Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game

 PC
User Score
4.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1020 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 254 out of 1020
  2. Mixed: 249 out of 1020
  3. Negative: 517 out of 1020
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  1. Geecy
    Nov 7, 2012
    0
    Purchased the game because of the name NFS Most Wanted. Big mistake. First, I wasn't aware that Criterion was the maker of Burnout because I hated that game. Second, the game runs terrible on my I5 2500K, AMD 6970 and 8GB Ram. Console port without regard for pc customer. The multiplayer is kinda fun but the lag just ruins it for me. We spend big money on our rig and we expect to outperformPurchased the game because of the name NFS Most Wanted. Big mistake. First, I wasn't aware that Criterion was the maker of Burnout because I hated that game. Second, the game runs terrible on my I5 2500K, AMD 6970 and 8GB Ram. Console port without regard for pc customer. The multiplayer is kinda fun but the lag just ruins it for me. We spend big money on our rig and we expect to outperform a PS3. This is sad. Big marketing scam from EA, again.… Expand
  2. Redphyve
    Nov 7, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What to say? I think the phrase "some polish and no spit" seems to sum it up for me. No storyline.
    No continuity.
    No sense of immersion. Here is car. Drive car. Win race. Get chased. Ad nauseum. Ad infinitum.

    The graphics may be pretty and detailed for a console, but for a high-end pc like mine? It's no challenge. FPS locked at 60. Sometimes dipping into the high 50's. It looks like the washed- out console port it is. It's pretty awful is more like it. Adjusting options in-game is a joke. it just looks worse.

    And then lets get to the game-play. I'm not going to crtitique the car-handling much. Let's just say its much of a muchness with very little feel or difference between the cars. An Evoque is an Aventador. Just slower. But the AI? It varies from "Oh my God that was brilliant!" to "WTF??? Did that cop just run into the road-block head-on?" "Umm...I turn left and a cop APPEARS FROM NOWHERE right in front of me on an empty road?" And the last Most Wanted chase they must have figured that its not going to be much of a challenge as the slightest touch from the Koeniggsegg Agera sends your impact-protected and chassis-reinforced Lamborghini Aventador skidding wildly out of control while a perfectly executed hit on the rear 3/4 panel of the Agera barely moves it. And in one bewilderingly inexplicable moment, I deflect the Agera up an off-ramp to only see it appear seconds later in FRONT of me! How did it go up the off-ramp, 180-degree turn, back down, another 180 and then catch me doing over 280kph? Really. That's piss-poor and lazy-ass programming.

    Multi-player? Still to make up my mind on that but so far NOT IMPRESSED. But I won't let me initial impressions are of a chaotic confusing mess that with some effort you can get going and do...stuff.

    Anyway: to sum up. Pretty disappointing for PC-gamers, as usual EA and Criterion have kicked the pc-users in the teeth again delivering a console game for the pc. Up next are the lack of updates, lack of DLC and general support for the platform that single-handedly kept EA "In the game.    … Expand
  3. Bliss21
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    I don't understand people complaining about the PC version of this game. It's one of the best PC versions of a game that also came out on console in my opinion (and I play a lot of different racing games).

    It runs very smooth 60fps on a GTX460 and Core i5 on medium settings (and some high) and looks great. Of course car handeling is very dependent on the type of car you driving and that    I don't understand people complaining about the PC version of this game. It's one of the best PC versions of a game that also came out on console in my opinion (and I play a lot of different racing games).

    It runs very smooth 60fps on a GTX460 and Core i5 on medium settings (and some high) and looks great. Of course car handeling is very dependent on the type of car you driving and that makes this game extra fun. Car handling is a bit different than regular NFS handling but if you get used to it works excellent. Presentation is also excellent and loading times are pretty fast compared to the last few NFS games. Autolog is great for challenging your 'friends' and multiplayer is a blast!. In my opinion Criterion did an excellent job in delivering this technical excellent open-world arcade racer and the 20+ hours in game time I already spent on it was definitely worth it. Only thing I agree with most of the negative comments is that should have called it Burnout: Most Wanted instead of NFS: Most wanted as it share more 'gameplay' blood with the Burnout series. But negatively judging a game only by your expectations based on the title is just plain wrong.    … Expand
  4. baddeadtaste
    Nov 7, 2012
    4
    This game has no soul at all. Taking down the most wanted rivals is completely boring. There is no character associated with a vehicle, no story at all. It's simply unlock a most wanted challenge and then beat it, get car, rinse, repeat. Customization is gone completely as all mods are the same for each vehicle and you unlock them in the same generic races over and over again. TheThis game has no soul at all. Taking down the most wanted rivals is completely boring. There is no character associated with a vehicle, no story at all. It's simply unlock a most wanted challenge and then beat it, get car, rinse, repeat. Customization is gone completely as all mods are the same for each vehicle and you unlock them in the same generic races over and over again. The online is kind of hit or miss for me...they reward crashing WAY too much. Nobody races with any finesse they just fly around slamming into you all the time. And WTF is up with the speed trials and challenge events!?! This is supposed to be a racing game!! In some events you actually have to try and PARK your car longer than anyone else in a specific spot!! That's right...the object is to PARK your car?!?! What the heck is Criterion thinking!?!?! After the awesomeness that was NFS: The Run, I had high hopes for this game but if you ask me Criterion screwed up just about every single aspect of this game and sucked all the fun right out of the online game. This is definitely one to avoid for sure.… Expand
  5. tatbkath
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    No, this game isn't Need for Speed.

