Need for Speed: The Run

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 218 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 96 out of 218
  2. Mixed: 73 out of 218
  3. Negative: 49 out of 218
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  1. Jensen_82
    Jan 3, 2012
    10
    This game is underrated, and it's good to see some other positive comments for The Run on here.

    Yes the story is pretty dumb and the main character comes across as a bit of a douche, but my advice would be to play through the story in hard mode straight away, if you do I think most players will find it satisfyingly challenging the first time through. The online challenges/races hold up    This game is underrated, and it's good to see some other positive comments for The Run on here.

    Yes the story is pretty dumb and the main character comes across as a bit of a douche, but my advice would be to play through the story in hard mode straight away, if you do I think most players will find it satisfyingly challenging the first time through.

    The online challenges/races hold up pretty well, but don't offer the same levels of in depth customisation found in Hot Pursuit, which is still the superior NFS game overall. But as someone who remembers the classic old arcade-style racers like outrun, I played through The Run with some nostalgia - no bad thing in my book.

    My advice to anyone thinking of buying this game is to take it at face value - don't compare it to the excellent NFSHP. It's an out and out arcade racer with a story element. If you do this I think you'll have a lot of fun.    … Expand
  2. DJ_Demon213
    May 12, 2014
    6
    After reading most of the comments, I've realized that most negative comments giving away 0's like they're going out of style are simply unwarranted.
    There was a time where Need for Speed didn't need car customization beyond car colors, or even free-roam, a la Underground 1. It's a fast-paced, story-driven racing game that focuses on huge, wonderful-to-experience set-pieces that will have    After reading most of the comments, I've realized that most negative comments giving away 0's like they're going out of style are simply unwarranted.
    There was a time where Need for Speed didn't need car customization beyond car colors, or even free-roam, a la Underground 1. It's a fast-paced, story-driven racing game that focuses on huge, wonderful-to-experience set-pieces that will have you on the edge of your seat as you rush down the hill of a mountain as an avalanche closes in, or as a subway tram chases you down a dark tunnel.
    "But DJ," I hear you all cry out, "Why only a 6, if it's as great as you say it is? Surely it's worth it to see such a spectacle and experience the story!"
    That's just the issue. There is no real story, and the spectacles wear off once you realize that everyone around you has IQ's equivalent to a box of rocks. Collectively.
    NFS: The Run has you playing as Jack Rourke (a name I had to look up simply because he's that forgettable), a man who apparently is in a lot of trouble with the mob (a concept never delved into deeper than "you did some **** now run as they gun you down with a turret from an overhead helicopter") and is looking for a way out. With the help of his friend and business partner Sam Harper (who also turns out to be his girlfriend? No seriously--where in the hell was this in the story?), Jack manages to find a way into the main 250 racers and begins his race from San Francisco to New York. If it seems as though I'm not entirely giving a thorough report of the story, suffice to say, there isn't much a story to begin with, and with a story-driven racing experience, that's a huge hindrance.
    The wonderful parts are obviously the spectacles, as I've mentioned before. There's something about racing down the snowy patches of the beautifully realized Rocky Mountains or blasting through the sand and dust-covered deserts in Death Valley that just makes evading and racing around the cops that more fun. While many would criticize the turning, you do get a fair warning; they blatantly say it's in between Shift and Hot Pursuit in terms of handling, giving you less of an arcade-y or simulation-y experience for something a bit more...action-y, for lack of a better term (as if the QTE's in game weren't enough of an indication. Also, there's QTE's. Share the frustration)
    However, as fun as blasting and drifting through leaf-covered mountain roads may be, there still lies a major flaw in all of this: the A.I.
    The A.I. competitors and police, frankly, are simply the biggest dicks you will ever find driving the roads. Almost as if they never took Driver's Ed, or driven a car, the police will do everything in their power to **** everything up. I'm looking at you too, competitors; you and your ****ty driving styles have cost me a few complete race resets because of y'all.
    Another thing that bugs me is the choices of cars. Fine enough if you're an mechanophilia (also, feel free to Wikipedia that **** it's an actual term!), but many of the choices never seemed to make a difference. They say that Muscles are better for highways, Exotics for technical courses, Sport cars for Urban, etc., but it never made a difference. I used exotics the whole way through and never bothered picking up some other car until the game made me choose.
    Overall, it's a decent racing experience that would be worth it if EA ever sets it up to go on sale. A rental at best, really, since the game lasts around 2-3 hours.

    Peace.    … Expand
  3. Stealthgear
    Aug 8, 2015
    6
    This is one the best PS3 driving games out there, BUT it has a choppy difficulty curve AND its missing car customization. EA and Criterion did not fix anything I've been **** about for about 11 years (Burnout 3 came out in 2004). SO this game is not much different from BLUR or other NFS. What I love is that backgrounds are astoundingly beautiful. There are some details that seem odd, likeThis is one the best PS3 driving games out there, BUT it has a choppy difficulty curve AND its missing car customization. EA and Criterion did not fix anything I've been **** about for about 11 years (Burnout 3 came out in 2004). SO this game is not much different from BLUR or other NFS. What I love is that backgrounds are astoundingly beautiful. There are some details that seem odd, like road textures that repeat in ways that aren't believeable. The game looks kind of fake in a plastic way, but the draw distance, meandering hills, and lighting are incredible. The car models are drivable for someone who hasn't driven many cars. The game is fun till about halfway through when the courses get bland and too hard! Many times you'll cut a corner too close and the game will drag you back to the road. Drifting still slows you down too much even though you get boost for it! Because its not like old NFS it doesn't drift like Hot Pursuit 2 and Underground!! The game seems great at first but under lots of play it gets annoying. The most annoying is the RESET gameplay. Many times it will put you back to a point in the game where your time wasn't good to complete the whole stage. In short, the reset mode wastes your time. This game is a fun time, but only for about an hour of driving. EA still hasn't fixed any of the problems in this series or put back in the missing features. They haven't been able to make a game as fun or technically perfect as Takedown 3 or Underground, or Hot Pursuit 2. I wanted to love this, but extended playing just shows that its a bit buggy, choppy difficulty, and missing a bunch of features. The main gameplay modes are kind of broken with resets that can waste your time and not enough gas stations to change cars. It looks great, but there is a reason this game can be picked up for cheap. I just don't know why the developers are sitting on their asses and not fixing the main game play style to be more balanced and exciting. This game would have been a solid 8 if it weren't for the poor effort. The problems I list make it a 6.… Expand
  4. HelloMyNameIs
    Nov 25, 2011
    5
    Need for Speed â
  5. projectahmed
    Mar 25, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Note: This Review was Reviewed on November 22-nd 20 11
    I was less impressed that this junk racing game somewhat being short due to its short story, lack of free roam & quick race, difficult quick time events and cops that only do nothing. Well cars in the game are great and tracks as well.

