn out as well as we would have liked - there wasn't enough plot, and the races, in turn, were too boring. Still, The Run is worth getting to know because of its uniqueness and graphical component - it’s really interesting to watch the constantly changing locations of North America.
Most Wanted 2012
Electronic Arts' line of remakes of its own projects did not go well immediately after the re-release of Hot Pursuit. Criterion Games is already completely taking over the series and releasing an unsuccessful game. The only good thing about Most Wanted 2012 is the graphics - a beautiful city and well-designed car models. Otherwise, the concept turned out to be a failure - a complete lack of plot, tuning and even the slightest sense of what was happening.
Rivals
The work on fixing the errors was very successful. The story still left a lot to be desired, but the gameplay made up for it. Rivals offers separate campaigns for racers and police. Dynamic chases, special skills and an open world made this part a good online entertainment.
Restart
In 2015, the series was restarted. The new part is called Need for Speed 2015 and returns the player to night racing. Expensive cars, tuning, police - everything seems to be as it should be, only each of the elements disappoints. The police are considered the weakest among all parts of the series. The physical model of behavior causes pain for real fans of computer racing, and the storyline is naive and does not correspond to its time.
As a result, Payback was released in 2017. A newly open world, a plot with real actors, a lot of cars and tuning. On this moment It's too early to say whether this game will be the best. But intermediate reviews say otherwise.
Results
From the entire list, judging by the feedback from the community, it is recommended to definitely play NFS 3: Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit 2010 (as in the best parts of the series), Porsche Unleashed, Pro Street, Shift, The Run (as in interesting experiments). Also, both parts of Underground, the relatively fresh Rivals and the latest Payback, will bring a lot of pleasure to the player. Now you know which parts of Need For Speed are the best and which parts you shouldn't waste your free time on.
Almost every year the Need For Speed series pleases us with a new game. And 2017 was no exception, the shelves were attacked by a new part under the title Payback, which again promised to restart the series and become one of the most important milestones in the development of the franchise.
Whether she succeeded in the end or not, let everyone decide for themselves (no!). Should we expect a new NFS in 2018? It's not clear yet. So I decided to give in to a little nostalgia and remember the five, in my opinion, the best parts of the most recognizable racing series in the gaming industry.
5th place – Need for Speed: Shift series (2009 – 2011)
After the release of the absolutely disastrous Need for Speed: Undercover (2008), Electronic Arts began to think that the series needed a radical reboot. Ultimately, the new authors of future games were Slightly Mad Studios, known to the gaming community for the projects GT Legends and GTR 2.
The new team's first attempt to turn NFS into a serious driving simulator turned out to be controversial. Despite the rather exciting gameplay with races on real tracks, the game was criticized for strange physics and a boring career mode.
The chic design of car dealerships was one of the main features of the game.
Nevertheless, Shift sold well and two years later its improved version, Need For Speed: Shift 2: Unleashed, was released. Where the developers tried to take into account the mistakes of its predecessor and focus on innovations.
It was already difficult to criticize the second part for the career mode, because the developers added licensed championships.
True, the shortcomings of the first part still scared off the audience and Shift 2 sold very poorly. As a result, EA decided to abandon the further development of the series towards serious motorsport and severed ties with Slightly Mad.
Revolutionary at that time, the Autolog system turned the usual multiplayer into a real multiplayer challenge.
But despite the sad ending, these games turned out to be one of the most original and unusual in the series. That's why they take fifth place in my top list.
4th place – Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed / Porsche 2000 (2000)
In 2000, EA suddenly decided to conduct a small experiment on the series. In place of adrenaline-pumping chases came a unique trip along autumn European tracks, and in place of hot sports cars - a journey into history and testing of production Porsche cars produced from 1950 to 2000. Moreover, for a detailed acquaintance, the developers built into the game an entire interactive encyclopedia, which allowed you to examine and “touch” each car in detail.
No drive or excitement, only mental satisfaction from driving a beautiful car.
To enhance the aesthetic pleasure of the gameplay, the developers slightly complicated the physics of the cars' behavior, due to which the game finely balanced between arcade style and a serious simulator.
But despite all the wonderful features of the game and quite a large number of devoted fans, Porsche Unleashed was a commercial failure. After which Electronic Arts even decided to close the series. True, over time, the project still became a cult and remains so to this day, and therefore it gets the fourth place in my top.
3rd place – Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998)
After the very mixed reception of Need For Speed II, the developers listened to criticism and in Hot Pursuit they decided to return the series to its roots, concentrating the gameplay as much as possible on adrenaline battles between racers and cops.
The physics in the game has become more arcade-like, due to which the emphasis has shifted from driving to the sensations of speed from chases.