    It's game-play looks like a Burnout Pradise.

    And huge in-game fps drops, poorly optimized for pc 's.

    Disqusting race intros, camera angles weird and sucks...
  6. RyuzakiX
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    sh*t game.nfs has gone to the dogs.All this game has is graphics and thats it.Mediocre music,no story,no car customization,no motivation to play.100 boring non fun game,disgrace to the original 'most wanted'.
  7. StrikerFIN
    Nov 6, 2012
    1
    Loved the original Most Wanted (not because of the plot, but because of gameplay), came in with high hopes, but left unsatisfied. I would agree on the comments about bad optimization and low frame rates. I have a high end PC, and games like Battlefield 3 work without any problems on max settings. NFS: Most Wanted however, doesn't. There is constant frame rate issues. Also I can't driveLoved the original Most Wanted (not because of the plot, but because of gameplay), came in with high hopes, but left unsatisfied. I would agree on the comments about bad optimization and low frame rates. I have a high end PC, and games like Battlefield 3 work without any problems on max settings. NFS: Most Wanted however, doesn't. There is constant frame rate issues. Also I can't drive with manual gears, only automatic. The cool slow motion replays during jumps and roadblocks, which I loved in the original Most Wanted, are gone. No police helicopter anymore even on highest heat level, don't know why they left that out. As everyone knows by now, all of the cars are unlocked right away. This doesn't bother me, but the "Easydrive" system in which you can upgrade your car while driving isn't that functional. You can't really steer and navigate the menus in the same time, so you're gonna have to stop the car anyway. All in all, I'm pretty disappointed.… Expand
  8. ivarswe
    Nov 6, 2012
    1
    I was very excited when i heard about the game. I hope this could be a good Need for speed after many years , But NO

    Game feels half done and fps drop is very annoying. The old Most Wanted was soooo much better
    Wasted money...EA need to go back and look at old NFS games. WE WANT UNDERGROUND 2!
  9. hansgoed
    Nov 5, 2012
    0
    I really wanted to like this game. NFSMW is my favourite NFS game and I hoped they had improved the graphics, added some race modes, given it a new story and be done with it. Unfortunately they took Burnout, named it Need for Speed and added a little something weird and the result is something that feels like crap, isn't fun and isn't inviting you to play on to reach the goal. It wouldI really wanted to like this game. NFSMW is my favourite NFS game and I hoped they had improved the graphics, added some race modes, given it a new story and be done with it. Unfortunately they took Burnout, named it Need for Speed and added a little something weird and the result is something that feels like crap, isn't fun and isn't inviting you to play on to reach the goal. It would have been acceptable if they didn't take the NFS name to sell this garbage.… Expand
  10. PloppySon
    Nov 5, 2012
    0
    Rushed out to buy this as I had the old Most Wanted (which I really enjoyed).

    This game is Burnout Paradise 2 not Most Wanted! That's my quick review :D PROS: Nice GFX, runs well on my PC - AMD quad 3.4ghz, GTX470 8gig 1333mhz corsair ram, WIN7 64bit. Free roaming. Nice sound FX for cars, engines, creaking chassis etc. Great fun for Burnout fans. CONS: Music is crap,    Rushed out to buy this as I had the old Most Wanted (which I really enjoyed).

    This game is Burnout Paradise 2 not Most Wanted! That's my quick review :D

    PROS:

    Nice GFX, runs well on my PC - AMD quad 3.4ghz, GTX470 8gig 1333mhz corsair ram, WIN7 64bit.
    Free roaming.
    Nice sound FX for cars, engines, creaking chassis etc.
    Great fun for Burnout fans.

    CONS:

    Music is crap, load of dubstep junk.
    No **** cam or hood/bonnet cam.
    No gears for wheel owners eg G25/G27
    Loading screens between race retry/restart.
    No Story mode you just get thrown in and left to it.

    I have mixed feelings about this game, overall I like it but there seems to be a lot of things missing and some really stupid design choices - External Camera or Bumper Camera which means you get to see the world as if your face is stapled to the road, I don't like external cams and the absence of a bonnet/hood cam or a **** cam has FAIL written all over it.