    For else there are some great sequences including Helicopter chase and Rival Races that could facing near the end Like Stage 10.    … Expand
  6. EnKira
    Mar 10, 2013
    7
    I actually liked The Run.
    The Run itself has some boring moments here and there, but some moments surpasses some of my nostalgic memories of the Underground era. 2 examples: The Rockies. It was a wonderland.
    Las Vegas Chase was awesome. The game looks very good with Frostbite 2. The game sounds good with a extremely good soundtrack. The game plays like a classic cross country racer. It    I actually liked The Run.
    The Run itself has some boring moments here and there, but some moments surpasses some of my nostalgic memories of the Underground era. 2 examples: The Rockies. It was a wonderland.
    Las Vegas Chase was awesome. The game looks very good with Frostbite 2. The game sounds good with a extremely good soundtrack. The game plays like a classic cross country racer. It takes some time to get used to the handling. But what's missing? Some classic NFS races. It's always from point A to point B. It would've been such a nice addition if they could place circuit races in the streets of San Fran or New York. Have alternate routes, diverse challenges, etc... More car customization would've been nice. But customization ain't a big deal for me. It's the lack of racing content that we've missed in this...racing game.
    It's not the worst NFS by far, and really not the best. If they could've add more detail and content, this game would've rocked even now.
    7/10 I've had tons of fun, but it didn't last that long.    … Expand
  7. Abhaygamin2002
    Dec 29, 2015
    10
    This Game is my most favorite Nfs game 2nd is prostreet.V.good story,characters,gameplay and most of all the beautiful America.Its amazing and also a must buy for racing freaks and ps3 owners.
  8. Colombo
    Dec 29, 2011
    9
    NFS The Run is a very nice racing game. Although the game is very short, The Run will be very fun and you will have a good time while competing. You have different tests, at different places and with different driving conditions, so, you will have to be able to drive in the snow, desert or off-road and with muscles, exotics and sportive cars. When you finish The Run, you'll have at leastNFS The Run is a very nice racing game. Although the game is very short, The Run will be very fun and you will have a good time while competing. You have different tests, at different places and with different driving conditions, so, you will have to be able to drive in the snow, desert or off-road and with muscles, exotics and sportive cars. When you finish The Run, you'll have at least 3-5 hours of more gameplay while racing the challenge series, that are individual races where you have to beat a challenger, other races best time or just let some fools eating sand. Autolog and Graphics are also good points from the game, who will give you much more fun than Forza or Gran Turismo.… Expand
  9. TheEN4cer
    Nov 17, 2011
    5
    Basic, and boring racer game, nothing new to the genre, car physics suck and the ranking system is useless, its just an arcade game not worth the price.
  10. GrumpyReviewer
    Dec 18, 2011
    8
    So much fun. This game is all about fun. Forget about the story - which is in fact a nice touch to the series - and just enjoy the run. I myself am not very much of a driving game fan, but I'm having a blast with this one. Highly recommended to all NFS fans and newcomers. Great game, I don't know what the critics are thinking, giving this game a 6.0. Great graphics, awesome gameplay andSo much fun. This game is all about fun. Forget about the story - which is in fact a nice touch to the series - and just enjoy the run. I myself am not very much of a driving game fan, but I'm having a blast with this one. Highly recommended to all NFS fans and newcomers. Great game, I don't know what the critics are thinking, giving this game a 6.0. Great graphics, awesome gameplay and challenge. Simply love it.… Expand
  11. gusnyc
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    I am really enjoying this game. It is definitely the 2011 version of Outrun. The difficulty level is very well balanced. The feel of speed is great, the graphics are gorgeous, and the whole experience is a blast. Lots and lots of fun. I love racing games, but sometimes they feel repetitive. Not in this case. It is a great arcade style racing game.
  12. Grantus921
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    Cool graphics, wish I could enjoy the scenery more while I'm racing. Autolog is awesome. It's the best feeling ever when you beat your friend's best time by a fraction of a second.
  13. snowsnows85
    Dec 21, 2011
    4
    Going from Gran Turismo 5 and Hot Pursuit to "The Run." This is the problem with Run: Controls, Changing vehicles. Those two huge aspects make this game not worth buying. I would go with Gran Turismo 5, way more deepth more of a challenge and fun at that. This is a game to rent at the very most and if you get past the loading times and everything else that holds this game back...not worthGoing from Gran Turismo 5 and Hot Pursuit to "The Run." This is the problem with Run: Controls, Changing vehicles. Those two huge aspects make this game not worth buying. I would go with Gran Turismo 5, way more deepth more of a challenge and fun at that. This is a game to rent at the very most and if you get past the loading times and everything else that holds this game back...not worth the time or the money!… Expand
  14. jhparne
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Killer fun game, the challenge series is intense! Loving the online play and autolog keeps me in the look even when I'm not playing. The scenery is super real and the cars I can choose from are the best.
  15. Kmann1994
    Nov 19, 2011
    8
    First off, I'd like to say that Need for Speed is my second favorite game franchise out there (Next to GTA) and I have played every single game in the series. The Run looked promising, so when I gave it a try, I had some high expectations. While certainly not a perfect game, I did enjoy the entire concept, beautiful cutscenes, fast driving, amazing graphics, great tracks, and attempt at aFirst off, I'd like to say that Need for Speed is my second favorite game franchise out there (Next to GTA) and I have played every single game in the series. The Run looked promising, so when I gave it a try, I had some high expectations. While certainly not a perfect game, I did enjoy the entire concept, beautiful cutscenes, fast driving, amazing graphics, great tracks, and attempt at a story. The ending of the game opened up room for a sequel to The Run, and I can say that I am thourougly looking forward to it. As long as Black Box improves some areas like the story, more cutscenes, customization, some sort of weapon usage similar to Hot Pursuit in gameplay, and maybe even an open world, then we could have a real winner of an NFS game!… Expand
  16. ashleyfan1
    Nov 29, 2011
    6
    getting it out of the way the graphics on this game with the frostbite 2 engine are incredible i dont think it can get better sadly it is downhill from here, the game is very dull and bland you overtake a few cars then get a checkpoint race then some more overtaking, there are a lot of cars in the game but i completed story mode just changing when i was forced to in the storyline i thinkgetting it out of the way the graphics on this game with the frostbite 2 engine are incredible i dont think it can get better sadly it is downhill from here, the game is very dull and bland you overtake a few cars then get a checkpoint race then some more overtaking, there are a lot of cars in the game but i completed story mode just changing when i was forced to in the storyline i think that is about 3 or 4 times but cars do handle very realistically lol if you try to drift around a corner in a track based bmw like i did prepare to spin out a lot, quick time events are good but not challenging, the whole game is unchallenging i finished it on hard difficulty mostly using an m3 gts and could get past everyone by half way through unless it was a storyline race which involved a roadblock where 3 superfast cars had crashed etc, mob chases are ridiculous since when have you seen a huge porsche cayenne keep up with a lambo of porsche carrera not only on a straight but round twists and turns lol, the story will enrage you a lot as if you crash you are shown a huge black screen with a rewind sign which is tacky, it would not be so bad if it only happened a few time but it happens a lot in a few places i was rewound because i had one wheel on the grass and it said i had crashed so anyone playing story requires patience, happily multiplayer is much more fun a level system like most fps games that reward you for completing objectives like say overtaking 5 people of winning races and here you actually race each other and are challenged, so to sum up the entire story mode is one huge time trial multiplayer is great, i had the game for 2 days and sold it at only a £5 loss thank god, i however will buy it back when it comes down to around £20 and i suggest everyone else do the same, just dont buy preowned as like most ea games it has an online pass for online play which is the only reason to play the game… Expand
  17. jeef1523
    Dec 14, 2012
    7
