Need for Speed: Rivals

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 896 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 380 out of 896
  2. Mixed: 287 out of 896
  3. Negative: 229 out of 896
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  1. young_ricky
    Dec 11, 2013
    7
    Graphics are slightly stepped-up and the usual NFS gameplay is there, but for some reason this feels like a substantial step backward from Most Wanted on PS3. Maybe it's the overwhelming focus on stats, the lackluster soundtrack (again) or the fragmented gameplay, but more of the same is starting to get stale if you've played the last two Need For Speed games.

    That being said, whether    Graphics are slightly stepped-up and the usual NFS gameplay is there, but for some reason this feels like a substantial step backward from Most Wanted on PS3. Maybe it's the overwhelming focus on stats, the lackluster soundtrack (again) or the fragmented gameplay, but more of the same is starting to get stale if you've played the last two Need For Speed games.

    That being said, whether you've played those games or you're brand new to the series, Need For Speed is still easily one of the most satisfying arcade racers out there and Rivals keeps things fresh enough.    … Expand
  2. tommypuma19
    Dec 31, 2013
    5
    I am more of a fan when these games had a story and you started out with more modest cars and built them up. Sure the game looks nice and is fun for ten hours or so, the game becomes to be extremely repetitive. Unlocking new cars is boring and only time consuming. I would rather play an old burnout game rather than this
  3. Steeliosis
    Mar 15, 2014
    7
    Need for Speed Rivals delivers both in terms of the visuals and in terms of the gameplay. Well worth a buy, but I first must mention the ups and downs of the game;

    To start with, the choice between cop and racer is something which has existed for a while now, but is executed perfectly in this game. Playing as the police, you will have to patrol Redview County to hunt down racers, take    Need for Speed Rivals delivers both in terms of the visuals and in terms of the gameplay. Well worth a buy, but I first must mention the ups and downs of the game;

    To start with, the choice between cop and racer is something which has existed for a while now, but is executed perfectly in this game. Playing as the police, you will have to patrol Redview County to hunt down racers, take on challenges, and perform multiple tasks that are predetermined in the base before setting out into the world. Each task is varied, and stretch from completing a certain challenge to driving at a specific speed by a police camera. Completing these tasks will progress you through the game, and with that, through the story (the story being something which, in my opinion, felt rather cheap and lacking). The same goes for the racer career, although in that, you must race one another and evade the police, racking up speed points and climbing leaderboards.

    Probably the games biggest feature is the seamless integration between both single and multiplayer. Whilst driving along, you will occasionally meet with other players, who may either be with or against you on the driving grounds. With this, you can either take them down, team up, or leave them be. Although I found this rather evolutionary and clever, it seems to get in the way quite a bit, and may leave you slightly disoriented from time to time.

    Something which people seem to cling onto with dear life in the Need for Speed franchise is the cusomisation options. With this, you can change the colours of your cars, upgrade performance (in the racing career) and pursuit tech, and add and swap out vinyls. It's certainly no Most Wanted, Carbon, or Underground, but for what it's worth, it serves well and feels merely like an addition to the bigger picture that is the games true core; racing and chasing.

    I mentioned earlier, but will bring it up again; the game looks beautiful, like a true next gen game. I really felt like I was playing on PS4. The water details, weather, and environmental textures are all fantastic, and all add to the immersion.

    The handling on the vehicles seems fair, but not strictly realistic. However, this is no simulator, and you wouldn't expect something such as this to be realistic.

    In terms of content, the game has multiple challenges and tasks, along with a good collection of cars, side tasks (cameras, jumps, etc.) and of course, the multiple environments (fields, mountains, beaches, small towns), the game really does seem to deliver. The ultimate downside to the content is the map size; it feels incredibly small, and thus, the transitions between environments feels hollow and cheap (jumping straight from a lush valley to a freezing temperate is rather disorienting). This also makes you feel a large sense of deja vu, and rightly so, as you will constantly return to the same spots over and over again. However, the races and chases feel truly tense and deliver as they should, so some flaws can be forgiven.

    Overall, the game is great, but is not without it's flaws; small map and lacking cusomisation for cars are the first that spring to mind. I can't give this game a perfect score, even if it does look and feel like a perfect game, but I can certainly recommend it.    … Expand
  4. phishhippy
    Nov 23, 2013
    7
    Beautiful, fun and familiar. I love the world and seamless multiplayer but I never really ran into them on the roads much. I've always loved NSF but I miss the stories of the earlier games. Give me some deeper narrative and make me care more about the driver and world. Not like the run but more like under grounds and the original hot pursuits. The later part of the game grinds if youBeautiful, fun and familiar. I love the world and seamless multiplayer but I never really ran into them on the roads much. I've always loved NSF but I miss the stories of the earlier games. Give me some deeper narrative and make me care more about the driver and world. Not like the run but more like under grounds and the original hot pursuits. The later part of the game grinds if you choose to upgrade your cars rather than buy the newest ones. It's a blast to play but just know its all been done before.… Expand
  5. umairaziz
    Jun 13, 2014
    6
    1. The graphics engine is poorly optimized, hence EA had to lock the game at 30 fps
    2. The driving mechanics are aweful, (NFS 2012, HP 2010 are rocking), i though crieterions are involved so it`d be great but it`s total waste of money.
    3. Graphics are a step backward from nfs 2012 which at least gives you a modern look of cities, while rivals is opposite, despite a dx11 game, it still is    1. The graphics engine is poorly optimized, hence EA had to lock the game at 30 fps
    2. The driving mechanics are aweful, (NFS 2012, HP 2010 are rocking), i though crieterions are involved so it`d be great but it`s total waste of money.
    3. Graphics are a step backward from nfs 2012 which at least gives you a modern look of cities, while rivals is opposite, despite a dx11 game, it still is a thumb down when comparing graphics with nfs hp 2010
    4. AI is stupid, no matter how much upgrades you apply, or how long you master the skill, you can`t anticipate if you would win? ( a little exagerated but, this is like it)
    those of you who hasn`t bought it, dont    … Expand
  6. intrepidis
    Jan 4, 2014
    7
    This is a great racer in the launch line up of PS4. Visuals: I've played the 360 version of this game and the PS4 version is very noticeably higher res, with gorgeous textures and smoother lines, no annoying flickering of pixels (aliasing)... basically it looks stunning. Audio: This, for me, is ok but not incredible.

