Need For Speed Demo Impressions

"I haven't followed the development of this Need For Speed at all, going into the demo I had no idea what to expect. A friend of mine suggested I give it a try because apparently it was a return to the series routes. Need For Speed used to be great, I spent hours as a kid out running the cops in my pimped out car, racing for pink slips. Lately I feel like the franchise has lost it's way, the whole "Fast And The Furious" Need For Speed Underground concept really wasn't my kind of racing game."

[Greycat_James]

I'm kinda tempted by this game. Might check the demo too. The last Need for Speed game I played was Carbon which while I did enjoy, just got a bit dull by the end of the game. It's nice to see Criterion taking this franchise for a spin.

[zeddy]

the demos okay cept the graphics havent improved on need for speed shift or maybe thats just the demo.

[nix]

handling still sucks! burnout had paper cars this one is too stiff. but yeah... lets see.. i really want this game to come out right.

[CaptainMarvelQ8]

graphics doesn't matter with this kind of game
i just want good GAMEPLAY
i swear to god i could play NFS:hot pursuit 2 right now and still enjoy it with old graphics

[nickjkl]

you should download if not for the ganeplay

then for the display tuner it comes with

[tinybigman]

at all the complaining. i love the demo and the handling became second nature for me. i personally can't wait to get the full retail version.

[pat_11_5]

It's a decent game, I'm surprised at how fun it is. I love that it's sort of a return to the series roots as well.

[Beahmscream]

Imma gamefly it

[TheSleepyGamer]

Need for Speed Pro Street ruined the franchise for me... I just like the cop chases :p .

[GamingNtek]

Kinda liked the demo.

[Phoenixxx_Blaze]

For this game, at least not the full retail. Maybe down the line when its closer to $40. The demo ruined what i hoped would be a good thing for me. Especially since criterion is a pretty good developer. The way the cars handled, disappointed me. In the race mode and pursuit mode. Some may have liked the demo and look forward to the game but until the handling is tightened or the add a sensitivity option, i think i will have to pass on the experience. Though i do like the look, sound, and visual aspects. Those were top notch.

[Cerberus2125]

I felt the same way you did when I first try the demo,but after a few go at it,the handling became second nature,when I started playing games as a child,the controls were not molded to you,you practice and master the controls.

[Phoenixxx_Blaze]

Been gaming far more years than most people would admit. I dont know why you felt the need to state "the controls weren't molded to you" since that would imply the physical aspect of the control. I simply stated a sensitivity option would be a way to make the game better. this is something that im sure i am not alone in stating. the past games handled just fine but this is not the same or an improvement for that matter. Thats also why i clarified that this game may be great for some but this wouldnt be for me. Any who played the demo would wonder, why does the crown vic handle better than the 370z. So its fine if you like the way it handles, but for someone like me , there needs to be some adjustable setting at least.

[bigboss911]

what was bad about the controls? after racing only twice it became pretty easy.

[Phoenixxx_Blaze]

Controls just felt too loose. I have played every need for speed that has been out. I like my car to be responsive but not to the point where i barely move the analog and then the car exceeds beyond what i needed or wanted. Thats all it is. Sensitivity needs some adjustability.

[Cerberus2125]

Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed

[GMWPS3]

They should look at that first one and just remake it with the latest sports cars and updated graphics but keeping the original theme, which was you were racing AI opponents or friends (offline!) but you had to keep an eye on your radar detector for cops. NFS Hot Pursuit was closer to this but like I said: Use the original as the foundation and just re-make it.

I really don't like this nitrous boost stuff and the extremely arcadey feel. I guess I can only now wait for GT5 as this is aimed purely at kids. I really had hoped they would be going back to basics on this one. Anyway, I might still borrow it from a friend to see what the full game is like before making my final decision on whether to buy it as I've known demos to not represent the final game properly.

[nix]

wow... i just saw the video n damn i'm impressed. the graphics may not be worth talking about but boy it felt real... specially the inside cam view. i really wish someone would replicate it. no jazz, no nothing.. just simple old school type racing. the gamplay reminded me of old 'Gone in Sixty Seconds'.

