Need for Speed Unbound

 PlayStation 5
Need for Speed Unbound Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 587 Ratings

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  • Summary: START AT THE BOTTOM, RACE TO THE TOP. The world is your canvas in Need for Speed™ Unbound. Prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Across four intense weeks of racing, earn enough cash to enter weekly qualifiers, beat the competition, andSTART AT THE BOTTOM, RACE TO THE TOP. The world is your canvas in Need for Speed™ Unbound. Prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Across four intense weeks of racing, earn enough cash to enter weekly qualifiers, beat the competition, and make your mark on the street racing scene while outdriving and outsmarting the cops. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your unique style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack led by A$AP Rocky and AWGE that bumps in every corner of the world. Express yourself to the fullest with the freshest new art styles and signature tags that represent what you're all about. With separate single and multiplayer campaigns, this latest edition in the Need for Speed™ franchise from Criterion Games™ delivers hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping action.

    • Graffiti comes to life in Need for Speed™ Unbound with an all-new, unique visual style that blends elements of the freshest street art with the most realistic looking cars in Need for Speed™ history. Access a brand-new toolkit of high-energy visual and sound effects to express your driving skills, including Burst Nitrous, a new boost tactic that delivers a dizzying rush of speed.

    • To get to the top, you gotta take risks. Choose how and when to put it all on the line, pulling huge drifts on the street, outdriving the cops, or placing side bets with your own earnings against rival racers. Time is money, so find the fastest way to earn enough cash to enter the weekly qualifiers and make it to Lakeshore’s ultimate race, The Grand.

    • The more you race, the more you build heat. While the cops pile on the pressure, you gotta make tactical decisions using new escape mechanics to take control of the chase. Do you outrun the cops, battle them head on, or hide out in Lakeshore's underground? Run these streets and you’ll reap the rewards.

    • Pull up to a Meetup and show off your unique style with hundreds of cosmetic items to choose from, including exclusive gear from some of the world’s most pioneering fashion innovators. Extend that look to your ride, transforming your cars with unique wraps and cutaways for the ultimate legendary custom. And when you take first, don't forget to stunt on the competition with your own personal win poses.    … Expand
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Need for Speed Unbound - Risk & Reward Gameplay Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 53
  3. Negative: 0 out of 53
  1. The Enemy
    Dec 14, 2022
    100
    Unbound is everything a fan of the franchise could want and an example of how to revamp a series without losing any of the essence of what a good Need for Speed is. More than just an excellent arcade racing game, Criterion leaves players with shining eyes as they imagine how much better this could be in the future.
  2. TheSixthAxis
    Dec 5, 2022
    90
    Need for Speed Unbound is the best arcade racer of 2022, and a real statement from EA and Criterion. Why it’s snuck out with so little fanfare will be one of the mysteries of the year.
  3. TierraGamer
    Jan 5, 2023
    82
    Need for Speed Unbound is a visually appealing game accessible to anyone. Hardcore fans are going to enjoy it a lot, and casual fans too. Thanks to this great work, Criterion has the window open to present new ideas like the one we saw in Unbound.
  4. Hobby Consolas
    Dec 2, 2022
    78
    Need for Speed Unbound does not reinvent the wheel, but it does tune it. Criterion Games wanted to stand out with its new artistic style and has succeeded. We are not facing the best driving game of the year, but we do see an NFS that wants the saga to return to the highest categories. Fun, fast and furious.
  5. The Games Machine
    Dec 9, 2022
    75
    Need for Speed: Unbound is a particular project, capable of forcefully bringing street culture back into fashion, the contemporary one of generation Z, but unable to create new spaces of playful expression. Everything that revolves around the characters in the story and our avatar works like a god, from the style chosen to describe them to the guide system, from the soundtrack to the graffiti-style special effects, in contrast with a Lakeshore which, despite its vibrant technical, remains an ordinary and almost anonymous city, a hub with a few collectibles scattered around that act as glue for a rather lazy play structure.
  6. IGN Adria
    Dec 16, 2022
    70
    As a standalone title, or if it's your first NFS, it's not bad, but it's not the kick-start the series needed. If you're looking for a game to kick back and play race after race, Unbound has enough content to keep you glued to the screen.
  7. Metro GameCentral
    Dec 5, 2022
    60
    The best Need For Speed in a decade – but that says far more about the moribund state of the franchise than it does this workmanlike new entry.

