Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 248 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 151 out of 248
  2. Mixed: 59 out of 248
  3. Negative: 38 out of 248
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  1. denlunar
    Oct 7, 2022
    10
    Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a really good racing game with great graphics and gameplay. The only flaw is that there is no opportunity to tune your car like in Need for Speed Underground 2
  2. Kostas_Spirou
    Dec 29, 2021
    6
    Personally I don't like the whole "cops against racers" theme but this game managed to pull it off well.

    The most exciting thing in racing games in my opinion is the car customization, and unfortunately this game doesn't have car customization at all, which is a shame because everything else about it is pretty good. The gameplay is fun and I liked the power-ups. I also think the fact    Personally I don't like the whole "cops against racers" theme but this game managed to pull it off well.

    The most exciting thing in racing games in my opinion is the car customization, and unfortunately this game doesn't have car customization at all, which is a shame because everything else about it is pretty good.

    The gameplay is fun and I liked the power-ups.
    I also think the fact that you can play as a cop is pretty cool.

    The graphics are ahead of their time, this game looks absolutely great even for todays standards.

    And lastly, there's a decent amount of cars but the progression system is a mess.

    Final Rating: "Decent" ~ 6/10.    … Expand
  3. Demon2017
    Jun 15, 2022
    3
    Типичная плохая часть Need for speed. Никакого тюнинга, никакого открытого мира, никакого нормально сюжета. Просто запускаешь гонку и всё. Хотя идея игры за мента и гонщика очень интересная, но реализовать они её так и не смогли.Типичная плохая часть Need for speed. Никакого тюнинга, никакого открытого мира, никакого нормально сюжета. Просто запускаешь гонку и всё. Хотя идея игры за мента и гонщика очень интересная, но реализовать они её так и не смогли.
  4. JJ2FAS4U
    Dec 28, 2021
    7
    Atmosphere: 8
    Enjoyment: 7
    Gameplay: 7
    Graphics: 9
    Music: 7
    Story: 6
    Total: 7.33
  5. Kostas101
    Oct 11, 2021
    6
    The most exciting thing in racing games in my opinion, is the car customization, and unfortunately this game doesn't have car customization at all... at least it's actually a fun game to play, the graphics hold up pretty well and I like how there is an option to play as a cop car hunting down racers.
  6. CloudStrife05
    Aug 19, 2021
    9
    I have not enjoyed a NFS game as much as I did with this one in many years.
  7. groinis
    Sep 10, 2020
    9
    This is a fun arcade racing game. For the hardcore NFS fans, this game does break that NFS feel that was there in the past entries. This game is nothing like Need for Speed 3 or Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2. The car lineup in this game is nice. A mix of Japanese tuners to the heavy hypercars, including the McLaren F1. The game is visually stunning, especially given the year that this gameThis is a fun arcade racing game. For the hardcore NFS fans, this game does break that NFS feel that was there in the past entries. This game is nothing like Need for Speed 3 or Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2. The car lineup in this game is nice. A mix of Japanese tuners to the heavy hypercars, including the McLaren F1. The game is visually stunning, especially given the year that this game was made and published. This is a game made for fun at high speeds. Playing both as racer and cop was fun and the modes with the weapons were awesome. The solo career is a little short but it is still fun to go back to perfect the times with. Fun racing game.… Expand
  8. MattKingsbury
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    Hot Pursuit is an enthralling racer that allows you to play as both the Police and the Racers. The diverse selection of cars and beautiful graphics transport you to this world. While the open world feels pointless, it is nice to have the ability to free roam. The actual pursuits however are really well crafted, with beautiful high speed chases that ramp the excitement. A fantastic racer.
  9. iddqd4
    Jan 20, 2018
    10
    Эталон того как должны выглядеть, звучать и ощущаться аркадные гонки.
  10. Broyax
    Apr 16, 2017
    3
    C'est beau, plutôt fluide et spectaculaire, c'est également très (trop ?) rapide : c'est tout simplement un mod Burnout Revenge pour Need For Speed à moins que ce ne soit l'inverse... Il y a donc tromperie sur la marchandise : EA et Criterion nous prennent pour des cons !