    The game is nothing but a way of getting the series back on it's feet, by trying to give the people what they lost a long time ago in games such as Most Wanted and Carbon, however it didn't work out.The game is entertaining but that as far as it goes, it's nice to see the scenarios, the interactions and all but it's not the same thrill and fun you had with the other games, and the storyThe game is nothing but a way of getting the series back on it's feet, by trying to give the people what they lost a long time ago in games such as Most Wanted and Carbon, however it didn't work out.The game is entertaining but that as far as it goes, it's nice to see the scenarios, the interactions and all but it's not the same thrill and fun you had with the other games, and the story it tries to present is way to simple and basic, it's basically needless. It was a nice try from the series, it just didn't work out as expected… Expand
  18. librster
    Oct 13, 2014
    0
    Need for Speed The Run got a good concept, I love the cross state racing rather than underground type kind of race, however, the car handling is way too difficult, the cops are too much and the gameplay is a bit unrealistic. I just could not feel the excitement of a real-life driving like Need for Speed Most Wanted. If I visualized it in a real life driving, I would have died multiple of times.
  19. pratik
    Nov 18, 2011
    0
    a horrible horrible game!!Like most nfs games the much hyped nfs:the run is a stupid game with a lacklustre story.Want to buy a racing game??? go with forza if you have a xbox or gran turismo for ps3 both are better than the run!!
  20. BloodSaint
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    From dazzling scenery to spectacular set pieces, this is a worthy entry in the need for speed franchise. The frostbite 2 engine makes the whole world just stuningly beautiful and there is only so much that words can describe. Intense white knuckled racing is absolutely addicting. The autolog helps you compete with your friends and makes the game so much more competitive. Multiplayer isFrom dazzling scenery to spectacular set pieces, this is a worthy entry in the need for speed franchise. The frostbite 2 engine makes the whole world just stuningly beautiful and there is only so much that words can describe. Intense white knuckled racing is absolutely addicting. The autolog helps you compete with your friends and makes the game so much more competitive. Multiplayer is splendid and is even more enjoyable with friends as winning gives you much bragging rights. A huge variety of cars to choose, from vintage muscles to modern supercars. This game gives you that adrenaline feeling that few games on todays market offer. A must have for any racing fan, be it arcade or sim fan. This game is absolutely fun and I have no idea why IGN gave it such a crappy score. The only thing I agree with their review is that this game is slightly short but that may perhaps be that Im enjoying myself so much and finished the game too quickly which leaves me craving for me. This game is a masterpiece.… Expand
  21. idonteatmeat
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    Not sure why the initial reviews are so polarizing... Look, this game is super fun. The handling is great and will appeal to many different gamers. I'm having lots of fun with this one. Give it a shot!
  22. sakasurf
    Dec 7, 2011
    9
    Good Campain, good game, Frostbyte 2 is really powerfull.
    goodlooking game, and i like to drive it. people who were expeting a new NSF underground game, well they need to open they minds
  23. blackheart
    May 19, 2012
    0
    This game is F*&%(*& HORRIBLE!!! The cars dont turn when you want them to! Drifting is basically controlled by the computer itself! You cant change the controls! NFS: most wanted was the last NFS that was any good!!!!! Whoever the person was that was in charge of creating this game needs to go and jump off a bridge with this game shoved up their ASS!!! because this game is S*&T!!! ForThis game is F*&%(*& HORRIBLE!!! The cars dont turn when you want them to! Drifting is basically controlled by the computer itself! You cant change the controls! NFS: most wanted was the last NFS that was any good!!!!! Whoever the person was that was in charge of creating this game needs to go and jump off a bridge with this game shoved up their ASS!!! because this game is S*&T!!! For anyone who is thinking about going to get this game DONT!!! It is a wast of money! The cars are all the same when it comes to driving skills! They dont reach max speed and when you are in a turn the cars in front of you have no problem with sliding into the walls but yet you crash almost everytime!!! Recreate Most wanted and UPDATE the graphics but leave the game play part the same! i can almost garantee that people will love it… Expand
  24. raghav123
    Nov 15, 2011
    7
    this is actually a step down from NFS hot pursuit as it actually features action elements that just take away all the shine from its scope as this manages to hide the fact that in its heart its still a fun but flawed arcade racer.
  25. bigdaddyswoll
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    WoW! Where to start? Ok started with story mode...played about 45 minutes before I realized just how boring that was going to be. On to the multiplayer! Logged in and found a race pretty easy. Cars looked pretty good...here we go. It's a pretty straight track so I pick the car with the fastest top speed. I have a better ranking then almost everyone in the room from playingWoW! Where to start? Ok started with story mode...played about 45 minutes before I realized just how boring that was going to be. On to the multiplayer! Logged in and found a race pretty easy. Cars looked pretty good...here we go. It's a pretty straight track so I pick the car with the fastest top speed. I have a better ranking then almost everyone in the room from playing singleplayer so I figure I have a pretty good chance. Driving requires nowhere near as much skill as hot pursuit which is my first big disappointment. Even on snow covered hillsides my car seems to be pretty well hugging the road even at 155mph going downhill. I overlook this because I do realize this game is meant to be arcade style pure and simple. On to my next and most massive gripe.. Cruising along in my 500 hp mustang gt500 no hitting anything on a straight away and using nitrous non stop when out of nowhere here comes a ford focus blowing by me like I am setting still. Wait how can this be? I'm on a straight away, have hit no traffic or walls and am at top speed using nitrous yet here comes not one, but two cars with much less top speed leaving me in the dust. Oh no you don't! I hammer on the nitrous with a full tank..yet..I..can't seem to catch up?? WTF?! After two more hours playing I quickly realize this game has some of the most outrageous and retarded rubber band physics I have ever seen. Ok, yes I expect those somewhat in a single player campaign to keep the game close, but in multiplayer? Why?? Even if they chose to use the rubber band physics why in God's name are they doing it with cars in first 3 positions??? I understand those poor folk back in positions 6-8 to give them a slight chance to at least battle for last few positions, but why in gods name when you make no mistakes and have a car whose top speed is quite a bit higher the car that is blowing by you is this in the game?? Worse then that, why the hell do I not seem to have this magic ability when I am in second place and back? Cars will blow by you when you are making no mistakes like you are sitting still, and you can hit nitrous or any other trick you might have to no avail. This game is an insult for 60 dollars. It is yet another gem also that when traded in will cost the poor sap that buys it 10 bucks to activate an online pass to play. The sad part is they soon find out after dumping 10 bucks into the online pass that overall the online play is even worse then the single player campaign. Another quick side note was that even after multiple unlocks for your profile i was unable to find any place to actually enter your profile and customize it. The manual mentions earning unlocks but fails to tell you just how the hell you get to your profile to change it. The one shining point of this game is the backgrounds, which are beautiful and diverse. Save yourself the money and rent this first. Better yet go purchase Driver San Fransisco which i found to be much more entertaining online, as well as split screen with a friend.… Expand
  26. Reverz
    Jan 20, 2014
    1
    I don't know how they managed but this game is even worse then Need for Speed Undercover: the entire "position in the run" system is useless and pointless because, the story is boring, there's massive frame drops when there's more then 3 cars on your screen, the graphics are nothing more then average and worst of all: the handling of the cars is absolute **** Steer clear of this one, it'sI don't know how they managed but this game is even worse then Need for Speed Undercover: the entire "position in the run" system is useless and pointless because, the story is boring, there's massive frame drops when there's more then 3 cars on your screen, the graphics are nothing more then average and worst of all: the handling of the cars is absolute **** Steer clear of this one, it's just not worth your time...… Expand
  27. 11mac11
    Feb 1, 2012
    2
    So when is EA going to do what they did with Fight Night Champion? As in drop in onto PSN and sell it in $5 increments. Because five bucks is about the total worth of this pile of scrap.
    BlackBox really dropped the ball on this one. A mere 2 hours will see you through the campaign, and that includes weirdly implemented QTE scenes. And after that, meh. Just meh.
    If you buy racing games you    So when is EA going to do what they did with Fight Night Champion? As in drop in onto PSN and sell it in $5 increments. Because five bucks is about the total worth of this pile of scrap.
    BlackBox really dropped the ball on this one. A mere 2 hours will see you through the campaign, and that includes weirdly implemented QTE scenes. And after that, meh. Just meh.