    Gameplay: I love it. It's just like NFS Hot Pursuit (on PS3) crossed    This is a great racer in the launch line up of PS4. Visuals: I've played the 360 version of this game and the PS4 version is very noticeably higher res, with gorgeous textures and smoother lines, no annoying flickering of pixels (aliasing)... basically it looks stunning. Audio: This, for me, is ok but not incredible.

    Gameplay: I love it. It's just like NFS Hot Pursuit (on PS3) crossed with the open world of NFS underground 2. And it works really well! Plenty of races time-trials police escapes, etc.

    Annoyances: After winning a big race you have the cops on your tail and they bust you before you manage to get to a hideout, therefore lose your points! Having to log in to EA servers in order to shut up the requests to log in. Also, after you've setup log-in, every time you start the game you have to wait maybe a minute or two for it to log in! This should happen in the background. I prefer to play my game offline, mostly.

    Highlights: Good opponent AI. Online racing works well. Taking a nice drive through the luscious country-side and then getting roped into a race, and before long the fuzz are on our tail and all hell breaks loose! Also, playing as the cops is great fun too.    … Expand
  7. sonygamer97
    Feb 20, 2014
    5
    This game was the first brand new game I purchased for my PS4. I was looking forward to seeing what the graphics were like on the next gen compared for prior gen, and must say, the graphics were very incredible. The map is very large and very realistic. Each detail on each and every vehicle was very defined. However, aside from the looks, I'd consider this game considerably average.This game was the first brand new game I purchased for my PS4. I was looking forward to seeing what the graphics were like on the next gen compared for prior gen, and must say, the graphics were very incredible. The map is very large and very realistic. Each detail on each and every vehicle was very defined. However, aside from the looks, I'd consider this game considerably average. There are extremely limited customization options and a short amount of time is required to unlock each vehicle. Also, the pursuits are way less interactive compared to other NFS titles like Carbon. Also, I found the online features of the game to be more of a nuisance than anything. Nonetheless, I did find the game relatively fun to play and awesome to look at.… Expand
  8. Dilwoah
    Mar 22, 2014
    6
    I went from loving this game, 10/10. To loathing playing it towards the end. Now don't get me wrong, I have beaten the game completely. But it's the gameplay after this that began to bother me.

    Every time I go to play a race now just to enjoy racing and beating my times and what not, I get so frustrated with the game I have to quit. And it's the cops fault. It's over the top once you've    I went from loving this game, 10/10. To loathing playing it towards the end. Now don't get me wrong, I have beaten the game completely. But it's the gameplay after this that began to bother me.

    Every time I go to play a race now just to enjoy racing and beating my times and what not, I get so frustrated with the game I have to quit. And it's the cops fault. It's over the top once you've beaten the game and unlocked the final cars. I can look past the stupid artificial difficulty the game has, I mean c'mon. How does a car that's a lower tier than mine, stay constantly ahead of me at the same speed on a straightaway when I'm drafting them and using a turbo and they aren't even using Nitros? Uh huh. But no. It's the cops that throw it over the top for me. The fact that they will ALWAYS be faster than you, constantly load in in front of you, and chain 3 emps one after the other guaranTEE that you won't enjoy your racing experience after you've beaten the game. No amount of jamming and ESFing can stop that.

    Another thing. The soundtrack is AMAZING. But you NEVER get to hear a song all the way through. The cops music is ALWAYS playing, and it gets old FAST.

    Now, this is all from the perspective from somebody who wants to play a game after I've beaten it. Which I like to do with racing games. That's the joy of maxing out your car and taking it for a spin. But in this game that's not possible. As soon as you leave the hideout you have at least 3 cops on you, and you can't outrun them. Not even in the maxed out 10 speed koenigsegg, you can lose them though by running around in circles and never making any forward progress.

    Up until the game was over and I wanted to enjoy the "replayability value" this game was a solid 8.5/10.

    After you've beaten the career and you never get to enjoy more than 3 seconds without being interrupted by a horde of cops, the game drops to a horrendous 3/10. One point each for graphics, controls, and map size.

    All in all, the game is great if you just want to beat the main missions and put it down. But don't bother trying to replay it and complete all of the races after that, as you'll be plagued with frustration and annoyances.    … Expand
  9. Heartless91
    May 31, 2014
    5
    I've been playing this game for a while now and i don't understand why this game ha been given such high ratings. Its a decent game and yes, the graphics are stunning but it just feels like the game is not finished. The "campaign" is crap there is literally no storyline to it. As far as trophies go there has literally been no thought put in to them. The campaign goes up to level 21 but iI've been playing this game for a while now and i don't understand why this game ha been given such high ratings. Its a decent game and yes, the graphics are stunning but it just feels like the game is not finished. The "campaign" is crap there is literally no storyline to it. As far as trophies go there has literally been no thought put in to them. The campaign goes up to level 21 but i get no trophy for it? I get it for 20 instead? Thats just stupid... most of the trophies are centered around gaining levels. You can get a max level of 60 on each "class" but the campaign finishes at 21. So you have to rinse and repeat the speedlists 39 more times on each class to reach the max level, how boring is that? Yeah you do unlock wraps and stuff if you do certain speedlists a certain number of times but most of them are pants anyway.

    The AI is annoying and unfair. You get back up from other cops when on a pursuit but they seem to hinder you more than what they do help. And the whole helicopters dropping countless spike traps is ridiculously unfair and unrealistic.

    There seems to be like 30-40 cop cars you can unlock but only about 15 racing cars. Why is that? I want more racing cars than cop cars if not you should get the same on each side. None of this makes any sense, like i said it feels incomplete and like its been rushed at last minute.

    The multiplayer is a waste of time, i can loose a cop in 10 seconds with nitro and turbo and i can't catch another players car in a cop car because they are to fast.