    Et pourtant les voitures sont très loin de réagir comme dans un vrai Burnout : elles se comportent comme des    C'est beau, plutôt fluide et spectaculaire, c'est également très (trop ?) rapide : c'est tout simplement un mod Burnout Revenge pour Need For Speed à moins que ce ne soit l'inverse... Il y a donc tromperie sur la marchandise : EA et Criterion nous prennent pour des cons !

    Et pourtant les voitures sont très loin de réagir comme dans un vrai Burnout : elles se comportent comme des péniches au bord du coma éthylique. Pour un jeu arcade, être aussi peu maniable, c'est rédhibitoire. Et que dire de l'environnement des "poursuites infernales" ? des lignes droites en grande majorité et des courbes plus ou moins appuyées avec de temps en temps un ou deux raccourcis minables. Même Burnout Revenge proposait plus d'opportunités en la matière.

    Enfin, l'IA n"hésite pas à tricher dans les dernières courses, prenant les virages à une vitesse qui défie toute physique, tout cela pour rallonger (encore) une durée de vie déjà trop longue et lassante, seules les 'hot pursuits" ayant réellement un semblant d'intérêt. Globalement trop répétitif et trop débile ce mod Burnout pour Need For Speed.    … Expand
  11. alirezanajd28
    Oct 27, 2016
    7
    It's a good game to fill your empty hours and it's fun. But it could be a lot better. it's very limited and that's bad but also good at some points. in sum, it's a fine game, but not what you expect from this franchise.
  12. DesNukem
    Oct 1, 2016
    9
    I didn't take to this at first but with everything unlocked, it's my favourite game of all time. (The DLC makes it even better). The cars and environments are superbly rendered and still look great on my 64" plasma 6 years on – not to mention the awesome slo-mo crashes. More importantly, the car handling and gameplay is tight and finely orchestrated. It's not meant to be realistic – justI didn't take to this at first but with everything unlocked, it's my favourite game of all time. (The DLC makes it even better). The cars and environments are superbly rendered and still look great on my 64" plasma 6 years on – not to mention the awesome slo-mo crashes. More importantly, the car handling and gameplay is tight and finely orchestrated. It's not meant to be realistic – just fun – and succeeds on that level like no other racer I have ever played. Criterion in its prime.… Expand
  13. gamingisgreat
    Aug 11, 2016
    9
    NFS Hot Pursuit is my personal favourite of the franchise,think a mix of Burnout style handling with real cars,mixed in with tech like EMP blasts and spike strips.

    The gameplay is a mix of NFS and Burnout.It is NFS due to chases etc.,but the game feels very similar to Burnout,that's not a bad thing though,as the cars are responsive.The inclusion of high-tech weapons like EMP blasts and    NFS Hot Pursuit is my personal favourite of the franchise,think a mix of Burnout style handling with real cars,mixed in with tech like EMP blasts and spike strips.

    The gameplay is a mix of NFS and Burnout.It is NFS due to chases etc.,but the game feels very similar to Burnout,that's not a bad thing though,as the cars are responsive.The inclusion of high-tech weapons like EMP blasts and spike strips changes up the game significantly.

    The graphics are gorgeous,and the framerate is solid

    The sound effects and soundtrack are INCREDIBLE.

    Hot Pursuit's only real downfalls are long loading times and rubberbanding AI,which will really frustrate you later in the game.