    You don't feel like you are a real person trying to be most wanted as there is no story and the game sort of feels a bit empty and pointless.

    This game is NOT Most Wanted, as others have said (even before release) it is Burnout Paradise 2. If like me you loved BP then you will like this, even though cars are given to you just by driving past key spots around the map you have to win races for the specific car to earn its upgrade which is ok for an arcade racer but takes the sense of achievement out of the game.

    I'll give this an 8 because it IS A GOOD GAME, but yet again EA have released another NFS that is not NFS it's Burnout with the Police chasing you.

    Sorry if this review is mixed up but I'm still trying to work out why this is called NFS:Most Wanted and not Burnout - Yes I said it again!    … Expand
  11. Redeemer989
    Nov 5, 2012
    3
    Look, I gave up playing this. After all that struggle on single player, I couldn't get used to it anymore due to the crash cam and the gameplay mechanics. So, I'm decreasing my scoring to 3.
  12. garion1
    Nov 5, 2012
    3
    This should have remained "A Criterion Game" (no Electronic Arts involvement) and should have been called Burnout Paradise 2. Besides absolutely stunning graphics, the game lacks everything a true NFS fan got excited about when they saw that NFS Most Wanted was coming. It is downright misleading and dishonest. The NFS franchise has just got worse by the title. Most of my gripes have beenThis should have remained "A Criterion Game" (no Electronic Arts involvement) and should have been called Burnout Paradise 2. Besides absolutely stunning graphics, the game lacks everything a true NFS fan got excited about when they saw that NFS Most Wanted was coming. It is downright misleading and dishonest. The NFS franchise has just got worse by the title. Most of my gripes have been mentioned in other reviews already. I'm so disappointed!… Expand
  13. czaczaczar
    Nov 5, 2012
    0
    I personally prefer the NFS: Most Wanted 2012 ported on Android & iOS because it has in-game currency & it doesn't suck! When I first heard of this game, I thought, "Wow! My favorite game from the NFS series will be remade. Sgt. Cross, the hot chick named Mia & the Blacklist are coming back." My hopes has been ruined. This game is just a combination of NFS: Undercover (which I reallyI personally prefer the NFS: Most Wanted 2012 ported on Android & iOS because it has in-game currency & it doesn't suck! When I first heard of this game, I thought, "Wow! My favorite game from the NFS series will be remade. Sgt. Cross, the hot chick named Mia & the Blacklist are coming back." My hopes has been ruined. This game is just a combination of NFS: Undercover (which I really hated) & Burnout Paradise (which I really liked). It has no manual transmission, poor handling, bumper cam & chase cam only, the city is very small, no car customizations & modifications, no currency, no story, cheating AI (SUVs that can catch up with supercars), & most of all, there's no distinct character milieu like in the original Most Wanted. Flashy graphics doesn't always mean a good game. It's not worth the money. This game should be boycotted. EA better not touch NFS: High Stakes next.… Expand
  14. BSEI
    Nov 5, 2012
    2
    The game is a bad, bad fail. Do not spend your money on the game, you will regret it. It is however fun and enjoyable for small children or mentally challenged, the same as Mario Kart is. 1. Graphics. This is something positive about the game, it has great graphics..... if you have the hardware to enjoy it. There are severe frame rate drops, it feels chunky in most areas of the map, but,The game is a bad, bad fail. Do not spend your money on the game, you will regret it. It is however fun and enjoyable for small children or mentally challenged, the same as Mario Kart is. 1. Graphics. This is something positive about the game, it has great graphics..... if you have the hardware to enjoy it. There are severe frame rate drops, it feels chunky in most areas of the map, but, it looks great. 2. Story line: non. 3. Customization: just above 0. 4. Handling: horrible, and I mean horrible. Horrible with a racing wheel, horrible with a gaming pad, horrible with a joystick and even more horrible with the keyboard. You can not even adjust the sensibility of the controller to try to compensate for the horrible handling. 5. Races: in case you manage to deal with the handling issues of the game and not crash, you actually can win. If some random car in the traffic does not hit you. The AI of the other racers is ok, but they posses some paranormal ability to jump through space right beneath you, but this rare, most of the time you will crash. 6. Cop chases: the cops have the ability of 360 degrees X-ray vision and, most of the time, can overtake you when you drive a Lambo, have better traction on dirt than you on asphalt, and their cars handle much better than yours. 7. The playing: well... it is somewhat fun and you get to drive all cars around the small map. With drive I meant crash allover the place. If you plan only to drive around, crash, and deal with super cops in super cars, this game is for you. The rest of the game is worthless. Another positive aspect is that my kids really enjoy the game (age 6 and 8), they are familiar with the start and race style of the game from Mario Kart and do not need any help form grownups. Although I bought the game for myself, which I utterly regret, because my kids play it, only 90% of the price is a waste of money, which is better than 100%. If you do not have kids, are not slow minded of retarded, or have such in your family, do not buy the game! You where warned.… Expand
