Need for Speed Payback

 PlayStation 4
User Score
4.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1372 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 426 out of 1372
  2. Mixed: 202 out of 1372
  3. Negative: 744 out of 1372
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  1. Acrylic_polka
    Oct 4, 2021
    0
    Полная хуйня я даже не знаю что сказать могу ещё добавить что эти дауны добавили для Драг машин дрифт сука трассу
  2. Cheeseboatvow18
    Nov 19, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Everything is fine until u reach the diamond block 4 question mission. iTS A **** RACE AND ItS ABOUt Race NOT DRaG.Fix your game… Expand
  3. Aoimina
    Nov 28, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Господи, дали это полное b убогое не игра бесплатно в ps store. Я пожалел в 100 раз, что играл в неё. Ну тут просто Г! Потратил время в пустую...… Expand
  4. dejw_z
    Jan 1, 2022
    8
    This soundtrack!!! Maybe the storyline is too insistent, but unlike the Heat, at least it is. Even the driving model is better in Payback. Not to mention drift in Heat because it's a total failure. I know what I am talking about because I made an platinum trophy in Heat. NFS Payback is better game in every aspect. So I really don't understand the lower rating of that game (maybe because IThis soundtrack!!! Maybe the storyline is too insistent, but unlike the Heat, at least it is. Even the driving model is better in Payback. Not to mention drift in Heat because it's a total failure. I know what I am talking about because I made an platinum trophy in Heat. NFS Payback is better game in every aspect. So I really don't understand the lower rating of that game (maybe because I played it first time in 2021).… Expand
  5. julic
    Sep 15, 2022
    10
    unas de las mejores sagas de carros que hay por el momento y hecha por la mejor compañia videojuegos electronic arts
  6. angelrubio
    Oct 8, 2020
    0
    Fps on the low 30s voice acting/story that makes me wanna puke and worst of all input lag through the roof. What a wasted month for psplus users
  7. DesNukem
    Mar 12, 2018
    4
    The unconscionable money-grabbing aspect has been addressed by several reviewers so I'll just mention a couple of other things that Ghost Games and other developers need to learn:

    1. Don't try to appeal to the youth market by imitating their language and mannerisms – it just looks contrived. If you make a game like a teen-movie and players don't like your movie, they're not going to    The unconscionable money-grabbing aspect has been addressed by several reviewers so I'll just mention a couple of other things that Ghost Games and other developers need to learn:

    1. Don't try to appeal to the youth market by imitating their language and mannerisms – it just looks contrived. If you make a game like a teen-movie and players don't like your movie, they're not going to enjoy your game no matter how it plays. Make games for mature adults and you will capture the youth market.

    2. Don't substitute unnecessary cut scenes for actions that players could perform themselves.

    NFS Payback is a perfect example of how not to make a game – racing or otherwise. As far as racing goes, another flaw in this entry is the obtrusive arches and directional arrows which completely break the immersion in an otherwise beautifully rendered open world. You especially don't need directions in places where there is only one possible route. I give it 4 points for the graphics..    … Expand
  8. Thegodfatherson
    Dec 31, 2017
    7
    Payback pays homage to the fast-paced and ridiculous racing action present in the Fast and the Furious films, and pulls off most of its ideas very well. Graphics wise, it looks amazing, although I did encounter some pop-in while playing on my PS4 Pro. The sound is really well done, as most of the cars sound like their real-life counterparts. The gameplay consists of drag racing, circuitPayback pays homage to the fast-paced and ridiculous racing action present in the Fast and the Furious films, and pulls off most of its ideas very well. Graphics wise, it looks amazing, although I did encounter some pop-in while playing on my PS4 Pro. The sound is really well done, as most of the cars sound like their real-life counterparts. The gameplay consists of drag racing, circuit races and off-road races, mixed with various story missions spanning across the open world of Fortune Valley. The open world is empty, although it is huge. There is not much detail put into it, which makes it feel lifeless and boring to drive in. The variety of environments is interesting though. People are hating on this game because of the loot box system, but after 50+ hours playing this game, I can safely say that cars and parts can be earned by simply playing. I didn’t spend a dime on the shipments as I kept unlocking cars and parts as I progressed. The progression system will intimidate players at first, but as you play, you will find that you progress at a generous rate, compared to EA’s other outing, Battlefront 2. Story is nonsensical, cheesy stuff. The characters are shallow, and boring. The payoff is unsatisfying, but the missions are varied and provide for some great movie style moments that frankly no other racing game this year has provided. Payback is a great entry to the series, but does have its missteps. Calling it awful, or most shockingly “the next Battlefront 2” is just absurd. You knew what you were getting into, an arcade style racer which doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s tons of fun with friends too.… Expand
  9. Darkin20
    Sep 18, 2018
    3
    I played forza right before and after this game and I question myself why did I even try and compare. Everything that was bad but removed out of the old forza games are in here for some reason. Like they did not even want to learn from others.

