Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Most Wanted (2005) features memorable, if somewhat corny, characters and a solid storyline-not just an open-world racing experience. It offers some of the best racing and police chases in the genre. This newer game, however, lacks all of that.

I played about 35 minutes of the new game and was instantly bored. At first, I thought maybe racing games just aren't my thing. But then I gave Most Wanted (2005) another go after many years, and it held up perfectly. The handling is smooth, races can be genuinely challenging, and the main characters are memorable and goofy in a fun way. Most importantly, the police AI is engaging and smart, especially in the higher heats.

That's the experience Need for Speed should have continued to deliver. Unfortunately, both Rivals and this newer game miss the charm and excitement of the classic titles.

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.

I played it since 2014 and it was amazing. Also, I have this game on Origin and multiplayer is stupidly fun.

Many people hated this game, but it's actually fun to play

Hi I am back with a new review I have been busy playing Xbox games, still.

Don't go in to this game expecting a cooled down driving simulator because this game is fast paced having you drifting around corners recklessly avoiding, of course, oncoming traffic.

Also people like to play driving games with a driving wheel hardware set up but don't go out and buy one to just play this please. Please, what ever you do take advantage of the displays which are in this game. No, there is no driving steering wheel point of view display option with NFS: Most Wanted but don't waste your money unless you are playing other driving games which do have it such as GTA V or Forza 5 (Xbox gamer here).

Basically the entire game requires you to defeat each racing opponent as you climb the, most wanted, ladder and that is pretty much the game achievement wise however if you do play for achievements you won't be playing for too long.

You win each race which I found reasonably easy given I am rather good at driving computer games. As you ascend the cars will get faster and the competition out on the roads, which are public roads, more fierce.

I say this a lot and that is just buy it. It is cheap given its age. Beware, this is for the Xbox 360 computer game console.

There are so many other of these games part of the franchise. To date, the latest games there are two for the Xbox Series X. But, rumour has it the future of the Xbox will depend on the evolution of the television dongle. You plug and play, save to the OneDrive cloud, and there will be no more need for a disc... so goodbye computer game stores. If stores you find in your local shopping mall are still there they will be fighting a losing battle they will eventually go out of business because of these always online gaming capabilities which will eventually become the norm.

So what I am saying is don't buy the Xbox Series S or Series X and don't buy another console which will likely come out after these current generational computer gaming consoles. I have an Xbox 360 and an Xbox One X with the 4K Ultra HD (high definition) graphics on my television. But look I will be waiting for the dongle and be content with Xbox 360 and Xbox One X games. But you can deicde what you want to do however you will be spending more money rather needlessly.

Go for it.