    I wouldn't recommend buying this game, not at 50 odd pounds anyway, wait until the price comes down its not worth that much. The graphics are next gen but the game itself is not.    … Expand
  10. Ginge_Unleashed
    Sep 16, 2014
    5
    I love driving games, I love the competition, the constant search for improvement, that 100th of a second by taking the corner perfectly, braking as late as possible but still being able to make the bend. That's why when I got a PS4, granted, a bit late (April time) I had to pick up the only available racing game. Need for Speed Rivals.
    I found Rivals to be enjoyable to begin with,    I love driving games, I love the competition, the constant search for improvement, that 100th of a second by taking the corner perfectly, braking as late as possible but still being able to make the bend. That's why when I got a PS4, granted, a bit late (April time) I had to pick up the only available racing game. Need for Speed Rivals.
    I found Rivals to be enjoyable to begin with, however the cheesy, and frankly terrible, story of "rivals becoming enemies" yada yada yada quickly became very off putting. The racing itself is quite good, however I feel a few features that have been in racing games for quite a while were missing, such as split times and lap races. For a games that tells you to try and beat your friends times constantly, it would be nice if we could see during races where we are losing time. Another pitfall that again felt fun to begin with but quickly became an annoyance was the weapons, most feel quite samey, it also seems that the enemies tend to seek you out more than the AI cars. The AI cars are also very quick to recover and break the concept of faster cars. You will see in races where you are on the straight going flat out in the fastest car in the game with Nitrous boosting you, other "slower" cars catching you up. This can be particularly annoying if you have spent an entire race in front, only to be overtaken by a car that is slower than you at the death. I played through the entire racer campaign, and completed every speed list on the cop campaign. The cop campaign did have a bit more enjoyment, purely because you got to wreck cars. Again though, this got old fast. The only reason I managed to complete the whole thing is because I was going to go for the platinum trophy, however, I got so bored that I gave that up as a bad job and traded the game in before getting round to completing all the racer speed lists.
    Graphically the game is great. the deserts, the forests and the snowy mountain passes all look fantastic on the PS4, the cars also look great. One thing I would like to see from a racing game in the PS4/XB1 generation is some accurate damage physics.    … Expand
  11. Danbliz
    Jul 13, 2015
    7
    Buena idea lo del mundo libre y como se personalizan pero imperdonable que no tenga multijugador local. El tema online faltaría que sea más fácil interactuar con el resto de los jugadores.
  12. cxqcxqcxq
    Oct 22, 2019
    6
    boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring
  13. M9ki
    Nov 17, 2013
    7
    This game was unique to me, but I got tired of it shortly after. This game and battlefield in my opinion are the best 2 first ps4 games that have came out so far. As you look at the games coming out for ps4 you have to think this is just the beginning my friends.
  14. sinadoom
    May 11, 2014
    5
    Boring map, lifeless driving mechanics, lackluster sound and bad car models. The graphics are not a step up from Most Wanted 2012 despite it running on Frostbite 3 in 1080p. As a sequel to Hot Pursuit 2010, Rivals does a good job in giving the player more freedom by adding more content. You have more choice over how you progress in the career, and you can actually use your speed points toBoring map, lifeless driving mechanics, lackluster sound and bad car models. The graphics are not a step up from Most Wanted 2012 despite it running on Frostbite 3 in 1080p. As a sequel to Hot Pursuit 2010, Rivals does a good job in giving the player more freedom by adding more content. You have more choice over how you progress in the career, and you can actually use your speed points to upgrade cars and buy pursuit tech. As a racer, you have an incentive to escape the cops. Unlike Hot Pursuit, this game is open world ,albeit nowhere in the same league as Burnout Paradise in terms of content. However, much of the magic that Hot Pursuit had has been lost. The driving attempts to be less arcade and drifty, and in doing so, it's lost the sense of speed so it's no longer intense. There seems to be no difference between a good and bad driver. You can crash and be as imprecise as you like and still get the gold medal in a time trial. The promise of customisation is poorly realized. Visually all you can do is change the colour and number plate, and performance-wise you can do some basic upgrades but no tuning. Furthermore, there are no tiers of cars. The performance difference is substantial in the menus, but on the road it's difficult to tell apart a Cayman S from a 458. There's just so little excitement in this game. I's just full throttle all the time with no need to be precise or skillful in any way. You can't be bad at this game. So in summary, the attempt to offer more of the same is a sensible idea, but overall Rivals lacks the excitement that Hot Pursuit delivered. The additions are not substantial enough, so I would suggest avoiding this if you have played Hot Pursuit.… Expand
  15. Mark_
    Dec 29, 2013
    5
    Controls are garbage and EA give no way of configuring them to your own style. Needs a fix to make a good game playable.
    Not everyone plays the same way and I hate steering with a joy stick and E-Brake on the square button where the normal brake always used to be? C'mon, this needs sorting.
  16. Hossrobinson
    Jul 10, 2014
    5
    I don't know what it is but there was a lot left to be desired after playing most wanted. The game just didn't seem complete to me. It didn't seem very big or very complex. Most wanted made you explore separate areas of a big city while rivals seemed very narrow in drive-able areas. Plus it was almost in possible to go cruising because the cops were on you at every moment and the longI don't know what it is but there was a lot left to be desired after playing most wanted. The game just didn't seem complete to me. It didn't seem very big or very complex. Most wanted made you explore separate areas of a big city while rivals seemed very narrow in drive-able areas. Plus it was almost in possible to go cruising because the cops were on you at every moment and the long stretches of single roads made it impossible to escape them sometimes. I was bored of the game after a few weeks and went back to Most Wanted and Forza Horizon.… Expand
  17. captain9fingers
    Jan 4, 2015
    7
    It's great fun to play but for some strange reason there are only two camera's a behind the car view and a bumper view that's very close to the ground. There is no natural driving view that makes you feel like you're in the car. Nice graphics and meaty engine noises. If it had a decent camera view this game would be awesome instead of just ok
  18. Satchmosoaurs
    Jan 16, 2015
    5
    Not worth the $12 I paid for it or the time I invested. This game is, at it's best, a vaguely interesting cliche ridden pile of dross that somewhat answers the cries of the fans of the series. At it's worst, it is a supremely frustrating game with civilian traffic rendering out of nowhere, and races unfairly weighted.