    The controls are horrible and for a driving game that is a death sentence right then but combine it with intensional grinding and micro    I played forza right before and after this game and I question myself why did I even try and compare. Everything that was bad but removed out of the old forza games are in here for some reason. Like they did not even want to learn from others.

    The controls are horrible and for a driving game that is a death sentence right then but combine it with intensional grinding and micro transactions you get a poor excuse for a driving game    … Expand
  10. Realisti
    Oct 10, 2020
    4
    You know what is fun in this game? Not playing it. Only good thing in this game is customizing your cars. Anything else is pretty much bad. Boring grind. Stupidly tuned AI to make racing "exciting".
  11. HaloFever
    Nov 10, 2020
    5
    How many hours do you have to play a game to before you can definitely say it is a bad game? Full disclosure: I downloaded this game "free" from PlayStation Plus. I did not so much buy it as have it drop into my lap.

    Driving around the Need for Speed world, I was shocked that the developers put so much effort into the buildings and environment when it should have been clear to them that    How many hours do you have to play a game to before you can definitely say it is a bad game? Full disclosure: I downloaded this game "free" from PlayStation Plus. I did not so much buy it as have it drop into my lap.

    Driving around the Need for Speed world, I was shocked that the developers put so much effort into the buildings and environment when it should have been clear to them that the gameplay was going to be terrible. The worst of the game starts right away. The voice acting is flat and the dialogue is as generic as elevator music. Then you have to run away from some police. You are driving a souped up race car and they are driving stock police cars. Yet somehow the cops can go from 0 to 60 in 1 second and hit about 200 mph on city streets. In the past 30 years, developers have made zero effort to improve a.i.

    The other races in the game have some "rubberbanding". I am not entire sure because I lowered the difficulty to easy. Big mistake. Every race has been a cake walk. Now and then, despite a huge lead, an a.i. car will suddenly appear on my tail. On higher difficulties, maybe they would race past me right as I approach the finish line. The general strategy in arcade feeling racing games is to get ahead and stay ahead, and this always makes for boring races.

    The worst mechanic in the game is the progression system. You cannot simply enter any race and have a good time. Instead you have to either "grind" for upgrades or buy upgrades as micro-transactions. The game will happily show you all the cars you cannot drive unless you buy an upgrade pack with real dollars. Someone bought this game for $60 in 2017 and immediately regretted their purchase when they saw these free-to-play/pay-to-win purchase options. Part of me is ok with playing a "free" game for all of its free content and part of me wonders why I would waste my time when I can pay for a better game.

    The problem with racing on the PS4 ecosystem is that there are not that many arcade style racers. You can play a plethora of kart racers and a few very serious racing simulations. Outside of Need for Speed, I cannot think of any casual racing games for the rest of us. I also cannot think of any casual racing games with 2 player split screen. This is the ultimate travesty, and Electronic Arts perpetuates it with the Need for Speed franchise. Rather than code in split screen, which used to be a standard feature in all racing games, Electronic Arts set up an elaborate store for micro-transactions. So instead of a fun arcade style racer that I can play with my family, Need for Speed is a platform for micro-transactions. I would give this game less than 5 out of 10 except I do have that itch to play a racing game and Need for Speed is a racing game.

    Last note on this mediocre piece of crap: why don't we have a remake of Burnout: Takedown? That game was just so amazing and here we are 3 console generations later and we have not seen a worthy successor. The playbook for making a good arcade style racing game is right before us! Just remake that game and enjoy the praise of high Metacritic scores! No micro-transactions. No stupid progression system. Just straight up good racing with split screen. Dear developers, this is what your customers deserve.    … Expand
  12. joaopontesvaz
    Mar 14, 2018
    7
    Graphics: 7.8 Sound: 7.2 Gameplay: 7 Fun/Story: 6.5

    Another year, another NFS game. Despite some minor improvements there's nothing really new. Campaign is repetitive and a little boring.
  13. Aeolian
    Sep 12, 2020
    0
    I grew up with NFS porche, hot pursuit and everything that followed. I still find this NFS the most enjoyable NFS i've played since Carbon ( which i didn't like that much). I don't mind the cards and the lottery stuff. I have everything i need. A lot of elements from multiple racing games, packed in a really well done Need for Speed. Like i said, i never had fun with a NFS title in a longI grew up with NFS porche, hot pursuit and everything that followed. I still find this NFS the most enjoyable NFS i've played since Carbon ( which i didn't like that much). I don't mind the cards and the lottery stuff. I have everything i need. A lot of elements from multiple racing games, packed in a really well done Need for Speed. Like i said, i never had fun with a NFS title in a long time. good job EA.… Expand
  14. rosnk30
    May 3, 2021
    8
    Great game with a fastest races and smooth gameplay. A true NFS (better than NFS Heat) with a lot of cars, customizations and types os races. I catched this game for free in PSN and I dont knowed how much I would like it.
  15. Sky-Line___
    Jan 9, 2019
    3
    Fails to innovate. Game quickly gets boring with repetitive races, challenges and useless collectibles. Concerning customization, it goes in line with NFS 2015, that is, pretty good but still not at the level of Underground. As every NFS, handling of cars is not the greatest.
    Map feels cool but terribly lacks of any kind of life, furthermore cops are useless so no epic pursuits.
    Missions    Fails to innovate. Game quickly gets boring with repetitive races, challenges and useless collectibles. Concerning customization, it goes in line with NFS 2015, that is, pretty good but still not at the level of Underground. As every NFS, handling of cars is not the greatest.
    Map feels cool but terribly lacks of any kind of life, furthermore cops are useless so no epic pursuits.
    Missions we were advertised are very few. Only chapter conclusions have a bit of originality, and the whole thing is obviously scripted as hell.
    Online mode is pointless since NFS 2015 at least allowed to play missions in online coop, which you cannot do here. Online free roam mode was added in an update but only collectibles are available in it.
    This game would be so dead if Forza Horizon was on PS4.    … Expand
  16. Stan0men
    May 3, 2020
    4
    Тей хто балансив машини та малював трасси до класу "Бездоріжжя" - сини сутулих собак!
    Придбав ігрулю за 5$, червона ціна - 3$ і це якщо вам доплатять.
    EA + Ghost = a piece of sheet
  17. mikepatyaev
    Sep 2, 2019
    8
    Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, players drive as three distinct characters reunited by a quest for vengeance against The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city’s casinos, criminals and cops.
  18. 1333339804
    Sep 12, 2019
    0
    Really boring and really really dissapointing im not a fan of nfs games but this game is **** as hell!
  19. GReviews
    May 1, 2018
    7
    What lets it down is the lack of police chases while free-roaming, the handling of cars around corners is a little twitchy (it’s either perfect drift or doughnuts when you go off-road) and the pretty heavy storyline that cuts up your rhythm mid-game. Get past that though and you could beat the house.
  20. dingobreath
    Nov 1, 2019
    5
    This game could have been great, except for the fact that the upgrade system completely sucks with loot boxes.

    + Good graphics + Nice game world + Solid car selection - Annoying hipster characters - No Free roam police, only point to point police cheap AI events. - Upgrade system sux - Cluttered map - Some cheap AI in some races - Can't be the cops - Shops and upgrade centres    This game could have been great, except for the fact that the upgrade system completely sucks with loot boxes.

    + Good graphics
    + Nice game world
    + Solid car selection

    - Annoying hipster characters
    - No Free roam police, only point to point police cheap AI events.
    - Upgrade system sux
    - Cluttered map
    - Some cheap AI in some races
    - Can't be the cops
    - Shops and upgrade centres are separated this is so annoying

    Disappointed, could have been the best n4s game.    … Expand
  21. edulin72
    Feb 10, 2019
    8
    ESTA BIEN, ES UN BUEN ARCADE DE CONDUCCIÓN CON BUENA CANTIDAD DE COCHES PARA USAR Y CARRERAS PARA JUGAR.
  22. cAtallah
    Feb 7, 2018
    9
    This is a fantastic driving game. Unfortunately, I let the people that don't even play the game sway my initial thought on it. I didn't play the game for a while because of the unfavorable scores and when I finally picked it up I couldn't put it down. This game is great. The open world is gorgeous with a very eclectic and varied map with open highways and tight twisty mountain climbs. TheThis is a fantastic driving game. Unfortunately, I let the people that don't even play the game sway my initial thought on it. I didn't play the game for a while because of the unfavorable scores and when I finally picked it up I couldn't put it down. This game is great. The open world is gorgeous with a very eclectic and varied map with open highways and tight twisty mountain climbs. The cars feel and SOUND incredible to drive. I couldn't get my speakers loud enough to take in the amazing audio from this game. There is always something different to do. Whether it is different types of vehicle races or spending my time searching for derelict cars to build up.

    I have spent over 10 hours playing and I have yet to spend any more money on the game. I am struggling to find the NEED for the micro transactions. Their existence has not affected my game at all and I have not felt any grinding feeling. So far, the progression has been perfect. I actually really like the card system. You buy cards to upgrade your car. I liked it because it simplified car customization and performance upgrading, which is what I want from an arcade racing game!

    Speaking of customization, the visual customization is great. It is annoying at first that you cannot change all parts on your car without unlocking more but it ends up leading to unlocks later in the game which feel great to get.

    The story is as you would expect from a Need for Speed game or Fast and Furious style movie....and I like it. It is SO much fun just driving around the world so it feels great that they mostly tell the story through conversations as you are driving from spot to spot.

    There are some minor bugs that were annoying, but passable. Mostly, when your wheels go slightly off a cliff or when you run right into a pole it respawns your car a few seconds back which basically means you need to restart your race. There are also some minor texture popping.

    I like how the game doesn't focus on the characters but always focuses on making the cars the stars of the game, and they are great.

    One other thing, there is a social aspect to Payback. Every once and a while a new car will appear in the world and the only way to find it is to scour social media. Once you find the car, you have to drive it back to the garage at the airfield with the cops on your tail. Again, it is another little fun reason to drive around the awesome world.

    I hope people play this game with an open mind. If you are into loud noises, cars and fast driving then I highly suggest this game.    … Expand
  23. RedNek
    Jan 23, 2018
    10
    It does have some flaws but for the most part it is a very good racing game. Gritty, rough, and challenging. I don't know what the fuss about the "loot" or bait crates is. I have gotten them and haven't spent any money, though I did get the "deluxe" edition. I am over halfway through the main game have 13 cars ( all derelicts and abandoned so far released) 5 of which have maxed outIt does have some flaws but for the most part it is a very good racing game. Gritty, rough, and challenging. I don't know what the fuss about the "loot" or bait crates is. I have gotten them and haven't spent any money, though I did get the "deluxe" edition. I am over halfway through the main game have 13 cars ( all derelicts and abandoned so far released) 5 of which have maxed out upgrades. Story/mini movies are pointless and boring but game play is amazing once you get the hang of it.… Expand
  24. trimbolo
    Feb 27, 2018
    3
    I'm a fan of the Nfs series, but this part is terrible. Of the pluses I can mark the schedule and customization. The rest is just awful. The story is crumpled with The Run, Carbon and Undeground. No imagination. Do an arcade race with a non-linear storyline! I'm from Russia, I do not know how others, but we just have terrible subtitles that do not match the words that the characters say.I'm a fan of the Nfs series, but this part is terrible. Of the pluses I can mark the schedule and customization. The rest is just awful. The story is crumpled with The Run, Carbon and Undeground. No imagination. Do an arcade race with a non-linear storyline! I'm from Russia, I do not know how others, but we just have terrible subtitles that do not match the words that the characters say. By the way, they're too cliched. Crazy cops stop you from taking control points. Why create checkpoints at all? To get away from the cops, you will have to come to the point and you will be rescued by Leicester from GTA? This so stupid, what happend in real life? Cops are completely crazy, knock you down, and in order to destroy them you need at least crash 3 times. It's great to pull off Drag's race after Drag's clumsy car. Sometimes drifting offroad the machine behaves as if on ice. What's wrong with the radio? How to regulate it? Suppose I want to listen to LEAN BACK, I need to stand and look for it. Songs are repeated too often. Oh yes I wanted to add about the cops. How can Corvett knock down a 2-ton Dodge?… Expand
  25. DJTylerH
    Mar 13, 2018
    5
    Despite all the "grind" complaints about Payback, I actually breezed through it in only about 2 weeks of very casual play, never really having to worry about upgrades and such. The downfall of this game is that it's just not very engaging or entertaining most of the time. And the Speed Cards, even though I didn't grind to get them, really, are a TERRIBLE addition. Nothing more than aDespite all the "grind" complaints about Payback, I actually breezed through it in only about 2 weeks of very casual play, never really having to worry about upgrades and such. The downfall of this game is that it's just not very engaging or entertaining most of the time. And the Speed Cards, even though I didn't grind to get them, really, are a TERRIBLE addition. Nothing more than a lottery, and all the cards, no matter the designation, basically give you the same results. Picking one (like Turbo) thinking it'll have one effect (like actually making the car faster), can just as easily do NOTHING for speed, like you'd THINK, but just help your jumping and airtime capabilities, or even just upgrade breaking. Completely nonsensical. Basically, it's okay for a single play through, but there's no replay value here. I know I'll never go back to it.… Expand
  26. UltragamingX
    Mar 14, 2018
    10
    The game is amazing I recommend it,its better spent 50 dolars then FH3.the game is great,just bring back the old tuning system. I love that they did the most requested feature,Online-Freeroam.The game is underrated by forza fanboys. Forza is a good game but its not THAT good as they say.
    Forza can release any game which can be good or terrible it will get better rewiews than NFS.
    They    The game is amazing I recommend it,its better spent 50 dolars then FH3.the game is great,just bring back the old tuning system. I love that they did the most requested feature,Online-Freeroam.The game is underrated by forza fanboys. Forza is a good game but its not THAT good as they say.
    Forza can release any game which can be good or terrible it will get better rewiews than NFS.
    They say pay or grind,but they are talking nonsence.I finished this game without spending a dollar and I was better then the "pay to win squad". Its easy to be good at it and people talk like they need 100 hours to finish the story cuz they are used to playing Forza in which u get TOO much money for a race. I had a Regera in the 2 hours I played it and in Payback I needed 6 hours to get it. People also speak about the player needing to grind on old missions to get money so you don't need to pay,well mate its always been like that.The game is great just people underrate it. IGN and Metacritic don't even look at the customizatio.Did you know that you cant spell ignorants without IGN,well its true in every aspect. The loot boxes don't ruin the game,its the people that rewiew it.There are exactly 0 rewiewers that know their job! So conclusion

    Forza Horizon 3 is great but it is overrated
    NFS Payback is massively Underrated

    You want NFS back on its feet but you say Rivals Hot Pursuit and MW 2012 are great!?!

    Like are you joking m8?

    they ARE THE WORST!

    So stop underrating Forza FANBOYS!

    FM7 is OVERRATED as hell to be honest,It is glitch as hell and......there is 0 progression!

    So rewiew honestly DO NOT rate it what you think is not that bad is anything OVERRATE it because if NFS goes down...Well the racing game history is DEAD.NFS is more important then Forza,NFS is History!

    So this is for now and play the game properaly!    … Expand
  27. gerg2012
    Mar 14, 2018
    10
    Absolutely love it! Played almost all NFS games and this is one of the best.
  28. NomadicZodiac
    Mar 7, 2019
    9
    Had a blast collecting platinum trophy. Really there's no need to pay for those loot boxes, you can gain them through random actions, and they are cosmetic, so i don't get why everyone is so upset about it. For one, I actually didn't notice those boxes. nor the need for them. Riding mechanics is as realistic as ever in nfs franchise, smooth driving, drifting. Main story is not as boring asHad a blast collecting platinum trophy. Really there's no need to pay for those loot boxes, you can gain them through random actions, and they are cosmetic, so i don't get why everyone is so upset about it. For one, I actually didn't notice those boxes. nor the need for them. Riding mechanics is as realistic as ever in nfs franchise, smooth driving, drifting. Main story is not as boring as it seems, but not as perfect it could be. And it didn't feel like a grind to me, it's natural you need to progress to get some better items, but I've got my cars quite speedy and it did not felt like it was taking too long.… Expand
  29. alexslork
    Nov 3, 2019
    5
    Мне одному кажется что нфс с каждым годом становиться все хуже?
    Как можно так халатно относиться к своему детищу?
  30. superpyro296
    Feb 5, 2021
    6
    This game is decent and a little bit better than the Need of Speed released in 2015. I had some fun playing it but we have a really « cliché » story and poor graphics. They did an ok job for the open world. I really didn't liked the drifting challenges (I don't see the purpose of having high drifting scores...)
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
24
#24 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 59
  3. Negative: 9 out of 59
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Feb 6, 2018
    70
    Ticks all the boxes and delivers a decent, playable experience, but it's hugely derivative and feels far too familiar, especially if you've played The Crew. [Jan 2017, p.92]
  2. games(TM)
    Dec 31, 2017
    40
    An infuriating slog hurt by its own structure. [Issue#195, p.80]
  3. The Digital Fix
    Dec 15, 2017
    60
    If you stick with it you'll find a decent racer here but getting past the inane narrative, broken progression systems and longing for racers past takes some doing.
    Read full review
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