[Baka-akaB]

NFS is back , just like everytime they go the cop and pursuits road . Everything else in the franchise with the exception of the first two need for speed games

[dirthurts]

The track I played on the demo was just long stretching road. No sharp turns.
The cars handled like old voltswagon vans.
It's no where near what I expected after Need for Speed Shift.
Is there just straight up racing too?

[Redempteur]

it's more arcade , more speedy , more pursuit..

shift was a nice game but a bad need for speed.

Like many the last need for speed when i had fun was most wanted .

You have car chases !!!

[Tapey]

I loved Burnout Paradise but the demo for this game bored me senseless. It's so dull.

[BigKev45]

Yeah, the demo wasn't all that. I didn't like the way the cars handled either. It was boring.

[CaptainMarvelQ8]

it is no NFS:Hot Pursuit 2(nothing can top that game),but it's still good and fun
,what i don't like is the use of turbo's,all i want for a Hot pursuit remake is real street racing like the old ones,i don't want turbos like Underground

it's like criterion got the most parts right,but left some other important factors in the old Hot Pursuit games
still,it's great fun and with the autolog system(awesome feature btw) it made me play the game a lot just to beat my friends records

[nix]

yup.. just strip out everything n make it feel like the original. old school racing. hot pursuit 2 was really great. i kept thinking of it every time i played the demo.

[OhMyGandhi]

good, I wasn't the only one then.
but yeah, I kept crashing into walls, almost non stop.
the handling was terrible.
I wonder if it's supposed to be that heavy because theyre taking after real cars?
jesus, if that 350z (or was it 370z) really handles like that....well, then I know what not to get if I had that kind of money.

the game was decent, but oddly enough, I was sort of let down, it felt too cramped for my liking. thing is though, you have the guys behind burnout, known for speed, working on need for speed, the last thing I expected was realistic driving at 200 mph.

either go for arcade with realistic graphics, or go for realistic speeds and style like GT, but don't do this hybrid crap.

I think if the handling was more in common with a game like "Split Second" it would become an instant buy.
god...just to go off topic...Split Second was a damned fine game....

[Redempteur]

i was fairly satisfied :

Very good présentation..IA is kinda dumbbut not that dumb and they can be agressive ( or is it rubberbanding ? ).
CUSTOM SOUNDTRACK SUPPORT !!!

the crashes are awesome .paradise crashes awere too extreme ... this is the right feel

[Dnied]

NFS just needs to bring back underground already =)

Stop toying around with other kinds of racing now, they need to just stick to that open world arcade / good soundtrack and car mods kind of game.

[tinybigman]

please no more underground. the 2nd one left bad taste in my mouth.

[Redempteur]

no more underground ..

Only the first underground was akay the rest dragued the NFS franchise to the groun .. look at the mess:
underground 2 , carbon , undercover.. 3 pathetic games ...

[ASSASSYN 36o]

I hated the demo. I was getting this game but it feels like cruising USA from back in the day. And what happened to the free roam. Ea cheaper this game. The races are rubberbanded and arcadey.

[bigboss911]

I thought it was fun and ill pick it up when i have a few extra bucks. I just dont like the way cops can have access to power ups so fast. I beat the cop demo in 1:11 which was 47 seconds faster than the top player on my friends list. It felt too easy. Racing in the Boxter Spider was fun. It would have been more exciting if you were chased though. The controls are a hybrid of Burnout and N4S.

[tigertron]

Having not downloaded the demo myself and reading some of the comments here...I'm taking it that it isn't as good as Shift? because Shift was awesome.

[pat_11_5]

I thought the handling of the vehicles was a little weird as well, plot could just takesome getting used to though.

[sigfredod]

for thi new NFS game but after the demo i lost my interest on the game, the graphics are ok just a little inferior to shift that is normal since this open road, but i can't forgive the bad handling, the lack of cockpit view after the glorious comeback on shift, and i was waiting for that on consoles since road & track presents NFS and the NFS 2, besides whats the point to call a game hot pursuit if you race on a public road with traffic without being chase by cops??? WTF!!! sorry but i will stick with shift as the best effort for a NFS game to be big on the current gen

[PS3DOESIT4ME]

loved the demo I hope they include open world driving/pursuits.

[pat_11_5]

That would definately make me actually buy it.

[OhMyGandhi]

They should remake Crusin' USA or San Fransisco Rush.
or beetle adventure racing.