See all 54 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 154 out of 333
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 333
  3. Negative: 141 out of 333
  1. downtownriot
    Dec 1, 2022
    10
    If you've loved arcade racers like Most Wanted 2005, Midnight Club LA, Burnout Paradise, Heat, then you'll likely love this game too. FreneticIf you've loved arcade racers like Most Wanted 2005, Midnight Club LA, Burnout Paradise, Heat, then you'll likely love this game too. Frenetic 60fps racing fun in a beautiful big city that feels alive with plenty of traffic, pedestrians, and parked cars.… Expand
  2. Pequeno_Gardem
    Dec 2, 2022
    10
    melhor need desta decada tem quase tudo q os outros jogos tem, no começo o estilo cartoon nao me agrada um pouco mais fui acostumando, 9,5/10
  4. Max_Lazy_10
    Nov 30, 2022
    10
    While by no means perfect, Criterion's put the franchise back on the road with NFS Unbound. Oozing with originality, and giving players theirWhile by no means perfect, Criterion's put the franchise back on the road with NFS Unbound. Oozing with originality, and giving players their fix however they want to play (whether in story mode, online, customizing cars, or outrunning the cops), Need for Speed Unbound is the strongest outing the series has had to date since Criterion's Hot Pursuit entry in 2010.… Expand
  5. CCCPdriver
    Dec 4, 2022
    7
    The game is undoubtedly good. But the fact that it even has a text translation into Russian upset me.
    Russian is the main language in all CIS    The game is undoubtedly good. But the fact that it even has a text translation into Russian upset me.
    Russian is the main language in all CIS countries, not only in Russia. It's a pity that EA decided to "cancel" it in their games.
    Добавьте русский язык.    … Expand
  6. seelenpfluecker
    Dec 17, 2022
    3
    Um es vorweg zu nehmen: es wieder schlecht.

    Wer gedacht hat, es würde besser, nur weil Criterion dieses Mal wieder ran darf, der sei daran    Um es vorweg zu nehmen: es wieder schlecht.

    Wer gedacht hat, es würde besser, nur weil Criterion dieses Mal wieder ran darf, der sei daran erinnert, daß Criterion es waren, die seinerzeit auf der PS3 und Burnout Paradise mit diesem Open World Unsinn bei Rennspielen angefangen haben.
    Ich spiele seit dem ersten Need for Speed in den 90ern fast jedes Spiel dieser Serie… und werde seit Underground nur noch enttäuscht.

    Und dieses Mal toppt es wirklich alles. Im negativen Sinne.
    Und damit meine ich nicht einmal diese komischen gekritzten Effekte, die finde ich zT sogar ganz gut.
    Nein, das Spiel ist eine unausgegorende Mischung aus Underground, Heat und Burnout Paradise.
    Wie sagt man in einem Restaurant immer: lieber eine kleine Karte mit richtig guten Gerichten, als ein Buch mit Dreck. Das hier ist ein Buch.

    Die Grafik geht ok, allerdings gibt es überall Grafikfehler, wie komische schwebende Schatten, die Pfützen sein sollen.
    Der Sound ist gut, aber… man wird IMMER zu beinahe JEDER SEKUNDE des Spiels mit irgendwelchem blöden Gesabbel genervt. Die (schon wieder) pseudocoole Kiddiegang ist die ganze Zeit nur am Labern… das geht mir so dermaßen auf den Sack!!

    Und dann ist es dieselbe blöde Story, wie immer. Wozu brauche ich in so einem Spiel eine Story??!! Und erstrecht keine so platte, dumme, nichtssagende, kopierte.

    Ich soll dann also zu einem Event.
    Während ich dahin fahre, werde ich permanent zugelabert und mit neuen Ereignissen belästigt, die ich dann vorziehen muß. Gehe ich dann in die Garage, um die Kohle abzuliefern, sind die Events nicht mehr verfügbar, weil ein nächster Tag angebrochen ist.
    Ich soll in 7 Gagen meine Karre pimpen, soll aber immer wieder in die Garage, um Geld abzuliefern, und dann ist der Tag futsch.

    Nachts sind die Bullen aktiver als tagsüber. Wieso?
    Die Cops im Rennen sind ein Witz.
    Die Steuerung ist schlecht.
    Die Musik ist eine Katastrophe.
    Keine Schnellreise zu den Rennen.
    Ewige Wege zu den Events.
    Die immer gleiche Katastrophe.

    Hier hat man es nicht mit einem ernst gemeinten Arcaderennspiel zu tun, sondern schon wieder mit einem Bling-Bling-HipHop-Epilepsie-Kinderspiel.

    EA: (Schimpfwort) Euch!    … Expand
  7. ONEEX
    Mar 17, 2023
    1
    Возмущает бездумное следование трендам и глухота к аудитории. Ещё сильнее портит серию жажда наживы взамен качеству и проработки.
    Последнее    Возмущает бездумное следование трендам и глухота к аудитории. Ещё сильнее портит серию жажда наживы взамен качеству и проработки.
    Последнее Дополнение лишний раз доказывает, что игру делал без энтузиазма и желания выпустить качественный продукт!    … Expand
  8. DennisTorres01
    May 15, 2023
    0
    This game is horrible, how is it that a weak and rotten producer like EA destroys one of the best arcade game franchises,,,this game isThis game is horrible, how is it that a weak and rotten producer like EA destroys one of the best arcade game franchises,,,this game is horrible a masked NFS Heat,,it's exactly the same game but cartoon,horrible,pathetic effects, small list of cars ,,, anyway, not much to say ,,, a crappy game, I don't even recommend it for a serious fairy,, it's enough to disgust the way this company treats franchises , nonestante my wish is that it goes bankrupt , ,, fraction of games one after the other… Expand

See all 333 User Reviews

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