User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 623 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Nov 23, 2017
    0
    Me molesto mucho la situacion de las SPEEDCARDS ya que considero son una forma de arruinar el juego debido a que tu progreso no se basa en tu habilidad al volante sino en que cartas tienes equipadas, Muy mal EA otro juego mas arruinado por la avaricia de una compañia
  2. Nov 22, 2017
    6
    Ignoring the micro-transaction component that has been covered ad nauseam in reviews, Need for Speed Payback slightly improves on some parts of NFS 2015, but is ultimately destroyed by the pathetically bad story and performance upgrade system.

    Pros: + Fantastic arcade handling + Realistic sounds + Improved vehicle collision mechanics over NFS 2015 Cons: - Performance on PC could
    Ignoring the micro-transaction component that has been covered ad nauseam in reviews, Need for Speed Payback slightly improves on some parts of NFS 2015, but is ultimately destroyed by the pathetically bad story and performance upgrade system.

    Pros:
    + Fantastic arcade handling
    + Realistic sounds
    + Improved vehicle collision mechanics over NFS 2015

    Cons:
    - Performance on PC could be a lot better
    - Card system for performance upgrades is a massive downgrade from NFS 2015s upgrade system
    - The story is ridiculously bad
    - Police chases are now just sprint races with cops ramming you

    Playtime wise, this game lasted about 33 hours for me, but that is inflated by the need to grind races to progress through the story.

    Overall, I can't recommend this game at its $60 price point
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  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. Nov 20, 2017
    3
    Lootboxes, speed cards, no car parts, stupid kids who go "FULL NOS MODE" in multiplayer and ram you until you crash and get on the last place, repetitive story. EA. Do i need to say more? I'm still playing the game despite all of this **** but if you wanna buy it.. just don't. Save your money for another game
  6. Nov 19, 2017
    2
    Графоний более-менее у игры, остальное шлак. Физика, сюжет, микротранзакции. Надеюсь, что Electronic Arts разориться и с позором уйдёт с рынка.
  7. 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!
  8. 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.
  9. Nov 17, 2017
    10
    EA/GhostGames masters its gamedeveloper craft: The actionpacked gaming hell in NFS Payback makes much more fun than the bland FH 3 from MS. Payback is not about boring festival simulations!

    Its a freaky sometimes amusing story of three different car fetishists Tyler (Racer), Mac (Showman) and Jess (Wheelman) against a flashy cartel "The House" in the adventurous world of Fortune Valley.
    EA/GhostGames masters its gamedeveloper craft: The actionpacked gaming hell in NFS Payback makes much more fun than the bland FH 3 from MS. Payback is not about boring festival simulations!

    Its a freaky sometimes amusing story of three different car fetishists Tyler (Racer), Mac (Showman) and Jess (Wheelman) against a flashy cartel "The House" in the adventurous world of Fortune Valley. The speed heady car casino atmosphere is unique and has addictive potential not only for arcadegambler. Loverpieces such as american muscle cars, coveted european and exotic supersportcars as well outsider wrecks need to be pimped over the edge (in addition to live-tuning on the road). Therewith singleplayers always have to win the ultimate first place in order to be able keep up in breakneck actionraces (Race & Runner, Offroad, Drag & Drift) along the evolving story. So this Game celebrates the need for speed in all its facets: From ingenious search for extremely upgradable wrecks up to blustery Poker around exchangeable speedcards for tuningparts. Completing the storymissions rewarded with all that already in singleplayer, besides the equipment also increases by multiplayer competitions. Additional speedpoints don't have to be bought extra, however the natural need of some gamers for timesaving may require this, because not all people have so much time for gaming. (An alternative could be to make games not so extensive, but this could be at the expense of gamers with appropriate time for gaming.)

