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
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  1. asdgasgea
    May 19, 2023
    8
    ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
  2. Kostas_Spirou
    May 16, 2023
    6
    This is a great arcade racing game but it's a little bit messy for a Need for Speed game, the physics are chaotic and the handling is drifty, which makes for an unbalanced racing experience overall.

    There are many challenges you can do, unlock cars and upgrade them, surpass other players in the leaderboard and grind for more points. The biggest downside is that there's pretty much no    This is a great arcade racing game but it's a little bit messy for a Need for Speed game, the physics are chaotic and the handling is drifty, which makes for an unbalanced racing experience overall.

    There are many challenges you can do, unlock cars and upgrade them, surpass other players in the leaderboard and grind for more points.

    The biggest downside is that there's pretty much no car customization, you can make your cars faster and you can swap colors but you can't change their look.

    Despite its obvious issues I still like this game.

    Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10    … Expand
  3. NendroidNick
    Dec 13, 2022
    8
    This is one of my favorite racing games, NFS:MW (2012) is one of my comfort games and It will be so for a long time. NFS:MW (2012) isn't a Normal Car Game, it doesn't feature a lot of customization, it doesn't feature a real story but it does have something most games don't, the ability to just turn it on and go. This is a game where you drive around the overworld, find cars, go to races,This is one of my favorite racing games, NFS:MW (2012) is one of my comfort games and It will be so for a long time. NFS:MW (2012) isn't a Normal Car Game, it doesn't feature a lot of customization, it doesn't feature a real story but it does have something most games don't, the ability to just turn it on and go. This is a game where you drive around the overworld, find cars, go to races, upgrade cars, rack up a score to take down more cars then get those said cars you take down. That's it, that's the whole game. That is what I love about it, the ability to just sit down and have fun, it is simple which makes it more accessible to non racing game people. I definitely recommend this game to people who don't play a lot of racing games. The only issue I have ever had with this game is that it waves certain cars in your face that are DLC, that kind of makes me irritated but it is fine in the long run. When I play this game I turn it on, drive around the overworld and relax doing whatever I want to. The only thing I would change would be the option to customize cars more.… Expand
  4. 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.
  5. All_ButTrU4
    Jul 27, 2022
    7
    I really enjoyed this inoffensive arcade racer game. It is easy to play,thrilling and relaxing. It's fun to pass time. The graphics are really nice and the variety for cars is exceptional. Im not versed enough in racing games to make comparisons only that i enjoyed playing this with my family before the world tuned to ****
  6. infjaxcritic
    Jul 7, 2022
    10
    By far the best game in the series. I am very impressed with the car unlock system, where if you find it, you drive it. No purchase necessary. The most wanted cars provide a tough challenge, with a greater reward. The soundtrack could be a little better, but that is remedied by an option to change the soundtrack to one saved on the console.
  7. Kostas101
    Oct 11, 2021
    8
    This is a great arcade racing game, but it's a little bit messy for a Need for Speed game. The physics are chaotic, and the handling is very drifty, but at the same time, it's very fun, there are many challenges you can do, the graphics are fantastic, and unlocking new cars feels rewarding & satisfying.
  8. YNXD
    Oct 27, 2021
    5
    - Races
    Unfortunately, it is so easy even if they write Hard on the mission, if I want the challenge I play with stock mods, and for every car, they give you 8 races, and that is not enough to enjoy your favorite car.
    -------------------------------------------------- - World Sometimes I feel like the map is bad, the route is bad, as a racing game, I crashed too much because of the    - Races
    Unfortunately, it is so easy even if they write Hard on the mission, if I want the challenge I play with stock mods, and for every car, they give you 8 races, and that is not enough to enjoy your favorite car.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - World
    Sometimes I feel like the map is bad, the route is bad, as a racing game, I crashed too much because of the route on the hill then there is a turn, even in a straight line, there is a little hill then 30 degrees turn.
    How can I turn if I am flying?
    the map has hills more than "World war" games.
    It is called Need For Speed and I need to slow down to stay on the ground.
    I enjoyed the game but this is the biggest problem in this game from my perspective.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - billboards
    As a collectible for a trophy is boring but as friend's challenge it is competitive but I don't have a friend so it is useless to me, I don't even try to beat my own score.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - Gates
    As a collectible for a trophy is not that fun when I find out they don't tell which one you destroyed.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - Camera
    Amazing collectible fun, and like the billboards as friend's challenge it is competitive and more fun.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - Speed Points and Driver Details:
    Totally Useless after 1 million points.
    Milestones rewards are ****
    if you finish a race 1st time in 1st place your reward is 12K *the race takes 1 to 4 mins*
    if you drive a specific car for 10hrs your reward is 1K
    and I don't know why is this challenge don't progress online,
    I finish the main game in 5hrs and there is no New Game +.
    the reward is so bad from every challenge, even your autolog recommends giving you 2K Speed points.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - Cars
    Even with all these cars you have a feeling, there is nothing I can do after finishing the races
    but I like every car Look, sound and tune.
    --------------------------------------------------
    - DLCs:
    they add Terminal as map expansion, mods, cars & races
    one of the amazing mods they add drift tires.
    and the drift races but these are so short.
    --------------------------------------------------    … Expand
  9. Ardho
    Aug 28, 2021
    8
    Not the best NFS of course, but the gameplay is still good to play, the graphics are also good for the ps3, although the change car feature is weird
  10. sebastianali
    Jul 23, 2021
    4
    Although many people defend this game saying that if it had not been called "Most Wanted" they surely would not have hated it, to me as a game it still seems pretty bad. Apart from the fact that the game does not give you complete control over the car and less in a curve (or also the lack of speedbreaker mechanic), every minimum hit you crash, a cinematic interrupts the race that lastsAlthough many people defend this game saying that if it had not been called "Most Wanted" they surely would not have hated it, to me as a game it still seems pretty bad. Apart from the fact that the game does not give you complete control over the car and less in a curve (or also the lack of speedbreaker mechanic), every minimum hit you crash, a cinematic interrupts the race that lasts about 7 seconds, the thing is that its so constant and the hitbox and impact force is super unrealistic as it can happen to you even with a low speed crash. The way to get vehicles in the game is absurd, since it eliminates the progression of the previous games in the series which consisted of starting with a bad car and getting better cars, in this one, you start with an Aston Martin and later you pick up a Porsche. Besides that if you get a good car at the beginning you will no longer need the rest, so this mechanic of finding cars in an open world at any time is terrible (and it is not surprising that other racing games do not have it), since it breaks completely the game. With only the Lamborghini Gallardo that you get in the first city and all the missions will be a piece of cake. The easiest way to solve this would be to block certain places on the map, as happened in Underground 2 or Most Wanted and that when you beat bosses they are enabled so you can pass, but no, you can go anywhere at any time, it that leaves the game very badly balanced.
    I would criticize other things, such as the lack of tuning, short lenght, story, the confusing and bad balanced online or the absurd amount of DLC.
    IMO one of the worst in the series.    … Expand
  11. nari_kutti
    Jul 2, 2021
    0
    This is not a need for speed game. Its a burnout game. Its bad and this does not deserve to be called most wanted
  12. wojtekbe
    May 22, 2021
    0
    Unskippable long video at the beginning is enough to give 0 stars... Especially when you just want to have one relaxing race for the evening...
  13. DisneyLover1
    Apr 27, 2021
    7
    Most Wanted 2012 has fun gameplay, a good open world to explore including the DLC expansion, and the DLC cars give more variety to the player based on their style of gameplay. I appreciate Criterion innovating about giving every car to the player but that takes away the grind to unlock items.