    Speaking positively, the game at the very least attempts to create    Not worth the $12 I paid for it or the time I invested. This game is, at it's best, a vaguely interesting cliche ridden pile of dross that somewhat answers the cries of the fans of the series. At it's worst, it is a supremely frustrating game with civilian traffic rendering out of nowhere, and races unfairly weighted.

    Speaking positively, the game at the very least attempts to create some plot to keep you interested. But at the end of the day, I just found myself running through the motions checking things off my to-do list. The game looks and sounds good, although I wish the cops had a bit more dialogue at their disposal than the same two or three lines. The social integration is a nice touch, although unless you have a sizable amount of friends playing with you, it falls flat, and human drivers just serve as another nuisance.

    The game world, while gorgeous to look at, makes it nearly impossible to navigate the numerous shortcuts that you have to take to succeed. It's almost as if the developers tried too hard to make a good looking game, as you'll find moisture on your car when there isn't a cloud in the sky. You'll often find yourself ending your race and losing all of your accumulated Speedpoints for that session all due to one unfortunate crash. The plot is basically non-existent, and without farming for points, it's impossible to accrue every unlockable vehicle.

    I really wanted to like this game. Unfortunately, the latest installment is just as forgettable as Hot Pursuit. While it may have been an entertaining time sink at launch, there are now far superior games out there that are more deserving of your time and money. Would not recommend.    … Expand
  19. nikblu1904
    Jan 15, 2018
    7
    Pros:

    - Good Cars (also from the movie, which is great)
    - good graphics
    - gameplay variation is pretty good

    Cons:

    - almost no customization
    - police is way to strong and irritating
    - you can't always see the street in front of you clearly, so you'll often driving against walls and crash
  20. Interject
    Nov 16, 2013
    7
    The game is graphically gorgeous and I like that there are many different paths a racer can take to get to the same destination that are off the normal grid. I think that EA did a great job on the multiplayer aspect of the game as it allows for multiple human racers to interact with one another cooperatively or competitively as they are completing objectives. In general I don't feel EAThe game is graphically gorgeous and I like that there are many different paths a racer can take to get to the same destination that are off the normal grid. I think that EA did a great job on the multiplayer aspect of the game as it allows for multiple human racers to interact with one another cooperatively or competitively as they are completing objectives. In general I don't feel EA took any risks in making this game as it is not much different then any other racing game. They did however drastically improve on the graphics. My main compliant so far is EA really screwed up on the intro/tutorial of the game. It was by far the worst tutorial for a racing game I've ever encountered. I felt like I was forced to spend 45 minutes of listening to cut scenes and tutorial videos before I was allowed to actually race. This definitely took away from my initial experience with the game. It gets better after the intro the main problem is the intro takes too long and is not fun.… Expand
  21. dandandan-
    Nov 27, 2013
    5
    Awful PC port is not what next gen should be. Shame on you, EA. Its locked on 30fps and it runs horribly on towns sections, making it unplayable on GTX550, even at minimal graphics.
  22. VampireRawr
    Jan 16, 2014
    6
    My favorite racing game on last Gen was EA other racing game Burn out paradise this is noting like it has a lot of downs but a few ups. I like yet hate this game for many reasons here is the Good and the bad. The game is very Pretty and looks nice I like how all the real cars are in this and feels great also the environment is good. The bad Story mode, Online Play, cops, cop mode and noMy favorite racing game on last Gen was EA other racing game Burn out paradise this is noting like it has a lot of downs but a few ups. I like yet hate this game for many reasons here is the Good and the bad. The game is very Pretty and looks nice I like how all the real cars are in this and feels great also the environment is good. The bad Story mode, Online Play, cops, cop mode and no city. This game feels like it is made for online and is hard to go offline which makes it very difficult if you want to play alone which is better when you want to unlock more cars and bank in cash, on top of that you can not pause the game on single player did the creators think that we don't get phone calls or want to take a 5 min break while playing this game in a race with tons of cash which forces you too lose it if you got to do something important. Really makes you feels like their was no thought in single player and they just want you online. The cops if you are a new to racing games or just haven't play one in a while the cops in here make you want to break your game there is no setting to turn them off, if you just want a joy ride around the game or a street race with just racers this game ruins that and I always have police chasing me while I am doing races time trials and everything else which makes the game feel terrible not that it is hard but it literally makes this game feel terrible. Cop mode is boring I really thought it'd be fun but some how the creators of this game made it terrible all you do is bump into racers which makes it boring. No City in this game makes if feel like a giant suburb, story mode is so boring with terrible voice actors as well as awful cut scenes I did not even realize I was playing story mode until half way threw. OVERALL this game feels like a free to play online tittle, the cars are great, driving is good and racing is good if you don't mind the cops chasing you all the time cop mode is terrible as well as story mode for both cops and racers since this is the only racing game out I still play this and don't mind the cops any more I had this since it came out played about 3 missions and don't car to Finnish it this is truly a 6 out of 10… Expand
  23. mrSilkie
    Mar 14, 2014
    5
    This is my first review and I made a metacritic account just to do it.

    This game is okay if you want to . It's not even worth a $40 price tag though. Graphics The graphics are beautiful, the world is sexy but amidst all of this when i'm coming second i follow the car in front of me but i feel that the graphics are utterly blinding. I can't see short cuts that the other drivers    This is my first review and I made a metacritic account just to do it.

    This game is okay if you want to . It's not even worth a $40 price tag though.

    Graphics
    The graphics are beautiful, the world is sexy but amidst all of this when i'm coming second i follow the car in front of me but i feel that the graphics are utterly blinding. I can't see short cuts that the other drivers utilize, i find that i'm constantly crashing into two white dots which a second later leave me viewing a cut scene of my car flipping around the circles.

    Map.
    The map is alright. It's large but unvaried. In underground 2 you had the mountains which held tight bends, the highways which tested the top speed of your car and back roads which combined both aspects of tight corners and slick straights.

