PlayStation 2

Need for Speed: ProStreet

Since the early days of PS2, Need for Speed has dropped several worthwhile sequels (and before that, several great games on PSone). Need for Speed ProStreet didn’t turn out to be the perfect Swan Song the world was waiting for, but really, it’s more disappointing than it is flawed. Players will have a hard adapting to the pro style, which is more about sharp turns than breathtaking speeds. It was even harder for me to adapt since I played the last game, NFS Carbon, on Xbox 360. Without question, that is where the series belongs – on PS3 and Xbox 360. Its PS2 days are done. But if a PS2 is all you have, and if simulation racers are more your style, ProStreet isn’t a bad game to kill time with.

Die Serie einer inhaltlichen und grafischen Frischzellen-Kur zu unterziehen, war eine wirklich gute Idee. Der Ruck weg vom leichten Spiel und hin zur Simulation haucht dem angestaubten Spielprinzip neues Leben ein. Die Autos sehen bis ins Detail sehr realistisch aus und machen optisch eine Menge her - leider wirkt die Umgebungsgrafik im Kontrast dazu eher trist und farblos.

Frankly speaking, if you’ve played any of the NFS games before and are looking for something new, don’t expect to find it in this version. With recycled gameplay, unresponsive controls, and mediocre graphics, the PS2 version of this game lacks the fineness seen on the 360 and PS3 versions. With nothing really exceptional to offer gamers, it looks like the NFS series is finally coming to an end.

What it all boils down to is that without the story, cop chases, and open world of the last two Need for Speed games, ProStreet is just another racing game. Other than a nice online mode on the 360 and PS3, its only truly distinguishing feature is its amount of advertising, which makes an already uninspired game feel even more soulless.

With all of the good racing games that are already available, I certainly can't recommend this title. If this is what we can expect from future Need for Speed games for this console, then perhaps ProStreet should be the last. It is clear that this version was an afterthought considering the sizeable quality difference between it and its next generation brothers. Not having any online play also hinders this title, but it most likely wouldn't have helped much considering all of its other issues. If you are looking for a great and enjoyable racing experience, you should definitely look elsewhere.

If you're a diehard fanatic of Need for Speed and you're short on cash for a PS3, I suppose ProStreet for the PlayStation 2 is an okay substitute. But in the grand scheme of things, the series is really showing its age on the older, outdated hardware. With no online, below average visuals, limited damage model, among other cuts, the PS2 port is better off left alone. I suggest saving that money and putting it towards a PlayStation 3 - or if money is an issue, a used 20GB PS3 on eBay can be had for a superb price. The differences between a game like ProStreet on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 are astronomical - certainly worth the price of admission.

Need for Speed ProStreet is a disappointing effort in a franchise that has generally been rather solid. It sort of feels like EA is starting over again, leaving the open-world aspects to other games like its own Burnout Paradise, but is seems like Black Box didn't know what to do with what was left. It could have still been a decent game had the cars driven well, but unfortunately their performance is shoddy. Car lovers will find something to like here due to the customization options, but Need for Speed has certainly seen better days.

The Need for Speed series over the last few years has provided gamers with an excellent alternative to the likes of Forza, Gran Turismo and PGR, but EA's decision to move closer to those kings of the racing genre was a big mistake. ProStreet isn't a bad game, it simply doesn't hold a candle to its competition, and Need for Speed fans will be left wondering where all the fun has gone from the illegal, turned legal, street racing series.