    Overall,Need For Speed Hot Pursuit is an incredible arcade racer,that everyone should play.    … Expand
  14. alexdema1rena
    Apr 12, 2016
    8
    Esto es NFS
    No es Forza, no es Gran Turismo
    Que se puede decir de este juego? Unos gráficos buenos (no excelentes), una jugabilidad que simplemente me ha enamorado y un modo en línea DEMASIADO introducido a la fuerza. El autolog fue una buena idea, pero dejar esa falta de campaña de un jugador es algo que molesta. No hay mucho más que decir. Un juego CORTO, con POCA campaña, pero con    Esto es NFS
    No es Forza, no es Gran Turismo
    Que se puede decir de este juego? Unos gráficos buenos (no excelentes), una jugabilidad que simplemente me ha enamorado y un modo en línea DEMASIADO introducido a la fuerza. El autolog fue una buena idea, pero dejar esa falta de campaña de un jugador es algo que molesta.
    No hay mucho más que decir. Un juego CORTO, con POCA campaña, pero con los coches suficientes y la jugabilidad lo suficientemente cuidada para divertirte consiguiendo todo en oro.
    No es el mejor, pero es divertido.    … Expand
  15. racing24-7
    Sep 20, 2014
    6
    Decent game, kinda plays like an older burnout game with cops. Sounds pretty cool right? Well the execution doesn't quite match up with the concept. The biggest complaint, in my opinion, is the way the game plays compared to the original. In my opinion Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 was the perfect model for a racing game with cops. Simple yet fun, balanced cars, somewhat realistic-somewhatDecent game, kinda plays like an older burnout game with cops. Sounds pretty cool right? Well the execution doesn't quite match up with the concept. The biggest complaint, in my opinion, is the way the game plays compared to the original. In my opinion Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 was the perfect model for a racing game with cops. Simple yet fun, balanced cars, somewhat realistic-somewhat arcade like feel. This game failed to live up to that model, the game takes all the skill out of driving. Want to take a corner at 200+ mph? No problem, just hit the e-brake then nitro out the other side, and don't even get me started on the power ups. The whole game is more about "EMPing" people than trying to catch up and actually out drive them. Really good concept, just too overdone for it's own good. Overall 6/10 still can be fun to play, but doesn't live up to expectations.,… Expand
  16. sergiomach5
    Jun 11, 2014
    8
    From someone who never thoroughly cared much about the NFS franchise to begin with I will say its a pleasant surprise. Sure, its still not what I want but I can see the NFS heritage in this game given its own identity.

    With this being a criterion game I was surprised that it felt more like a NFS game than a burnout one, but I feel it has more in common with the racers of the 90's like    From someone who never thoroughly cared much about the NFS franchise to begin with I will say its a pleasant surprise. Sure, its still not what I want but I can see the NFS heritage in this game given its own identity.

    With this being a criterion game I was surprised that it felt more like a NFS game than a burnout one, but I feel it has more in common with the racers of the 90's like porsche challenge in that its about racing exotic cars around pretty environments while police sirens crop up occasionally. This isnt a bad thing seeing as this form of racing has been absent in a while so seeing it make a return is nice.

    Controls are simple, the difficulty is just challenging enough to need replying when making mistakes, and its far from a true simulation, but nothing will be too hard for racers of all levels. I feel those looking for in depth customization or controls will be disappointed by the game, just a warning. as an arcade racer though, its not half bad and is good fun, though it can grind at the later half of the career.    … Expand
  17. somethingguy912
    Nov 2, 2013
    2
