Need for Speed: Most Wanted

 PlayStation 3
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 564 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 255 out of 564
  2. Mixed: 121 out of 564
  3. Negative: 188 out of 564
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. stevie
    Nov 5, 2012
    8
    A good solid racing game that you don't need to spend 25 hours on just to unlock a half-decent car. Take it for what it is, a pick-up-and-play racer with little to no need for massive time investment. If you want to tune your car, or spend 40 hours unlocking a twin turbo hatchback, then buy GT5 or Forza. If you are married or have kids and just want to spin the wheels for half an hour,A good solid racing game that you don't need to spend 25 hours on just to unlock a half-decent car. Take it for what it is, a pick-up-and-play racer with little to no need for massive time investment. If you want to tune your car, or spend 40 hours unlocking a twin turbo hatchback, then buy GT5 or Forza. If you are married or have kids and just want to spin the wheels for half an hour, buy this game.… Expand
  2. kartzy
    Oct 23, 2014
    8
    A very nice game (not as good as 2010's Hot Pursuit though) with great graphics, a good selection of cars, nice handling and vehicle mods. Note that this game has only 64 events (Hot Pursuit has 108), and these can be played only as a racer. You can't drop spikes or launch EMPs like you did in Hot Pursuit.
  3. Austin36Ween
    Nov 11, 2022
    8
    Great game overall.

    Pros: Great Graphics, Car sounds are beautiful, and map is pretty big.

    Cons: Progression is bad, and DLC is overpriced.

    Verdict: If you find it for cheap, would recommend.
  4. bigslicksly
    Nov 3, 2012
    8
    Ok everyone, take a deep breath. What about the 10 and the o !!! First, before writing a review, try to play the game more than 10 or 30 minutes. Second, every gamer on the planet knows that this game is the legetimate successor to BURNOUT and not MOST WANTED. finaly, stop comparing it to Forza, its a totaly different experience. Forza is a sim racer that let you pay outside of the track.Ok everyone, take a deep breath. What about the 10 and the o !!! First, before writing a review, try to play the game more than 10 or 30 minutes. Second, every gamer on the planet knows that this game is the legetimate successor to BURNOUT and not MOST WANTED. finaly, stop comparing it to Forza, its a totaly different experience. Forza is a sim racer that let you pay outside of the track. The other is clearly a fast pace adrenaline pumping arcade racer with over the top jumps and crushing crash. For my part, this is a excellent game. It got its flaws but every game does. Its realy Burnout with real cars. Once you get used to the controls and the weight of the car it plays like a charm. Its clear that the single player is not as chunky as Burnout but you got plenty to keep you busy even if you dont play online. It could take you weeks juste to find all short cuts and billboards. I love that i can pick any car i want and try it. Changing cars on the fly is great to. There is no real customisation. Its more like tuning your car to fit the next race. If your a tuning freek and like to spend hours working on you car, look elswhere, this is not a game for you. If you liked Burnout paradise and other arcare racer, you will love this game.… Expand
  5. TheDeadSerious
    Oct 14, 2013
    8
    I thoroughly enjoy this game. Once I got a hang of the reward and open world mechanics I found it immensely satisfying to gather the points needed to unlock the next Most Wanted challenge. The cars really have different handling, and the power-ups like different gear ratios that you unlock by winning races have a huge impact on them. The graphics are impressive, the controls feelI thoroughly enjoy this game. Once I got a hang of the reward and open world mechanics I found it immensely satisfying to gather the points needed to unlock the next Most Wanted challenge. The cars really have different handling, and the power-ups like different gear ratios that you unlock by winning races have a huge impact on them. The graphics are impressive, the controls feel responsive and the engines roar when attached to a stereo. What I find somewhat frustrating is the amount of luck involved sometimes: The police and traffic appear somewhat randomly, and if you're out of luck you'll crash without any chance of avoiding it shortly before the end of a 5 minute race. The uncertainty does add some additional thrill on the other hand. Also, the rubber-band is somewhat annoying. While it is very hard to win a race when you accidentally crash more than a 2-3 times, opponents are always close behind you even if you do a perfect display and should be way out front, so any mistake leads to a lost race. What I also found annoying is the aggressive promotion of DLC-stuff. It is in all the regular menus and the DLC-cars can be found around town just like the other ones, just until you approach them to switch and see a "Hit Button to go to store" instead of "to switch cars". All in all a very fun arcade racing game.… Expand
  6. Lewa
    Feb 22, 2014
    8
    Don't trust the other reviewers. This is a great game, and a big improvment from Hot Pursuit. I like how it is open world, doesn't feel to linear, and the races and chases are mega intense. The speed point system is good, and not to complex. And contrary to popular belief, there is a consequence for being busted by the cops. During the pursuits, you rack up speed points, but they only giveDon't trust the other reviewers. This is a great game, and a big improvment from Hot Pursuit. I like how it is open world, doesn't feel to linear, and the races and chases are mega intense. The speed point system is good, and not to complex. And contrary to popular belief, there is a consequence for being busted by the cops. During the pursuits, you rack up speed points, but they only give them to you if you escape. If you are busted, you gain NOTHING. For example, I was saving up speed points for my next most wanted race, and this one particular pursuit ran very long, about 40 minutes. Sounds boring, right? No. This one was filled with epic moments and high speed. I had about 40,000 speed points in the pursuit, the heat levels were in 5 or 6, and I knew that if I was busted, all that hard work would lead to nothing. I escaped by going up into a train track and waiting it out. One of the best feeling you can get from a game. Sure the handling feels a bit vague, and it can get really frustrating really quickly, but this is one of the best racers on the market so far.… Expand
  7. mclure
    Aug 23, 2014
    10
    Criterion did a good job, altough it differs from PC, it's about gameplay, the graphics of the PS3 is good and the cars are really great to drive, though crashing happens but it doesn't really stops you from completing the game, unless you're looking for a harder challenge of getting gold medals and unlock all parts. There is also different parts and you can combine them to make yourCriterion did a good job, altough it differs from PC, it's about gameplay, the graphics of the PS3 is good and the cars are really great to drive, though crashing happens but it doesn't really stops you from completing the game, unless you're looking for a harder challenge of getting gold medals and unlock all parts. There is also different parts and you can combine them to make your customized car and unlock their pro variants for a bigger boost. I specially like the Subaru WRX STI Hatchback which is the one I first did customize fully to my taste, and Lancer, more specifically everyday cars, they are also fun to race with and doesn't crash as much.… Expand
  8. Cartteros
    Nov 5, 2012
    9
    I'll be serious here. People don't know what they want. Actually, they do. THEY WANTED A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL MOST WANTED. They're so biased by that idea they don't even try to enjoy the present Most Wanted that, by the way, is an awesome game. People put all their efforts on hating a game that's actually good just for the sake of the game not being what the first was. I know, it lacksI'll be serious here. People don't know what they want. Actually, they do. THEY WANTED A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL MOST WANTED. They're so biased by that idea they don't even try to enjoy the present Most Wanted that, by the way, is an awesome game. People put all their efforts on hating a game that's actually good just for the sake of the game not being what the first was. I know, it lacks aesthetic customization of the car, there's no time break, or whatever that thing of slowing the time is called, BUT Most Wanted 2 has a sweet gameplay, astounding graphics and is **** fun. People **** about this game are just haters and don't deserve attention. I say, if you like arcade racers, Need For Speed included, this is a must play for you. It has much little in common with the previous Most Wanted, but is still a remarkable game, awesome to play with your friends or to spend hours wandering in its open world. The cars are gorgeous, the EasyDrive menu is easy to use and functional and the game takes a 9 from me. It doesn't take a 10 because it don't have body customization. But it doesn't spoil the fun.… Expand
  9. AustraliaMan
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    A lot of people have INCORRECTLY said that there is NO penalty for being arrested, this statement is very WRONG.
    I just had a car chase with the police that lasted over 40 minutes, during the chase, I gathered 53,872 speed points (experience) that I LOST when the police manged to put and end to my city wide rampage by taking out my tires and trapping me in a rail tunnel...
    Had I managed    A lot of people have INCORRECTLY said that there is NO penalty for being arrested, this statement is very WRONG.
    I just had a car chase with the police that lasted over 40 minutes, during the chase, I gathered 53,872 speed points (experience) that I LOST when the police manged to put and end to my city wide rampage by taking out my tires and trapping me in a rail tunnel...
    Had I managed to escape them I would have been given those points for the car I was driving and would have been able to upgrade it in many different ways.
    A 40 minute car chase may sound boring but I can tell you, it was some of the most amazing and thrilling action I have every witnessed in a video game with stunts and crashes that would have put Hollywood to shame.
    I strongly recommend this game, give it a chance, you wont be sorry.    … Expand
  10. GeeRodKee
    Nov 4, 2012
    8
    I
  11. Reverz
    Oct 31, 2012
    8
    The graphics are what they should be, the sound is good and game has imo the best soundtrack any EA has had in the last 5 year. The handling seems a bit stiff at first but after a good hour of play you pretty much get used to it and it's no longer an issue. Lastly the autolog 2.0 is everything autolog 1.0 was and more: it basically keeps track of everything you do in the game, not justThe graphics are what they should be, the sound is good and game has imo the best soundtrack any EA has had in the last 5 year. The handling seems a bit stiff at first but after a good hour of play you pretty much get used to it and it's no longer an issue. Lastly the autolog 2.0 is everything autolog 1.0 was and more: it basically keeps track of everything you do in the game, not just race times but also the speeds at which you pass a traffic cam or the distance you jump through a billboard. It's all there so for pretty much everything you do in this game, you can see how you're doing compared to your friends.

    So much for the good things. The game has one major downside... it just lacks any sense of progress. The least they could've done is wrap the singleplayer up in a storyline. It didn't even have to be a super exciting story, just ANY basic story (like in the previous Most Wanted or Carbon) would've been fine. Instead, all you do now is drive around the map, looking for new cars. Once you get a car you win 5 races with it and you go on to the next car, rinse and repeat. The only thing that interupts this routine are the 10 Most Wanted drivers you can challenge, altho challenge is a bad word, destroy seems to be the better option.

    I have not yet tried the multiplayer part of the game. I am assuming, like usual for me, that this part of the game will be more exiting.

    All in all, it's a good game but they missed quite a few chances here to merge Need for Speed & Burnout together into a fantastic piece. Instead the game just feels like a dumbed down version of Burnout with the Need for Speed cars instead of fictional ones. Neither of the two fanbases will be extatic with how this game turned out.

    PS: I would like to say: people that complain about the lack of manual transmission should shut up. This is an arcade racer, if you want manual transmission go play a simulation. Arcade racers aren't supposed to have all kinds of fancy crap like detailed **** view or steering wheel support, they are about hitting the gas as much and often as you can and Most Wanted gives you exactly that.    … Expand
  12. bears
    Dec 9, 2012
    10
    If you're looking for a replica of the PS2 title, save your money and your review. That being said, if you're looking for one amazing racing game on all fronts (gameplay, presentation, graphics) then this will blow your mind. I've logged hours upon hours and keep finding nuances that make my heart race while I maintain a huge smile on my face. Outrunning the cops has never felt this good.If you're looking for a replica of the PS2 title, save your money and your review. That being said, if you're looking for one amazing racing game on all fronts (gameplay, presentation, graphics) then this will blow your mind. I've logged hours upon hours and keep finding nuances that make my heart race while I maintain a huge smile on my face. Outrunning the cops has never felt this good. Well done!!… Expand
  13. projectahmed
    Nov 24, 2012
    9
    This game is CRAZY. The open world is so big but lost, The cars are hottest, The pursuit is massive but dangerous and is more experiancble then The Run. This is the only need for speed game i love, since hot pursuit and shift 2 unleashed.
  14. McCorkhill
    Nov 9, 2012
    9
    It is very, very hard to rate this game. I'll admit that. Let's start with the bad things. There is no storyline in this game, just the basic ladder of Most Wanted Cars to climb, defeat and claim. There is no visual customization whatsoever in single player, and Paint only in multiplayer. Also, and this is personal, I much prefer the regular style of collecting money and leveling up toIt is very, very hard to rate this game. I'll admit that. Let's start with the bad things. There is no storyline in this game, just the basic ladder of Most Wanted Cars to climb, defeat and claim. There is no visual customization whatsoever in single player, and Paint only in multiplayer. Also, and this is personal, I much prefer the regular style of collecting money and leveling up to unlock, buy and upgrade new cars.
    HOWEVER.
    The way you truly rate a game is based on how much fun you have playing it, and NFS:MW is an absolute blast. I bought it along with AC3, and this game has taken most of my time. It's a really solid title with a compelling race style. Now, I love Gran Turismo for its realism, but I'm also a fan of arcade racing. I mean, why are people knocking this game for not being realistic as far as physics? It's a CRITERION GAME. And it's no secret that this is more of a sequel to Burnout: Paradise than any Need for Speed title. It's a fun game, with a well-structured multiplayer. The only drawbacks in that department are a) idiots who don't show up to the meet-up and waste our time and b) too many challenges about parking on roofs and near-missing and not enough real racing. But as I said, I can't put this game down quite yet. A solid 9. Wish I could give it a 9.5, if Metacritic would let me.    … Expand
  15. SLaRionov
    Nov 4, 2012
    8
    Приветствую, Земляки! Первое впечатление от игры - самоеПриветствую, Земляки! Первое впечатление от игры - самое положительное, это именно то, чего ждали от Criterion Games (CG). Геймплей горячий, нагнетающий, лихой, передающий всю гамму чувств от езды на мощных авто, каков восторг! Я за игру вообще не переживал, CG знают свое дело.
    Система Easy Drive просто порадовала, отлично вкручена в геймплей. Погони с полицией - просто бомба. Копы стали очень агрессивными, умными и хитрыми, а еще очень быстрыми, просто так теперь не уйти. Азарт во время погони просто зашкаливает! SoundTrack в игре просто отличный, почти так же гармонично вписывающийсяв игру, как это было с NFS Hot Pursuit 2 далеком 2004.
    Вообщем то об игре вы все и так знаете, я лишь пишу подтверждение всему вышесказанному в СМИ. Игра имеет полное право поселиться на десктопе каждого кто любит лихие гонки!    … Expand
  16. mearlam
    Nov 3, 2012
    8
    I should first say that I am only a few hours into this game but I feel the need to post a review because some of the ridiculous user reviews on here giving it a bad score.

    This game is an open world and as such seems not to have much structure to it but it does and I think it is quite clever. I actually dislike open world in pretty much every game because it is a cheap way of making a    I should first say that I am only a few hours into this game but I feel the need to post a review because some of the ridiculous user reviews on here giving it a bad score.

    This game is an open world and as such seems not to have much structure to it but it does and I think it is quite clever. I actually dislike open world in pretty much every game because it is a cheap way of making a game seem big when it isn't.

    This open world works and lets you decide what to do. Getting from A to B is very fun and the cops won't bug you if you slow down when they are around, pretty easy.

    The racing is simply arcade fun where you can smash into things and still win...it depends what you want really. Controls are a little loose but that is entirely on purpose.

    I have to say ignore all the bad user comments because they were expecting a different game and come here to complain.

    Get this game if you liked hot pursuit or burnout paradise, do not get it if you didn't.

    The only thing I don't like so far is that the take downs you do does not have a slow mo camera thing like ALL the other burnout games, which is pretty annoying.

    FYI:the logitech wheel works great for this game.    … Expand
  17. M13
    Nov 2, 2012
    9
    I'm enjoying it a lot. It's pretty much Burnout Paradise City 2.0. So if you liked Burnout......and you want to see it with better.....everything.....then you'll like NFSMW. Best thing: The fact you can see your friend's times for every race and speed camera. So you can constantly compete with all your friends.

    Worst thing: Game is very short in terms of the main "mission".
  18. PopeRatzo
    Oct 31, 2012
    9
    When I started the game, I really didn't like the way the cars handled and thought it would be a big disappointment. As I've continued, now with 4 hours into the game, I'm getting really comfortable with the handling and the physics and I realize how the car customization changes the ways the cars feel on the road and perform.

    I really didn't want another NFS: the Run or Hot Pursuit.    When I started the game, I really didn't like the way the cars handled and thought it would be a big disappointment. As I've continued, now with 4 hours into the game, I'm getting really comfortable with the handling and the physics and I realize how the car customization changes the ways the cars feel on the road and perform.

    I really didn't want another NFS: the Run or Hot Pursuit. I wanted another Burnout Paradise, and so far the game has absolutely delivered. I'm having a blast and the races and pursuits are breathtaking. If you're worried about the handling, level up your car or get a better vehicle. The physics will become more comfortable.

    This game is not a sim (than goodness!). It's a wild arcade racer with very life-like physics but enough of a break from reality to make it exhilarating fun.

    I'm really glad this game came along right now. I'm so tired of third person shooters and games that don't deliver the goods. This one delivers the goods. I would like to have seen some more detailed control adjustment, like sensitivity. The Autolog system is quite unique and effective. I enjoyed hundreds of hours of Burnout Paradise play. If Need for Speed: Most Wanted gets me half that much, it will have been well worth every penny. It is my opinion that I'll be enjoying this game a lot in the coming months.    … Expand
  19. Elboyo
    Nov 4, 2012
    10
    I have signed up to metacritic because i cannot believe the stupid scores i have seen on here by what must be complete and utter fools, it really annoys me that people try and review a game that they could not have played or spent about 2 minutes with and then made a judgement and a bad one at that.
    Most wanted is an absolute storming racer and if you actually bother to play it properly    I have signed up to metacritic because i cannot believe the stupid scores i have seen on here by what must be complete and utter fools, it really annoys me that people try and review a game that they could not have played or spent about 2 minutes with and then made a judgement and a bad one at that.
    Most wanted is an absolute storming racer and if you actually bother to play it properly and add the mods to your cars it opens up into astonishingly well crafted arcade racer, so what if it does not have manual gears, it is an arcade racing game, not formula 1 or gran turismo, what it provides is a fantastic looking, superb sounding and incredibly playable game and that is what an arcade racer should be all about, it is a mix of need for speed and burnout but criterion have streamlined the interface so everything is neat and fast to get to, once you have found something you can fast travel there instantly instead of driving around aimlessly, something even some so called professional review sites did not even pick up on this fast travel feature so how can they put out reviews that say ( oh you have to keep driving miles to events ) when this is simply not true. So to round up, my view of most wanted is, a superbly well crafted game that has an excellent single player mode with so much to do and see and the online mode has even more fun and challenges than just about any other racer out there, just go out and buy it and play it properly for a few hours and by then you will be hooked by this astonishing game. I do not work for any game company and i think criterion have made a quite simply genius game here and if you play games to have real fun then go get this, please do not listen to the idiots that gave this game all the stupid low scores. It is a 10 / 10 game for me because it has a level of polish that even Mr Sheen would have a job to beat.    … Expand
  20. kaiser_alucard
    Nov 2, 2012
    10
    Spectacular. This game was sensational EA got hit once again recreating a classic. The passing system for instant repair was very good and practical cars around the scene was also found to be an excellent idea. Ramps, persecutions, good gameplay, beautiful graphics and great; fun make this game be right purchase.
  21. DarkSoul89
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    To anyone on the fence, to anyone who enjoys videogames or to anyone who is simply stressed out with life, Do urself a favour; GET THIS GAME. Why? Because its phenomenal. Forget the cry-babies, look at the score to the left
  22. NFSFAN
    Nov 8, 2012
    9
    Hi,
    like everyone else here i m just another fan of NFS and Burnout...i am playing NFS when they launched Need for Speed II and till now i have played every nfs game and NFS2 and NFSMW 1 are my favorites......yesterday i bought NFSMW 2 and i must say that it was a huge disappointment in the begining when i started at 3:00 Am with a thought that i will check the gameplay and will sleep but    Hi,
    like everyone else here i m just another fan of NFS and Burnout...i am playing NFS when they launched Need for Speed II and till now i have played every nfs game and NFS2 and NFSMW 1 are my favorites......yesterday i bought NFSMW 2 and i must say that it was a huge disappointment in the begining when i started at 3:00 Am with a thought that i will check the gameplay and will sleep but after playing it for 2.5 hours...i was like "OK, now this is the new type of arcade" and I really liked it. Graphics are amazing soundtrack is amazing blah blah blah...but Game Play is awesome and breathtaking.
    Almost everyone is against this game i dont know why?? lets discuss them
    Crash cam sometimes feels irritating but as HUGE FAN i dont feel bad abt it NOW...i mean you get use to it.
    Cop Chases are extremely hard and no special reward on evading but i am OK with it :)
    no Story Line means no Fiction Characters and i like it.
    Sometimes looking at the map takes you in a Crash so what...i mean anytime you can restart from your last check point.
    no customization of engines and tires etc etc but i would say thats perfect cause in this game you already have everything. I cannot say anything about the ONLINE Game play but i am pretty sure that it will be whole new experience.
    I mean common guys there cant be any other game like NFS MW 1 or Burnout...they were the best games of their time and they still are the BEST...i still play Most Wanted 1 on my laptop(actually i couldn't find it for Xbox). MW1 was a different game and this is a different game same goes for Burnout. so please dont mix NFSMW 2 with those games in fact no arcade racing game can be compared with those games and if you do then you are making a mistake or you are not a Fan of NFS or Burnout.
    Those who are new in NFS, they will find this game not good no blah blah blah BUT fan like me will like this game.
    Act like a NFS Fan not like a looser who thinks that i have lost my money on this game...i paid 60$ for this and i have no regret cause i really like nfs games (excluding some bs) and one more thing i play NFS most wanted on my iPhone also and there this game is totally different :)
    P.S. Galvinize by chemical brothers is an excellent song used in this MW2    … Expand
  23. SOUR_11b
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    greatest racing game ever created in the history of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  24. MothOne
    Dec 18, 2012
    8
    I find a lot of you being blatant jerks and giving the game a score of 0 or 1. I would think anyone with a rational bone in their body would use these low scores for their intended purpose, which is to give something that is such a complete abomination that it is broken.... un-playable. Have some professionalism people!
    It seems like most of the complaints are stating that you played the    I find a lot of you being blatant jerks and giving the game a score of 0 or 1. I would think anyone with a rational bone in their body would use these low scores for their intended purpose, which is to give something that is such a complete abomination that it is broken.... un-playable. Have some professionalism people!
    It seems like most of the complaints are stating that you played the game for 30 minutes, maybe an hour ( Personally I always know every last detail there is to know about every last game I buy after 10 minutes of game play, so I don't know what is wrong with you all) and complain about how the game is not a real NFS title.... how it is the death of the franchise... How Criterion ruined Need For Speed. Well it was stated months ago in every major published preview of the game that Criterion was the Developer (Shocker number one for you all I know) and that the title would follow the same style of game play as Criterion's "Burnout Paradise" (Shocker number two). So It was clearly said BY EA that the game would be a sort of mash up of Need For Speed: Most wanted, and Criterion's Burnout Paradise.... Hence the title: "Need For Speed: Most Wanted - a Criterion game". Wow so now that you dingbats with the 0's and 1's have no excuse... You officially know that this game was developed by Criterion with burnout paradise in mind as a model, and I think they did a DAMN GOOD JOB!
    The game is set in a gorgeous open world, the selection of cars is nothing short of awesome, the soundtrack is stellar, and the game play is fantastic.
    One aspect I found to be particularly cool was that you had the option to compete in different style-race events catered to each individual car, which would earn you speed points advancing you closer to the coveted number 1 most wanted spot, and earn you upgrades such as specialized tires, nitro boost, better chassis and gearbox layouts, ect.. But you have a virtual bevy of other options to earn points. These include the obvious such as catching air and smashing through billboards much like in Burnout Paradise, deliberately crashing into cops and starting chases, finding new cars, driving past speed cameras in excess of the posted speed and more... Aside from this you also earn points from reaching certain milestones such as drifting certain distances, driving for set amounts of time (with different point scales for driving on the correct side of the road, and driving into oncoming traffic) and many other activities that tend to just happen from driving each car anyway.
    The Graphics and sound are just PHENOMENAL, The cars sound as close as can be to their actual counterparts in reality (I know because I watch A LOT of "Top Gear" UK), the soundtrack is one that you would come to expect from an EA title except a lot better than usual, the day to night cycles and weather effects are so realistic that as in real life they just blend into the greater world as something that is just happening (not to mention that I found the wet ground/ spray from driving to be absolutely life-like). The cars pick up dirt, or mud if driving after poor weather conditions, and as with all of the effects in the game this looks fantastic. There are many different parts to this open world leaving something for everyone.... Crazy architecture for the stunt driver, bumpy dirt trails for the rally driver, Winding mountain roads for the initial-d loving toge drivers, freeway systems for pedal to the metal top-speed drivers, and of course... the city itself for the good old fashioned track racers (I found many hours wasted developing my own routes through the city, which helped me earn milestones in each different car i used. Now here is where we get to the major parts of this game that prevented it from earning a higher score in my book. First and by far the worst is the multiplayer. It is great racing around and making friends who's high scores are then posted into the speed cameras, billboards ect. in your city, meaning you can beat their scores in single player. This makes for some fun competition amongst friends. This is all well and good but the multiplayer games are horribly difficult to find out what you are supposed to be doing, and sometimes when you do find out the challenge is so stupid that it might prompt some to leave the game then and there. I found myself spending so much of the time trying to figure out what to do that in many cases I had been eliminated before having a chance to even compete. Another major flaw is the inability to select a manual transmission. I do not know what the developers were thinking and I put it off as the game being released pre-maturely in order to fit into the holiday sales period. If this is the case it was a huge mistake on the part of EA as most of the people I have talked to playing this game find this to be a major flaw in an otherwise great game. All and all I would recommend this title to any fan of arcade style racers    … Expand
  25. EnKira
    Dec 2, 2012
    9
