Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed

The Good
Naturally, what led me to buy the game were the screenshots on the box, but it turns out the gameplay was very enjoyable too. There are two special modes, Evolution and Factory Driver, that allow the player to grow and be rewarded. A lot more games are picking up on this now to extend gameplay past the regular arcade mode.

In fact, the driving in NFSPU is more simulation than arcade compared to the previous NFS games. Some will scoff at that, but I enjoyed it. It made the Porsche driving experience more realistic, especially feeling the immense driving difference between a 356 and a 959. Old cars wobble and powerslide, and new cars growl with power. Each car is very customizable with engine/body parts and colors/decals.

The scenery on each of the ten or so tracks is nice, ranging from twisty forest paths to city speedways to snow-capped mountains. The driving controls make a fair amount of sense, and the gauge display is very customizable depending on how much or little you want on-screen.

The Bad
When you first play the evolution mode, it's a great challenge, but after a few plays, you realize you can just buy and sell used cars for profit, and keep racing races you easily run, to earn money, and it starts becoming trivial. Some of the factory driver missions take a huge amount of practice, and it can be frustrating trying to do the same spin over and over until the game decides you did it right.

The menus cannot be controlled with the arrow keys, and so you're caught shifting between mouse and keyboard when you pause the game mid-race.

There are a whole ton of 356 and 911 models in the game, but some are entirely missing from the game, like the 928, 924, and 968. Some of the missing cars are downloadable from the EA web/ftp site, but you can't drive them in factory or evolution mode.

The Bottom Line
Porsche fans will naturally eat this game up, as it covers 50 years of Porsche history in pictures, videos, and of course in the game itself. Even though it's in the Need For Speed series, and the newer cars can get quite fast, the game is more about driving than speed, and learning to appreciate the handling of each car... even the cheap little 914. Even after four years, you can still find this game new in the $10 bargain bins, which is a testament to its long-lasting playability and enjoyment.

The Good
The vehicle amount is quite big, 80 cars without downloadable cars, but there are more when you got to the official website at the time of release. I enjoyed the track layout and missions add to the replay value. The music was very usual for EA, mix of funky songs in between but then it drops from good to absolutely terrible, that I got stretched like wire when I hear a bad song here. Thankfully you can manage the playlist in the option menu The tracks are based around Europe, France and Germany. There are also five circuits around Monte Carlo (though all five circuits are in night). Each track has its own time of day too, but it is static. There are details here and there which range from rain to animated people. For example in Normandie you can see a old woman sitting on a chair, and a man cleanning the junk on the floor. Engines sound well, horns sound like they should, background noises like rain, animals etc. There are extras like slides, videos and showcases for each car.

The Bad
Tracks are very limited, lack of custom tournaments, driver models are limited, and have about four models each. Some Factory Driver missions are nearly hard to beat. The AI seems to have catchup but it annoys me alot. Sometimes the vehicles spin out of control, so you lose the pack very often and you will keep an eye for the damage meter.

The Bottom Line
It is the best of the series, it is simulation like but looks arcadey. Get it in any way you can and enjoy it. Trust me.

The Good
In terms of racing games, this one has it all. Don't be put off by the fact that the only cars featured in this game are Porsches. There are 80 cars in this game and each one is realistically modelled and has it's own distinctive feel. I've never driven a real Porsche so I don't know exactly how accurate the controls are, but this isn't meant to be a perfect simulation, it's meant to be fun and it delivers beautifully. Power slides, controlled skids, and 360's are made easy. It is also easy to completely lose control of your car if you're not careful making for some very exciting racing action. I don't remember the last time I got such a rush playing a computer game.

This game also delivers with depth of play. There are 3 race modes: Evolution, Factory Driver, and Quick Race. The Evolution mode takes you through the entire history of Porsche cars starting you in the year 1950 of the Classic Era. By winning tournaments and collecting prize money you are given the opportunity to buy new cars to race in the next event. You can also buy special parts for your cars to enhance their performance. The Factory Driver mode lets you play the role of one of the elite Porsche test-drivers. You will be presented with a series of challenges from running a simple obstacle course on the skid pad to getting your boss to the train station on time while weaving in and out of traffic. Quick Race is a good mode if all you want to do is burn some rubber and test the limits of these speed machines. The game also includes the Porsche Chronicles, an encyclopedia on the history of the various models, and 9 European road courses along with 5 closed track courses.

The thing that struck me the most the moment I started the game was the graphics. They are stunning. As you race through the valleys of Normandy you will be able to see the sun creeping out from behind the hills, and the hill's shadows cast down across the track. Mist rises from cascading waterfalls as you zoom by. You will see farmers sweeping the porches of their sleeping village homes and dock works carrying crates through the industrial zone. You have to see it to believe it. Replays are excellent.

Did I get it all? No, I forgot to mention the spectacular physics modelling and the incredible 3D models of the cars (even the interior of the car is modelled!). I could go on and on, but I think it's better if you see for yourself.

The Bad
About the only real complaint I have about this game is that not all the tracks are available to you right away. You have to unlock them by completing the eras in Evolution mode. This is a typical feature in a race game but I find it very annoying.

I also found the road courses to be rather short. In one of the faster modern cars they can usually be completed in 2-3 minutes. It would have been nice if they had included some kind endurance track.

If you are adamantly, militantly anti-Porsche and hate everything so much as related to the company you might not like this game.

The Bottom Line
Most of us will never have the money to afford a real Porsche; this is the next best thing.