  15. AndreyATGB
    Nov 5, 2012
    7
    First off, I do agree with the points everyone is making. If you look at it as a NFS game, it's worth 2 or 3. Looking at it as a Burnout with cops and licensed cars, it's a good game. The cars do feel too heavy, the game is one of the worst ports on PC I've seen recently. At first glance, it seems to have graphics options, but don't be deceived. You can't change VSync and refresh rate.First off, I do agree with the points everyone is making. If you look at it as a NFS game, it's worth 2 or 3. Looking at it as a Burnout with cops and licensed cars, it's a good game. The cars do feel too heavy, the game is one of the worst ports on PC I've seen recently. At first glance, it seems to have graphics options, but don't be deceived. You can't change VSync and refresh rate. There's only one option for textures: high res on and off. My GTX 580 (which runs any other game maxed out no problem) cannot run this at all high. It has severe frame drops. Even on medium and low shadows, there are frame spikes. I was playing with a PS3 controller and got used to the driving mechanics quickly. Single player is easy and lasts about 5-6 hours. Multiplayer is fun, burnout paradise challenges pretty much. Another thing that annoys me a lot is just the overall slow feeling, when you change a car or finish a race, you'll have to stare at your car with no HUD until the stats of it go away. This is just unnecessary and stupid, it's wasted time every time. Another thing are EA's complete and utterly horrible servers, more precisely Autolog. It doesn't stay connected more than 10 minutes and when it does connect, it DOWNLOADS your progress not uploads. That means while you're disconnected all the speed points you earn will not be uploaded once you reconnect during the game. It will only if you quit and reopen the game. Also, Origin doesn't sync save games. I should mention that I paid 1/3 of the price for it and based on that, I did not waste money. I give it a 7 despite the problems, but just barely. TL;DR Bad NFS game, OK racing game, good Burnout. Horrible PC port.… Expand
  16. wtfmen
    Nov 4, 2012
    0
    This is the supposed to be a similar game to the original Need for Speed Most Wanted, but it lacks a lot of the most important aspects. There is no car customization, no manual transmission, no in game currency, and the worst part of all is that you can't own a car! Who thought it would be a good idea to remove one of the best parts of the original NFS MW, owning and customizing a garageThis is the supposed to be a similar game to the original Need for Speed Most Wanted, but it lacks a lot of the most important aspects. There is no car customization, no manual transmission, no in game currency, and the worst part of all is that you can't own a car! Who thought it would be a good idea to remove one of the best parts of the original NFS MW, owning and customizing a garage full of cars? The driving mechanics are mediocre. It feels like they were made for "fun" but it makes driving more repetitive. Another extremely annoying thing about this game is the stupid slow mo- zoom out camera that happens when you crash. I just want to keep driving not waste time looking at my stupid crash without being able to go anywhere.… Expand
  17. RainerLCF
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    Awesome game, Criterion does it again and bring us a very enjoyable, well built NSF game. Despite some performance issues (wich should be corrected with a patch asap), there aren't much things to complain here, there are lots of missions to do, good variety of cars to get, good AI and great multiplayer (autolog will soon become a standard in racing games). For those who are complaining,Awesome game, Criterion does it again and bring us a very enjoyable, well built NSF game. Despite some performance issues (wich should be corrected with a patch asap), there aren't much things to complain here, there are lots of missions to do, good variety of cars to get, good AI and great multiplayer (autolog will soon become a standard in racing games). For those who are complaining, this games does NOT hold your hand, it leaves you to discover almost everything by yourself and to me, that's a good thing. While I somewhat agree with the complaining about the lack of more camera angles, I don't think it "kills" the game, as some want to make it seems.

