Need for Speed Payback

 PC
User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 623 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 156 out of 623
  2. Mixed: 114 out of 623
  3. Negative: 353 out of 623
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Noxius
    Feb 5, 2020
    1
    I play NFS since High Stakes 1999. A year from the year the game got worse.
    Useless and boring story, terrible car control, stupid AI.
    Making such game in 2017 is shameful.
  2. Talbis
    Nov 10, 2017
    4
    Holy **** this is bad...

    So no driving wheel in a driving game. Great. Just great. You upgrade your cars with... cards. CARDS!? WTF!? This isn't Hearthstone, this is Need For Speed('s corpse). Rubberbanding - terrible, just nonsensical to the point of getting ridiculous. Every cool action, every ump, every stunt the game takes control away from you and does by itself hence killing any    Holy **** this is bad...

    So no driving wheel in a driving game. Great. Just great. You upgrade your cars with... cards. CARDS!? WTF!? This isn't Hearthstone, this is Need For Speed('s corpse). Rubberbanding - terrible, just nonsensical to the point of getting ridiculous. Every cool action, every ump, every stunt the game takes control away from you and does by itself hence killing any satisfaction of fun. Or a seamless gameplay feeling. No cockpit view. The Crew had a cockpit view and this crap... okay, calm down. So you can't leave the road for a second as the game, instead of allowing you to correct yourself just restarts you back on the road in a manner of seconds. Every race seems the same. The story is boring and filled with cliches. Bad acting, as always in Need For Speed. Can't destroy any cars. No damage model. Everything is checkpoint race. Even running from cops. You can lose the cops but if you omit checkpoints, oh boy, you are busted.

    It's a boring grind filled with cutscenes and checkpoints with a terrible story and awful acting.    … Expand
  3. alexzhivil
    Nov 11, 2017
    0
    Don't support microtransactions - do not buy this game.
    The big companies are milking you and they will keep doing it as long as you keep supporting it !
  4. Nasher
    Nov 10, 2017
    2
    Need for Speed: Refund. .
  5. sergio5321
    Aug 29, 2018
    1
    Самая убогая часть nfs...
    Вот и до nfs добрались микротранзакции, лутбоксы и прочая ересь... Что за жалкая попытка совместить гоночную аркаду и карточную стратегию? Ты покупаешь машину и еще пол часа дрочишь в рулетку, чтобы выбить нормальною карточку для тюннинга. Игра проходится буквально за 5-6 часов, а сюжет банальный и забывается через неделю...    Самая убогая часть nfs...
    Вот и до nfs добрались микротранзакции, лутбоксы и прочая ересь... Что за жалкая попытка совместить гоночную аркаду и карточную стратегию? Ты покупаешь машину и еще пол часа дрочишь в рулетку, чтобы выбить нормальною карточку для тюннинга. Игра проходится буквально за 5-6 часов, а сюжет банальный и забывается через неделю...
  6. Artifeks
    Nov 11, 2017
    2
    Money...money...money.
    When you come home after a day's work. And for recreation you choose a new "NSF", you make a mistake, because the new game is another work, where for the sake of any little things you will be wasting your time and energy, or your money. And in the results you will not rest and will not get the pleasure from the money spent.
  7. Chashm0dai
    Nov 30, 2018
    0
    The one redeeming feature of this game is the visual customization of cars, but even that is dragged down the dirt by some of the negative points I'll talk about in the rest of this review.

    So, now that the one positive feature is out of the way, let's talk negatives. First of all: the controls. More specifically, the controls in menus. There are no cursor in any menus. Where a cursor    The one redeeming feature of this game is the visual customization of cars, but even that is dragged down the dirt by some of the negative points I'll talk about in the rest of this review.

    So, now that the one positive feature is out of the way, let's talk negatives.
    First of all: the controls. More specifically, the controls in menus. There are no cursor in any menus. Where a cursor is needed, such as while browsing the map, it is not controlled by the mouse. No, the cursor in this game is controlled with the arrow keys. Yes, EA couldn't be bothered to properly port this to PC and add mouse support, instead you have to control your cursor with your arrow keys. Totally unacceptable and one of the reasons I find myself playing this game a lot less than I would have wanted.

    Another extremely stupid decision on EAs part is the car upgrade system. Let's say you want to upgrade the turbocharger of your car. In a good racing game, you would save up money and purchase a new turbocharger. But this is not a good racing game. Here, you have to go to a slot machine and hope you get the turbocharger you want. Yes, you gamble for parts in this game. Exclusively. You can't just buy whatever part you want, even if you're the richest man on Earth. Furthermore, even if you get a turbocharger, more often than not you get one without a bonus to speed or acceleration. Instead, you get a bonus to jump distance or brake efficiency. Yes, if you change your turbocharger in this game, you might get better brakes instead of better acceleration. It's completely illogical. Change exhaust, get better N2O. Change engine block, get longer jump distances when driving over a jump. Makes ZERO sense. Not only that, the car part cards you unlock are locked to whatever vehicle you were driving when using the slot machine. Got a card you might not want to put in your current car? Tough luck, you can't put it on ANY other car, not even of the same brand and model.