    It seems that the Need for Speed franchise is a dying franchise, weined from the interest's of EA's profit margins, so why should they need to give a damn about making the one game that everybody should had been anticipated for. For all the commentary about 4-player local coop and 8-player system link, customization tools and the returned joy of being the pursuee, HOT Pursuit is a very badIt seems that the Need for Speed franchise is a dying franchise, weined from the interest's of EA's profit margins, so why should they need to give a damn about making the one game that everybody should had been anticipated for. For all the commentary about 4-player local coop and 8-player system link, customization tools and the returned joy of being the pursuee, HOT Pursuit is a very bad excuse in the shadow of the original. There is no customization whatsoever, you can't even choose which car you want to drive for particular events, choosen randomly with a very limited set of colors. I know the original Hot Pursuit had this, but this game came out in 2010! We know of the varied customization abilities tried and true in the Original Most Wanted and Underground series, so why exclude it from here? It seems the overall affect of this game's success was the neat little graphics, but how do graphics keep a person's interest if they can't bother to play the game for 2 hours to try some sliver of fun, besides the wreck of online play that they jam into your ear for the very first 20 minutes of starting the game. There is also no need to freeroam either, as you can't really enjoy driving the car you want to, especially since all the cars handle like a tank trying to hit a 180 at 400 miles per hour: meaning, horribly. Also, the stats of each cars are contextually inept, mentioning torque and weight for some unknown reason, rather than giving the simplified stats that most gamers could understand: Speed, Acceleration and Handling. So I hope that EA thinks that any kind of game that would limit their profit margins even by a half of a percent is too much of a risk to them, because this was the game that made me hate EA and stop buying their crap from here on out. They told me what they thought of the customers, so I fought back.… Expand
  18. ti00rki
    Oct 15, 2013
    9
    Gra jest tym co uwielbiam w Need for Speedach. Jest tu zręcznościowy tryb jazdy znany z poprzednich części serii, masa samochodów, masa tras, ucieczki przed policja, dopieszczanie czasów, medale, osiągnięcia, piękne krajobrazy i cudowna playlista.
    Jestem na etapie 20% ukończenia gry, ale już wiem że się zmotywuję i ukończę ją na 100 :)
    Polecam.
  19. DME
    Oct 1, 2013
    5
    The online mode is a lot of fun, especially with friends. But the solo modes are nothing but a bunch of awfully boring and tedious time trials. The game just feels empty and lifeless. Also, there is no split-screen multiplayer, which is disappointing.
  20. Matty_1980
    Aug 10, 2013
    9
    Great game, great graphics, great soundtrack, great fun. Being a gamer who has been gaming since gaming began i can tell you that as you get older games no longer have the ability to make you wake up early jump out of bed and play them like when you were a kid, however, this was the first game to make me do that in years. I just kept wanting one more try, another try to better my score andGreat game, great graphics, great soundtrack, great fun. Being a gamer who has been gaming since gaming began i can tell you that as you get older games no longer have the ability to make you wake up early jump out of bed and play them like when you were a kid, however, this was the first game to make me do that in years. I just kept wanting one more try, another try to better my score and get the gold medals. It was a lot of fun.… Expand
  21. drlowdon
    Jun 9, 2013
    8
    Those of you put off by the 'Need for Speed' name thanks to years of mediocre efforts by EA should think again. Coming from the makers of 'Burnout: Paradise', Hot Pursuit sees the NFS franchise return to its routes, namely high speed police pursuits in all manner of sports and super cars and it is certainly much improved.