    9/10, great game.    … Expand
  18. ryansworld10
    Nov 4, 2012
    1
    This is the worst offense to PC gamers I've seen in a long time. The game is completely playable on a high end PC due to constant FPS drops below 40. I'm using a Radeon HD 7950 and AMD FX-8320. This looks like a really fun game, and I want to like it; but how can I enjoy it if I can't even play it?
  19. Rawberrie
    Nov 4, 2012
    6
    Well I got about 18 hours in so I feel like I can give a good review and not some of the ones that posted a review the same day the game came out so they could not have gotten THAT far. First off it looks pretty darn good on the PC. People saying it's a straight port obviously didn't catch that it has a high definition texture pack that I know the consoles don't use so they did put SOMEWell I got about 18 hours in so I feel like I can give a good review and not some of the ones that posted a review the same day the game came out so they could not have gotten THAT far. First off it looks pretty darn good on the PC. People saying it's a straight port obviously didn't catch that it has a high definition texture pack that I know the consoles don't use so they did put SOME thought into the PC but not nearly as much as I would like the graphics menu still doesn't have a lot of options a "Made for PC" game has. It sounds good most the cars sound somewhat like you expect and the music score is acceptable. Nothing special but it gets the job done without becoming annoying. The AI in the game can be challenging at times especially the police when you aren't in the greatest car to get away from them but other racers aren't terribly hard or aggressive. The story is like most stories in every racing game out there. It's stupid and easily forgotten and doesn't really matter. Who in the world buys a racing game for it's story I'll never know. I hate the way most the cars handle in the game. It's not arcade but it's not simulation it's somewhere in the middle which makes all the cars feel like they handle like crap. It has it's Burnout moments from time to time with the crashes and the racing which is a nice touch by Criterion Gaming but you can't help but feel EA was prolly really reluctant to allow them to add what they did. You can't customize your car that much but there are a few things that make your cars better for certain situations and can vastly differ how your cars handle but if you came here wanting to go all out on cars like some you can in Forza/GT5 and the like you will be left out. If you like arcade racing games then you may want to try this game out to see if you like it. It has it's moments when it's fun but the actual act of driving for me is ruined by the way all the cars feel and handle on the road with their in the middle of simulation and arcade feel.… Expand
  20. Newghandi
    Nov 4, 2012
    2
    Unfortunately there's so many bad things with the game that I just have to start off with them. Poor PC port. 30FPS lock and there's still graphical lag tested on 3 powerful machines. Control is sluggish and could be a result of the low frame rate and lag issues. It's basically a copy of Burnout: Paradise which in many respects (those that matters anyway) is a lot better. The AI isUnfortunately there's so many bad things with the game that I just have to start off with them. Poor PC port. 30FPS lock and there's still graphical lag tested on 3 powerful machines. Control is sluggish and could be a result of the low frame rate and lag issues. It's basically a copy of Burnout: Paradise which in many respects (those that matters anyway) is a lot better. The AI is incredibly bad and missions where you're chased by the cops are frustratingly bad since they cheat by spawning in cops you've out-runned in front of you. There's very little customization and the content of the game is terrible - drive around, find car, do mission, find another car, do mission... no story, no depth. EA has yet again pushed out a superficial title without any kind of depth.… Expand
  21. hapklaar
    Nov 4, 2012
    3
    Another one of these 13 in a dozen racegames. Multiplayer is nothing more than a frenzy where everybody tries to hit eachother. No nice ladder system which could at least keep you occupied for some hours. If you buy this game, be prepared to be bored after one day of playing. Too bad most developers seem to be going for the easy console money and stop developing games which really bringAnother one of these 13 in a dozen racegames. Multiplayer is nothing more than a frenzy where everybody tries to hit eachother. No nice ladder system which could at least keep you occupied for some hours. If you buy this game, be prepared to be bored after one day of playing. Too bad most developers seem to be going for the easy console money and stop developing games which really bring something new (or even old and proven!) to tyhe table to make a game interesting.… Expand
  22. Vedranius
    Nov 4, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Long time ago, back to 1997., you were playing Need For Speed 2, with a crazy gameplay and fun, brutal machines on road, that were going like 400km/h at least, cool maps, multiplayer modes to have fun with friends... After that, they were another good NFS's, till the nicely century of graphicaly crazy games, and then it comes, NFS Underground which was OK, and then, then it comes 2005., Most Wanted, maybe the best NFS game from 2002. or for someone even from 1999. Most Wanted back in 2005. was an awesome game, you could drive many many cars, with crazy type of driving, no stupid tracking **** and other idiotic "helpful" stuff, like in upcoming Pro Street and Shift games, and even The Run...
    After 7 years, there it comes, Most Wanted again!
    I was pretty suprissed when they announced, because I had most fun in Most Wanted NFS, cuz of many many jumping tracks, fast driving and other crazy things I liked in it...
    So yes, I bought the Most Wanted, and starting it for the first time, still not really knowing what cars are in it. Starting with the main car, and suddenly founding another, Marussia, another one Porsche, another one, Aston Martin V12, and driving through some missions, I got the feeling from the old Most Wanted game, fast paced, crazy cars, awesome driving abilities and such.
    But, things I missed were, BUYING cars, making them the way I really wanted, do you remember Underground 1 and 2 from 2003.? Yes, making the car as you like, fast, awesome handling, nitro long or short as you like, that's what I missed for years and years, and I don't know why but EA/Criterion isn't making it again... So yes CUSTOMIZING CARS from tires to motor.
    OK, you got some minimal customization on fly, made for ridicilous consoles like Xbox - "Xbox, Xbox, change my tires to DIRT tires--- suddenly crashing on road going like 300km/h" :)

    CARS - yes, you got cool cars, but only 43 of them, and all are almost crazy as hell, yes you got oldies, but who cares about them if you can't tune em how you really like...
    I'd like to sit in Nissan 240sx and make it totally for drifting, brutally, with short nitro, feeling it the way I like it, not sitting in Audi R8 and feeling like a airplane driver, and winning almost every round cuz of stupid AI... :)
    I want old cars, or normal every day cars, like Mazda 3, Clio, Opel Astra, or even Smart, goddamit :D
    Making this cars brutal makes me play games like this more and more and more, trying adding another customization to it, making them more faster or more handable ... ;)

    Still, I'll give score 8 to this Most Wanted, because it's still the best NFS after whole this ****ty NFS's that were coming out after Carbon ;)    … Expand
  23. Boeteloez
    Nov 4, 2012
    2
    I still got Most Wanted from 2005 laying around in the attic somewhere. I might as well just played that game again, because this 2012 version is just one big copy past with some updated consolegraphic. Some how it runs like crap on pc (another greate EA port i guess) and the game is way to easy, especially if you played games like GT, forza or Grid. Need4speed is not the same good oldI still got Most Wanted from 2005 laying around in the attic somewhere. I might as well just played that game again, because this 2012 version is just one big copy past with some updated consolegraphic. Some how it runs like crap on pc (another greate EA port i guess) and the game is way to easy, especially if you played games like GT, forza or Grid. Need4speed is not the same good old game it was 5 to10 years back. It feels like a total ripp-off, because they basically are selling us the same game from 7 years back. However, If you are the type of gamer that does NOT like the brake button and want to hit every corner doing about 280, this is your game! A 12 year old kid should have fun with this, a real gamer who likes a challenge should skip this waste of game. Thank god for the 8 days refund option. Second game from EA I decided to return and change for another game.… Expand
  24. nathalex27
    Nov 4, 2012
    5
    My system specs, amd 1090t hexacore @ 4ghz
    16 gb 1660mhz DDR3
    GTX 660 ti @ 1385mhz and 2 gb memory GTX 560 ti for physx 2x 300mbps up/down ssd's raid 0 -Framerate of the game: Between 20 and 60 fps Driving under normal conditions is ok, it gives 40/60 fps but....BIG but...when you get chased by cops or do some heavy cornering you will experience heavy frame-drops with at    My system specs, amd 1090t hexacore @ 4ghz
    16 gb 1660mhz DDR3
    GTX 660 ti @ 1385mhz and 2 gb memory
    GTX 560 ti for physx
    2x 300mbps up/down ssd's raid 0

    -Framerate of the game: Between 20 and 60 fps

    Driving under normal conditions is ok, it gives 40/60 fps but....BIG but...when you get chased by cops or do some heavy cornering you will experience heavy frame-drops with at sometimes slow motion
    action. This really is a petty because otherwise I find the cop chases very enjoyable.

    I played the Original most wanted several times incl. LAN play with friends.
    This is something totaly different.
    Aside from the cop chases.

    There is no car setup menu. ( in-game sort of but no tuning/styling or car tech adjustments )

    -There is no garage. ( find cars in-game and drive. When found you can select to drive instantly but wil start where the car was originally found, that might just be on the other side of the map.....)

    -When you're tires are spiked by cops you can just drive. no problem. I drove for a good 10 minutes at heat level 4 of 5 ( cop difficulty ) found a magic gas station and my tires where good again.

    - About that gas station......NFSMW right? Wrong This is a remake of Burnout Paradise with cops
    -Burnout Paradise billboard crashing..
    -Burnout Paradise style driving
    -Burnout Paradise style graphics
    -Burnout Paradise style environment
    -Burnout Paradise style NOS ( just different NOS gauge )
    -Burnout Paradise style car crashing ( slo mo, heavy damage crash but you're OK! And can just continue to drive! Please or no damage or realistic damage )

    I'm not trying to be **** here, I just added system specs for comparison but
    this game should run great on my setup. It is the un-optimized game engine that makes it such drag to play even at low / medium settings.
    Ambient occlusion off.
    Reflections low
    details medium.
    20/60 fps That is what bothered me the most about this game. Second comes the lack of imagination to create something new and exciting instead of a remake of one of you're own Criterion games being Burnout P.

    And third ( A pc gamer **** thing ) the lack of graphics option. ( tessellation, AA, FXAA, Gpu Physx instead of the heavy cpu physics that utiizes 70% of my cpu in hectic situations)

    Criterion, you FAILED misserably to re-create NFSMW.

    The feel of the original game that forced you to want to become that NR.1 is just not there.