    Cops
    Cops are annoying, they're annoying to the point where I don't even want to try to gamble with my speedpoints, i'll get to 20-50k and bank because i know that even if i do evade i'll be in another pursuit far too easily and they are not easy to get out of. Your best bet it to just find the nearest safe house and bank your points because it's also incredibly easy to crash your car via cops. They're not easy to take out unless you drive specific cars and use specific upgrades as smashing into them damages you alot faster then it damages them, If your car gets too damaged it get totaled and you lose all your speed points and go back to your garage.

    Cars.
    This is the killer for me. No customization at all.
    DECALS include. Stripes which look okay if you want all of your cars to look like the skyline off of 2 fast 2 furious. Decals which look hideous except for a few but none of them actually suit the aesthetic of the game. An example being the fact that there are mandarin symbols yet the game comprises of mostly European cars. Skins which are sick, each car has a different skin so they all match but they're really hard to unlock. Lastly you have number plates which for me was a feature they could have left out and instead spent their time developing elsewhere.
    PERFORMANCE mods are pretty basic. Durability, Stength, Control, Speed and Acceleration. Each can be upgraded to a maximum of 5 getting more expensive so it's pretty bland and not what i'm used to, even undercover had more customization.
    PURSUIT MODS. They're cool, they're the only thing that makes this game fun but they make this game a racing game and not the street racing game that i remember it being. It feels like i'm playing some cart title, lets just stick to nitros.
    CARS. There are no Japanese imports in this game. You unlock one every level, you level up by completing objectives. Its pretty much a gamble but they're not expensive but with that said you have no idea what you're buying. Each of the cars handle differently and some are better suited for racing and others for pursuits. my BIGGEST pet peeve is the fact that you start with a really good car to begin with, in previous titles you had to start with just entry level car and you also got to pick.

    Gameplay
    I'm only half way through this game and i'm already stuck. The medium races are hard regardless of what car i use and most of it boils down to crashing into other vehicles and cops interfering. The last race i played 2 other racers got totaled and i got busted out of 5. The cops are just too powerful and the other racers never crash and always take shortcuts. If you're going to introduce shortcuts you should ghost them on the map once you go through them so you can see shortcuts you've already used on the minimap. There's also some pretty powerful rubber banding going on. Basically, my only bet at winning races is to use turbo which is a pursuit tech. The chance of meeting a police car in this game during a race is almost guaranteed.
    Progression isn't bad, you only have to achieve a couple of objectives to rank up and you have three paths that you can swap with on the fly so if smashing cop cars is your thing then you can do that all day long.

    All in all, this games about a 2/10 for me. It's **** with glitter on top. The customization sucks, the racing is somewhat broken since crashing into oncoming cars that you didn't see coming is the norm and cops which will bust you just by crashing into you and they're too prevalent.    … Expand
  24. tsakiym
    May 18, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.................................… Expand
  25. Sky-Line___
    Apr 24, 2015
    5
    Bad on so many points. Of course, you have the feeling of speed with NFS Rivals, but it feels like you're driving a soap.
    Graphics are ok.
    Cops are so annoying, you cannot be in peace for more than 30 seconds, unless you drive at 5 mph.
  26. crank34r
    Feb 25, 2017
    5
    30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps 30 fps
  27. Ruegrong
    Apr 19, 2017
    6
    Complete downgrade from burnout paradise. It has the free roam, but there is no interaction with anybody online. You have to all be in same area, if your lucky enough, On top of that, their pursuit mode is fucing garbage. T-boned rammed a car full speed and i used a ram special ability , causing the computer driver to fflip multiple times. It barely did any damage as he resets and drivesComplete downgrade from burnout paradise. It has the free roam, but there is no interaction with anybody online. You have to all be in same area, if your lucky enough, On top of that, their pursuit mode is fucing garbage. T-boned rammed a car full speed and i used a ram special ability , causing the computer driver to fflip multiple times. It barely did any damage as he resets and drives away. I give it a 0 because of **** like that.… Expand
  28. hectorevenge
    Feb 8, 2014
    7
    Rivals offer what you would expect from a auto game; high end cars chasing each other against the traffic while battling the police. It really is captivating, with a little bit of story on the side. What I found as an upgrade is the seamless integration of the multiplayer mode; if you got the PS+ and the internet connection all your games are against real people in the area, which alwaysRivals offer what you would expect from a auto game; high end cars chasing each other against the traffic while battling the police. It really is captivating, with a little bit of story on the side. What I found as an upgrade is the seamless integration of the multiplayer mode; if you got the PS+ and the internet connection all your games are against real people in the area, which always make things interesting.… Expand
  29. JetsterDajet
    May 26, 2014
    7
    The Good
    NFSR brings what you've loved about previous Hot Pursuit games and adds a bit more. Being able to play as either the Cops or the Racers and develop each career definitely makes for many hours of fun racing. Monster car makes and models are included in the game. After each mission, you're guaranteed to level up and get a new car. This makes for very fun progression and the feeling    The Good
    NFSR brings what you've loved about previous Hot Pursuit games and adds a bit more. Being able to play as either the Cops or the Racers and develop each career definitely makes for many hours of fun racing. Monster car makes and models are included in the game. After each mission, you're guaranteed to level up and get a new car. This makes for very fun progression and the feeling to play "just one more" mission. The graphics are absolutely stunning, as to be expected for PS4, though so particle effects are a bit lacking.

    The Bad
    Playing as a Cop, you'd expect for your allies to, you know, be helpful. Apparently the developers didn't get the memo. Your Cop buddies will, all too commonly, make your mission harder than if they weren't there. When you're falling behind a suspect, don't be surprised to get rear-rammed by a pursuing Cop. If you're catching up to your suspect, you can be sure the Cops between you and your target will slow down and get in your way. It's very rare to ever see one of your cop allies actually catch up to a suspect, and when they do they usually don't do much but pace or gently sideswipe. On a few occasions, if I'm gaining on my suspect and going particularly fast (200+ MPH), I've had one of my Cop buddies literally spawn in front of me going 50 MPH. If I could make them go away I would.

    Events have a Gold, Silver and Bronze completion medals. Exceed all expectations and earn a Gold medal. However, I find 90% of my mission attempts either ending with a Gold medal... or the suspect "escaping." Usually the later -- there doesn't seem to be any in-between. If you get slowed down by pursuit tech, getting rammed by your cop buddies, or (oh, I'll get to it) civilian vehicles, it can be next to impossible to resume the pursuit. Firstly, the game is inconsistent in the way it sets you back on the road after a "wipe out" (hitting something so hard you have to sit through 5-6 seconds of cut scene as your vehicle thrashes about the road, all the while your suspect continues to flee at 200+ MPH). In some modes, you'll be put back on the road heading in the right direction. In other modes, after watching your "crash" cut scene, you're returned control of your vehicle wherever it came to rest (usually facing the wrong direction, or with the nose of you vehicle up against something). When this happens you can pretty much concede to the suspect escaping. Immensely frustrating.

    Finally, the game isn't able to single out any particular mission that you're trying to accomplish, even if you're doing an event. In a "Rapid Response" event, you need to get to the finish line as quickly as possible without hitting other vehicles or walls. Sounds easy, right? It wouldn't be so tricky -- if it weren't for that fact that the game in constantly spawning Racers and Cops everywhere -- all the time. I'm flying down the highway at 200 MPH, trying to "respond rapidly" and some racer thinks I want to pull him over, so he starts running away. "Oh, it's okay little Racer," I say, "today is not your day, I'm just going to 7-11." But no, the racer paces me, and rams me and then my Cop buddies show up and start ramming me. I'm just trying to get a Slurpee and a Gold medal, but no -- this has to happen. Once I got faster cars, I opted to start passing by these racers as quickly as I could, so as to not be interrupted by the hooplah -- but this usually results in me getting hit by pursuit tech by them. My ask is that once you start a mission, the game allows you to focus on that mission and not interrupt you with its terrible AI.

    The Ugly
    Two factors combined lead to a consistently aggravating game play experience. One is the lack of camera angles to choose from. You get two. In-car and fly-behind. That's it. The fly-behind angle is very low, and gives you an awful view of what's up ahead. In-car is even worse. There's a reason cops and robbers don't actually drive around at near sonic speeds -- because they'd run into something before they got too far. It's one of the main reasons you need a high and tight camera angle to play games like these and have any fun. It gives you enough time to see what's up ahead and react. Having only a single out-of-car camera angle is beyond frustrating. I think back back to Cruisin' USA for N64 and I'm pretty sure that had like 5. Give me a break over here.

    The second is the absolute stupidity of civilian vehicles. They're apparently driven by zombies because they make absolutely NO effort to get out of the way of speeding or siren-blaring vehicles. It's awful. And they always seem to pop up and the most inopportune time, such as at the crest of hills or blind turns you're drifting through.

    So, with a combination of a low camera angle, giving you poor visibly and cow-like civilian vehicles, you can pretty much expect to crash. And crash. And crash some more. And after you think you're done crashing, you'll crash again.    … Expand
  30. lndroid
    Jul 19, 2014
    7
    Incredible graphics, really fun races and challenges. But most of the history boring and multiplayer mode is a waste of time. I enjoyed it a lot but I think it could be a lot better.
  31. JaydogReviews
    Nov 23, 2014
    7
    Need for Speed: Rivals is packed with loads of fun, and has incredible driving mechanics. Drifting in Need for Speed could be one of the smoothest experience I have ever had in a driving game. Graphics are beautiful. However, there are still a few flaws. Customization is minimal for what you would expect in a driving game, and rarely will you come across an occurrence to race against aNeed for Speed: Rivals is packed with loads of fun, and has incredible driving mechanics. Drifting in Need for Speed could be one of the smoothest experience I have ever had in a driving game. Graphics are beautiful. However, there are still a few flaws. Customization is minimal for what you would expect in a driving game, and rarely will you come across an occurrence to race against a friend online. All in all, if you a fan of driving games, then this game is worth the $60.… Expand
  32. Faceless2015
    Feb 15, 2015
    6
    This game is enough to make any graphic crazed person erect. But that I all this game has to offer. The dull story and really boring gameplay holds it back. When I first started, I was having fun but after a few hours I started getting bored and forcing my way to the end. To keep me going i had to broadcast so I wouldn't stop playing. That is really bad when someone has to force them self.This game is enough to make any graphic crazed person erect. But that I all this game has to offer. The dull story and really boring gameplay holds it back. When I first started, I was having fun but after a few hours I started getting bored and forcing my way to the end. To keep me going i had to broadcast so I wouldn't stop playing. That is really bad when someone has to force them self. This gives you 2 modes. Racer or cop and both of them gets boring after a few hours. Soon you will see that you are doing the same thing over and over and over and over. The multiplayer gives this a advantage. If your a racer and someone else is a cop. They can take you down and it can cause you to find a rival (as the name says) but adding a multiplayer doesn't make the whole game. So I would recommend this to be a rental. Or if you have it, let a friend borrow it. My rating will stand but need for speed will have to show me that they still have it in there soul. I mean grand theft auto is basically doing racing and so much better. That's a shame to have a name like need for speed and not deliver what fans want.… Expand
  33. Bunterboy
    May 20, 2015
    5
    There's not many options for good arcade racers on the PS4 and this simply continues that trend. The controls is pretty fudgey and lacking any kind of precision, the map is small and not overly exciting at the best of times and finally the police. They're insanely aggressive, so much so that it actually ruins the game. The idea of being chased loses all appeal when five of them appear outThere's not many options for good arcade racers on the PS4 and this simply continues that trend. The controls is pretty fudgey and lacking any kind of precision, the map is small and not overly exciting at the best of times and finally the police. They're insanely aggressive, so much so that it actually ruins the game. The idea of being chased loses all appeal when five of them appear out of no where and demolish your car. It's cheap and you will get annoyed.

    I didn't buy this full price and for that I am glad. There is some enjoyment to be had but it is heavily tempered with annoyance and frustration so if you have the patience of a saint and it's heavily discounted then go for it, otherwise avoid.    … Expand
  34. Miradis
    Jul 13, 2015
    5
    Pros: Beautiful graphics and the game runs really smoothly. Good music/soundtracks.