    Hot Pursuit is a good game in single player but you really need    Those of you put off by the 'Need for Speed' name thanks to years of mediocre efforts by EA should think again. Coming from the makers of 'Burnout: Paradise', Hot Pursuit sees the NFS franchise return to its routes, namely high speed police pursuits in all manner of sports and super cars and it is certainly much improved.

    Hot Pursuit is a good game in single player but you really need to find friends to play against if you are to get the most from it. On-line you can play as racer (reach the objective without being caught by the cops) or the cops (take out the racer before they reach the objective) as well as competing against each other’s best times over a series of different events. Worth buying even if you are not usually a fan of racing games.    … Expand
  22. KalanYamato
    Mar 21, 2013
    2
    An absolute insult to the Need for Speed franchise, as this entry holds NOTHING that made the original Hot Pursuits so great. First off, the handling system is beyond broken: it's delayed as hell and you're forced to drift even in the slightest corners it tries so hard, but oh so hard to be NFS4:HS and fails miserably. The tracks are insanely shallow, they're all sprints (no circuitsAn absolute insult to the Need for Speed franchise, as this entry holds NOTHING that made the original Hot Pursuits so great. First off, the handling system is beyond broken: it's delayed as hell and you're forced to drift even in the slightest corners it tries so hard, but oh so hard to be NFS4:HS and fails miserably. The tracks are insanely shallow, they're all sprints (no circuits afaik) there's practically no challenge aside from a few corners that even a five year old could drive around and you're going so fast, with a graphics engine so awful that you just cannot see what the hell's ahead and you're just bound to slam into a wall because of the garbage steering which every car seems to have (to tell you the truth, the only difference between certain cars are the abuse they can take and their speed, nothing more). The inclusion of weapons is also another thing I don't understand okay sure, HP2 also had weapons, but they weren't nearly as ridiculous. First of all, racers shouldn't have weaponry, and they sure as hell shouldn't have EMP cannons and Spike Strips. That's just dumb and a VERY pitiful excuse for "game balance". The roadblocks are pointless since they all have an opening which is stupid. The Spike Strips in this game are ungodly annoying aswell, they activate immediately which makes split-streaming other racers/cops practically impossible. Not only that, whenever you're hit by one of these weapons or god forbid, hit a wall or get TAKEN DOWN (LOL BURNOUT CTRL+C CTRL+V) you have to watch an annoying as heck screen of the likes of "SPIKED!" or "CRASHED!" and then just speed away as if nothing happened apart from losing a bit of health. Yeah, ok. That's exactly how I expected a Hot Pursuit game to work: to bust racers, you have to take them down a ton of times until they're finally arrested. No, sorry, this is not how a NFS game should work. If I wanted to play Road Rage online, I'd go play Burnout 3 or something. This game is the ultimate proof that by this time EA was just cashing in on "new" games by just rehashing and fusing old concepts into a mish-mash that cries out for the apocalypse; an absolute disaster, you can see the exact same thing happening on Most Wanted 2012, that game is a copypaste of Burnout Paradise. The superb fun that was the Hot Pursuit game mode in NFS4 and Hot Pursuit 2 in... NFS Hot Pursuit 2 was completely ruined by this game, and it only set a bar for the worse which were the future EA titles. Also, did I mention that this doesn't have split-screen either? Wait, the insanity doesn't stop there: it takes as long as it takes to load a new race as it does to RESTARTING A RACE. So, you screwed up? Oh, no problem, we'll just make you WAIT HALF A MINUTE FOR THE WHOLE THING TO LOAD. And another thing, you don't even get to "start" the race, the game just drops you with the race already a bit in progress, followed by a nearly-unskippable cutscene (it has an option to skip it but you'll in fact just skip like 2 or 3 seconds of it). I agree, it's nitpicking but it's these little details that make the game so much more frustrating than it should be. There's also an incredibly shallow free roam mode which blatantly looks unfinished. You can't do anything in it aside from driving and accessing the pause menu. What a joke.… Expand
  23. sJagstang
    Mar 16, 2013
    8
    Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is one of my favorite racing games of this generation, Developed by the creators of the Burnout series Criterion delivers a great arcade racer about cops and racers. It's fast, fun and intense. Cars may not handle realistically, but they are not designed to. This is about driving fast cars at crazy speeds, Need for Speed has had some pretty bad releases inNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit is one of my favorite racing games of this generation, Developed by the creators of the Burnout series Criterion delivers a great arcade racer about cops and racers. It's fast, fun and intense. Cars may not handle realistically, but they are not designed to. This is about driving fast cars at crazy speeds, Need for Speed has had some pretty bad releases in recent times with Need for Speed The Run and some of the ones coming before Hot Pursuit, So this is a great return to form for the Need for Speed series. If you are just looking for a fun racing game that doesn't go for realistic handling then this is for you, If you want realistic driving then avoid this one. There are some issues with the game, the biggest being that there is absolutely no local multiplayer and the online multiplayer is pretty empty now, How a racing game can not include local multiplayer is beyond me, But either way it's still a fun game.… Expand
  24. attwah-nz
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    No story.... Waaah!! Cars don't handle realistically.... Boo Hoo!! Not enough variety.... Sob!! .........To all the red score detractors I say three words..... BLOODY GOOD FUN !!!! After a break of many, many month's I loaded NFS: Hot Pursuit and spent an afternoon of rapture and (old) boy racer joy. As a quick fix adrenalin rush, this can't be beat. Short, point to point race's (on eitherNo story.... Waaah!! Cars don't handle realistically.... Boo Hoo!! Not enough variety.... Sob!! .........To all the red score detractors I say three words..... BLOODY GOOD FUN !!!! After a break of many, many month's I loaded NFS: Hot Pursuit and spent an afternoon of rapture and (old) boy racer joy. As a quick fix adrenalin rush, this can't be beat. Short, point to point race's (on either sides of the law) at lightning fast speed and awe inspired drifting is arcade heaven. Not every game needs a story, realistic handling and lots of variety. Not every game needs to be played for eight hours at a time (not that there's anything wrong with that)......... There are games that I buy, play then on-sell. And there are games I hold onto because they are keepers. This game is a keeper.… Expand
  25. danilus77
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    un buon arcade e lo stampo criterion si sente tutto. graficamente non eccezzionale e la guidabilità delle auto risulta un pò troppo pesante.

    il divertimento c'è e le modalità sono immediate e divertenti. il multiplayer è divertente ma è strutturato non benissimo:manca la ricerca personalizzata con stanze ed affluenza visionabile dal    un buon arcade e lo stampo criterion si sente tutto. graficamente non eccezzionale e la guidabilità delle auto risulta un pò troppo pesante.