In addition to beautiful, for those times, graphics and a high-quality soundtrack, the game was noted for the opportunity to take on the role of a police officer. This concept turned out to be so successful that players did not even notice the simplification of the beloved encyclopedia and the absence of expensive videos.
In 2002, a sequel to the game was released, and in 2010, a full-fledged remaster. Although the games turned out to be pretty good, they never managed to earn the level of cult following that the original Hot Pursuit had.
As a result, the third part sold a record number of copies for the series, and the mechanics and concept embedded in it determined the face of the franchise for many years to come. For which she gets third place in our top.
2nd place – Need for Speed: Underground series (2003 – 2004)
While the movie “Fast and the Furious” was thundering on cinema screens, thereby forming a layer of new culture, EA, having decided to take a bold step, radically changed the image of its racing series.
This is how the world saw Need For Speed Underground, which, unexpectedly for everyone, offered to change from boring expensive sports cars to mass-produced Japanese small cars, and to replace the picturesque landscapes with the roads of a night metropolis.
Oncoming traffic and an insane sense of speed, complemented by a stunning licensed soundtrack, created a great atmosphere for street racing.
At the same time, no one was particularly embarrassed by the outrageously simplified physics and monotony of the tracks. Of course, now most of the time the players were in the garage, where, using tuning, they turned their inconspicuous factory cars into unique works of art.
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Needless to say, the game’s sales were so crazy that exactly a year later the sequel, Need For Speed: Underground 2, hit the shelves.
Conceptually, the new game has not changed one iota, only the scope has changed: an open world, an increased variety of tuning and cars, stylish story inserts with a Playboy star in the leading role and a huge PR company.
The tuning of the second part boasted a vast number of different items for modifying the car, and at some point many people simply had no time for racing.
The success and influence of the series was so phenomenal that street racing became not only popular topic for conversations, but also formed a separate gaming genre, where every second one released his own race through the night streets.
According to the plot, the player was required to defeat fifteen of the most influential racers, each of whom is not just a name on the board, but a separate character.
The icing on the cake in the new project was the return of the already largely forgotten police and supercar fleet. The game was again captivating with adrenaline-fueled battles with cops, where every meeting with representatives of the law turned into a truly hardcore test not for the faint of heart.
Chases were not just an additional mechanic, but a very important part of the gameplay.
As a result, Most Wanted has become a real collective image of all the successful finds that have accumulated in the series over twelve years. Thanks to this approach, the game attracted both a new audience who loved street racing, and an old one who adored riding along autumn tracks in sports cars while the police were chasing them. This is what made the game almost an ideal race for all generations of Need For Speed fans, for which it gets first place in my top.
***
Even though in recent years things have not been going very well for the legendary series. But we really hope that this is just a sign of a slightly prolonged crisis of self-determination. After all, after all, the series is only twenty-three years old, and its best times are still ahead.
The history of the Need for Speed series stretches over twenty years, during which the franchise has gone from extreme street racing to rules-based track racing. This is a classic. There are not many series in the world that have been rebooted as many as three times and at the same time retained great amount loyal fans. Need for Speed has evolved and changed to meet modern trends. Back in 1994, it made its debut in the form of a street race and, possessing an excellent set of distinctive features, immediately took the podium in the genre. In collaboration with various developers, the franchise presented the world with 20 official games in the main series, becoming one of the largest in history. Some of these games became hits, others smell like burnt rubber, and the debate about which is considered the best still rages. We decided to go through all the releases of Need for Speed and make our own rating. Of course, there will be fans who will be disappointed by our choice, since the list is large, and everyone has their own favorites. However, what’s stopping you from talking about them in the comments?
20. Need For Speed: ProStreet (2007)
And first on our list, having received the dubious title “ worst game series”, it turns out to be Need for Speed: ProStreet. For the first time in a long time, ProStreet is bringing players back to the track, abandoning EA's successful street racing format. At the same time, realistic damage appears in the game, which affects the driving style, and the opportunity to ride on real-life racing tracks. However, without the tension of police chases and an open world, ProStreet lost all the fun that distinguished its predecessors. Along with this, the game suffered from poorly implemented “realism” and, in comparison with its products, was of much lower quality.
19. Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998)
In nineteenth place, penultimate, is Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. The first coming of the Hot Pursuit franchise gave the player the opportunity to be both a criminal and a cop for the first time. Each new game in the series has been distinguished by new ideas, so the original Hot Pursuit introduced split-screen, along with a significant improvement in graphics, which in the first part were impressive for its time. Unfortunately for the game, the visuals weren't enough to compensate for the mediocre gameplay and lack of open world that fans loved.