    And let's not even get started on the so called "story". Such an uninspiring, boring and predictable story isn't even worth telling. They should have cut it completely and just lined up races one after another without story interruptions. The characters are all, without exception, extremely cringeworthy. I literally cringe whenever I hear dialogue in this game. That's how bad it is. Who wrote the characters and dialogue in this game? A teenage intern? I'm sure one of those could have done a better job anyway.

    Lastly, let's talk about micro-transactions. Of course EA had to force them into this **** game as well. I hope no-one is stupid enough to buy them. In the end, I ended up downloading a mod that unlocked the items you could only get through micro-transactions instead, like vanity items.

    All in all, this amounts to a very disappointing and, quite frankly, horrible experience. I don't know what EA had in mind when they made this game, but it sure wasn't the player experience. Maybe there are cash whales out there who spend a lot of money on **** like this, and those are the people EA aimed for with this garbage.

    Avoid this game, it's a complete waste of your money and time. Don't even buy it during sales, because you will end up regretting it regardless.    … Expand
  8. rBose
    Nov 21, 2017
    0
    need for speed casino drift
    dont buy it, microtransactions and lootboxes are cancer

    Dont support their practices, try to avoid them as best as you can
  9. palker
    Nov 10, 2017
    3
    The game would be about 7 if it had a decent upgrade system. The absurd card based upgrade system they put in this NFS Payback is blatantly designed to push microtransactions on the player. Upgrade shops have endless supplies of expensive trash cards that are only rarely any good. The best upgrades are supplied by the literal slot machine that consumes tokens that can be received fromThe game would be about 7 if it had a decent upgrade system. The absurd card based upgrade system they put in this NFS Payback is blatantly designed to push microtransactions on the player. Upgrade shops have endless supplies of expensive trash cards that are only rarely any good. The best upgrades are supplied by the literal slot machine that consumes tokens that can be received from gameplay or the GODDAMN LOOTBOXES. Gone are the times when you bought a new car and then grinded some races to earn money to upgrade your car with the best parts. In NFS Payback if you buy a car with Level 3 stock cards the best you can buy is LvL 5 performance card if you get lucky. You have to grind races to get better cards for free to be able to buy or win better cards from the slot machine. It is insulting. What makes it worse is the slot machine abusive tactics will most likely bring in enough money from the so called whales that we will not see good NFS ever again.
    The visual customization is great, graphics are also great but that is to be expected from game as this. The plot is well it is good enough to keep you going despite sometimes cringeworthy dialog. It is competently made videogame brought down by greed of the EA. If you want to play good racing game with online free roam lots of cars shiny graphics and gread driving model get Forza Horizon 3. No cop chase though but Payback cop chases do not count they are just time attack races with people trying to crash in to you.    … Expand
  10. d_WAR_f
    Nov 15, 2017
    0
    Голосуя рублем за игры с лутбоксами (под отговорками "ну геймплей-то хороший") вы позволяете разрабам и издателям иметь себя и в будущем.
    Не покупайте игры с микротранзакциями! Остановим этот произвол!
  11. G-K
    Nov 17, 2017
    0
    EA and Lootboxes. Enough said.

    Trust me, it is really bad, save your Money for a better game. Maybe an old Need for Speed, that might be more what you are looking for.
  12. StripedDeer
    Nov 18, 2017
    0
    Im so happy!
    New NFS, cool... stop... wait...
    Thx EA for speed cards in NFS payback. Awesome! This is not race anymore... its a casino!
    Maybe next NFS without cars? new game experience!
  13. TsukasaHiiragi
    Nov 14, 2017
    3
    Need for Speed: Speed Card edition. Thats bad enough right?...right? WRONG!! The port is a buggy mess, sluggish load times and occasional graphical glitches across the board. Anyone giving this a 10 should be kicked off metacritic, because this game is an insult to the thorough-bred series of games that is Need for Speed, its heritage and proud history deserves a better drivingNeed for Speed: Speed Card edition. Thats bad enough right?...right? WRONG!! The port is a buggy mess, sluggish load times and occasional graphical glitches across the board. Anyone giving this a 10 should be kicked off metacritic, because this game is an insult to the thorough-bred series of games that is Need for Speed, its heritage and proud history deserves a better driving experience, and payback...is just a complete and utter mess, Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed is a BETTER game than this, and that game is old - heck, it even plays better too and that version of NFS was released 17 years ago....

