General Gaming Need For Speed Unbound (PS5/Xbox Series/PC, December 2) - reviews from OpenCritic posted

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

13 minutes ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

Ugh.. the game looks like it could be good but I just can't with all that extra shit popping up on the screen. It just seems like it would be super distracting. I wonder if you could turn it off?

 

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[stepee]

4 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

 

 

 

total confidence in their art team

[Brian]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Game Information

Game Title: Need for Speed Unbound

 

Platforms:

• PC (Dec 2, 2022)
• Xbox Series X/S (Dec 2, 2022)
• PlayStation 5 (Dec 2, 2022)
• Xbox One (Dec 2, 2022)
• PlayStation 4 (Dec 2, 2022)
  

Developer: Criterion Games

Publisher: Electronic Arts

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 77 average - 57% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

Digital Chumps - 9.7 / 10

'Need for Speed Unbound' is what we all needed. Like a throwback to the older NFS games. Unbound says, 'Hey, I'm really just here to have a damn good time,' and hands you the keys.

Atomix - Spanish - 90 / 100

Need for Speed: Unbound represents the return of Criterion as a top tier developer. The result is one of the best arcade racing games of the last few years and also, a great Need for Speed experience.

Attack of the Fanboy - 4.5 / 5

Bringing a fresh new art style to the franchise that we hope sticks around for years to come, this ain't your daddy's Need for Speed. And maybe, that's a good thing. With Heat pushing the franchise in a bold new direction, Need For Speed Unbound borrows almost everything that made that title special and improves upon it.

PSX Brasil - Portuguese - 90 / 100

Need for Speed Unbound is a pleasant surprise, one of the best releases of the year and also one of the best and boldest games in the series. It's an easy recommendation for any racing games fan and we hope that EA and Criterion continue to improve the formula delivered with this title.

PlayStation Universe - 9 / 10

Visually astounding with a weighty handling model and some super clever design, Need for Speed Unbound is easily the best Need for Speed in years. Though the single-player story campaign is a little less inspiring than it needs to be both in terms of its plot and content, Need for Speed Unbound nonetheless sets a resoundingly solid foundation for the Need for Speed franchise to evolve into the future and is essential for fans of both the series and the street racing genre at large.

Softpedia - 9 / 10

I don’t know about you but Unbound feels precisely what the doctor ordered for the Need for Speed franchise. Heat has more or less left me hoping for more, and now that Unbound is built based on the success of its predecessor, it all feels like a complete game.

TheSixthAxis - 9 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is the best arcade racer of 2022, and a real statement from EA and Criterion. Why it's snuck out with so little fanfare will be one of the mysteries of the year.

Xbox Achievements - 85%

A startling return to form for EA's flagship racing franchise, Need for Speed Unbound offers an enjoyable open-world, with challenging yet gratifying racing, and an infectious sense of gritty urban style.

GamePro - German - 83 / 100

Need for Speed Unbound is a fun racer with a comic look that challenges and motivates, but exaggerates a bit in terms of police and story.

Gamersky - Chinese - 8.1 / 10

Need for Speed: Unbound can be regarded as a very special work by every means. It combines street racing and police chasing together, using comic-style visual effects and exciting music make people addicted to every corner of the city.

Although it has obvious problems with difficulty control and currency system, this does not have much influence on the game experience. When I drove all kinds of modified vehicles with cool paint roaring on the streets of Lakeshore, all the troubles in my heart were swept away along with the roadblocks ahead.

CGMagazine - 8 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is a fun arcade style racing title that is a must play for NFS fans.

Dexerto - 4 / 5

Like a friend that refuses to grow up, Need for Speed: Unbound brings the franchise back with all of its inherent silliness and ill-advised driving. And, just like that friend, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Its story is forgettable, and its characters are more than a little irritating, but it’s a solid arcade racer that hopefully acts as a springboard for the franchise.

GameSpew - 8 / 10

Criterion has certainly made its mark with this latest entry in the Need for Speed series, injecting a bit more fun and polish into the template created by Ghost Games. The result is an arcade racer that truly stands out from the crowd thanks to its visual flair and thrilling police chases. Providing you take the time to tweak the handling to your preferences, and you don’t mind the hip hop-driven soundtrack, Need for Speed Unbound is likely to be the most entertaining racing game you’ll play this year.

GamesRadar+ - 4 / 5

At 4K/60, Need for Speed Unbound is a clear showcase for the new generation of consoles"

GamingBolt - 8 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound feels like a breath of fresh air. The arcade-style racing has seen quite a significant improvement from its predecessor, and the game's general styles and sensibilities definitely make it one of the most unique-looking racing games out there. All in all, and this is weird for a Need for Speed game, but there's little to complain about. The cars feel great to drive in, and just about everything looks gorgeous.

