Game Spotlight - The Need for Speed series [ Edited ]

[ivrognard]

1.So, which game brought you into the series?

2.Which one is your all-time favorite and why?

3.What do you think of the recent entries?

4What would you change?

5.What would you like to make a comeback from the past games?

6.Your personal top NFS games

So here are my answers:

1.It was the first one (i am that old)

2.NFS Porsche Unleashed - an overall great game which introduced us to dedicated tuning (each care had specific parts that could be upgraded) and fine-tuning (you could change a lot of your car setup: adjust the torque, the tires and so on), it had great and varied tracks, mixed weather and a mean soundtrack. And let's not forget the two modes: career and evolution, both fun to play.

3.I reckon that i am not a fan of them. For some reason they feel souless to me. They do have some good parts, but those don't eliminate the feeling that they lack a certain something. 

4.Would go for an actual open world, the type that we can see in The Crew or Test Drive Unlimited and would allow you free cruising, just for the sake of having a wee bit fun. 

5.The personalized tuning from the Underground games (and i am not talking about aesthetics here, but actual car parts, like we had in those two titles: engine, chassis, electronics and so on). Also, those photo shoots for various magazines when you finished a race

6.Here is mine:

a.Porsche

b.Underground

c.Underground 2

d.Most Wanted

e.NFS 3: Hot Pursuit (the original game)

f.Carbon

As you can see, all my favorites are titles released before ProStreet. I never considered ProStreet/Shift/Shift2 as part of the NFS series. They are different. They are also not bad games, either. As circuit races the Shift games are actually quite good. But they don't seem to belong in the NFS series. Not to me, at least. I did enjoyed those two, though.

NFS: Undercover was too streamlined.  Hot Pursuit 3 (2010) had some interesting ideas, but became quickly repetitive. Most Wanted 2 didn't recapture the original. I have yet to check Rivals and NFS 2015/2016, so i will let you know what i think about those two once i try them. 

It's like in the last 10 years, the series struggled with deciding what it wants to be, losing its former identity in the process. And to be honest, i want another really great NFS game. One that would keep me in awe, provide a tremendous amount of fun and keep me wanting to replay it, time and time again. Would love to see a mix between the track greatness that was in Porsche, the tuning from the Underground games, the chases from Most Wanted 2004, the music from the first five games (the rock/country/techno/industrial sounds) and some american classic muscle in the mix, all wraped in an open world that would allow you to cruise around with your care, just for the fun of it.

[DarkBanishing]

@ivrognard

I must admit I only played NFS most wanted on PC. I played another one on PS2 back in the days, but I don't remember what it was. I think it was NFS Carbon (not sure).

I am not into racing games, but I must admit I did enjoy NFS most wanted.

PS: Yes, we're that old!

[ivrognard]

@DarkBanishing i am not a fan of simulation racers. I don't want to get frustrated because my lack of reflexes, driving skills or dedicated gear (those type of game actually require a wheel, in most of the cases). But a good arcade racer with bits of sim?! Yes, give me that any time.

P.S.: sneaky EA seem to have a new NFS coming this year. At least according to this:

https://www.ea.com/news/ea-play-tickets-coming-soon

[DarkBanishing]

@ivrognard

I played NFS Most Wanted with an XBOX controller. Those game controllers are quiet a comfort when playing race games. Have you tried that out yet?

(Any game controller will do, it doesn't has to be an XBOX controller.)

[ivrognard]

It's on my to buy list, to be honest. I did my fair share of console playing, so i am not exactly unfamiliar with controllers, plus KB/mouse combo works fine in most of the arcade racers. But if you want something really serious (Project Cars, Assetto Corsa, Race '07) you really need a wheel. And some good driving knowledge, too.

[Straatford87]

@Mikimuster3 @TheRealJony @xxxCROMxxx @19NLX78 @master2g @eI-nombre @jin1995x @richieluv76 @omega_jss @NFS_Sandro

Hi all,

Since all of you like to post on the Need for Speed forums. I thought that perhaps you would like to share your thoughts on the series as detailed by @ivrognard? :-)

Cheers,

[Mikimuster3]

1.So, which game brought you into the series?

I briefly played some older NFS titles. Especially:

• Need for Speed: Most Wanted(2005)
• Need for Speed: Carbon(2006)

But was really brought into the series by NFS World!

Then I bought all NFS games followed by the NFSW:

• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
• Need for Speed: Shift 2 - Unleashed (2011)
• Need for Speed: The Run (2012)
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
• Need for Speed: Rivals (2013)
• Need For Speed (2015)

Currently I am playing mobile EA racing games:

• Need for Speed™ No Limits
• Real Racing 3

2.Which one is your all-time favorite and why?

My all over was the NFSW, because it was MMORPG & because the NFSW's Forums with the Ingame Events!

3.What do you think of the recent entries?

Nice graphics, cool Cars. Good driving experience with the support of Driving Wheel. But IMO the overall gaming experience is not attractive/addictive enough, to "force you" to play the game every day, for several years, as I had with NFSW game.

4.What would you change?

Add the MMORPG functionality (not playing only with 6 or 8 random players) and build a large community!

5.What would you like to make a comeback from the past games?

Team Escapes with pursuit Blockers & pursuit Tech.

