Xbox 360

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Regardless of what platform you purchase Need For Speed: Most Wanted, you’ll have a good game to play. The Xbox 360 makes NFS: MW an even better game and it should absolutely, positively be one of your first titles with the console. Even if you already have the game on the original Xbox, I highly recommend upgrading.

If you had a chance to read my review of the current-generation versions of Most Wanted last issue, you already know what I think of the game. But for those that missed it, I’ll recap. One of my major problems with Underground 2 was the fact that while there was an open world to cruise around in, there wasn’t really any reason to drive from one side of the city to the other. There were, of course, the races that you had to drive across the city to reach, but doing so was more like work than play. Most Wanted addresses these problems head-on, with the addition of simple menus that take you straight to any of the myriad races, and a relentless police force that has only one goal in mind, and that’s taking you down. Not only does this give the player a reason to drive around the world, it gives the game a personality over and above how many modifications you can put on your tricked out ride.

Overall, Need for Speed Most Wanted is a seriously entertaining single-player experience. It looks great, controls well, and offers a load of thrills, speed, and mayhem. It's got depth and length to it, and provides a satisfying alternative to the other more "by-the-numbers" Xbox 360 launch driving games Ridge Racer 6 and Project Gotham Racing 3. If you've got a 360 and an itch to cause some destruction, you'll find a lot to like here – Poser Mobile crew excepted.

Need for Speed Most Wanted is a great game and the best one of the Need for Speed series so far. Fast speeds with the endless customization of cars with a choice of tuners and exotic cars gives one endless hours of play. The great soundtrack and great replay value keeps you coming back for more. At some point the cops do seem a little hard to shake, but it does not take away from the game play. I can highly recommend this game for the racer in all of us. Take to the streets and see if you can out run the cop; who hasn't wanted to do that?

Need for Speed Most Wanted is the end product of how to successfully build upon a long standing racing franchise--it is refreshingly new while still retaining all the old elements that have fueled the Need for Speed series for so long.

After putting in a good amount of time with EA’s Need for Speed Most Wanted on the Xbox 360, any doubt for the system or regrets on the money I spent are put to rest with a quick boost of nitrous. This game is long, if you have the stamina to complete the career mode you still have Live as a reason to put this one back into your console. The car list, physics engine, story mode, and Live play are my major reasons for recommending this game to any readers out there that either A) like the previous versions of EA’s underground series or B) miss games like Burnout and don’t like games like Project Gotham; if you fit into either one of these two categories this game is a must own for you, no questions asked. The graphics, sound effects, and controls are only a bonus to everything else that makes up a quality racing title. For a first attempt on new hardware I have to commend EA for a job well done.

Need for Speed Most Wanted should be high on your wish list this year. This street racing franchise still has lots of life, and Most Wanted is provides some invigorating racing for all levels of gamers. Need for Speed is definitely on the right track and has proven itself once again. Pick this sucka up!

Like several of the launch games on 360, it does highlight some of the issues with multi-generational, multi-platform games. Although it's a very good looking game on the new box, and by no means as guilty of the crimes committed by the likes of Gun and Tony Hawk, it does seem to be somewhat hampered visually by its brothers on Xbox and PS2. That said, it's a great game overall, and if you're lucky enough to have a 360 it's definitely the version to buy.

There isn't much to complain about in Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The opponent racer A.I., unlike the police A.I., is a little too easy at first. They're not very competitive until hours into the game, but that's really the only valid complaint that I have. Most Wanted isn't a revolutionary title but it's something that is a blast to play and it's a great start for racing games on the Xbox 360. Pick it up if you're looking for a racing title or if you liked the Underground series, you won't be disappointed.

Wieder einmal haben wir einige Stunden mit der wohl bekanntesten Rennspielserie überhaupt verbringen dürfen und können am Schluss fast nur Positives berichten. Need for Speed Most Wanted ist ein gelungener Xbox360-Titel, der sowohl im technischen Bereich als auch im Gameplay auf voller Linie überzeugt. Auch in der Online-Welt dieses Games ist bereits einiges los, womit nach dem Durchspielen des Story-Modus noch weitere Anregung besteht, weiterzuspielen. Trotzdem vermisse ich ein realistisches Schadenmodell, denn an der Leistungsfähigkeit der Xbox360 sollte es nicht liegen, so etwas darstellen zu können. Nichtsdestotrotz ist NFS:MW ein uneingeschränkt empfehlenswerter Xbox360-Rennspieltitel, den vor allem die NFS-Jünger auf der Xbox360 nicht versäumen sollten.