    If you buy racing games you obviously like cars. My advice is to get into yours, drive to GameStop and trade in this junker. Or throw it at the cashier and run. Run! Who needs QTE's.    … Expand
  28. Imran
    Dec 6, 2011
    5
    Medicore game the worse thing in game is car physics its very difficult to control cars specially at turning points.Hot pursuit was not even great but now i feel that was a great game as compared to this game.
  29. AllDayXbox
    Nov 29, 2011
    5
    Oh my God... This Game...... Its.... Its.......... Terrible! Hot Pursuit was good, but this, what a way to destroy a franchise! The graphics are great and all, but the Game Play is just boring and repetitive, its only saving grace is the graphical performance and an ok multi-player, but honestly Hot Pursuit is so much better than this waste of $50!
  30. KillerTomato
    Dec 11, 2012
    3
    Wowee! This game rocks like Michael Bolton. Shazaam! What can I say about Need For Speed: The Run? I take my reviews way too seriously so I'm going to stay away from jaded cynicism and give my honest, objective opinion. I hate this game. I have had some fun with it... all of my favorite makes and models are there... with some sweet looking aesthetic upgrades I might add. Unfortunately thatWowee! This game rocks like Michael Bolton. Shazaam! What can I say about Need For Speed: The Run? I take my reviews way too seriously so I'm going to stay away from jaded cynicism and give my honest, objective opinion. I hate this game. I have had some fun with it... all of my favorite makes and models are there... with some sweet looking aesthetic upgrades I might add. Unfortunately that isn't near enough to keep me playing this game. Picture if you will, a racing/driving game from your past. One that seems to spawn traffic according to where you are. Can you picture it? Now, frame it with the caption; Need For Speed: The Run underneath because that's exactly what we have here. Inexplicably, that age old trope is fully intact in The Run despite how far video games have come this generation. I suppose most games use this method to keep you challenged but in a game where failure is frequent and catastrophic it is unacceptable. If the load times were less excruciating it would be worth it to stick it out but alas, they are horrible. Even the limited checkpoint reset feature takes way too long. The on foot sections were a welcome idea but end up being less interactive than Heavy Rain and about a quarter the quality and imagination. I wish I could say I enjoyed this game because some sections made for white knuckle racing that stands with the best of them. A low quality bar ruins NFS: The Run for me but maybe it will grow on you while you wait for all those restarts to load.… Expand
  31. kwijibo
    Dec 26, 2011
    3
    Wow, are Blackbox giving all the positive user reviews? Most of them read like the press release issued by any media company that's just released their product to reviewers.