One big, open Map, with all NFS maps included! http://nfstheories.boards.net/thread/252/put-all-cities-combined-single

6.Your personal top NFS games

Need for Speed: World (2010)

Really waiting for next MMO Racing Game. Could NFS EDGE become such a Game? https://forums.needforspeed.com/discussion/486/nfs-edges-links-upcomming-mmo-racing-game-only-for-th...

[ivrognard]

@Mikimuster3 At point 3, i agree. The games are fine with a wheel, but when it comes to KB/mouse...not so much.

One game that i actually liked, as you've mentioned NFS: World, was Motor City. That was a great idea, way before its times, and the sheer amount of american muscle cars that was present in the game made it truly special. Of course, there were other cars, but those were too few to even worth mentioning, but the american classics were a high point of attraction. The music fitted the game.

You can see some movies here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jepL59qhadM

Car list here:

http://nfs.wikia.com/wiki/Motor_City_Online/Cars

It's a shame that the game did not had a player base large enough for EA to continue to keep the servers. Motor City had soul, an incredible level of customization and tuning and a mean sound. Would love to see something like that, again.

[Straatford87]

The least I could do in the meantime was also share my thoughts.. :-)

Speaking personally, here are my answers:

1.So, which game brought you into the series?

The first game I played in the Series was The Need for Speed, but I only played it very briefly. The next time I came back to the series was for NFS Underground.

2.Which one is your all-time favorite and why?

That must be NFS Underground 2 - it just had a perfect mix of everything I liked about an arcade racing game; great racing tracks, customization, interesting characters and a good soundtrack.

3.What do you think of the recent entries?

I helped with the game launch of the latest Need for Speed, so I will quite involved. I think the racing was great, and that it had a good amount of customization. What I thought was really cool was using real footage for the cutscenes.

4. What would you change?

I think what makes the NFS series interesting is that each new installment in the series tries to do something new. 

5.What would you like to make a comeback from the past games?

Per my previous response, I think that innovation is more important to me than comebacks from previous games.  

6.Your personal top NFS games

The ones that I played the most are NFS Underground 2, and NFS Carbon - had great fun with both! Carbon gives me good memories because I played that a lot with my brother.

[master2g]

Hmmm, good thread, let me light my bubble pipe as i lean back in my plaid wool socks and ponder...  :P

Here are my thoughts.

1. So which game brought you into the series ?

 First time i saw NFS was at my friends house on his "sweet" 32 inch JVC CRT with a mind blowing 480p with 900 lines of resolution i might add :P  and through his Kenwood stereo.

He was playing the new NFS Underground in all its glory. Right at first It was the sound that caught my attention in all seriousness though. The gto was just raw and that sold me. I am a gear head and this game was hitting all the right marks with me when i started playing it then more so when i bought it.. Sounds and massive car customization hooked me in big time .At one point im sure i forgot what the outdoors look like lol.I had got it for PS2 and i can tell all of you i spent some major hours on this game

There would be evenings i would have the snacks and just sit there customizing my cars for hours . Sigh,,,good times 

2.Which one is your all-time favorite and why?

It was underground 2 with carbon a very very close second. Underground 2 with the tuning on the dyno, the sound and the customization with engine , interior and more just sucked me in. I was addicted to its awesomeness.It was like when you have this beautiful thing in front of you and you cry tears of joy so hard you cant talk because you are hiccuping and snorting . Same time you try and explain to your wierded out girl friend how awesome it is but you cant because you are hicupping and snorting whilst you cry and cant form a coherent sentence . She just didn't get it !!

3.What do you think of the recent entries?

uh, ahem...what ? i am sorry i cant hear you , you are breaking up, i must be going through a tunnel.

I joke but i have a torn opinion on the newest one. Suggest you search the forums for that answer

4. What would you change?

This is my 2 cents so remember that . I would add more customization and a more stable game. I don't want to get into the same thing I have said before but to simplify it I will say play underground 1 and 2 as well as carbon and NFS 2016 doesn't even compare.  2016 has to much " no parts available " and constant DX11 errors that have really jaded me. Again this is based on my personal experience. I have just over 1000 hrs into the latest so i feel its a fair  opinion. Moving on   next question .

5. What would you like to make a comeback from the past games?

Easy!, give me a remake of underground 2 or Carbon. Yes it has already been done but it doesnt have to be the exact same game. I mean hamburgers have been around for ever right. Yet there are still millions of way to make one different while retaining the core hamburger patty itself. The beef patty is still the same at its core but time has given us better ways to make it with out completely changing it, know what i mean ? So give us deep detailed customization like we once had from those games, add some new age tweaks to it and bam ! you have your self a perfect hamburger series..er game patty ..uh beef customization...what ever you know what i mean !

6.Your personal top NFS games

 Underground 1,2 and Carbon. Yes i know, big surprise there at this point of the post right lol.  They just had it all like i have said and i haven't seen a game since those 3 that brought that level of customization to the table outside of Forza ( sorry for the swear word here:P ) . Plus we saw the very very rare replay feature .remember that ?. I mean how cool was that to see your custom ride in a replay.

Well that my 2 cents , crappy typing and "lame" humor lol.

So I am hoping for the best next release and until then peace my friends 

Gary~