Hardcore Gamer - 4 / 5

Need for Speed Unbound brings plenty of style and builds upon the high stakes dynamic established in 2019's Heat to create an engaging and enjoyable open world racing game.

IGN Italy - Italian - 8 / 10

A pure Need for Speed experience for the Z generation, blessed with a fresh style and a great soundtrack. The races are fun, the sense of speed is great, and the progression is real. The only pity is that Lakeshore City is a very lacklustre open world.

Push Square - 8 / 10

Despite one or two small complaints, Need for Speed Unbound is a great arcade racer, finally getting the series back on track. The versatile handling feels fantastic, and the single-player offers a highly engaging campaign, pitting you against the cops and other racers in equal measure. The much talked-about cartoon effects succeed in bringing some flair to the experience, and it all runs wonderfully at 4K and 60 frames-per-second. If you can forgive a slightly underwhelming backdrop and a barebones online mode, the minute-to-minute action make this more than worth taking for a spin.

Sports Gamers Online - 8 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound pushes the series forward in new ways with a change to the game’s economy and overall feel, and it’s primed to take big steps in the coming years.

TheGamer - 4 / 5

Beyond its unique art style, Need for Speed Unbound doesn’t do anything to reinvent the steering wheel, but it doesn’t need to. This is Need for Speed, so you know what you’re here for - fast races, cop chases, and more cars than you know what to do with. Unbound is all of that packaged in the series’ most stylish entry to date.

Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 78 / 100

Need for Speed Unbound does not reinvent the wheel, but it does tune it. Criterion Games wanted to stand out with its new artistic style and a more than remarkable technical power and has succeeded. This is not the best driving game of the year, but we do see an NFS that wants the saga to return to the highest categories. Funny, fast and furious.

PC Gamer - 76 / 100

Some well-judged bold calls in both mechanics and visual direction elevate a familiar arcade racer above NFS's previous monotony.

GAMES.CH - German - 75%

Although we would have hoped for a lot more on the technical side thanks to current-gen exclusivity, "Need for Speed Unbound" leaves a positive overall impression. Sure, the strange mix of cel-shading and realism is not for everyone, but at least sets the game apart from other series parts and racing games. The constant threat from the police is initially entertaining, but quickly becomes annoying if you want to earn enough money to visually customize several cars. This is exactly where "Need for Speed Unbound" has its strength, which hasn't been in the series for a long time. The tuning and adaptation of the vehicles as well as the progress through the story motivate tremendously and are reminiscent of series highlights such as "Underground 2" or "Most Wanted". Sooner or later, however, the unpleasant smell of burnt rubber always remains in the nose.

Geeks & Com - French - 7.5 / 10

There is no need to say, Need for Speed Unbound is not perfect, but it comes close to the good games of the license. The studio Criterion Games has done a good job in offering an art direction that stands out from the competition. The return of full vehicle customization is also very pleasing as the title has a nice list of cars. Nevertheless, the extremely repetitive nature of the events, the uninteresting multiplayer mode and the inconsistent gameplay do not allow the game to rise very high. Hopefully, this half-hearted success will allow the license to come back in force in the near future.

Spaziogames - Italian - 7.5 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is a good mix of cartoon characters, graffiti and frantic racing, but nothing more.

Video Chums - 7.5 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is a fun racer with some new event types and an unusual yet undeniably attractive visual style. However, it doesn't do a ton to set itself apart from other racers that are currently out there and its story mode can be quite limiting.

Wccftech - 7.5 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is the franchise’s best entry in a decade, although the competition for that title wasn't particularly stiff. The game offers polished tech, good (if slightly dated) open-world design, and a varied array of events and challenges, but still lags behind the current open-world racer pack leaders. The fantasy of becoming an underground racing champ is also hampered by a restrictive, ill-considered progression system. Nostalgic fans will find plenty to like here, and more general players might want to consider a test drive once the game is marked down, but “need” may be a strong word to attach to Criterion’s latest.

Gamer's Palace - German - 72 / 100

Need for Speed Unbound is the best new Need for Speed in recent years - which means it is a solid, yet not great arcade racing game.

Digital Trends - 3.5 / 5

Need for Speed Unbound proves that having a distinct style and cool premise does a lot to elevate a game.

GameSpot - 7 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound delights with a vibrant new art style and some exciting arcade racing, but familiar issues are as frustrating as an inopportune oil slick

Twinfinite - 3.5 / 5

Put that unfairness together with the annoying tendencies of the cops in Need for Speed Unbound, and the entire experience is full of peaks and valleys that curtail the progress that this game is supposed to be making. Beyond its art style that stands tall on its own, Need for Speed Unbound feels less like an innovation and more like a new body kit installed on an old engine. When the competition is already miles ahead, what this series needed was a nitrous boost of epic proportions, but sadly, it doesn’t seem like it will ever catch up.