    Only the cop chases....they are enjoyable was it not that the fps drops to 20.    … Expand
  25. devillightning1
    Nov 4, 2012
    0
    Ok lets just say that I am running a gaming rig that I considered to be high end :GTX 680 Lightning, i5 2500k 4.7GHz 8GB Vengeance RAM. So with these hardware, you would think it shouldn't be a problem running this game right? WRONG. This game's first obvious flaw is its terrible optimization. Even when you have a HIGH END GPU you would still be running at around 40-50FPS dropping down toOk lets just say that I am running a gaming rig that I considered to be high end :GTX 680 Lightning, i5 2500k 4.7GHz 8GB Vengeance RAM. So with these hardware, you would think it shouldn't be a problem running this game right? WRONG. This game's first obvious flaw is its terrible optimization. Even when you have a HIGH END GPU you would still be running at around 40-50FPS dropping down to about 30 FPS in the tunnels, something is obviously very wrong here, and forget about overclocking your GPU since the GPU usage barely reach 80% it wouldn't help at all. 2nd flaw is the cars handling. All the cars in this game felt like you are driving a brick, it felt so heavy and it hard to turn around. Another problem is that since EA is advertising this game as a reboot to the Most Wanted IP, you would think that this game would include everything that the original Most Wanted did so well, a good storyline, some insane customization, pursuit breakers, speedbreaker and more, but NO. Instead, they threw out everything that made the original Most Wanted so memorable and threw in everything that came from Burnout Paradise, smashing billboards, instant repair cars, takedowns blahblah, and Burnout Paradise still runs better and plays better than this game...And also the cheating AI, the cops even though you are driving at 300KM/H they would still catch up to you no problem and the roadblocks are seriously almost impossible to go through when they are using SUVs although in the original Most Wanted you can pass through SUV by ramming the rear, and now spike stripes have a blinking yellow light to warn you and after you entered cooldown mode, for some unknown reason when you take a shortcut, the cops will still follow you into the shortcuts, SERIOUSLY, DID YOUR CAR HAVE SOME SORT OF MAGNETIC TRACKING DEVICE???!!!!...And also since all cars are already unlocked in the beginning, the sense of leveling up and improving is gone since in the original game you would have to defeat certain Blacklist drivers to unlock cars. car parts, performance upgrades and more. Simply put, this game is very disappointing and a waste of money. The name Most Wanted is just for advertising and nothing inside is even related to the original game, except the most wanted list, but in the original its called the BLACKLIST, not the MOST WANTED LIST ZZZ, even Burnout Paradise is much better compared to this… Expand
  26. Xxovich
    Nov 3, 2012
    0
    Worst racing game ever.Steering forces you to drift since its impossible to just do a decent turn and even you did drift you would end up crashing which get you in a 5 second crash cutscene everytime (that annoys the hell out of me) even if its just a side crash which you did on purpose to get your car straight.The physics aren't right at all , you could end up rolling 10 times from a slowWorst racing game ever.Steering forces you to drift since its impossible to just do a decent turn and even you did drift you would end up crashing which get you in a 5 second crash cutscene everytime (that annoys the hell out of me) even if its just a side crash which you did on purpose to get your car straight.The physics aren't right at all , you could end up rolling 10 times from a slow tbone by a police car but you would get a straight jump if you'd hit a ramp with just 2 wheels.Optimization is crap , it gives 20-40 fps in the city and 50 in some areas on my system which gives a stable 60 on any game including BF3.There is no real progression , story or anything , yes you have to work your way through the list if you want a bugatti or a koenigsegg but you can find all the cars around the map except the most wanted ones.I was really excited about this game , I pre-ordered it , couldn't sleep the day before it's release... I was shocked to see what a piece of crap this was. Customization is my favourite thing in racing games and a racing game without customization is not worth to play in my opinion , NFS was the last title for me to expect that situation. I mean WHAT THE HELL?? At least let me choose the paint!? It does let you choose paint in multiplayer but that requires you to do extremely long tasks for a selection between 5 colors.I couldn't believe the crap I was playing so I kept playing for 4 days , I waited for a patch to solve the steering and fps problem , I became the number 1 most wanted in singleplayer (which is the end of the storyline , If you could call that a storyline) and played a few hours on multiplayer.I gave this game too many chances and it failed me every time. I would give it a 0.5 for the good selection of cars but there's no such score in the chart so I give it a 0 and promise not to buy another NFS title made by criterion.… Expand
  27. CrysisEnthusias
    Nov 3, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Guys, stop the hate. This is NOT the original most wanted, nor is it a sequel, it is a game of it's own, but with the same title as the old MW from 2005, so don't mix them up. This one has it's own touches and i like what they've done there. I like how they integrated as many cars as possible, and all of them handle very good. Although, they could have included manual transmission as well, so that's a 0.5 there. A story would also have been great, so that's another 0.5. Other than that, i find the game great. Billboards are everywhere and fun to smash and make all these jumps for, looking for your favorite car is indeed a pain but that's a nice challenge if you don't go looking online for it's location. Customization is ok but i didn't find it too bad, cause this is criterion as we know it, i would have gone for another 0.5 for it but there are not decimals in user scores here. Police chases are also good, some people are complaining about cooldown spots and destroyable stuff to slow the cops down, well, you could lure the cops in anyway, and not just by doing what we were used to in the original MW (i know it was fun), and cooldown spots are now these repair stations. Another thing i liked are the intros to the races, they are creative, and rather funny. Graphics are amazing, and for people saying it's a console port, it is definitely NOT. Get a decent graphics card and you will see how smoothly it runs at 60fps. And about the multiplayer side, i haven't tried that yet, but i'm sure it's as good as single player. All in all, it's an 8.5 from me, but it rounds up to 9 on the metacritic scale.… Expand
  28. eminefes
    Nov 3, 2012
    8
    There seems to some confusion and misinformation regarding this game. First off, the 10 "most wanted" cars are NOT available immediately. I know it seems contrary to what EA/Criterion have claimed, but you do actually have to earn these cars. The actual gameplay is a mix between NFS Hot Pursuit (2010) and Burnout Paradise. However, the game still feels unique and the setting feels veryThere seems to some confusion and misinformation regarding this game. First off, the 10 "most wanted" cars are NOT available immediately. I know it seems contrary to what EA/Criterion have claimed, but you do actually have to earn these cars. The actual gameplay is a mix between NFS Hot Pursuit (2010) and Burnout Paradise. However, the game still feels unique and the setting feels very nice to drive around in. Navigation was the greatest issue in Paradise, but Most Wanted has a much better mini-map and you're far less likely to make a wrong turn. The only real complaint I have is with the performance of the game, since the framerate stutters on occasion, even with high-end systems and/or lowered graphics settings. Overall, this is one of the most addicting arcade racers I've played in quite some time. Beating the "most wanted" cars and taking ownership of them feels rewarding and makes you want to keep going so you can acquire the next one on the list. The cops are also fun and bring another level of excitement that Burnout Paradise never quite had.… Expand
  29. Method320
    Nov 3, 2012
    3
    Criterion's recent work on the Need for Speed series has been moderately refreshing. Hot Pursuit was definitely a nice addition to the series. That's where it ended. Most Wanted is nothing more than a sequel to Burnout Paradise. While Burnout Paradise was certainly a fun game, Most Wanted doesn't do much new for the NFS franchise and this game has no place in the series. Need for SpeedCriterion's recent work on the Need for Speed series has been moderately refreshing. Hot Pursuit was definitely a nice addition to the series. That's where it ended. Most Wanted is nothing more than a sequel to Burnout Paradise. While Burnout Paradise was certainly a fun game, Most Wanted doesn't do much new for the NFS franchise and this game has no place in the series. Need for Speed games have always had a place for customization, Burnout games have not. All need for speed games had a garage you could choose your car from, and customize it with more than just the paint job (Save for Criterion's previous Hot Pursuit)