    Horrible story line, only 'checkpoint' racing to make up a set number of places (the premise of cannonball style race sounded good until you realise you can only make up a certain amount of places per race). Horrible    Wow, are Blackbox giving all the positive user reviews? Most of them read like the press release issued by any media company that's just released their product to reviewers.

    Horrible story line, only 'checkpoint' racing to make up a set number of places (the premise of cannonball style race sounded good until you realise you can only make up a certain amount of places per race). Horrible reset boundry lines that are overactive (oh, I strayed one car width off the track time to reset). The Blackbox Autolog reports incorrect times sometimes. Lost 35 seconds to my closest rival in one of the horrible quick time events, how can you loose 35 seconds (bear in mind, all my previous stage times were ahead of my Friend) from just pushing some buttons in a horrible cliche scripted scene? Very poor and makes it difficult to even want to continue playing. Oh online is really stupid, who thought that only racing via 'playlists' was ever a good idea? Maybe I only wanted to race one or two quick races on tracks that I and my friends like? I don't want to be shoehorned into racing some tracks that the producers decided would be good. To top this all off, the first time I started playing though, the game hung on the very first quick time event, so I didn't even get into a car. I had to reboot the system so I could even get into a race.

    All in all, this is a pretty bad game, it might look nice (but that's thanks to DICE and Frostbite) but it is an overall poor experience, with poor performance (spotted in the first races on San Francisco), seemingly long loading times for everything, poor reset mechanics (and load time, it's so fun waiting 30 seconds for your car to be reset only a few hundred meters behind where you crashed) and a horribly bad storyline.

    The only positive I can think of is the real time update of friends comparisons in Autolog during the race. (oh and maybe Frostbite actually making this Blackbox NFS effort look nice compared to Undercovers blandness).    … Expand
  32. gui2310gBR
    Apr 23, 2015
    0
    i love nfs most wanted but this not worst game of nfs I played so far **** who created this terrible story not **** and open world so I make a game go stay a great disappointment that the franchise had stopped playing until this garbage that should not even exist :(
  33. topsp33d
    Oct 2, 2016
    10
    This Video Game in my opinion is still the best racing game that came out, Don't mistake me for some newbie I've been playing all Need for speed games since 2002 ,I've set multiplayer records and I am a retired GT3 track racer myself, street racing been in my life since high school and Need for speed is what brought me back to the feeling of my younger days and of course without the dangerThis Video Game in my opinion is still the best racing game that came out, Don't mistake me for some newbie I've been playing all Need for speed games since 2002 ,I've set multiplayer records and I am a retired GT3 track racer myself, street racing been in my life since high school and Need for speed is what brought me back to the feeling of my younger days and of course without the danger I really cared about Jack in this game his past was unknown and mysterious which I loved the racing itself is not as thrilling as real racing at first but when really get into the game you feel even more thrill than the real race I played this game in the hardest difficulty so when ever I crashed it felt like I was dying for real, Over and all I get that most people don't see it this way but everything about the Run worked for me thank you for reading and many thanks to the EA for making this exciting games.… Expand
  34. Serginho07
    Feb 22, 2021
    7
    Наконец-то прошел-таки этот ёбаный NFS: The Run. Ну это тот, где по сюжету надо было выйграть гонку от одного побережья пендосии до другого. И десяти лет не прошло (технически, ибо игре будет десять лет только в ноябре). ПК-гейминг сосёт хуи, ибо у меня никогда эта игра нормально не работала на компе, приходилось начинать на 360-ом боксе, но чот как-то не осилил, сраный движок, очень всеНаконец-то прошел-таки этот ёбаный NFS: The Run. Ну это тот, где по сюжету надо было выйграть гонку от одного побережья пендосии до другого. И десяти лет не прошло (технически, ибо игре будет десять лет только в ноябре). ПК-гейминг сосёт хуи, ибо у меня никогда эта игра нормально не работала на компе, приходилось начинать на 360-ом боксе, но чот как-то не осилил, сраный движок, очень все неудобно было. Пытался я ее начать ну вот прям дохуя раз, и постоянно что-то да мешало. Сейчас же, наконец-то, спокойно, купил диск на PS3 и добил этого хуеплёта. Игра все-таки больше заебись, как по мне, чем хуйня. Только вот проблема в том, что, концептуально, гонка от одного побережья до другого была пиздатой идеей исключительно до выхода The Crew, в которой эту самую гонку можно прям вот взять и за раз, минут за 30-40 проехать. Но я все же принципиально отыграл таки этот санный The Run, было все равно весело.

