EA's racing franchise "Need for Speed" or "NFS", was once the king of racing games. With the release of titles such as "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2" (2002), "Need for Speed: Underground" (2003), and "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" (2005); the franchise seemed like the hits would never stop. Unfortunately, the hits did not last. The series turned stagnant, reviews scores slumped, and sales dropped. It seemed that for a time, EA had oversaturated the market with too many titles. Many of us gamers, didn't even notice the countless other "NFS" titles that were released after that point.
Until now...
'Need For Speed' is back!
After taking a break in 2016, "NFS" is back with a vengeance. The car roster is bigger than ever before, and by the looks of it, EA hopes to compete with detailed racing sims like "Forza" and "Project Cars". The introduction of a new level of customization is back. No longer will "NFS" be associated with the likes of a 2-bit ripoff of Hollywood Blockbuster "The Fast and the Furious" (2001). "NFS" is looking to create its own identity. It will finally no longer hint, but will actually employ its own detailed storyline. Sure the customization of the "tuner" and drag cars are still there, but now the game seems to finally have matured into something great.
What looks good
By the looks of the customization trailer, we can see that many of the same customization features from the previous games have made it into the mix for "Payback". Even better are more detailed options for customizing whats under the hood of your vehicle. Custom tunings and upgrades can now be purchased or won by completing races.
A new open-world allows for roaming the streets and appreciating the details of the enormous map. There is even a point in the game for picking up and repurposing "junk" cars.
These cars can then be restored to its former glory and retrofitted to become a racing monster. It does seem to remind me of Dominick's 10-second car from the first Fast and the Furious film but let's not get into that.
"Need for Speed: Payback" is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC. What seems to be great about this game, is that "NFS" has returned to its roots. Doing away with gimmicks and functions that take away from the real reason why we play racing games. TO RACE!!
What we want
Let's not get too hasty here tho. EA has put its best foot forward. It is important to not buy into what is essentially a fresh coat of paint on an old game. What we need is "Payback" to put a spin on what made the old games so great. Bringing back a great storyline, heart pounding speed, great control mechanics, and tons of customization; could make "Payback" the game fans have been waiting for.
If you want more information on "Need for Speed: Payback", new information and trailers have surfaced at EA's website. Also, I will be conducting a review of the game come its release on November 10th, 2017 right here on blastingnews.com!