Game not available on digital services for PC
18. Need For Speed: High Stakes (1999)
Following Hot Pursuit, let's move on to its successor, Need for Speed: High Stakes. High Stakes was based on its predecessor, adding races in which rival cars, tournaments and chases were at stake. If you were lucky enough to play it on the first PlayStation, then you must remember the same High Stakes mode for two players, in which the car in which he participated in the race was immediately erased from the loser's memory card. Surely this was the reason for many quarrels between friends. Great idea, but it alone is not enough for the game to deserve any decent place in the ranking.
Game not available on digital services for PC
17. Need For Speed: World (2010)
In 17th place was the fifteenth part of the series, Need for Speed: World. It was a PC exclusive, created in the style of Most Wanted and Carbon with MMO elements. As the title suggests, World had a large map of highways connecting Palmont and Rockport from the same Carbon and Most Wanted, playing the role of an open world. More than a hundred licensed cars, Treasure Hunt mode and new system tuning, built on reputation and skill points - that’s what it offered free World to your players. The reason it ranks so low on our list is because EA has stopped supporting the game, saying it "no longer meets the high standards set by the Need for Speed franchise."
Game not available on digital services for PC
16. Need For Speed: Nitro (2009)
The next game in our ranking was published on only one platform - Need for Speed: Nitro. Having fallen into the hands of Nintendo, it tried to become exclusively fun, spitting on realism for the sake of more fun “racing”, which was greatly hampered by a limited set of tracks and a poor set of cars, compared to other parts of the series. Even though Nitro did its job at first, it quickly became tiresome. Moreover, it could not boast of a single new feature, except for “Own It” - a sign on the screen informing about who is leading the race. Add in a weak campaign, and you'll understand why Nitro ended up only in sixteenth place.
Game not available on digital services for PC
15. Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed (2000)
Then, in 2000, EA decided to deviate from its usual course, revealing Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed to the world. Since the game was aimed at Porsche lovers, it only featured cars of this brand, albeit represented by a wide range model range from the 50s of the twentieth century to the end of the century. Porsche Unleashed featured incredible detail, allowing you to look inside the legendary German sports cars while driving. You could even try on the role of a test driver and perform various tasks in the hope of winning a contract with the Porsche Company. However, it is precisely because of the decision to choose a single car manufacturer that the game earns so few points in our rating.
Game not available on digital services for PC
14. Need For Speed: Shift (2009)
After open-world MMOs (World) and arcade rides (Nitro), the second reboot of the series gave birth to the third game, the track simulator Need For Speed: Shift. This time, EA decided to target hardcore driving enthusiasts, adding more than sixty supercars to the track Shift with the possibility of their full tuning. Even though the game moved away from street racing, there were some dirty tricks you could use, like eliminating your opponents in the middle of a race. And it was wonderful. Unfortunately for Shift and the Need for Speed franchise, it was pitted against two other simulators, Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo, which made it look like an underdog.
13. Need For Speed: The Run (2011)
Let's move on to the next part, the dark horse The Run. What was good about it was that it was different from the other games in the series. A sort of mixture of Shift and Hot Pursuit with a very tough plot. In the role of Jackson "Jack" Rourke, the player had to compete in street races across America, from San Francisco to New York, maneuvering between bandits and cops. Colorful settig and many various conditions for racing, what else do you need? The Run took racing from being fun to being a necessity for survival. However, this NFS installment suffered from a lack of replay value and was very short. Many were hoping for more content given the game's Pan-American geography.
12. The Need For Speed (1994)
The original Need for Speed, where it all started. The classic arcade game from which all subsequent installments in the franchise took inspiration. And each of them contained something from the very first one - circuit races without time limits, point-to-point races and various chases with the participation of the police. Need for Speed was arguably the best racing game of its time, and is so low in our rankings only because its successors managed to seriously surpass the high bar set in 1994.
Great news for 3DO owners - if you still have that console, you can play Need for Speed on it!
Game not available on digital services for PC
11. Need For Speed II (1997)
The first game to surpass " high standards” of the original, became Need for Speed II, its direct sequel. Released on fewer platforms (actually only PC and PlayStation), the second installment in the franchise took everything that was great about its predecessor and made it even better. It was in Need for Speed II that the “knockout” race mode first appeared, in which the last driver to complete a lap left the competition. Among the shortcomings of the second part, one can perhaps note a decrease in complexity and a departure from the realism of the original. That, however, did not prevent her from earning huge success.
Game not available on digital services for PC
10. Need For Speed: Carbon (2006)
And finally, we have reached the middle of our list. The top ten opens with Need for Speed: Carbon, which became the first game in the series, released on PlayStation 3 and Wii in 2006, and continues the plot of Most Wanted. Carbon was a pretty bold project that decided to make major changes. Having gotten rid of drag racing, the developers invited players to try their hand at Canyon, a mode similar to cat and mouse, where the pursuer had to stay as close as possible to the leader to get points. Carbon also introduced team competitions into the franchise, in which you could recruit partners and improve their characteristics. The intelligence of the partners at that time was quite good; orders could even be given to help win competitions. Need for Speed: Carbon also had some disadvantages, such as a lack of “attention” from the police and, in fact, the short duration of the game itself.