    Cons: Unbelievably cheesy "cutscenes" and story. Whenever you're in a pursuit you are forced to listen to the same bull**** a** soundtrack with the same lines every time. And since you're gonna be chased by the cops for 90% of the game all you will hear is: "Code 3!!!!" "I'm hit!!" over and over for    Pros: Beautiful graphics and the game runs really smoothly. Good music/soundtracks.

    Cons: Unbelievably cheesy "cutscenes" and story. Whenever you're in a pursuit you are forced to listen to the same bull**** a** soundtrack with the same lines every time. And since you're gonna be chased by the cops for 90% of the game all you will hear is: "Code 3!!!!" "I'm hit!!" over and over for hours, and you won't get to listen to the other good soundtracks.

    Also the way you select music is s***. Your only button is to press up which will change to the next song. The radio should've been like the one on GTA V. Different channels and the possibility to to check the name of the current song. Also why isn't there a menu to select which songs should be in the game like there is on a another EA game, UFC.

    Do the things above and make it possible to turn off the bull**** cop chase soundtrack so that you can listen to the radio all the time and I will tolerate the cheesy crappy story and give the game a 8/10.

    Pretty sad to see a game with so much potential f*** up trivial things, did they even play test it?    … Expand
  35. reviewer2015lol
    Nov 7, 2015
    5
    It's a open world with no story,customatization,without glitches. Very little game with really nothing fun or cool. Better buy forza horizon or a better racing game.
  36. kylocosplay
    Jul 5, 2021
    6
    Muy parecido al hot pursuit usando casi las mismas armas, no hay tantos coches como en otros nfs pero es entretenido, la campaña de ambos lados (policias y corredores) es realizar misiones que puede ser un poco repetitivo incluso algunos muy difíciles. La conducción es algo decente pero los choques son muy bestias e incluso a veces el coche sale volando del golpe.
  37. MrBeets
    May 17, 2016
    6
    The game is fun and just pure high-octane action and is great for car lovers. There are a couple problems with the game for me. The aforementioned "high-octane action" is a bit too high-octane. The constant driving from cops or chasing racers becomes more of an annoyance than fun and makes things far too confusing. At one point I was chasing someone and then a rapid response startedThe game is fun and just pure high-octane action and is great for car lovers. There are a couple problems with the game for me. The aforementioned "high-octane action" is a bit too high-octane. The constant driving from cops or chasing racers becomes more of an annoyance than fun and makes things far too confusing. At one point I was chasing someone and then a rapid response started without me noticing. I only found out when I saw the time penalties flashing up. The other problem, for me is how all the cars are constantly wet. It confuses me into thinking it's raining when it's sunnier than Arizona in the summer. I know it's supposed to show the graphic engine but it just annoys me. Overall, the game is fun and gives you a sense of pure adrenaline when you go fast and either be, or beat, the cops. Just play for only an hour or two at a time or else it gets boring fast.… Expand
  38. ElleryHQ
    May 15, 2020
    6
    Тачки гонщиков сделаны из картона судя по всему, так как ломаются после пары тычков, это было бы справедливо, если бы машины копов ломались также легко, но по какой-то причине у полицейских тачки быстрее, и тяжелее, потому что оторваться от них невозможно. Единственный способ оторваться - уехать в мастерскую, но настроить gps занимает время, которого копам хватит лишить вас всехТачки гонщиков сделаны из картона судя по всему, так как ломаются после пары тычков, это было бы справедливо, если бы машины копов ломались также легко, но по какой-то причине у полицейских тачки быстрее, и тяжелее, потому что оторваться от них невозможно. Единственный способ оторваться - уехать в мастерскую, но настроить gps занимает время, которого копам хватит лишить вас всех заработков. Машины ощущаются приятно, все, что могу отметить.… Expand
  39. BSchwarz95
    Dec 31, 2018
    7
    I love Burnout Paradise, and when I read recently that NFS Rivals is the unofficial spiritual sequel (or as close to as we'll ever see) to it, I had to play. At it's core, Rivals is a fun racing game with a pretty nice open world but with a few fundamental problems that really hold it back from being notable. For one, the open world (perhaps this game's biggest sell) causes a lot ofI love Burnout Paradise, and when I read recently that NFS Rivals is the unofficial spiritual sequel (or as close to as we'll ever see) to it, I had to play. At it's core, Rivals is a fun racing game with a pretty nice open world but with a few fundamental problems that really hold it back from being notable. For one, the open world (perhaps this game's biggest sell) causes a lot of problems, mostly in the amount of variables that are introduced in each and every event such as random cars, opponent racing paths, and even your starting equipment/boost (which don't refill at the start of events). I still love the polished NFS experience but the very nature of this game unpolishes the NFS name. I'll go back and play the other campaign (finished the cop story, still have the racer story) sometime, but for now I'll just think of this game as one with great potential but fundamental issues.… Expand
  40. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Mar 23, 2023
    7
    "Rivals" is a blend of Criterion's Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. It's not as good as either of those, but still manages to be entertaining. The cars, vehicle handling, sound effects, sense of speed and map design are all excellent. The game features online play and two campaigns (cops/racers) that will be familiar to fans of "Most Wanted" and "Hot Pursuit"."Rivals" is a blend of Criterion's Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. It's not as good as either of those, but still manages to be entertaining. The cars, vehicle handling, sound effects, sense of speed and map design are all excellent. The game features online play and two campaigns (cops/racers) that will be familiar to fans of "Most Wanted" and "Hot Pursuit". As far as customization goes, there isn't a ton of it. You can upgrade your car's performance and design, but not in much detail. Despite the shortcomings, this is a good (if not great) arcade-style racing game. It was one of the better PS4 launch titles. I would rate with a 7.8 out of 10.… Expand
  41. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 2, 2020
    6
    NEED FOR SPEED: RIVALS
    ...................................................
  42. mrkp
    Jan 14, 2020
    5
    типичная need for speed, особо ничем не выделяющаяся, проиграл и забыл. управление не самое лучшее
  43. sebastianali
