The Need for Speed (NFS) franchise has a long history of good driving games dating back to 1994, when it released its first title: The Need for Speed. The NFS franchise improved on its game as subsequent titles released, culminating in, what this author feels, is the best non-real (car does not acquire damage) driving game to date: Need for Speed: Most Wanted. No other driving game before, or after, has achieved the perfect balance of customization, required driving skill, ability to ram other cars, chases, races, and cool places.
Customization
NFS: Most Wanted had, what was at the time, an unparalleled amount of customization of the player’s car. Windows could be tinted, spoilers added or removed, engines tuned to the players driving style (acceleration or top speed, drifting or tight turns), and a large variety of paints and decals. This customization made the player feel as if they were driving their own car, not just a predefined shop model.
Required Driving Skill
Most Wanted required the player to possess a certain amount of skill before allowing higher levels and faster cars to be reached. This gave the player the tools and skills they needed before handing them a car that is too fast or quick for the player’s skill level. It also allowed players with a natural aptitude for the game to win races with crappy cars, thanks to their superior driving skill.
Ramming Other Cars
Others at OMFG Network (The Mandalorian) disagree with this point, but that is mostly due to their wimpy driving style and dislike for being run off the road by a more aggressive driver. I find an unlimited amount of entertainment in being able to run AI players, cops, and civilians off the road, all while driving 200 MPH, and then slamming into a roadblock.
Chases, Races, and Cool Places
Above all else, this game was fun to play. Being chased by the cops and trying to get away was, and still is, entertaining to the point that a player would drive around looking for police cars to chase them. The races focused more on high speed, rather than lots of turns, which is, in my opinion, more enjoyable. I make sharp right turns every day on my way to work; therefore, I’m not interested in doing the same in a video game. I do not, however, have the opportunity to, on a regular basis, drive 200 MPH down a highway on the wrong side of the road (I doubt my personal vehicle can get to 100 MPH). Lastly, the scenery was interesting to look at, but not overly detailed, because let’s be honest, who notices how detailed a trash can is as the drive by at 150 MPH?
To conclude, NFS games that have been released after Most Wanted may do a better job in certain aspects of the game, such as give more customization or fancier graphics, but no sequel has brought all of the pieces together in one place the way Need for Speed: Most Wanted did.
someday we’ll actually race, and you will see that your brutal and unrefined driving style pales in comparison to the fine-tuned efficiency of true skilled drivers
Not to disagree, but in at least one aspect your review is incorrect. Customization was actually better in NFS Underground 2, you could mix and match more body kit parts in NFSU2. And not that most players would care, but NFSU2 actually had more options when it came to customizing your vehicle for different race types. You could customize gear ratios and turbo settings to fine tune your ride for each type of race you might encounter. If I recall you could even mess with suspension components as well. Not to disagree with the fact that NFS Most Wanted was the best game in the franchise to date, as that is my opinion as well, I just think that the customization was not up to par comared with NFSU2.
The visual customization in NFS: Undercover is the best in the franchise. The mechanical customization is awful next to NFSU2, but the visual stuff was great. You could sculpt the body, there were a ton of aftermarket parts, and the graphics pool was gigantic and fully customizable.