    Those coherent atmosphere with attention for details (use special camerafunction), car customizations, pc&playeroptions and so on comes through the fluid high graphicquality and soundoptimization even on weaker laptops to advantage. So my need for speed covers this game!
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  10. Nov 17, 2017
    0
    Unfortunately. I was waiting for this game, the general concept behind it is nice, I don't really care that the plot is cheesy - it's just a racing game. Oh no, sorry. It's not a game. It is a slot machine, a gambling application with a possibility to play the game hidden behind this. At least there are lots of other racing games out there, that don't work like this, including older NFSUnfortunately. I was waiting for this game, the general concept behind it is nice, I don't really care that the plot is cheesy - it's just a racing game. Oh no, sorry. It's not a game. It is a slot machine, a gambling application with a possibility to play the game hidden behind this. At least there are lots of other racing games out there, that don't work like this, including older NFS installments. Expand
  11. 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.
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  12. Nov 16, 2017
    0
    Dont own the game, but making a statement on EA's microtransaction and card malpractices, buying a AAA title does not warrant me having to double up to get all the content. so instead of a 60$ game its a 120$ game
    check out Angry Joe's video on the subject on youtube -> ****
  13. 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
  14. 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!
  15. 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.
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  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. Nov 14, 2017
    5
    So... I was thinking between 6, 7... maybe 8. But decided to give it a 6. Here is why.
    Edit: Lowered it to 5, because of huge wasted potential and stupid Speed Card system... Speed Cards? Seriously?....
    This game is like a supermodel. At first glance it looks amazing, but after a few minutes you realize it's extremely shallow. First thing - driving model and feeling. I would give it
    So... I was thinking between 6, 7... maybe 8. But decided to give it a 6. Here is why.
    Edit: Lowered it to 5, because of huge wasted potential and stupid Speed Card system... Speed Cards? Seriously?....

    This game is like a supermodel. At first glance it looks amazing, but after a few minutes you realize it's extremely shallow.

    First thing - driving model and feeling. I would give it 8-9/10. Yes, it's arcade but is very spectacular, satisfying and the cars feel quite real. This is a strong point in my opinion. Graphics are good, I can't say 100% because I play on medium-high settings. The gameplay is poor too. The single player is fun at the beginning but after a few missions it's over and over the same thing. Lack of "quick race" or "custom race" option where you can just casually race with bots for prizes is another minus. You can only do a next mission or redo a mission you already completed.

    Multiplayer is boring too. No real interaction like in the Crew. Just matchmaking races where you end up with guys with better cars. I wonder why there is no free roam multiplayer or cooperation.

    The Crew rip off.... All the game mechanics look like a complete The Crew rip off. Different cars for different racing types. Cards for upgrading cars. Everything looks exactly like The Crew.

    A big let down is car customization and upgrading. Car models look super sweet, but wacky visual modifications and hilarious mechanical modification make it a huge let down. I would love to see a bit more, real customization. Real car parts, not this cards BS...

    All in all the game is fun, but gets boring after a while. Despite having a huge potential the game feels empty and shallow.

    Pros:
    - Sound - Cars sound amazing. Very true to original real world sounds
    - Car variety
    - Driving model - fun, spectacular, but not exaggerated
    - Graphics

    Cons:
    - No cockpit view.... Huge let down
    - Lack of coop
    - Few visual upgrades to cars
    - No real car parts upgrading - just some simplified card system
    - No custom-quick races
    - Oversimplified multi
    - Shallow gameplay
    - Lack of functionality in many aspects.
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  19. 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.
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  20. Nov 14, 2017
    10
    Отличная игра, прекрасная графика, физика не очень конечно, но лучше чем в прошлой части.
    Звук и музыка шикарны, сюжет для гоночной игры неплох.
  21. Nov 12, 2017
    10
    games preety good actually despite the bad reviews. Physics are on point and drifting feels nice. it has a lot more cars than nfs 2015. I liked that they tried off roading and the story is good and i personally liked it
  22. Nov 12, 2017
    9
    The game is great, they fixed the handilng, improved the stancing. And everyone who is mad about the Loot Crates is just **** stupid because even if you have the money you still have to hope for some good Cards to upgrade your car its just the same as in The Crew, why is everyone so mad at this when its literally the same system. Anyway, the game is great. Buy it !
  23. 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.
  24. Nov 11, 2017
    10
    A very good NFS arcade racing game, I think its being review bombed due to the speedcarda nd in game purchases - Which is a business desicision I HATE.. but.. the Gameplay itself is so much fun!! I nearly didnt get it fdue to bad scores on Ign and gamespot but I am so glad I did. If you loved open world games like burnout paradise you will love this.! Miles better than 2015 nfs. So muchA very good NFS arcade racing game, I think its being review bombed due to the speedcarda nd in game purchases - Which is a business desicision I HATE.. but.. the Gameplay itself is so much fun!! I nearly didnt get it fdue to bad scores on Ign and gamespot but I am so glad I did. If you loved open world games like burnout paradise you will love this.! Miles better than 2015 nfs. So much to do in such a big world. Expand
  25. 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 !
  26. Nov 11, 2017
    10
    The best Need for Speed from Ghost Games. They fixed the issues that we adressed from nfs 2015 and it's so much better. The handling is so much better no Monster Energy Product Placements, the world is huge and the envoirment differs. The Inclusion of Day and Night gives the game more atmosphere and the story is great
  27. 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.
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  28. Nov 10, 2017
    0
    Nuevamente quieren obligar al jugador a pagar para poder avanzar rápido y ganar el juego con micropagos. Este juego no lo recomiendo. No se puede disfrutar mucho ya que se tiene que repetir lo mismo hasta el cansancio para acumular puntos para poder avanzar, aunque sea la desarrolladora hubiera puesto más carreras distintas para compensar, pero no, debes pagar. La EA busca que su mercadoNuevamente quieren obligar al jugador a pagar para poder avanzar rápido y ganar el juego con micropagos. Este juego no lo recomiendo. No se puede disfrutar mucho ya que se tiene que repetir lo mismo hasta el cansancio para acumular puntos para poder avanzar, aunque sea la desarrolladora hubiera puesto más carreras distintas para compensar, pero no, debes pagar. La EA busca que su mercado sea ya no el de vender juego, sino la de micropagos que posteriormente debes pagar después de comprar el juego. O sea que al final pagas mucho más en total de lo que esperabas.