    While the game itself certainly has some fun elements to it, the glaring downsides to this title easily outweigh the positives. Yes, it looks pretty, that's more or less all it has going for it.    … Expand
  30. Bloodthirsty
    Nov 3, 2012
    4
    Not great but average NFS.....i was expecting more than dis.....the gameplay sucked especially with the cops... imean what the hell i am at 240km/h and the cops still can keep up with me...dis iz not compared to even real life.......and the cop evading system WOW...i cant xplain how much worse it is no persuit breaker no hide spots,no way to shake the cops of any way......Only thing i likeNot great but average NFS.....i was expecting more than dis.....the gameplay sucked especially with the cops... imean what the hell i am at 240km/h and the cops still can keep up with me...dis iz not compared to even real life.......and the cop evading system WOW...i cant xplain how much worse it is no persuit breaker no hide spots,no way to shake the cops of any way......Only thing i like about dis game iz the graphics nothing else.....and i also wished there was a story line....at least i think NFS hot persuit 2010 was better.... oops srry best than all.....NFS most wanted 2005 iz the second best for me.....… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PC Game of 2012
28
#28 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
22
#22 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 30, 2012
    60
    Just pick one of the beautiful cars, hop in and drive. But do not want anything else. NFS: Most Wanted is average fun for all car lovers. [Dec 2012]
  2. CD-Action
    Nov 29, 2012
    70
    Most Wanted works best when you treat it like mobile games – switch it on for 15 minutes, do a random race with a random car and then turn it off. It's a good arcade racing title closely resembling Burnout: Paradise but it's not exceptional. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.52]
  3. Worth Playing
    Nov 25, 2012
    92
    Most Wanted's biggest strength is that it feels like a cohesive whole, rather than some amalgamation of a reboot tacked on to another game's engine. The gameplay emphasizes as little downtime as possible, which is a good thing as it's an absolute blast whether or not cops are involved. It's not a reboot as much as it is a reimagining of the original game, taking the bits that worked and wrapping them in a completely new package. Surprisingly enough, it does so in a way that works, and the new Most Wanted ranks up there with the original.
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