- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Release Date: Nov 7, 2017
- Also On: PC, Xbox One
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- Critic score
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- By date
- Unscored
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Nov 16, 2017The game’s title summarises the story; there’s some betrayal, and you’re looking to do some paying back. There’s technically good dialogue, in the same way a Fast and Furious movie technically has good dialogue. Occasionally you’ll chuckle. The rest of the time you really won’t care.
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Nov 27, 2017All in all, I’d suggest passing on this, despite the fun racing framework that surrounds the game. The upgrade system is such a mess, and makes the entire game feel like a chore. And that even extends into the multiplayer, which requires you to upgrade your vehicle enough to stay competitive against other players too. It just makes for a really unfortunate experience, and ideally this is not something we’ll see repeated in future installments of this series.
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games(TM)Dec 31, 2017An infuriating slog hurt by its own structure. [Issue#195, p.80]
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Nov 30, 2017I really wanted this game to be good. The E3 trailer looked like the ridiculous Fast & Furious title people have wanted for a decade, and I specifically asked for this review opportunity. In my mind, I was totally down for what this game was promising and in the mood for a good Need For Speed, but this just isn’t it. There are certainly worse racing games out there, but few can match Payback’s blandness. It’s a listless, lifeless, soulless product that perfectly exemplifies the current state of Electronic Arts. Maybe next time.
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Nov 17, 2017This is a grindy caRPG that sacrifices specificity of environment, story, and characterization so as to guarantee that the car reigns supreme.
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Nov 15, 2017Need for Speed Payback turns the series in the wrong direction. The story here is too weak, but it's still a central element of the game.
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Nov 15, 2017Need for Speed Payback is a real-world example of microtransactions gone wrong. As an open world racer, the game’s inoffensively average – but when paired with its bafflingly bad progression system, it’s frankly an embarrassment. It’s scary to think that publishers are quite literally sabotaging their own games in pursuit of a bonus buck or two these days.
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Nov 14, 2017Need for Speed Payback is another result of EA meddling in the concept of “games as a service” and taking an otherwise mediocre entry in the series and completely butchering it in the process to achieve this goal. Here's hoping this trend of free-to-play business strategies in full priced games comes to an end sooner, rather than later.
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Nov 9, 2017The worst Need For Speed game of the modern era, that leaves no stone unturned in its attempts to make itself as boring, repetitive, and exploitative as possible.
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Nov 8, 2017Need for Speed returns in this, a grossly unremarkable open world racer that marks another step back for the series.
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Nov 16, 2017The glory days of Need for Speed seem a long way off. Need for Speed Payback is swamped with unnecessary guff when it should be stripped back and lean, the engine purring. There’s little to recommend in a game that feels unnecessary in so many areas, with so many blocks to actually having fun. There could be a decent game under here somewhere, but there’s no reason to hang around and find it.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 426 out of 1372
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Mixed: 202 out of 1372
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Negative: 744 out of 1372
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Nov 7, 2017
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Nov 7, 2017
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Nov 7, 2017