    P.S: За прохождение сюжетки, игра меня наградила зависанием. Пришлось гасить консоль, так что точно сказать не могу сколько по часам ушло на прохождение. Рот ебал.    … Expand
  35. baddeadtaste
    Dec 8, 2011
    9
    The newest NFS is a decent game. The game play is arcade style but then again so are all the NFS entries as of late, which is fine with me. If I wanted simulation I'd be playing Forza or Gran Turismo. The game looks gorgeous and plays well to boot. The campaign is a bit short and can be frustrating at times but it is still a cool new twist on a racer that is a lot of fun. Where thisThe newest NFS is a decent game. The game play is arcade style but then again so are all the NFS entries as of late, which is fine with me. If I wanted simulation I'd be playing Forza or Gran Turismo. The game looks gorgeous and plays well to boot. The campaign is a bit short and can be frustrating at times but it is still a cool new twist on a racer that is a lot of fun. Where this game really shined for me is the online play. This game is fast and fun online and super addictive. Plenty of track variety, lots of cars, icons and backgrounds to unlock make it so you are always striving to unlock that next item. If your looking for a good arcade style racer that is lots of fun with a great online element, this is your game. Check it out.… Expand
  36. Elsingo
    Nov 22, 2011
    5
    This game is fun at times, but apart from realy nice graphics this game offers me nothing new apart from the anoying parts where im forced to spam, enter or space to see the cutscene, they could have just skiped that part and let me see the cutscene, it would have been a whole other story if you got options on how to handle the situations but all it does is force you to spam your buttonsThis game is fun at times, but apart from realy nice graphics this game offers me nothing new apart from the anoying parts where im forced to spam, enter or space to see the cutscene, they could have just skiped that part and let me see the cutscene, it would have been a whole other story if you got options on how to handle the situations but all it does is force you to spam your buttons to see a video.… Expand
  37. Ovrful
    Nov 19, 2011
    7
    I really dont care about stories in arcade racing games, but a few things could be done better in this game e.g no far camera and sometimes due to dramatic camera moments I couldnt avoid a crash. Graphics are superb, environment is beautiful and it varies, by that I mean that you race in mountains, citys, country sides etc. With this story I think they just tried to make this game feelI really dont care about stories in arcade racing games, but a few things could be done better in this game e.g no far camera and sometimes due to dramatic camera moments I couldnt avoid a crash. Graphics are superb, environment is beautiful and it varies, by that I mean that you race in mountains, citys, country sides etc. With this story I think they just tried to make this game feel less repetitive.
    To conclude I think that this game is decent, but I somehow prefer the style of NFS-Hot Pursuit way more.    … Expand
  38. Cartteros
    Apr 16, 2012
    9
    The Run is an awesome racing game, despite its flaws.
    In short, the story is simple and gets the job done. It's short, but good enough.
    The Run is a good looking game. The graphics of the cars are absolutely beautiful. The world isn't a problem, but it should be a bit more polished. But it's really not a problem, at all. People have complained about the physics. In fact, it may be a little    The Run is an awesome racing game, despite its flaws.
    In short, the story is simple and gets the job done. It's short, but good enough.
    The Run is a good looking game. The graphics of the cars are absolutely beautiful. The world isn't a problem, but it should be a bit more polished. But it's really not a problem, at all.
    People have complained about the physics. In fact, it may be a little disturbing in the beginning, but when you get used with it, it's pretty nice to get your car weaving the traffic at high speeds or making tight corners.
    A bad point in The Run is the camera. It gets ridiculously close to the car in a way you can't see the road, sometimes. In time, of course, you get used to it, but it may be a little annoying, for some people.
    Besides the short career, the Challenge Series gets you busy for an average time. It has funny challenges, and if you like awesome races, you'll like it.
    The multiplayer is not incredible, but has little tasks that keep you racing online to unlock a lot of cars, if you got the mood.
    The Run definitely deserves being part of the NFS franchise.    … Expand
  39. Cooldude731
    Jul 7, 2012
    5
    The story was very unique and fun, but for sure it lacked in length. The story was only 2 hours long, like come on, that's a total joke. There are some DLC for games that are longer than that. The multiplayer was decent, but it suffered from lag. The graphics are well done, within the world and cars. But for sure a step down from Hot Pursuit 2010, but way better than the Shift series.
  40. plushcarpet
    Nov 30, 2012
    5
    I remember playing this a while ago. It was.....ok. Not bad, not excellent, just ok. Campaign is painfully short and I lost interest quickly. This is a rental at best, buy at your own risk.
  41. MatthewPP4L
    Mar 13, 2013
    8
    I must say, this is quite an exciting and 'unique' racing game. I really like the linear story driven "The Run" mode, you start off racing good cars, and they just get better from there. It's definitely an arcade racer, but that doesnt mean the handling or physics are bad at all. It just means that youre going to be racing in heavy traffic, in some crazy stages, with alot of wild stuffI must say, this is quite an exciting and 'unique' racing game. I really like the linear story driven "The Run" mode, you start off racing good cars, and they just get better from there. It's definitely an arcade racer, but that doesnt mean the handling or physics are bad at all. It just means that youre going to be racing in heavy traffic, in some crazy stages, with alot of wild stuff going on! During "The Run" there are some awesome Heavy Rain style action cut-scenes, that I will not spoil at all, but just say they add a very nice change of pace to a story based racing game!