Game not available on digital services for PC
9. Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
8. Need For Speed: Undercover (2008)
Need for Speed: Undercover snuck into eighth place. And it came out exactly at the time when it was needed most: after the failure of its prequel, ProStreet. The latter circumstance led to the fact that the developers worked on Undercover much longer than on previous releases in the series. The franchise has returned to its “roots”, that is, to all those elements of Need for Speed that you remember first of all: street racing, police chases, the opportunity to be in the shoes of a cop, a plot, an open world and, of course, a TON of CARS! Once again, the game was let down by the plot, the low quality of which both fans of the series and critics did not fail to speak out about.
7. Need For Speed (2015)
Next on the list is another, final, reboot of the franchise called Need for Speed. In its 2015 release, the game was able to please owners of new consoles with stunning visuals, realistic controls and a ton of new content. The load included a strict connection to the online system, requiring a constant connection to the Internet. Once again, the weak plot is crippling, and the online features are not properly developed. Yes, you can challenge avatars of real-life famous racers in the campaign, but the disappointing level of AI takes away from the beauty of this opportunity.
6. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (2002)
From here, choosing the best game becomes increasingly difficult, because we have reached the very top of the Need for Speed franchise. Sixth place goes to Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, the last game of the first era of the series, after which EA began tuning. It won Console Racing Game of the Year at the 2002 Interactive Achievement Awards thanks to its improved cops vs. punks mode. The police force in Hot Pursuit 2 has increased significantly, even helicopters have appeared! Rock music also appeared here for the first time under the EA Trax label. The only drawback of the game was that it only worked perfectly on PS2; versions on other consoles were noticeably inferior to it, which is why Hot Pursuit 2 remains only in sixth place.
Game not available on digital services for PC
5. Need For Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed (2011)
Fifth place brings us back to the circuit racing in perhaps the best track part of the entire franchise - Need for Speed: Shift 2 - Unleashed. There were not many innovations in it, but the game worked hard on itself, proving that it is not necessary to be bigger than its predecessor, the main thing is to become better. Controls in Shift 2 have become more realistic, a view from inside the cockpit has been added, including a helmet-mounted camera. The latter, by the way, was a chic and very popular feature - the driver’s head swayed in accordance with the physics of the car, and tunnel vision turned on as the speed increased. Shift 2 was a major departure from the rest of the series and was a serious contender to other better-known and better-looking racing simulators.
4. Need For Speed: Underground (2003)
I’m sure that not all fans of the series will agree with me, but fourth place rightfully goes to Need for Speed: Underground. The game that launched the franchise new level and marked the beginning of an incredibly popular tuning culture. It was here that the story and garage first appeared in Need for Speed, allowing the player to fully customize appearance and the insides of an iron horse. The Drift mode, in which players earned points by drifting as long as possible in a controlled manner, was also new to Underground. EA's first reboot of the series was very successful, and it was from this part that a series of games began that defined the face of the franchise.
Game not available on digital services for PC
3. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
Rounding out the final three is Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, which takes the form of one of the games that preceded it. The careers of both a racer and a policeman are available in it. This game was developed by Criterion studio, the creators of Burnout Paradise, from which Hot Pursuit only benefited. The game was praised for its endless supply of fun and epic moments, which elevated it into the pantheon of the franchise and helped it become a huge success.
2. Need For Speed: Underground 2 (2004)
One of the most hotly debated releases in Need for Speed and a very strong contender. Underground 2 took a huge step forward by offering players an open world map for the first time, where players first had to travel to an event to participate. Almost unlimited possibilities for car tuning, long story line, interesting side missions and seriously improved graphics - these are the main advantages of Underground 2. And this is not counting the gift of a chance to drive an SUV! The game did not take first place only because, despite the incredibly criminal setting, it does not allow you to play as a police officer. Although there are plenty of other types of competitions.
Game not available on digital services for PC
1. Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
Our favorite Need for Speed is the 2005 Most Wanted bottling. Without a doubt, this classic is not only a great racing game, but a great game overall. The original Most Wanted brought police chases back into the franchise, showing exactly how they should look, which not everyone manages to do even now. But what really elevates this installment of the series above the rest is its complexity. As the game progresses, the chases become simply insane, police cars begin to pursue the player more and more aggressively, and obstacles in the form of helicopters, SUVs and road blockades tend to kill the unfortunate driver. And it all adds up to a compelling story that sees the player climb up the Black List, overcoming hordes of cops and escaping some of the greatest car chases in video game history. Most Wanted boasts an excellent collection of cars, an interactive open world and well-developed tuning, which together gave us the best game in the entire Need for Speed franchise.