    My favorite moment of this game is when my brother beat the Bugatti Veyron with the Ford Raptor    Most Wanted 2012 has fun gameplay, a good open world to explore including the DLC expansion, and the DLC cars give more variety to the player based on their style of gameplay. I appreciate Criterion innovating about giving every car to the player but that takes away the grind to unlock items.

    My favorite moment of this game is when my brother beat the Bugatti Veyron with the Ford Raptor (Haters gonna Hate but IDC)

    I enjoyed playing this game & this installment will be remembered as the last GOOD NFS Game.    … Expand
  14. Harry1997x
    Jan 8, 2021
    0
    this game is unrecognisable as a nfs game. criterion just s**t all over nfs with this burnout wannabe. if criterion want to make burnout games then p**s off and go and make burnout games don't use the nfs franchise to do that.

    there is no customization no progression the cops suck worse than nfs 2015 this was the death of nfs for me untill 2015s revival
  15. mixxd69
    Nov 8, 2020
    5
    I loved the game but the worst thing no ps4 controller compatibility ugh i have a bad contition ps3 controller why ea you need to add ps4 controller conpatibility
  16. Geneneric
    Jul 3, 2020
    8
    the game is quite solid, the controls are easy to use, the challenges of the cars become challenging although they are also quite easy, good catalog of cars, a not so extensive but quite iconic map, frantic Gameplay, a Perfect soundtrack, along with hot pursuit, are one of the best nfs remasters. Recommended to have a good time
  17. ty92
    Mar 21, 2020
    0
    The original Most Wanted is my all time favourite racing game. So I'm giving this game a 0/10 for calling it the same thing. I haven't even played it. I heard it's like Burnout and I love Burnout Paradise. But calling it Need for Speed Most Wanted is just confusing for people now... When I tell people my favourite racing game is most wanted now I have to make sure I tell them it's theThe original Most Wanted is my all time favourite racing game. So I'm giving this game a 0/10 for calling it the same thing. I haven't even played it. I heard it's like Burnout and I love Burnout Paradise. But calling it Need for Speed Most Wanted is just confusing for people now... When I tell people my favourite racing game is most wanted now I have to make sure I tell them it's the original Most Wanted... And with this new one I hear it doesn't have a story or blacklist? Wtf… Expand
  18. 8Gerrard
    Jan 12, 2020
    10
    "Change,
    Everything you are
    And everything you were"
    "Best,
    You've got to be the best
    You've got to change the world
    And you use this chance to be heard
    Your time is now"
    This game should've been named Burnout:Most Wanted
  19. goodfellas100
    Aug 11, 2019
    7
    Ok calm down people. Don't pay any attention to the any scores under 5 that is just ridiculous. Burnout paradise is my favourite racing game and this game is made by the same guys. Therefore there are many similarities with the game play which I like. The graphics and sound are top notch and the game is massive. You'll get your money's worth if you buy this. Now for the game itself. In myOk calm down people. Don't pay any attention to the any scores under 5 that is just ridiculous. Burnout paradise is my favourite racing game and this game is made by the same guys. Therefore there are many similarities with the game play which I like. The graphics and sound are top notch and the game is massive. You'll get your money's worth if you buy this. Now for the game itself. In my opinion it's one of the most frustrating yet rewarding games I've ever played and I've been playing games since pong. I felt that the difficulty level was a little high when you begin the game. I kept crashing, kept getting taken out and not progressing. However, I bought the game 2nd game and it didn't have the manual so that may be the reason. I was very close to giving up on the game as I was tearing my hair out, losing again and again. Top tip. Find the new cars and finish the easy races first. Don't give up thinking it's too hard. I was going to rate it an 8 but there are too many times you get taken out or smashed into a corner after a good run. It's infuriating. It's as if the designers just will not let you get a 1st place before a certain amount of attempts. Yes, it could be I'm getting old and my reactions are too slow. But I recently completed 'The last of us' on it's hardest setting so that can't be the reason? This is a game where you will lose a lot of times so if you want an easy racing game, look elsewhere. It's a great game and it's a challenge. It would be an insult to the games designers to give it less than a 7. They put a lot of hard work into this game and it shows.… Expand
  20. Skyler360
    May 23, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love the burnout style gameplay because the car is damaged with every shock, the graphics are very good, the music is decent, the selection of cars is fine and the cars are very well controlled and the map is very broad and well detailed. But the coup de grace and the reasons why I give it a five are the following; there is no history, there is no garage to store your cars and there are no stores to customize them and there is NO option to tune since you can only repair it, and in doing so change the color that is random and improve the power of the car. I expected something much better, and more knowing that Criterion came from creating Burnout Paradise and having collaborated with the development of the Hot Pursuit of 2010, but I left a gap that I could never fill. Just three words: WHAT, GREAT, DECEPTION.… Expand
  21. ShunOugarden
    Jan 9, 2019
    8
    NFS Most Wanted or NFS Rivals ? Two good game with some differences. For the first, you have a list of cars and each car have 8 races, the second you have objectives and you choose your car for the race. You don't really have a true personalisation with MW (when you pass in a garage you have a random color, and technicals choices are very simple)... personnalisation is better in Rivals.NFS Most Wanted or NFS Rivals ? Two good game with some differences. For the first, you have a list of cars and each car have 8 races, the second you have objectives and you choose your car for the race. You don't really have a true personalisation with MW (when you pass in a garage you have a random color, and technicals choices are very simple)... personnalisation is better in Rivals. You have the choice between Police and Pilot in Rivals, the gameplay is not excatly the same. It's true that you can't loose all your speed point after a race, but if you are near a safe place, juste press L1 and the pursuit is over. Good interface and manoeuvrability, fun with vintage Fiat fiat500 or Myto (dlc).… Expand
  22. augustobt
    May 7, 2018
    1
    This is the worst Need For Speed game in the whole franchise, yet it's "critically acclaimed". Could've been released as a Burnout, then I wouldn't care. But not only they choose to sell it as 'Need for Speed', but as a MOST WANTED, probably my favorite of them all, and resembles in NOTHING the original.

