However, the more you play it, the more you realize it somehow also fails to recognize what made Most Wanted a fan favorite to begin with. NFS: Carbon (2006)Īt the outset, Carbon doesn't do a whole lot to distance itself from Most Wanted before it. Instead, it added yet another notch to the franchise's long list of failed reboots. Thematically, 2015 had the conviction to redefine Need for Speed for an exciting new era. Yet, it’s all mercilessly undone, beaten and torn beyond recognition by the least intuitive handling model ever to grace a triple-A racing game. NFS 2015 had everything going for it: a clear vision, phenomenal visuals for the time and the most powerful customization engine the series had seen up to that point. Not since Capcom's Auto Modellista has a racing game so perfectly captured a flavor of car culture fans had been yearning for, yet been so inexplicably dreadful to play. The only way the franchise can hope to escape Most Wanted's massive shadow would be to release a game that manages to exceed its greatness, but that would be incredibly difficult to do in today's gaming landscape where arcade racers are far less appreciated.(Image credit: Electronic Arts) 16. Thanks to the power of nostalgia, the game only gets better with every passing year. It is the pinnacle of the series, and it holds a special place not just in the franchise but in gaming history as a whole. Ultimately, it is inescapable that Need for Speed games will always be compared to Most Wanted. This is not to say that Unbound is a carbon copy of Most Wanted, as it manages to include several innovations that make it feel unique, including character customization, driving effects, and an important day and night cycle. Criterion is clearly a team that recognizes what a peak the game was for the franchise and has been desperately attempting to replicate it with its following releases. This shouldn't be too much of a surprise, as the game was developed by Criterion Games, the same team responsible for Most Wanted (2012). With its urban street racing and intense cop chases, it does seem like it learns many of its lessons from the classic arcade racer. Unbound is a great game and a triumphant return for the series, but it cannot be ignored that its success story involves the franchise crafting a game that, in many ways, reverts to the tried and tested mechanics of Most Wanted. However, it also proves that the Need for Speed franchise still lives in Most Wanted's large shadow. Unbound is the closest the series has come, thanks to the fact that it gets so much right. Since Most Wanted, Need for Speed has never received the same kind of overwhelming reception from fans. Whether it's racing against rivals, engaging in drifting events, or just roaming around Rockport and knocking down donut signs, there's always something exciting to do. Most importantly, the gameplay is just relentlessly fun. Its plot isn't anything to write home about, but it is engaging enough to give players a reason to want to race and eventually seek justice for the double-crossing they've been subjected to. There are a few reasons why Most Wanted sticks its landing so well with gamers. Taking place in the industrial city of Rockport, Most Wanted has players racing their way through the Blacklist, collecting pink slips, and getting on the nerves of local law enforcement. For most long-time fans, the series hit its stride with the Underground series, and it finally reached its zenith with 2005's Most Wanted. Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, as the name suggests, decides to focus on Porsches while Need for Speed ProStreet sets its sights on legal racing. The Need for Speed franchise has been around for a while, and it has taken a few forms.
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