    Listen up EA, stop with the BS, stop with the micro-transaction frenzy. We, the gamers are tired of your BS, just stop it - you're better than this, go back to creating finished games that the gamers enjoyed to play, don't give your developers iron-clad shackles and excessive monetization demands, you are single handedly screwing over the game industry and completely worthy of the title of worse game publishers.    … Expand
  14. Aeromusic
    Nov 14, 2017
    0
    NFS MoneyBack. Car tuning from lootboxes? No, EA, never. Awful physics, middle graphics and boring gameplay. I don't like and don't recomend to buy it to anyone.
  15. Seitori
    Nov 14, 2017
    0
    OMG! That is the last drop from EA. Total sh!t. They left nfs 2015 half-dead, now they made this grind-simulator. Along with a new Battlefront this is a total disaster. From now on I won't buy any EA game and I will agitate all my friends not to support EA.
  16. beast89
    Nov 10, 2017
    0
    I give it 0 Because the games is boring is pure fast and furious and looks like forza Horizon 3 It is not like the need for speed underground 2 that for me was the best and now everything is DLC And Micropayments I will not buy a need for speed more
  17. Nivius
    Nov 10, 2017
    3
    What a **** game. looks good, sounds good, rest is pure diarrhea, same as every dam NFS game released lately. They have lost the magic 4-5 games ago. I regret getting this game so hard
  18. mr_b00mbast1c
    Nov 15, 2017
    1
    Это шедевр, засунуть внешний тюнинг авто в никому не нужные побочные гонки, которые явно слизаны с другой игры, и я думаю многие даже поняли какой (The Crew), только там они имеют действительно побочный характер и не несут ответственности за открытие тюнинга или стайлинга. Та-же история с карточками вместо тюнинга мощности авто, которые естественно можно выбить из лутбоксов за реал мани, аЭто шедевр, засунуть внешний тюнинг авто в никому не нужные побочные гонки, которые явно слизаны с другой игры, и я думаю многие даже поняли какой (The Crew), только там они имеют действительно побочный характер и не несут ответственности за открытие тюнинга или стайлинга. Та-же история с карточками вместо тюнинга мощности авто, которые естественно можно выбить из лутбоксов за реал мани, а без карточек игра труднопроходима.
    Я хз как так можно было обосраться, но предыдущая часть серии на фоне Payback выглядит гораздо лучше. ЕА, мб пора пересмотреть свою политику и перестать кормить говном фанатов серии? А Ghost Games в каком-то смысле даже жаль, все шишки на них посыпятся из-за жадности и некомпетентности ЕА.    … Expand
  19. justmkomsk
    Nov 16, 2017
    1
    I'm completely disappointed in progression system. Once i got first challenges with racing gangs I was pushed to replay older missions to get some money to get at least necessary upgrades. Or, of course, there was another way: to pay real money in the fullpriced game to get... money in the game. That is freakingly bad and I will try to refund the game.
    Worst racing game progression system    I'm completely disappointed in progression system. Once i got first challenges with racing gangs I was pushed to replay older missions to get some money to get at least necessary upgrades. Or, of course, there was another way: to pay real money in the fullpriced game to get... money in the game. That is freakingly bad and I will try to refund the game.
    Worst racing game progression system ever. Worst NFS ever, despite of good handling and graphics. In the current state game should be named NFS: Refund.    … Expand
  20. MastaDyemon
    Nov 15, 2017
    4
    Графоний в игре сделан не плохо, но саму игру напрочь убивают микротранзакции, карточки тюнинга вместо привычных улучшений, побочные не нужные задания чтобы растянуть время игры. Большинство идей слизаны с The Crew, и это печально, а сюжет похож на фильмы серии "Форсаж" и это уныло. Система в игре явно сделана для PayToWin, и это плевок со стороны EA в лицо геймерам. Не рекомендую кГрафоний в игре сделан не плохо, но саму игру напрочь убивают микротранзакции, карточки тюнинга вместо привычных улучшений, побочные не нужные задания чтобы растянуть время игры. Большинство идей слизаны с The Crew, и это печально, а сюжет похож на фильмы серии "Форсаж" и это уныло. Система в игре явно сделана для PayToWin, и это плевок со стороны EA в лицо геймерам. Не рекомендую к покупке данную игру!!!… Expand
  21. BumFrontMan
    Nov 21, 2017
    0
    I remember when Need For Speed was an awesome game, it was my favourite game on the Panasonic 3DO. Fast forward 20 years later and we have this. Game looks awesome, shame they forgot why the Need For Speed games were fun in the first place. EA please stop ruining gaming with your (at the moment) legalised game gambling systems.
  22. 007arpan
    Mar 9, 2018
    0
    I wish if I can rate it minus 10... Don't buy EA games... There's no support in Battlefield 1 also not in this or any other EA games... The controls is terrible and game play is very poor... If you haven't buy it yet then skip it...
  23. DesNukem
    Mar 12, 2018
    4
    The unconscionable money-grabbing aspect has been addressed by several reviewers so I'll just mention a couple of other things that Ghost Games and other developers need to learn:

    1. Don't try to appeal to the youth market by imitating their language and mannerisms – it just looks contrived. If you make a game like a teen-movie and players don't like your movie, they're not going to    The unconscionable money-grabbing aspect has been addressed by several reviewers so I'll just mention a couple of other things that Ghost Games and other developers need to learn:

    1. Don't try to appeal to the youth market by imitating their language and mannerisms – it just looks contrived. If you make a game like a teen-movie and players don't like your movie, they're not going to enjoy your game no matter how it plays. Make games for mature adults and you will capture the youth market.

    2. Don't substitute unnecessary cut scenes for actions that players could perform themselves.

    NFS Payback is a perfect example of how not to make a game – racing or otherwise. As far as racing goes, another flaw in this entry is the obtrusive arches and directional arrows which completely break the immersion in an otherwise beautifully rendered open world. You especially don't need directions in places where there is only one possible route. I give it 4 points for the graphics.    … Expand
  24. hightechboy
    Oct 24, 2019
    1
    This is the worst NFS game i've had ever played. When you're playing it seems like the car doesn't move, slow, boring, a lot of **** script. Bad, too bad.
  25. madnessopus
    Apr 13, 2019
    3
    Game was 75% off so I thought why not, the car customization seems really cool. Boy was I wrong. Everything about this cliche-ridden, The Crew wannabe feels like a chore.
  26. WingedAnomaly
    Aug 20, 2018
    4
    A decent game utterly destroyed by the fact that the AI play by different rules than the player. Not only is the rubber banding so awful it's almost funny, but AI cars can speed around corners without braking or sliding. This isn't too bad in most events, as, while they may cheat, they're also exceptionally dumb, but in the (mandatory) off-road events, this problem reduces the game to aA decent game utterly destroyed by the fact that the AI play by different rules than the player. Not only is the rubber banding so awful it's almost funny, but AI cars can speed around corners without braking or sliding. This isn't too bad in most events, as, while they may cheat, they're also exceptionally dumb, but in the (mandatory) off-road events, this problem reduces the game to a matter of frustration and dumb luck. There is nothing that makes me want to rage-quit more than needing to stomp on the brake to get around a corner without hurtling off the road, only to watch the entire AI pack pass me by whipping around the corner at full speed. Avoid at all costs. Buy Forza Horizon 3 for a similar, and better, experience.… Expand
  27. elohhna89
    Aug 14, 2018
    3
    Только что отклинул свой джойстик снова и снова перепроходя гонки пятой главы.. и знаете что, ребята из Ghost Games - F*ck U. Серьезно!

    Graphics - 7/0
    Physics - 3/0
    Story Mode 1/0
    Grind -10/10
  28. CWIRRED
    Mar 21, 2019
    0
    This gamę is **** Fuken lootbokses and pay wall
  29. Justbecause98
    Sep 8, 2019
    2
    ITs the worst physics i ever seen. Story is boring and characters make me angry. Game has only few advantages such as: graphics and tunning,the rest of all its stupidness,microtransactions and other ****
  30. Penis-is-big
    May 15, 2019
    0
    After 1 hour spent in Need for Speed payback, I realized that this is one of the worst racing games that I played. In this game, absolutely everything is terrible, from trashy graphics to uncomfortable main menus, I not recommend this part of NFS.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
62

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Mar 2, 2018
    79
    In an effort to make players shell out for microtransactions, developers ramped up the difficulty, which led to a surprisingly enjoyable result – it’s the first time we get a relatively difficult NFS in recent years. [Issue#226, p.44]
  2. Gamersky
    Jan 21, 2018
    75
    NFS: Payback is full of defects, such as the boring story, highly repetitive missions, useless open world design, and annoying microtransactions. However, it is not terrible enough to get a fail score. This game contains exaggerated and cool controls, exhilarating car chasing, and fascinating background music. If you also enjoy the passionate scenes of the Fast & Furious movie series just like I do, I think you will love this game anyway.
    Read full review
  3. Games.cz
    Jan 21, 2018
    40
    The new game from the Need for Speed series does not respect your time at all. You should pay it back the same and don´t lose any moment with it. Unprepared and unbalanced free to play mechanics with a strong gambling part destroy otherwise quite usable and somewhat entertaining, though not very interesting arcade.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »