Need for Speed Unbound – available now for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X – sets itself apart from the competition by adopting a unique, street art-inspired style while still offering the high-octane action that the NFS franchise accounts are known for. We get real-life danger police chases, a racer AI that’s happy to take you down, and a high-stakes reward system that keeps the action from ever getting boring. There is also a classic underdog storyline in “Story” mode. All of these things come together to provide an exciting arcade racing experience.
Set in the fictional town of Lakeshore, the NFS Unbound map is on the small side compared to the size of most open-world games today. It still serves as an effective backdrop for the street races with different tracks and terrains. Petrol heads will be delighted to see a selection of some of the most iconic vehicles from Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche and BMW. In total, Need for Speed Unbound includes over 140 cars at launch. Specific body modifications and extensive customization options are also available for each vehicle. These are some of the most realistic car models in an NFS game to date.
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NFS Unbound Review: Gameplay
Rather than asking you to take the perfect racing line, Need for Speed Unbound rewards players for taking a turn in the most conspicuous way. Drifts, near misses, slipstreams and high jumps all add to your two nitrous meters – one for a long blast and the other for short bursts. Even on the starting line, perfectly timed acceleration can give you an instant boost. However, tip over the edge slightly or decelerate a little too short and the engine will die, leaving you stranded and allowing other racers to gain an advantage. It’s this high-risk, high-reward approach that has thoroughly engaged me for most of my play.
While the arcade-style handling was a breeze to get used to, it took a lot of time to master. (I’ll admit there were a lot of crashes.) NFS Unbound can be a bit unforgiving in this regard. The game does not include a rewind option, which has become a staple of modern racing titles. Instead, you get a limited number of story mode replays depending on the race. The only saving grace is that cars reset almost immediately after an accident.
The Unbound Racing AI doesn’t make things easier either. Other racers will fight for every little spot and cause some frustrating collisions. On the other hand, it’s just as satisfying to watch them crash into oncoming traffic when they make mistakes – or when you force them to. Need for Speed Unbound also has police cars that add to the excitement by intervening in the races and continuing the pursuit even after you’ve crossed the checkered flag.
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When you return to the garage after racking up wins on the road, you can spend your money on numerous performance parts and body modifications in NFS Unbound. You can choose from a list of 140 cars if you have enough money in the bank. There are also many options when it comes to painting and painting. I’m glad there is a way to copy designs made by the community. However, if you’re more artistic than me, you’ll spend hours creating the perfect look for your ride.
NFS Unbound Review: Story and Multiplayer
Need for Speed Unbound features a single-player campaign that could have easily felt cheesy and forgettable. The premise borrows heavily from traditional action film tropes – betrayal, friend-turned-rival and dirty police. But it’s the authenticity of the characters that keeps this underdog story alive. Their hearty banter made me appreciate it more than I thought. More importantly, it does a great job building the world of Lakeshore. Without going into spoilers, our protagonist has four weeks to qualify for The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street race. Every week you hit the streets day or night to win races and earn enough money to enter the weekend qualifiers.
Races are split based on vehicle tiers, encouraging players to make conscious decisions about upgrading their vehicles. You can’t load all your cars with premium performance parts and get them to the top “S+” rank. If you don’t have the right vehicle, you might miss out on high-stakes races. You also need to consider which vehicles to upgrade and which to keep as best in class. It’s a slight departure from the norm – but one that brings surprising depth to NFS Unbound.
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While you make money from racing, you gain heat from the police with every race. Challenges like Speed Trap and Drift Zones are the only way to avoid the police attraction and still make money. The police become more and more present as the heat rises. The real thrill of the hunt comes from the fact that if you get caught you will lose all the money you have earned in that particular session. When you consider that it takes a significant amount to compete in the big weekend races, these NFS Unbound encounters get even more nerve-wracking. The only way to reset your heat is to get caught or return to your garage without breaking.
Unfortunately, police vehicles are limited to story mode only. There are no multiplayer chases and worries of losing money. It instantly makes the online experience more boring than the story mode. There are no live events, head-to-head races, or other interactive means of bringing Lakeshore to life. Without these features, the whole city feels like a glorified center in multiplayer. And since NFS games have been terrible post-launch content-wise, I’m not holding my breath for significant additions to the online scene. All in all, NFS Unbound Multiplayer feels like a massive disappointment compared to its well-executed single player.
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Need for Speed Unbound Review: Music and Graphics
The graffiti-inspired theme and artistic flair add to the realistically designed world and vehicles of NFS Unbound. Even the character models have a cartoon look. But none of this slowed down the game graphically on PC – it all worked together seamlessly. My trusty AMD Radeon RX 570 8GB was able to output 55-60 fps on a mix of Medium and High. While Need for Speed Unbound ran smoothly and didn’t suffer from major crashes, there are frequent visual glitches in the game that can be annoying.
Music has always been a central part of NFS games, and Unbound is no different. There are countless tracks that complement high-speed racing. Annoyingly, however, the music only occurs during races, which is an odd choice. Why can’t I enjoy music while just driving down the freeway? Additionally, there are no radio stations – and there’s no option to skip tracks, either. I got bogged down during intense races with horrible songs that tainted the experience.
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NFS Unbound Review: Verdict
Overall, though, a lot of things work in Need for Speed Unbound. Its arcade controls are easy for newcomers but a real challenge to master. Vehicle body customization is miles ahead of Forza Horizon 5. Its unique visual style and character models help the game stand out, leading most racing games to tend toward lifelike graphics. Add to this sympathetic characters and a simple premise that make story mode a fun affair.
On the other hand, NFS Unbound doesn’t take advantage of its open-world setting in multiplayer. The absence of the police online is particularly painful. The way music works in the game is also annoying. All of these shortcomings bring Unbound down a few sticks in what is otherwise a solid entry in the NFS franchise. If you’re on PC, I suggest you opt for the EA Play Pro subscription, complete story mode (and skip its abysmal multiplayer), and log out.
Advantages:
- Unique visual style
- Exciting police chases
- Rewards risky driving
- Likeable underdog story
- Vehicle diversity, individualization
Disadvantages:
- Common visual disturbances
- Fade multiplayer experience
- No music radio stations
- No police vehicles in online races
Rating (out of 10): 7
Gadgets 360 played Need for Speed Unbound on a PC with AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU, AMD Radeon RX570 GPU and 16 GB RAM.
Need for Speed Unbound was released on December 2nd for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.
Prices start at Rs. 3,499 on PC about steam, Epic game storeand EA store; and Rs. 4,499 respectively Xbox store and PlayStation Store._
Need for Speed Unbound is also included with EA Play Pro subscription which starts at Rs. 999 per month. The standard Rs. 315 per month EA Play membership gives players access to a 10-hour trial of the game on all platforms.
