When I launched "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" (2012), I was hoping to see at least a shadow of the 2005 masterpiece. You know - the one with a cool storyline, charismatic racers, live-action cutscenes, and a decent level of car customization. But alas. What I saw under the same title genuinely surprised me - and not in a good way.
Was there even a story here? Some voiceover mumbles that you're supposedly the top dog and everyone else isn't, but there are no cutscenes, no rivals with dramatic faces to beat, and no real reason to even hit the road other than, "Well, you're a racer, so go race." You defeat random "rivals" you've never seen before - and still don't recognize after beating them. It's just rinse and repeat: race, race, chase, race again. Repetition sprinkled with boredom.
The driving mechanics are a pain. Sometimes the car sticks to the road like it's magnetized, other times it flies into a wall like I'm driving a brick on wheels. Taking a corner properly? Good luck. I spent hours trying to feel the car and never quite got there. I couldn't tell whether the devs were going for arcade or realism. And those crash cutscenes - they quickly went from novelty to pure irritation.
Car tuning? Forget it. There's no customization at all. You just drive whatever you find. Occasionally, you switch to another vehicle, and the game helpfully tells you what it is and why it's special. But where's the joy of building "your" car, picking body kits, tuning it, and making it yours? That's a massive letdown. If the devs thought this would help players focus on the racing itself - it was a bad call. Players love crafting their dream machines in virtual garages. Only then do they hit the streets to dominate. And tuning? It's always satisfying to see your ride evolve - faster, more agile, more reliable. Sure, some will argue that "The Run" and "Hot Pursuit" also lacked customization - but they had their own strong hooks: a coast-to-coast race in one, high-tech cop gadgets in the other. You didn't miss upgrades there - you were too busy having fun.
The graphics? Sure, they're nice. In 2012, we already had shiny cities and glossy hoods. But graphics alone don't impress anymore - especially when everything else is borderline frustrating. Even the cops, who I used to love escaping from, feel more like pesky flies than a real threat. Not fun, not thrilling - just annoying.
In the end, "Most Wanted" (2012) turned out to be "play, yawn, delete." That's my takeaway. Pretty, but hollow. Fast, but dull. A game with no heart and no drive to keep going. Abandoned. Left to rot in a digital folder labeled "Do Not Install Again." Ever.
5 out of 10.