    In English
    Again they want to force the player to pay to be able to advance fast and win the game with micropayments. This game I do not recommend. You can not enjoy much because you have to repeat the same thing until you get tired to accumulate points to move forward, even if the developer would have put more different races to compensate, but no, you must pay. The EA seeks that its market is no longer that of selling games, but that of micropayments that you must later pay after buying the game. So in the end you pay much more in total than you expected.
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  29. 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
  30. Nov 10, 2017
    2
    Need for Speed: Refund. .
  31. 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
  32. 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.
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  33. Nov 10, 2017
    9
    The fact this game is so divided in the review section demonstrates how bias and unprepared many of the reviews are. The game is not bad at all. Tons of content and an upgrade system which while not being my cup of tea is not a "mobile system" as it has been said to be. In 25 hours of ply time I have maxed 5 cars on each class and have not yet finished the story mode. I have not payed aThe fact this game is so divided in the review section demonstrates how bias and unprepared many of the reviews are. The game is not bad at all. Tons of content and an upgrade system which while not being my cup of tea is not a "mobile system" as it has been said to be. In 25 hours of ply time I have maxed 5 cars on each class and have not yet finished the story mode. I have not payed a single penny for any microtransactions simply cause I haven't had the need for it. Everything is accessible and might I add the upgrade system was chosen by the community in the subreddit post for need for speed two years ago.
    I would absolutely like to see some fixes in the multiplayer aspect which I must add I have only played half an hour of (see some online free roam, and a reworked tier system for online competition). Also like to see some easier grind on the upgrade shop. Cop chases and bait crates work fine for me, I am not much of a cop chase guy myself.
    Please do not listen to big corporation reviews and take a look at smaller youtubers and car community youtubers which actually play arcade racers in order to see what they think about the game, and not what a company full of corruption has to say.
    I would give the game an 8 right now, but the amount stupidity in the review scores make me take matters into my own hands, plus I'm sure this "issues" will be taken care of since it's Ghost games we are talking about here, and like it or not EA has really stepped up their game with the players.
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  34. Nov 10, 2017
    9
    i'm very happy white this NFS! It's a big step forward compared to the 2015 version! Better graphics, smarter cops, bigger openworld. There are missing only a few options like: cops in freeroam and online freeroam. I hope that these missing things will come in updates. This game is further great!
  35. Nov 10, 2017
    9
    1 of best need for Speed for me. There has chases (not ree-roam, but in future is will be has), cars, and most important that game feels like NFS, true NFS, atmosphere is cool, Open-world is big, Upgrade system, if you are not a dumb (IGN, Game-spot) Easy give chance to make good build for every car. Loot-Boxes had and in FH 1 (in '12), but nobody in past and nowadays don't said any words1 of best need for Speed for me. There has chases (not ree-roam, but in future is will be has), cars, and most important that game feels like NFS, true NFS, atmosphere is cool, Open-world is big, Upgrade system, if you are not a dumb (IGN, Game-spot) Easy give chance to make good build for every car. Loot-Boxes had and in FH 1 (in '12), but nobody in past and nowadays don't said any words about dat, What the hell. Where your objectivity? I Played in NFS Payback about 26 hours and i enjoyed every second of the game Collapse Expand
Metascore
62

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. 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. 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.
  3. 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.