Game not available on digital services for PC
For my long history Need For Speed experienced both rises to the very top of the charts and falls to the very bottom.
The series included races in fast sports cars, chases with the police, tuning, and even cutscenes. The released NFS: Rivals became the 20th anniversary game in the series, if, of course, we count it together with Shift 2 Unleashed, from the name of which, during the development process, they decided to remove the phrase – Need: For Speed, apparently so that the game would not be mistaken for an arcade.
Of all the released projects, only NFS: Nitro is exclusive to the Nintendo console, while the rest of the games have always visited the maximum number of platforms. V-rally rally racing, cunningly invented by Electronic Arts, tried to be released in America under the title “Need for Speed”, we, of course, will not take into account, and not a single normal fan considers these games to be Need For Speed. So, here we go, the five best games from the Need For Speed series.
It was the first part, which was released for 3DO in 1994, and for DOS in 1995, and occupies fifth place. The first NFS amazed players, of course, with graphics and physics. Before that, we played some Lotus or F1 (Formula 1), in which one group of pixels overtook another. In Need For Speed there was no doubt that you were in a cool sports car, racing through a real night city or highway.
Already in the first game you got acquainted with the classic cars that have forever settled in Need For Speed - Lamborghini diablo, Dodge Viper, Chevrolet Corvette, and real videos were shot about each of them in the game. You could also read historical information, look at photos of old models and so on - that is, a real encyclopedia. Need For Speed forever raised the bar for racing games, and after it the dandy never rolled in again.
In fourth place is one of the most interesting, unusual and controversial games from the Need For Speed series - Porsche Unleashed. This is the only game in the series where gamers were offered to drive only one brand of car – Porsche, of course. From the very first models of the 50s to the most modern Boxsters of the time, of course. The game was released in 2000. Some gamers hate this game, and some consider it the best Need For Speed ever. And in general, the players liked the idea of driving the oldest cars.
In career mode, it’s especially interesting to go through races, earn money and slowly buy more and more new models. You can clearly feel the difference when you transfer from a 356 to a 911. And an even more unusual and cool mode was Factory Driver, where the player, in the role of a factory driver, performed all sorts of technical specifications, drove between cones and even participated in illegal races. Porsche unleashed the unique Need For Speed in fourth place.
Police chases are one of the most interesting and impressive themes in the NFS series. The police were already in the first part, but it was in 1998's Hot Pursuit that they became the central character. The cops put up spikes, barriers, rammed them - and when they did catch the gamer, they gave out their own phrases like: “Hands behind your head, feet on the hood” - or the classic - “This is the last warning.” Owners of old “pirates” probably remember this masterpiece of voice acting. In 2002, a very good Hot Pursuit 2 appeared.
Well, in third place we have the best Need For Speed about the police - Hot Pursuit 2010 from Criterion Games, a remake of the classic Need For Speed. You might want to say that the '98 original, the original Hot Pursuit, should take this spot, but we don't think so at all. The game from Criterion not only reproduced all the best moments of that gameplay, but also added its own features, that is, took it to a new level - these are, of course, all sorts of attacking gadgets - like there are emiyas, spikes and so on, and a great mode of playing for a policeman .
For many gamers, the police mode has become almost more interesting than the racer mode. An indescribable thrill - when serenas howl around you, a helicopter circles overhead, and you ram a street racer and it goes straight into a ditch. Plus, all these gadgets like studs, emmy, turbo, which can now be used by racers, too. They add beauty and drive to the race. Beautiful graphics. The accidents look simply stunning, and the tracks are atmospheric and mesmerizing. Hot Pursuit 2010 is irresistible and is certainly not only one of the best Need For Speed, but also one of best races throughout history. Third place.
And finally, it's time for Underground - Need for Speed is in second place. It’s difficult to say anything new about this game; everyone already knows everything about it. Well, who among the gamers hasn’t sat at night at Underground with phrases like “well, now I’ll finish the race, I’ll change the bumper and definitely go to sleep.” Underground - he pulled the thinnest, most sensitive threads of our soul - these are girls, tuning, cool cars and nu metal.
The most surprising thing is that the game, which essentially revived the popularity of the series after the not particularly well-received Porsche Unleashed and Hot Pursuit 2, was very simple to develop. Constant night time saved the developers a lot of time. The tracks were repeated, and the cars were very similar to each other, but in Underground something else was different. Gamers were tired of driving Ferraris and Mc Larens; instead, they spent hours screwing on spoilers and drawing vinyls on a Mitsubishi Lancer or Subaru Impreza.
And what a great soundtrack it was! Static-X and their immortal hit “The Only”, Lostprophets, Rob Zombie, Story of the year, and the same song was playing in the menu... Need for Speed: Underground - in second place, with greetings from the time when computer games brought a real pleasure.
Here we come to the winner. First place, the best Need for Speed of all time – Most Wanted 2005. Why is he so good? Everyone, he is good for absolutely everyone. This game took the best of past Need for Speed games, put it all in one jar, mixed it well, and made a cocktail of 100% fun. Let's remember all those chips in order.
Let's assume cars - from simple and beloved ones from the Underground Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7 to the luxurious Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo. And remember our beautiful BMW in white and blue – isn’t this the kind of car you still dream of having? And, of course, tuning, styling, a bunch of spare parts, vinyls, coloring and other things - to make the car in the game truly yours. The gameplay took the most “juices” from the Underground, and Hot Pursuit, and everyone’s favorite Drug racing - and speed races on radars, and, of course, great, phenomenally cool and epic police chases.
All of which, by the way, was beautiful and diverse, and so, this whole world was open - please, evade the chase along your own routes. And remember your favorite circles for evading the police and the triangles under which water towers and gas stations were hidden.
Even 2010's Hot Pursuit couldn't offer better gameplay with cops for a single player. Remember those awesome missions, when you had to break through ten barriers, shoot down fifteen police cars, cause damage for a certain amount - the chase could drag on for half an hour, every minute of which was full of drive and tension.
Plus to all this, a great plot with beautiful videos and powerful characters, all this complemented the picture of joy. And the soundtrack included Static-X, Disturbed, The Prodigy, Bullet For My Valentine, and Avenged Sevenfold. In general, the game is a legend, a masterpiece, a game like they don’t make anymore! Ten out of ten, and the best Need for Speed of all time. First place.
Back in the glorious 90s, the phrase “ Need for Speed" has become synonymous with the word " racing". And although this is not the only successful racing series, no one has yet managed to surpass its popularity (or at least repeat it). Why? Perhaps the answer to this question can be found by analyzing the 10 best parts of Need for Speed.
There are a great many similar ratings, surveys and TOPs, and, as a rule, they categorically do not coincide with each other. In one stubborn rating that I happened to see, a monster called NFS: Rival was even in first place! So we had to create our own survey, which, we hope, will allow us to judge gamer sympathies relatively objectively.
The most cool games NFS
Street racing? No, have not heard
ProStreet managed to grab with its frail little hands the last carriage of the departing train and jump to the last step of our rating. Many seasoned NFS fans prefer to spit in disgust when they accidentally meet ProStreet on the street. And all because this game was “not like everyone else”: the emphasis was shifted from street racing to more professional rides on race tracks. Now the car could be smashed into rubbish and this, to the delight of its rivals, seriously reduced its driving performance. The cops have disappeared, and with them the mode of free driving in the open world.
Such fashionable words as “traction control” and “abs” appeared in the settings - not every student realized the possibility of disabling them, as a result of which he splattered the entire monitor with saliva, cursing the disgusting controls. In addition, different types of racing required the use of different types of cars. All this created a feeling of isolation from the series - fans of racing simulators like Colin McCrae Rally might like such a game, but fans of the series wondered what happened to their favorite NFS. ProStreet cannot be called a failure, nor a success - it was unusual, sometimes misunderstood, with its own pros and cons.
9. Need for Speed: The Run (2011)
The Run pleases with a well-drawn eagle and American nature The guys from EA are not afraid to experiment, and in The Run, players again saw a number of innovations. A plot has appeared in NFS. Of course, he was present before, but in “The Race” he is placed at the forefront - he cannot be ignored. The main character finds himself drawn into mafia squabbles and now, in order to leave the mafia as friends, he needs to win a race from San Francisco to New York, in which 50 people are participating, and hit a good jackpot. And for the first time in NFS, this one main character I discovered that you can get out of the car! Not in the middle of the race, of course (after all, this is not GTA), but during some sharp plot twists you will have to abandon the car and run from the bad guys on foot, enjoying the action that is unfolding behind you.
All races are part of one large-scale race. Since the journey passes through all of America, a variety of exciting locations are included: rocks, forests and deserts, cities and villages, night and daytime arrivals - for every taste. Therefore, the main advantage, in addition to the plot, is the graphics - on top level. On the downside, despite the variety of locations, the races become boring over time and seem the same type. After all, with rare exceptions, only the “sprint” and “pursuit” modes are presented here (although escaping from an avalanche is truly epic, such events are rare in the game). So, like ProStreet, NFS Run received mixed reviews.