    I really enjoyed this game, and after The Run mode, the challenges and online mode are keeping me playing!    … Expand
  42. rjfoxtrot
    Mar 25, 2013
    8
    This game is under appreciated. The graphics are very well done, the story is as good as any other need for speed game, and the racing is good as ever. I would seriously give this game a chance.
  43. deepx
    May 15, 2013
    8
    It's not a perfect game, but is there?? The Run for me is: Just fun. The scenery is beautiful. I mean, the details are fantastic, it's never boring to look at. The gameplay is not the best, but it's not the worst either. Don't take this game too seriously. Just hop in a car, enjoy the scenery & floor it!
  44. iamTylerDurden
    Mar 29, 2014
    8
    BETTER THAN IT GETS CREDIT FOR. First off for a 2011 PS3 game it is simply gorgeous boasting slick textures, excellent lighting, and detailed character models (including cars). It's the first racing game to implement the hallowed Frostbite2 and it upgrades the visuals with rousing success (though i would've liked a little more destruction). The game is linear so do not think BurnoutBETTER THAN IT GETS CREDIT FOR. First off for a 2011 PS3 game it is simply gorgeous boasting slick textures, excellent lighting, and detailed character models (including cars). It's the first racing game to implement the hallowed Frostbite2 and it upgrades the visuals with rousing success (though i would've liked a little more destruction). The game is linear so do not think Burnout Paradise here, but the linear approach fits the summer blockbuster cinematic style like a G-L-O-V-E. I for one really enjoyed my time outside the car running from the mob and the cops as your character "Jack" does venture outside the car every now and then for adrenaline filled quick time events and button mashing sequences that add excitement and story immersion as well as break up the monotony of your standard racing game. The Run adds very respectable voice acting including your main advocate, a sultry woman played by the equally sultry Christina Hendrix (Mad Men) who also enhances the visual appeal of the game - please developers we need more games featuring a mo-capped Christina Hendrix. The cars seem to control a little clunkier and are more stiff than in other NFS games which imo is an attempt at realism though for most gamers it doesn't seem to translate well. In The Run you also get multiple checkpoint replays which take you back to the most recent checkpoint in the event you crash or drive off a cliff, you can also trigger the replay manually if you are displeased with your last segment. The story is short but between the campaign, challenge series, autologs, and a very strong online mp there is plenty to keep you busy. Not a flawless game but one that changes it up and adds fresh elements along with the sparkle of the Frostbite2 makes it a worthy racing game for anyone who likes speed, thrills, and a fun story ........ oh and Christina Hendrix! NFS: The Run 8/10. * JaY *… Expand
  45. akavegas
    Oct 22, 2013
    10
    This is one of the best need for speed games ever made!!!! Very addicting and easily can get lost in game for hours at a time without getting boring one bit. It will change how you see racing games.
  46. lordsuarez
    Aug 23, 2014
    8
    In the past few years we have seen NFS titles of various themes and some have been successful whilst others failures. The latest iteration in this popular video game racing franchise is thankfully an addition to the successful list. Produced by Black Box reputable for their inclusion of fantastic gameplay mechanics in previous titles and published by EA, it was sure to be a great game.In the past few years we have seen NFS titles of various themes and some have been successful whilst others failures. The latest iteration in this popular video game racing franchise is thankfully an addition to the successful list. Produced by Black Box reputable for their inclusion of fantastic gameplay mechanics in previous titles and published by EA, it was sure to be a great game.
    The game, as you may have already learnt from looking at the promotional photos and videos, is about completing an illicit high-stakes race from San Francisco to New York dubbed "The Run". You assume the persona of Jack Rourke, a thug who is indebted to the mob and joins the Run in hopes of hitting the jackpot to pay them back. This race, however, isn't the average dash from point A to point B as quick as possible. With nearly 215 adversaries and 2900 miles to cover, The Run is a risky investment for Jack. The story straight away starts with the protagonist tied to a steering wheel of a Porsche, whilst being hoisted into a crusher for his inevitable death. After smashing a few buttons I was prompted to, Jack escapes the car and leaves the vicinity.

    A few minutes later, he walks into a China shop and sits down to talk to his colleague and former girlfriend, Sam Harper. She tells him about how if he joins The Run and wins it, he would get 10% of the profit and it would get rid of the mob. Then, the words Need For Speed The Run appear on the screen with a flash of epic music. "Bring it on!" are the words ringing through my head. According to the executive producer of The Run, the game is special because you're not always racing. Sometimes you will be trying to avoid things and fight for your life. I do have to agree with him on that one. Apart from the normal races where you need to gain positions, there are checkpoint races, cop pursuits, rival races, battle races and survival races. They are evenly proportioned which means you will not always be doing the same old darn thing. It's great that they have done this because when you have a game revolving around linear missions, after a while things tend to get boring. I also forgot to mention the presence of quick time events, which is a weird name they use to describe levels where you control Jack instead of a 500 horse-powered Lamborghini or a car. (like the first level where Jack escapes a crusher).

    Players will earn XP for everything they do in the game. You can earn XP by doing a range of stuff including jumping distances, drifting, overtaking racers and avoiding roadblocks. As players earn more XP they will level up and unlock rewards such as profile backgrounds, cars and new abilities such as nitrous. It's a great motive for players who rarely break the law in the game (ignoring the fact that The Run is an illegal race to start with). Speaking of cars, the game has a wide variety of muscle and exotic cars that can be utilized. The car textures are alright, but the lack of customization options made me quite frustrated, especially when I had to look at cars with ugly vinyls.

    Need For Speed The Run is surprisingly the first ever game in the franchise to use real-life locations as the setting. In each race, you will be experiencing different environments, such as deserts, urban cities, rural areas, train tracks, mountains and bridges. Each and every environment is beautifully rendered, thanks to the game's cutting edge engine, Frostbite 2. However, sometimes I suspect that the environments are reused for certain levels. Or maybe it's just because each state in the United States is the same thing but just with a different name.