    Don't ever buy it, even it's a penny.
  23. Magnesium
    May 7, 2018
    4
    I tried to be optimistic about this game after I started the game, but the only thing I enjoyed was finding the jack spots.
    Cars crash a lot at first but eventually they improve. So you’ll need to repeat the first events.
    It lacks the system of customization and performance upgrade which I believe is a let down. I didn’t get very involved with the game but I couldn’t find drag and drift    I tried to be optimistic about this game after I started the game, but the only thing I enjoyed was finding the jack spots.
    Cars crash a lot at first but eventually they improve. So you’ll need to repeat the first events.
    It lacks the system of customization and performance upgrade which I believe is a let down. I didn’t get very involved with the game but I couldn’t find drag and drift races which I extremely enjoy.
    Since I haven’t had played the game when it was released, graphics didn’t impress me but I’m sure they were incredible back at the time.
    Overally it doesn’t seem to be a need for speed game. But don’t get me wrong, it has a wide variety of high-end vehicles.    … Expand
  24. Nuteboy100
    Feb 26, 2017
    5
    DLC is ridiculously overpriced if you wish to get it for $9.99 on the PlayStation Store. But it its a good game to play online, cause mayhem in police pursuits inside a Lexus LFA or a Porsche, and beating friends. Nothing else really.
  25. Figster512
    May 20, 2016
    10
    This game is SEVERELY underrated. Between the Wii U, PS Vita, and PS3, the PS3 offers the best version of this game. The cars are extremely fun to drive, and they all sound great. Drifting is exhilarating, and the races against the most wanted drivers are very challenging but fair. The controls are perfect, and the soundtrack is pretty good, too. The open world is very large, with DLCThis game is SEVERELY underrated. Between the Wii U, PS Vita, and PS3, the PS3 offers the best version of this game. The cars are extremely fun to drive, and they all sound great. Drifting is exhilarating, and the races against the most wanted drivers are very challenging but fair. The controls are perfect, and the soundtrack is pretty good, too. The open world is very large, with DLC offering expansions to the map. There is a decent lineup of cars, not that many but the DLC packs are relatively affordable and add some nice cars. The online mode is spectacular, and supports 8 players (instead of 6 on Wii U and 4 on Vita.) Players compete in many different events, usually around 6 per session. Some of the events are races, team races, stunting, near misses, and time trials. The online experience is unlike any other racing game I've played, and it is so fun and addictive. This game is worth a try for such a cheap price. It is one of my favorite games on the PS3.… Expand
  26. Andjelico95
    May 26, 2015
    3
    Yeah, this game have nice graphics, excellent car sounds, cool cinematic effects and sounds, but it seems EA forgot the gameplay. It's too repetitive, and there is no interesting goals. The only goal is to be the number 1 on the Most Wanted list, and that is not so interesting for me.