8. Need for Speed: Undercover (2008)
The developers know: in order for stupid gamers to understand that they are driving fast, the picture must be carefully blurred Game critics were harsh: Gambling Mania, which a year before had praised ProStreet (score 8.0), gave the NSF “Undercover” 6 points, accusing it of all mortal sins. Representatives of another authoritative publication, Playground, also agreed with their colleagues, giving Undercover a rating of 5.9. But, naturally, the opinion of some authoritative critics is nothing for us compared to the point of view of experienced schoolchildren who vote for Undercover. Why is this part so loved by a certain part of the players and not liked by critics? And which of them to believe?
Let's start with what catches your eye the most: the vehicle fleet is taken from ProStreet (you can count the new cars on your fingers), and the physics, it seems, have not undergone noticeable changes over the year. The cops were picked up from Most Wanted, having previously made the police chases easier. Like everything else: the races are quite easy, especially in the first half of the game.
Overall, the game leaves a feeling of being somewhat unfinished - as if EA decided to create some semblance of Wonted Bridge and Underground 2, but good idea ruined by terrible implementation. Nevertheless, the game has found its fans - it can be recommended to beginners who have just begun their acquaintance with the NFS series. But the rest will be a bit boring.
7. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
How did the idea to create Most Wanted 2012 even come about? It all started in 2010, when EA changed the development team. Instead of Black Box, who worked on all parts of the NSF from 2000 to 2010, the Canadians gave work on the racing series to Criterion Games. Their first project was the creation of Hot Pursuit, which we will return to a little later. Probably, the successful debut had a powerful impact on the developers and they decided to encroach on the sacred - NFS: Most Wanted. Despite the fact that there is no relation the same one There is no MW for the resulting game. At all.
Most Wanted 2012 breaks many patterns - even those that were not worth breaking at all. For example, there is no plot at all: the player simply appears in the middle of the city. Who is he, what is he doing here, why is he racing - figure it out yourself. There are a lot of cars parked throughout the city - any of them can be taken completely free to participate in races. The passage comes down to defeating 10 racers from the “black list” of the original MW - this is the only reference to the first part. To fight with the leaders of this rating, you need bonus points, which are earned in regular races.
The game has nice graphics, good races, there is a multiplayer mode (although there are no police in it), but the strange decisions of the developers reduce all good ideas to nothing: the lack of a plot and a free car kills all motivation and interest in completing the game. And the Most Wanted brand only adds to the disappointment: after all, any gamer, seeing these 2 words, is looking forward to seeing something completely different.
6. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
Hot Pursuit was undoubtedly a success for Electronic Arts: the transfer of the NFS series to Criterion Games allowed the series to be refreshed after its less successful predecessors. Some innovations implemented in Hot Pursuit allowed it to receive applause from critics, who did not skimp on good ratings for this game. What's special about it?
For the first time in a long time, the game featured 2 full-fledged campaigns: not only as a street racer, but also on the side of the cops. And we can say with complete confidence that never before in the NFS series has so much attention been paid to playing as police officers - so in this regard, the new product managed to reach the heights of the legendary NFS 3. And thanks to Autolog, with an Internet connection, the game appeared in all its glory: The multiplayer mode allowed up to 8 people to participate in a race or chase. At the same time, Autolog allows you to see the results of your friends in order to try to surpass them - the reward for this is not only a feeling of satisfaction, but also special bonuses (experience points).
Among the pleasant little things, it is also worth noting the change of day and night - in “Hot Pursuit” the sun can go below the horizon right during the race.
5. Need for Speed: Carbon (2007)
Although NFS: Carbon is traditionally rejected by many fans of the series (at least fans of the Underground and MW), this did not stop it from gaining relative support from critics - ratings from the same Igromania and other publications allow an average score of 7.5. And this toy also has fans. How did Carbon bribe them?
The first is a good tuning system, with all the usual bells and whistles, which after the Underground were cut down in the Vanthede Bridge. The second is the night atmosphere of a small town. In general, Carbon gathered an audience due to certain similarities with NFS: Underground. Similarities in in a good way I mean, the graphics are really nice: raindrops, a variety of tracks, including a dangerous mountain serpentine - all this is a plus. But there were some downsides.
Only the lazy did not spit on the command system. And there’s a reason: don’t you have enough crustacean teammates in other games? Great, now they will destroy other people's nerve cells in Need for Speed too. In Carbon you have to race with your own “gang”, which, in theory, should help you get victories. It sounds interesting, but only in theory. In practice, the behavior of partners gives rise to an endless number of questions, the answer to which may be a disappointing medical diagnosis. And the capture of areas, obviously taken from GTA, forces you to go through the same type of races several times and are too easy to intrigue.
This is what Carbon is all about: endless simple races are diluted with overly complex and annoying “duels” with bosses on mountain serpentine roads. And these extremes, without any golden mean, are infuriating. From my subjective point of view, going through NFS: Carbon more than once is a punishment. But it'll do for once - and will probably be fun at times.