    *This is my first review, please don't bash me if I'm saying something wrong* I've been with NFS since NFSU (GC). And I find the low scores like 0/10 or 1/10 just...stupid. The physics for this game is different and you'll need time to get used to it. But they've changed the physics frequently. I say: Always remember the rule; Slow In. Fast Out. The crash cam is very frustrating indeed.*This is my first review, please don't bash me if I'm saying something wrong* I've been with NFS since NFSU (GC). And I find the low scores like 0/10 or 1/10 just...stupid. The physics for this game is different and you'll need time to get used to it. But they've changed the physics frequently. I say: Always remember the rule; Slow In. Fast Out. The crash cam is very frustrating indeed. The graphics is top notch for NFS. The soundtrack is dynamic and very good, but why...where is the diversity. Well...you can always put in your custom playlist. My biggest flaw for this game in my opinion is the lack of a story. It feels like your are riding in a jungle and going everywhere instead of riding on a road. It's missing a structure. But it might be a good thing for the people who love to go nuts and race their own way without a script. ( I like both, though I prefer an open script ) On the other hand. The online structure is very good indeed, with constant online competition going on with/against your friends as you can track eachother with Autolog 2.0. The fact that you cannot pimp up your ride hasn't got into me as much it has gotten to the Underground/Most Wanted ('05) players of NFS. But the cars are already looking pimped up. Easydrive is a nice addition as well. No need for menus when you're picking an event while driving through Fairhaven, or adding some performance parts/mods when the 5-0 is chasing you. In short. It's a awesome game when you look through the minor flaws. Or for many NFS people out there: It's a Love It! or Hate It! game. I love it, though I needed some practice at first. I'll cut down 1 point of the total score.
    -0.5: Unforgiving and frustrating crashes. -0.3:Lack of structure in single player.
    -0.2:No pimpin' up your ride. ( But they're already looking pimp imo )
    9.0/10: Looks awesome, feels awesome (when you practice) and sounds awesome. It's awesome and really focused on the racing experience of NFS. Though you will notice the flaws...*sigh* I still prefer the '05 version because of the story, Mia and the tsunami of nostalgia.    … Expand
  26. ryanamich
    Dec 31, 2012
    8
    This game is awesome! It's the best racing game I've ever played, but being that it was made by Criterion, it was far more like Burnout. I like Burnout way more than Need for Speed, so I didn't mind playing what, essentially, is a Burnout game with the Need for Speed name. They kept some elements of customization, but this game a lot more fun and a lot less difficult than other Need forThis game is awesome! It's the best racing game I've ever played, but being that it was made by Criterion, it was far more like Burnout. I like Burnout way more than Need for Speed, so I didn't mind playing what, essentially, is a Burnout game with the Need for Speed name. They kept some elements of customization, but this game a lot more fun and a lot less difficult than other Need for Speed games.… Expand
  27. smrtw123
    Jan 20, 2013
    9
    Oh, by the way, this game may give you all the cars instead of making you buy them with money you win from races, but the "scavenger hunt" to look for and find the cars is a whole new level of fun.
  28. truthgiver
    Jan 22, 2013
    9
    reguardless of it's shortcomings... this game is fun and by far the best arcade racer on the major consoles right now. it's just fun...and that is why you should play a game. because it is fun. the added features are amazing graphics and great sound. huge open worlds and destruction on cars.
    i give it a 9.0 from a burnout fan and a nfs fan... i like this joint project between the two    reguardless of it's shortcomings... this game is fun and by far the best arcade racer on the major consoles right now. it's just fun...and that is why you should play a game. because it is fun. the added features are amazing graphics and great sound. huge open worlds and destruction on cars.
    i give it a 9.0 from a burnout fan and a nfs fan... i like this joint project between the two company's. i think they did a great job.    … Expand
  29. dreansburnred
    Jan 23, 2013
    9
    I like how this need for speed game is focused on the open map. Unlike recent need for speed games. You don't have to play races unless you want too. You can get cars at any time, by going around and finding them. Which I love. There is lots of places to visit, the cops are good. I enjoy this game.
  30. Slushy-Ness
    Feb 6, 2013
    8
    This game is good i admit, but when i play online and say a host leaves the game, it sometimes freezes my Ps3, so i turn my console off after a while of waiting for it to un-freeze. Then i go back into the game and my Single player has been reset, this has happened to me twice and and it's really annoying, does anyone have any ideas how to stop this from happening?
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PS3 Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
19
#19 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 17, 2012
    90
    Great multiplayer and a huge sandbox to play in make this a wild and crazy ride. [Jan 2013, p.64]
  2. Play UK
    Nov 30, 2012
    95
    Easily the best arcade racer of this generation. [Issue#225, p.76]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Nov 28, 2012
    80
    Take Burnout Paradise's massive open world, strip out the wild, physics-defying, cabin-crushing crashes and insert a generous handful of the world's hottest or most iconic motors. This is Need for Speed that only Criterion could create. [Christmas 2012, p.83]
See all critic reviews »