    Narrative-driven missions aside, The Run also features a few other game modes such as Challenge Series and online multiplayer races. In the former game mode, you have to play less intense events (in comparison to the single-player events) and try to earn medals by completing them in a specific amount of time. NFS The Run's online play is arguably the best aspect of the game. You can either play with friends or with the community, and the objective is to finish races and collect as many points as possible. Each session consists of three races, and the player with the most number of points at the end wins. You also earn copious volumes of XP when playing online. One particular feature I find brilliant is the bonus wheel, which grants the winner of a particular objective a nice reward such as a free car or extra XP. The reward is decided before the session starts, so everybody knows what’s up for grabs. What players need to do to earn the reward is also entirely random. For example, once I had to get a podium finish if I wanted to receive an extra 1000 XP. Did I also mention that everything is connected? Autolog, making it's second appearance since Need For Speed Hot Pursuit records your every move so your friends can compare their scores with yours and try to beat them. Autolog makes every little thing into a huge competitive challenge. 8.5/10    … Expand
  47. CrispyBanana
    Jan 20, 2014
    2
    Second worst NFS Series.
    not much grip too much drift sequel of the NFS undercover. I bought this when it's came out but still sucks I don't know how to control car stability even now
  48. chix
    Jun 13, 2014
    6
    I felt like this game deserves a 5/10 but due to the excellent graphics of the people and cars I'll give it a 6/10. This game is a disappointment in many ways. The story is uninteresting, the way you change your car during a race is a stupid inconvenience and the fact that if your car is a small distance out of the road the game resets you back to the nearest checkpoint and you lose aI felt like this game deserves a 5/10 but due to the excellent graphics of the people and cars I'll give it a 6/10. This game is a disappointment in many ways. The story is uninteresting, the way you change your car during a race is a stupid inconvenience and the fact that if your car is a small distance out of the road the game resets you back to the nearest checkpoint and you lose a life, this removes the feeling of driving freely and just makes the game tense for nothing.
    Although some of the action cutscenes are good I would rather recommend you play NFS most wanted(2005), NFS Carbon, NFS hot pursuit(2010) and even NFS 2 on ps1 or if you don't want any NFS then just play Forza or something.    … Expand
  49. mclure
    Aug 23, 2014
    10
    I enjoyed racing, this is a rather difficult experience for me since I'm never played racing games on a console before, but it's fun you can adjust an audio slider for a more racing experience or a movie one with emphasis on sound effects rather than the car and engine. There are many challenges, many levels, and as previous titles by EA Black Box they are really varied and some are harderI enjoyed racing, this is a rather difficult experience for me since I'm never played racing games on a console before, but it's fun you can adjust an audio slider for a more racing experience or a movie one with emphasis on sound effects rather than the car and engine. There are many challenges, many levels, and as previous titles by EA Black Box they are really varied and some are harder than the others but with practice comes the skill. The locations are varied and mostly highways, altough city levels include Las Vegas, San Francisco and everything in between the West Coast to the East Coast. NPCs have most Nissan vehicles for traffic such as the i30 and Infinitis or some heavy trucks and buses. You can't customize the car but I find it really interesting that instead of a handling rating measured in a graphical manner, the cars range from Easy to Very Challenging, and they follow aspects of real life variants.… Expand
  50. Alex_Evan
    Jan 30, 2017
    6
    O enredo é até legal...mas sem nada que anime o jogador...finalizei o jogo no modo single e me diverti de forma relevante no modo multiplayer online...como não espero grande surpresa positiva da franquia...até que gostei desse jogo.
  51. eva3si0n
    Jun 12, 2020
    7
    NFS The Run was probably the last NFS that at least someone followed, after which the series finally went into darkness thanks to the efforts of EA. In The Run, playing in 2020 is very painful. There is no question to the graphic component, the game on PS3 looks great, I am sure on PC everything is generally good thanks to Frostbyte 2. But after arcade Forza play NFS discomfort, theNFS The Run was probably the last NFS that at least someone followed, after which the series finally went into darkness thanks to the efforts of EA. In The Run, playing in 2020 is very painful. There is no question to the graphic component, the game on PS3 looks great, I am sure on PC everything is generally good thanks to Frostbyte 2. But after arcade Forza play NFS discomfort, the feeling is that you are riding an iron with 4 wheels. And apparently the transition to Frostbyte was difficult for the game, almost half of the total playing time I looked at the download screens, while some levels were only short, which took 2-3 minutes. Many at one time did not like The Run for the duration of the campaign. Well, I reverse it and liked it, in general, there is a maximum of gameplay for 3-4 hours. She simply does not have time to get tired as it happens with most games of this genre (Forza Horizon exception). There is a simple and idiotic plot, but thanks to it it was possible to add at least 3 magnificent levels. In general, I bought my $7 for which The Run she is worth, I advise everyone to try.… Expand
  52. KingJailson
    May 10, 2018
    0
    Pior need for speed de todos, depois do incrível hot pursuit, só veio jogo ruim
  53. PSGaming
    May 25, 2020
    6
    NFS is a game that takes different direction from its predecessors.Its very short story,car list is poor,customisation is limited to only a paint job.The sound effects are ok,but i feel like the cars have the same engine sound.Music is also ok.The graphics are the only thing i liked the most.Car models and environments are awesome.Frostbyte 2 really delivers top quality graphics.ButNFS is a game that takes different direction from its predecessors.Its very short story,car list is poor,customisation is limited to only a paint job.The sound effects are ok,but i feel like the cars have the same engine sound.Music is also ok.The graphics are the only thing i liked the most.Car models and environments are awesome.Frostbyte 2 really delivers top quality graphics.But overall its OK game at best.If you searching for a short racing game,then this is for you.… Expand
  54. Ardho
    Feb 8, 2022
    7
    Unique and strange gameplay into one, it's a new thing but it doesn't work, the story is ridiculous and there is no car development
  55. The_D4RknesS
    Jul 12, 2022
    5
    the graphics and cars are beautiful but the gameplay is a disgrace, you can't control the car
  56. Cccatch
    Sep 29, 2022
    0
    The Run doesn't have the structure or production values to carry off its concept. Even if it did, its successes would be smothered by a procession of awful technical flaws. Lacking charm and polish, only the Need For Speed name will sell the game – which will no doubt mean that it fares well enough. But in a year that has seen gaming's biggest franchises one-upping each 
other andThe Run doesn't have the structure or production values to carry off its concept. Even if it did, its successes would be smothered by a procession of awful technical flaws. Lacking charm and polish, only the Need For Speed name will sell the game – which will no doubt mean that it fares well enough. But in a year that has seen gaming's biggest franchises one-upping each 
other and demanding players' attention like never before, The Run simply doesn't cut it.… Expand
  57. JrDouble
    Jun 24, 2023
    4
    This is a horrible racing game. Graphics are great and cars are cool, but the the AI, rubber-banding, and controls are awful. Do not play this game or you will be sorry you did.
  58. Giero
    Jan 4, 2023
    6
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  59. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 25, 2023
    6
    Another Burnout "inspired" NFS game that is set over one long race from San Francisco to New York, divided into legs in the usual cops versus racers style. It's all very familiar and the least interesting section - ie the time trials - are too hard, but otherwise it's solidly done. It just feels like one of the less memorable titles of the series and too similar to Burnout while not beingAnother Burnout "inspired" NFS game that is set over one long race from San Francisco to New York, divided into legs in the usual cops versus racers style. It's all very familiar and the least interesting section - ie the time trials - are too hard, but otherwise it's solidly done. It just feels like one of the less memorable titles of the series and too similar to Burnout while not being as much fun.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
51
#51 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 48
  3. Negative: 3 out of 48
  1. Console Monster
    Apr 28, 2012
    70
    In summary, The Run provides yet another aspect to the NFS series and with its Hollywood-like cut scenes and storyline, easy to pick-up-and-play driving; The Run is definitely one to run out for, however I wouldn't run a marathon for the game. If you're not a NFS freak, a simple rent will keep you occupied for more than enough time.
    Read full review
  2. Play UK
    Jan 9, 2012
    63
    So long as you can get behind the odd handling and the deceptive setup, The Run offers some top-end racing thrills tucked in among some cheap, scripted and downright annoying moments. [Issue#213, p.84]
  3. games(TM)
    Jan 9, 2012
    50
    Fleeting fun and a mild distraction it may be, but The Run finishes this particular race upside down in a ditch. On fire. [Issue#117, p.112]
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