    Another thing is crashing with your car on this game, it's so annoying. You need to see a small crash    Yeah, this game have nice graphics, excellent car sounds, cool cinematic effects and sounds, but it seems EA forgot the gameplay. It's too repetitive, and there is no interesting goals. The only goal is to be the number 1 on the Most Wanted list, and that is not so interesting for me.

    Another thing is crashing with your car on this game, it's so annoying. You need to see a small crash cutscene Everytime you crash on a wall/car.

    Racing on this game is absolutely boring. You don't need skills, only luck. If you are on the first place, the cars behind you will become much faster, even the "slow" police cars that are chasing you are much faster than your supercar.

    I will not play this game again.    … Expand
  27. tsakiym
    May 18, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.................................… Expand
  28. DerpyFanta
    Dec 30, 2014
    0
    Race around... Do all that stuff... Annoy the cops... Get them chase after you... Be the ultimate racer... Get bored five seconds later... Put the game back in the box... That's it... Leave it alone... Maybe forever...
    Ok.. My point is - Its not the best =/.
  29. 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.
  30. Explicit0ne
    Sep 23, 2014
    1
    Let me start by saying this is not a "need for speed" game at all. It's a burnout game that they slap the N.F.S title to it. There is no story unlike the original, although this iteration keeps the premise of racing all ten most wanted racers. To obtain cars, they are scatter through out the entire game and you must find them to use them. Also when when you beat any of the most wantedLet me start by saying this is not a "need for speed" game at all. It's a burnout game that they slap the N.F.S title to it. There is no story unlike the original, although this iteration keeps the premise of racing all ten most wanted racers. To obtain cars, they are scatter through out the entire game and you must find them to use them. Also when when you beat any of the most wanted racers to get their car you must crash into them to receive them. I pretty sure am beating a dead horse here but there is no customizations to make your vehicle stand out, just a minor change up in the performance section which all it really is slapping on new tires, nos, and changing the gear ratio. In the original most wanted to escape from the cops you had traps when triggered a giant doughnut would crush any pursuing officers and many more. There was also cooling spot where you would hide from the police which helps to decrease the heat. In this version to escape from the fuzz you have to out run them and no matter where you hide they will always check where you're hiding as well. Not to mention this no incentive to run from the cops anyways since they don't impound your car or fine you. One of my pet peeves within this game is the big crash scene, as you're racing you tend to make mistakes and one of them is crashing into other cars or other immovable objects. Then cue the third person version while watching your car rolling over and over again. Now this feature is cool for the first time but not thousandth which they should've made an option to turn this off or on. The driving mechanics is unbearable you tend to drift most of the time and most races tend to go "off-road" which makes you car really slow and the track is made up half of pavement and half dirt roads. While the A.I. is flying through the dirt section you have the option to put on the off-road tires but it's slides when driving on asphalt (Big catch 22). There are few cars in game and if you want more, what do you know you have buy the DLCs which i am not a big fan of. All am saying is i rather get "grid auto-sport" or "gran turismo"… Expand
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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 »