Windows Central - 3.5 / 5

Criterion has managed to create a vibrant, beautiful, high octane Need for Speed entry that dares to breathe new life into a franchise that desperately needed it.

Everyeye.it - Italian - 6.8 / 10

It is ironic how a product called "Unbound" is, on the contrary, still so harnessed by the canons of traditional open world racing games, resulting all too similar to its direct predecessor. Need For Speed Unbound is an overall valid title, provided however that you approach it without too many pretensions.

COGconnected - 65 / 100

I can live with many of Need For Speed Unbound’s faults. Admittedly, there were fleeting moments when I enjoyed the routine of earning cash, upgrading, outrunning police, and climbing Lakeshore’s underground racing ranks. But, when a Need For Speed game spits in the face of people that use wheel and pedal setups, it’s tough to feel a need for anything other than a need to play a better game. There’s a foundation here to build upon, but EA and Criterion have their work cut out for them if they ever hope to compete with the giants of the racing game scene.

PC Invasion - 7 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound has the racing and the world down pat, but the game is marred by too many roadblocks and a heaping helping of tedium.

Metro GameCentral - 6 / 10

The best Need For Speed in a decade – but that says far more about the moribund state of the franchise than it does this workmanlike new entry.

Shacknews - 6 / 10

If you’re looking for a game to kick back and play race after race with a sizable campaign and other options including an online mode, Need for Speed Unbound has plenty to keep you busy and entertained.

The Beta Network - 6 / 10

Need for Speed Unbound is an average-at-best arcade experience. With the headlights firmly set on street racing, It’s hard to enjoy the action when the turning controls are just not quite there, but the focus on tailing, drifting and near-misses to gain NOS is highly engaging. Well, except when a random NPC driver casually rams your car out of nowhere. Still, there is an extensive amount of customisation and a few open-world activities to take part in like time-trial deliveries, speed gates and escaping cops, though not to the same extent and depth as Forza Horizon 5.

Game Rant - 2.5 / 5

As a result, Need for Speed Unbound feels like it comes to a stop before it ever gets going. The polish in the moment-to-moment gameplay cannot be ignored, but as a whole, Need for Speed Unbound is just another forgettable entry in the long-running franchise.

TechRaptor - 4.5 / 10

Need For Speed Unbound is anything but. EA's latest is a bog-standard entry in the racing series with a muddled presentation and a limited feature set.

EGM - Unscored

While I’m not sure how the more hardcore racing fans will receive the game, this is the kind of release that’s perfect for those of us who come to those genre entries that offer something that’ll capture our imaginations (and reignite that occasional need for speed). And, if nothing else, Need for Speed: Unbound is available as a 10-hour full-game trial through both EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is more than enough time to see if the game will do for you what it’s done so far for me.

Echo Boomer - Portuguese - No Recommendation

The return of Criterion to Need For Speed franchise is done in name only, in a bombastic game, that also suffers from an huge imbalance of challenges and lacks the elements that make us think of the legendary studio.

Eurogamer.pt - Portuguese - No Recommendation

Need for Speed: Unbound is not an undisputed triumph as you expected from Criterion Games, but it is a very fun open world driving game. The high vehicle customization, anime aesthetics and feeling that your driving ability is constantly tested are part of its appeal. On the other hand, money management and relentless police generate some friction that can interfere with the sense of instant gratification you expect from an arched driving game.

Kotaku - Unscored

Need for Speed Unbound is unlikely to pull the franchise out from underneath the shadows of bigger, more popular racing games in 2022. But I do think it has a chance of helping the series stand out more. And regardless of if Unbound becomes a big hit or not, it’s a damn fine game with some great ideas that make every race more exciting and every upgrade feel more valuable. And it looks rad the whole time, too.

Polygon - Unscored

Heat, a solid game that built up a dedicated audience, probably didn’t get the fairest shake in public opinion after it launched three years ago. Electronic Arts reorganized its action-racing development in response. Unbound arrives with the same lack of glamour, the same diminished cachet, but it is so much more fun, and so much more worth my time racing and running from the law, that the game feels like racing’s comeback player of the year.

Washington Post - Unscored

In the end, “Need for Speed Unbound” is a street racer simulator that nails what it sets out to do. The style that you can bring to the racetrack goes from you to your car and even the comic-book graphics you summon with your racing skills. At the same time, it doesn’t feel arcade-y; it still feels like a beautiful racing game. It doesn’t sacrifice style for substance, or vice versa. It just brings one of the best racing experiences of the year.

gameranx - Unscored

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