Need For Speed Most Wanted Review (PS2) By GhettoBandit

10 / 10
02 Jul 2006 at 23:32

Review by: GhettoBandit

Ever since films such as ‘The Fast & The Furious’ have been released there has been an ever increasing demand for modified car games and EA has filled that gap with the Need For Speed series. The latest release from that series is NFS: Most Wanted and I have to admit I’ve had some of the most fun I’ve had on the PS2 since going mental on GTA: San Andreas…

The game itself took no time in getting used to due to me playing its two predecessors, NFS and NFS 2 but the laws of physics were being tested throughout the game, who would have thought that a Fiat Punto could go 110 MPH round a corner without so much as slowing. Anyway, this soon became the norm with every car available to purchase on the game and I was having hours of fun skidding round corners in order for me to cross the finish line first. It provided me with an exhilarating rush of adrenalin as I weaved in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 200 MPH whilst in the middle of an all out police chase complete with choppers and everything.

Now the best thing about this game is the ‘Career Mode’. It basically starts off from a flashback cut-scene which sees you lose your car to Razor; a rival racer, due to an oil leak. You then get befriended by Mia; also a racer, and she helps you start off on the racing circuit once more by getting you a car and a bit of extra cash for those all important upgrades. You then work your way from there and beat 15 racers on something called ‘The Blacklist’ in order for you to race Razor and win back your BMW. The storyline is basic but what makes it special is how your actual emotions can be felt throughout the cut-scenes such as anger and sadness. This has been done by means of digitally enhancing people standing in front of a ‘Green Screen’ and then they are placed into the game. The cut-scenes begin to slowly disappear as you get further up the blacklist but when you do see them, it almost makes you feel as if you’re in the cinema watching them on the big screen…

To move up the blacklist you have to achieve a certain bounty, complete an amount of races and do a few milestones. As you move further up the blacklist these become much harder respectively. Completing the races is pretty straightforward, just put your foot to the floor and steer round a few corners but there’s a variety of them ranging from the famous drag to the time consuming, sprint. The milestones generally involve the police or managing to get you clocked at a certain speed. They’re all things which are achievable if you set out exactly what your plan of action is before you choose to do them, these do get a bit repetitive after a while so I’d advise you to take a break between each blacklist racer. When beating a racer on the blacklist you get to choose one of 3 markers, these consist of a unique upgrade, something you can’t buy anywhere or the pink slip to their pride and joy, their car.

As with any NFS game, there is an option to do ‘Quick Races’ where you can fine-tune your racing skills in order to become the best racer on the streets, there are also a number of challenges available for you to complete and these will help you further your skills.

Altogether there are 32 different cars which you can purchase or win and each one has hundreds of fully customisable parts ranging from window tinting to engine enhancement. It’s basically like ‘Pimp My Ride’ except there is no ‘West Coast Customs’ or ‘X-Zibit’...

The graphics aren’t amazing but they’re not shabby either, there are moments when you can notice that the background is 2D but you're usually too busy concentrating on the oncoming traffic that’s about to collide with you. EA has put in some noticeable graphic enhancements into the game such as light effects on your car when you come out of a tunnel and the sunlight catches the metal of your car and then there are the sparks produced by your ride when you crash into something. Both of these things make it much more realistic and enjoyable.

The soundtrack on the game is pretty authentic, ranging from the screeching of the rubber tyres all the way to the sounds of the police sirens. The actual tracks that you have the pleasure of listening to aren’t exactly the best, especially if you’re not a rap/hip-hop fan like me but all I do is turn mute on and listen to my iPod…

The AI of the police and other racers is good although you sometimes have to question the police’s ability 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 in a flash which can p*ss you off big style, especially if your just about to evade them. 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 to following vehicles such as knocking into the side of a water tower so as it falls down and crushes your followers. Even 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.

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 look in at least. I am giving Need For Speed: Most Wanted an awe inspiring 10/10.

Discuss Need For Speed Most Wanted (PS2) with other users in the forum