4. Need for Speed (2015)
Even at the development stage, according to many statements by Electronic Arts, it became clear that they decided to create the best game in the series, framing this event as a relaunch of the entire NFS line. The new game was supposed to collect all the best that had been invented in this genre before it. To achieve this, the project was transferred to a third development team, Ghost Games. The excitement was building, the trailers were intriguing, everyone was frozen in anticipation... So what?
As a result, we got a good game that could not become Electronic Arts' swan song. From the first minutes everything is great: excellent graphics and video inserts, like in Undeground, immediately immerse you in the game. But, the first joy passes, and you realize that the plot is painfully predictable: “I came to the city and decided to conquer the local party.” At the same time, it is not clear why everyone is trying to help the main character and who he is in general. And the entire street racing crowd looks, to put it mildly, ridiculous. A nice little detail: the role of the main opponents is played by 5 real, world-famous street racers who starred in this game. But in fact, this does not save the script at all.
I'm glad that all cars are initially open - you just need to collect the required amount. And fine tuning, in theory, allows you to make the car behave as you please - either smoothly enter turns or drift into them. That's the idea. But in fact, to understand all these settings and determine how changing them will affect the car, you will have to spend a lot of time.
The developers' love for drifting is noticeable to the naked eye - in practice, only by setting the car to drift can you more or less control it on the road. But even the most ideally tuned and pumped up car will not be overlooked by rivals - for balance, the characteristics of opponents’ cars will be automatically “tightened up”. As a result, most of the game can be easily completed with the “starting” Subaru.
Much attention is paid to visual styling - you can decorate the car however you like. As for bumpers, spoilers, suspensions and other joys of external tuning, the developers decided to add realism and displayed in the game only those parts that actually exist for a particular model. And if IRL there are no other bumpers for your Nissan, then you will not be able to change it. However, tuning can confidently be attributed to strengths this NFS.
What's the end result? We have Need for Speed with amazing graphics, but a deserted city, a weak plot and lazy cops who are dumber than in Most Wanted. If we take the average rating from critics, the game received a well-deserved 7 out of 10, which is quite fair. A good attempt, which probably became the best in the last decade, but the new Need for Speed, alas, is unable to evoke the delight that Undeground and Most Wanted once managed to evoke.
3. Need for Speed: Underground (2003)
It was this game that marked the beginning of an entire era. With the Fast and the Furious films gaining popularity, the release of NFS: Undeground turned out to be incredibly timely. Night racing, expensive cars and endless tuning are successfully combined in one arcade. Naturally, there were some old fags who immediately declared that “NFS is not the same anymore,” “ara-tuning for rednecks,” and in general, it was better before.
But in fact, Undeground's success was well deserved. The routes were thought out to the details: different areas of the city had their own atmosphere and successfully intertwined with each other. Something similar happened with the proposed game modes: classic racing was cleverly diluted with drift and drag tracks, thanks to which the Underground did not get boring. Well, the famous tuning allowed anyone who fancied themselves a street, excuse me, a racer, to hang as many stickers, flashlights, spoilers and other irreplaceable attributes on the car as they wanted.
Yes, here we were not even talking about realism - there were no police in the game, and the physics clearly went beyond the bounds of common sense. But instead of pretentious and expensive supercars, players had to drive less “thoroughbred” but cool cars that could be seen on the streets of their city. NFS: Underground was able to give the feeling of unprecedented speed to an entire generation, becoming one of the best arcade racing games of that time. And the signature music " E Ron Don Don
The main revelation of the second series was the open world, through which you could freely move between races, while looking for new shops with useful gear for tuning. In addition, there are new racing modes and the ability to choose a sponsor. The range of available cars has grown significantly - despite the fact that some cars, like jeeps, were absolutely useless in the race and were sold purely “for the soul.” The races themselves became a little easier - too many gamers’ nerve cells were destroyed by the first Undeground at the last levels, and the second time there might not be enough of them. However, this simplification did not spoil the game.
1. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
NFS: Most Wnted became the pinnacle of NFS evolution. Most Wanted was good at everything: new racing modes (like radar); the long-awaited return of the cops, surprisingly, was done right - the chases were balanced, kept in suspense, allowing you to wind around the world for a long time, fighting for your freedom.
The developers finally reduced the importance of visual tuning of cars by an order of magnitude: those who wanted to suffered from it, and everyone else no longer had to try for ugly photos on the cover of glamorous magazines, as in the Undergrounds. It’s also now possible to take the car from one of the bosses.
And yes, white daylight has finally returned, after a series of night cities! The tracks have become more diverse than in the Undergrounds... in short, the advantages and enhancements can be listed for a long time. The result was natural: Most Wanted confidently took a leading place in the top of the best games in the Need For Speed series.