Every good hardware launch needs a great-looking driving game. With the increased graphical power that new hardware tends to provide, we've got yet another test bed for just how realistic computer-rendered cars can actually look. For the release of the Xbox 360, Electronic Arts is serving up the latest installment in its long-running racing series, Need for Speed Most Wanted. Its high-speed races and police chases make for an extremely exciting game, which is further enhanced by the game's terrific graphics. This is one of those games that makes the previous generation of hardware look older than it actually is.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted versetzt mich in ein echtes Wertungs-Dilemma: Wie soll ich ein Spiel beurteilen, bei dem fast alles vom indirekten Vorgänger übernommen wurde und das an vielen Stellen wie ein Add-On wirkt? Tatsächlich könnte der neueste Teil der Serie auch Need for Speed Overground heißen, denn bis auf die Rennen bei Tageslicht sind Tuning, die meisten Renntypen und selbst die Spielmechanik mit freier Stadt, Karte und SMS aus dem Untergrund bekannt. Was mich allerdings neben dem Speed Breaker doch noch überzeugt hat, sind vor allem die Cops, die nach langer Abstinenz endlich wieder ins Renngeschehen eingreifen und euch so manche filmreife Verfolgungsjagd bieten. Und selbst wenn es mittlerweile etwas ausgelutscht ist, macht es doch immer noch Spaß, seine eigenen Schlitten zu tunen und sich auf packende Duelle mit den Blacklist-Fahrern zu freuen.

Enjoyment from Need for Speed: Most Wanted depends on your level of fanaticism for racing games. There's enough technical stuff included for "hardcore" racers like the customization options, but casual gamers that really like the eggshell, balls-to-the-wall speed and explosions that accompanies the Burnout series might feel a little let down by the experience. Still, that doesn't detract from the outright appeal of going real fast, painting flames on your car, and not having to cope with any real life mayhem usually associated with street racing.

As far as arcade racing games go, Need for Speed: Most Wanted provides a satisfying, yet not very innovative, experience. The gameplay is comparable to that of Hot Pursuit 2, while the entire tuning part was taken out of Underground 1 & 2. If the game appeals to you, the Xbox 360 version is definitely the one to get, with its improved high-definition visuals and shorter loading times. Fans of the series will certainly like the game, but seeing that the X360 version of Burnout: Revenge is only a few weeks away, I can't recommend it whole-heartedly.

Need for Speed Most Wanted on 360 is probably worth a burn around the track if you haven’t picked the game up for Xbox or PS2. EA has succeeded in taking the game back to its roots, but in other ways not as far as some may have liked.

The game is rather lengthy for an storyline based racer, but it is certainly quite a ride. The single player game will take approximately 15 to 20 hours to complete and the multiplayer can extend the life out while the number of quality racing titles for the Xbox 360 is currently low. The Gamerscore Achievements are broken up between the 15 blacklist racers for a total of 1000 points. It's important to note over 80% of those points are awarded for the last five racers. In terms of fun to be had, this arcade racer certainly tops the simulation style of Project Gotham Racing. While certainly not as drawn-out or deep as PGR, it's a highly addictive racer that shouldn't be missed by any Xbox 360 owner. I recommend this title for purchase at a price point of around $40 or use an online rental service if you are only interested in the single player game.

Even with some minor gripes and oversights, this next-gen racing game fits itself snugly in the middle of the genre for the 360 launch. It's nowhere near the arcade stylings of Ridge Racer 6 given the customization offered and it's not the simulation Project Gotham 3 is trying to be. Its depth, length, and easy to pick up racing make it an obvious purchase if the gameplay style appeals to you.

Need for Speed Most Wanted on 360 is probably worth a burn around the track if you haven’t picked the game up for Xbox or PS2. EA has succeeded in taking the game back to its roots, but in other ways not as far as some may have liked.

Anytime there's a new console on the market, publishers scramble to cover every genre of game for the new system. For the launch of the Xbox 360, Electronic Arts decided to cover street racing fans by releasing the latest in its perennial Need for Speed franchise. If you thought that the Need for Speed series was running out of gas, Most Wanted on the 360 will prove that there's still plenty of octane left in the tank.

Developers of racing games received a new injection of life and purpose in the last two years. The growing popularity of street racing and modding has flourished in the popular culture, while Criterion's Burnout series has blazed a path all its own, bringing arcade racing back to its pre-Gran Turismo glory days. The Need for Speed series has never clung to a particular aspect of pop culture like Rockstar's Midnight Club or a particular car like Sega's Ferrari 360, but the long-time series struck gold with its light implementation of modding with Need for Speed Underground, selling more units worldwide than any game in 2003 with 7.5 million. Need for Speed Most Wanted continues the street culture thing, but EA's Canadian development team has mined one of the better iterations of the series, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, fusing both rudiments into a newly refined, yet strangely familiar racer.

One annoying aspect of the game is its email and voicemail functions. It's bad enough to deal with these in real life - I don't want them in my games. Fortunately, you can pretty much ignore the messages as they accumulate in your inbox. A two-player split-screen mode is included, but sadly, you can't play the role of the police. Need For Speed: Most Wanted definitely hits the mark when it comes to streetwise, chaotic racing contests. It may lack the pristine visuals and crisp control of other 360 racers, but Most Wanted's wild brand of lawless action will keep you coming back for more.

Need For Speed est un style de jeu à lui tout seul. Avec sa réalisation convaincante et son gameplay très accessible, il plaira forcément aux amateurs de conduite arcade basée sur des pointes de vitesse hors du commun. Le mode carrière parvient à immerger le joueur et on se glisse volontiers dans la peau d'un as du volant.

Online, NFS is disappointing and is just a straight race with no police. The ability to be police and chase other players would have been fun, but alas, is not available. So it passes the time, but is nothing out of the very ordinary. Luckily there is enough in the single-player mode to keep you coming back and plenty to give PGR3 and very, very good run for its money.