    Jul 30, 2021
    6
    De los Need For Speed modernos que jugué hasta ahora, Rivals me pareció peor que Payback, pero mucho mejor que MW2012. En si es bastante básico pero funciona, las carreras son frenéticas así como las persecuciones, hay una buena selección de autos, los poderes son satisfactorios de usar y gráficamente el juego cumple muy bien. El problema es que el juego es demasiado corto, no hay tuning,De los Need For Speed modernos que jugué hasta ahora, Rivals me pareció peor que Payback, pero mucho mejor que MW2012. En si es bastante básico pero funciona, las carreras son frenéticas así como las persecuciones, hay una buena selección de autos, los poderes son satisfactorios de usar y gráficamente el juego cumple muy bien. El problema es que el juego es demasiado corto, no hay tuning, los policías y algunos poderes están rotos, la historia se siente vacía, y super desaprovechada y por ultimo, tengo sentimientos encontrados por el sistema de recompensas para los pilotos. Por un lado me gusta ya que te pone constantemente tenso, y siendo que hay un multiplicador, ofrece un factor de "riesgo y recompensa", que te obliga a ser muy cuidadoso y a pensartelo bien al iniciar una carrera, pero por otro lado es frustrante haber perdido todo el dinero que conseguiste en media hora, haciendo que esas carreras que hiciste el juego haga como que no cuente y ademas de que las carreras de interceptor son las que mas dinero dan y super fáciles de realizar, ya que solo hay que destruir al policía que te persigue al principio y ya, por lo que este sistema de riesgo/recompensa cae en picado.
    Tuve suerte de comprarlo con descuento a 3 dolares, pero de salida estaba 30!!! Solo recomiendo comprar este juego si se rebaja a 5 o menos, ahí si que vale la pena. Te ofrece un buen rato de carreras frenéticas y divertidas, pero no mucho mas, ya que ese es otro punto negativo del juego, la falta de innovación.    … Expand
  44. TheSora4K
    Oct 17, 2019
    6
    Creo que es de los peores Need for Speed que existen y mira que la mayoría no son malos, pero este es malo con avaricia ya que aquí no depende de tu habilidad ganar, sino de tu suerte ya que tus coches y los de los demás son exactamente iguales. Eso por la parte de multijugador, si nos ponemos con la historia tampoco es que guste, demasiado flojo, solo hay narrativa sin guión alguno. MuyCreo que es de los peores Need for Speed que existen y mira que la mayoría no son malos, pero este es malo con avaricia ya que aquí no depende de tu habilidad ganar, sino de tu suerte ya que tus coches y los de los demás son exactamente iguales. Eso por la parte de multijugador, si nos ponemos con la historia tampoco es que guste, demasiado flojo, solo hay narrativa sin guión alguno. Muy bonito eso de cambiar de policía a piloto cuando quieras pero si no tiene un argumento sólido de poco sirve.… Expand
  45. ReSTALL
    Jan 30, 2019
    7
    Только за геймплей с графоном поставил 7 баллов, обертка говнистая
  46. yigidowaki
    Aug 1, 2019
    7
    Nice game but you can be mad because you will lost so much game money. But That's unnecessary
  47. Saiftama
    Nov 23, 2019
    5
    A 5 is generous. The pursuit mechanic is broken. Races are fun and all but as soon as the cops give chase, there's a 50% chance you will get wrecked and lose all the points you worked so hard to earn.
  48. Gamersnews32
    Jun 22, 2020
    6
    Need for Speed Rivals could've been better and had so much going for it. But due to the lack of content, it didn't. NFS Rivals is an MMO racing game with features similar to 2010's NFS Hot Pursuit. The campaign is short and pretty easy. You are just given a list of objectives to do, complete them and you'll get a new car. You can play with friends, exploring the small map, playing Cops vsNeed for Speed Rivals could've been better and had so much going for it. But due to the lack of content, it didn't. NFS Rivals is an MMO racing game with features similar to 2010's NFS Hot Pursuit. The campaign is short and pretty easy. You are just given a list of objectives to do, complete them and you'll get a new car. You can play with friends, exploring the small map, playing Cops vs Racers, or just do events together. There isn't an official PvP mode, instead you are restricted to the MMO sandbox world with not much to do and annoying Police AI.… Expand
  49. Acrizz
    Mar 4, 2021
    6
    Everything about this game is good. Good graphics, no bugs, and good UI. The only problem is the game itself. It makes me want to sleep. Literally. After you outrun 1 cop, a million more come on to you.
  50. Johnsonsteed91
    May 21, 2023
    7
    Out of all the need for speeds this one isn’t it. This one seems to try to deliver something new here but really it is just another hot pursuit done worse. The car selections are pretty nice. The driving is Tank-like, maybe due to damage and strength in vehicles being an important factor to the game.. the whole game needs to be connected to a server to play it which causes crashes andOut of all the need for speeds this one isn’t it. This one seems to try to deliver something new here but really it is just another hot pursuit done worse. The car selections are pretty nice. The driving is Tank-like, maybe due to damage and strength in vehicles being an important factor to the game.. the whole game needs to be connected to a server to play it which causes crashes and inevitably a dead game when servers go down as EA does frequently. One can find enjoyment out of this specific title however content variation is very minimal.… Expand
  51. sEBq78
    Nov 8, 2022
    5
    As a fan of series from Part I i can only ask, what went wrong ?? This series had such a big potnetial. Form a good racer to Burnout style demolition derby meh ......
  52. marick333
    Jun 23, 2023
    5
    Need for Speed Rivals offers a familiar experience but fails to stand out within the franchise. The always-online feature is disappointing, as it frequently forces players to migrate to other hosts after a short time. Furthermore, the game's inconsistency in the environment, transitioning abruptly from sand and dry areas to mountains and winter, detracts from the overall experience.

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PS4 Game of 2013
7
#7 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 53
  3. Negative: 0 out of 53
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Feb 13, 2014
    81
    A fast and furious racing game, where cops constantly try to catch the racers. Multiplayer is seamless, but it feels like a single player mode, since you rarely bump (pun intended) into other players. [Jan 2014]
  2. Thunderbolt
    Jan 13, 2014
    70
    Need for Speed: Rivals is nothing if not ridiculously dumb fun, but that just makes its multiplayer failings all the more disappointing.
    Read full review
  3. The Digital Fix
    Jan 13, 2014
    80
    So a very good racing game, rather than a great one.
    Read full review
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