    il divertimento c'è e le modalità sono immediate e divertenti.

    il multiplayer è divertente ma è strutturato non benissimo:manca la ricerca personalizzata con stanze ed affluenza visionabile dal menù e spesso si sprecano minuti e minuti alla ricerca ''cieca'' in modalità (troppe) in cui magari non c'è nessuno pronto .    … Expand
  26. Larux18
    Oct 4, 2012
    9
    I am proud to say Criterion did an excellent job with this game and it completely lives up to how great Need for Speed was in the past. This game is a reboot of an older NFS game and succeeds in capturing the sense of entertainment that was seen before. The first thing that stands out is how outstanding the graphics are, and even though I do not really care about graphics I have to praiseI am proud to say Criterion did an excellent job with this game and it completely lives up to how great Need for Speed was in the past. This game is a reboot of an older NFS game and succeeds in capturing the sense of entertainment that was seen before. The first thing that stands out is how outstanding the graphics are, and even though I do not really care about graphics I have to praise them. Next is the soundtrack, the main theme being Edge of the Earth by 30 Seconds to Mars which I loved listening to. The rest of the songs have a rap and pop feel to it, and some really stand out while you are driving and having epic moments. Next is the gameplay, it is extremely fun with a less realistic and more arcade feel, adding a lot of fun to this game. The ability to be a cop or racer is what is crucial in an NFS game since the missions play differently and you get to see different stuff with each. The amount of events in single-player may not seem like much to some, but it will when they get deeper in the game since the later events will get really difficult and will include some really crazy driving. The car selection in this game is incredible, with 5 divisions of the car classes from sports to hyper there is a really good amount of them, and you will feel difference with every car you drive. Online in this game is a blast, with racers and cops chasing them online it feels great, and I rarely felt I was at a disadvantage regarding player experience, it will keep you entertained for a good while. The only flaws this game has is a few weak songs in the soundtrack (maybe its the great songs that belittle them) and a really high difficulty in the time challenges making it very difficult to progress. The NFS franchise had a great comeback and it is interesting to see what it has to offer in the future, this game is a total recommend and it will be for a while.… Expand
  27. emceefan
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    Great game. Great if not amazing details, missions, and cars. Arguably the best Need For Speed game ever made and in the top 2 in challenging for the Need For Speed Series
  28. Zelda_Racer
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    Take Need for Speed's beautiful exotic cars, the Hot Pursuit series' signature stunning locales, full Cop and Racer campaigns and Criterion's mastery of arcade-racing controls and what do you get? One of the best racing games ever made. I have a few minor gripes like how the Hyper series selection is of lower quality compared to the other series and the level 3 weapons can get prettyTake Need for Speed's beautiful exotic cars, the Hot Pursuit series' signature stunning locales, full Cop and Racer campaigns and Criterion's mastery of arcade-racing controls and what do you get? One of the best racing games ever made. I have a few minor gripes like how the Hyper series selection is of lower quality compared to the other series and the level 3 weapons can get pretty ridiculous, especially the nearly impossible to avoid lvl 3 roadblocks. However, they're a microscopic blemish on an otherwise perfect racing game.… Expand
  29. Nobod3
    Jun 28, 2012
    1
    If you are looking for a reboot of the Hot Pursuit series, then don't look here. If you are looking for an upgrade to the Burnout series (the game the creators made before this), then don't look here. If you are looking for some sort of hybrid between the Hot Pursuit series and the Burnout series that tries to be both but turns into neither, then this is your game. Need for Speed: HotIf you are looking for a reboot of the Hot Pursuit series, then don't look here. If you are looking for an upgrade to the Burnout series (the game the creators made before this), then don't look here. If you are looking for some sort of hybrid between the Hot Pursuit series and the Burnout series that tries to be both but turns into neither, then this is your game. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a game with all the bells and whistles to attract any racing gamer but with none of the depth to make it worth-while. So let me just start in with Single Player. There's no story, no substance like any of the previous Need for Speed games and, after about 5 hours, you'll find yourself droning on between the different races because there's just not a lot of interesting to do. It also doesn't have the flare of driving to each race track that Burnout Paradise had, which would have been fabulous considering its a driving game so I like to spend the game... driving. And then you might be thinking that at least it must have killer races, except most of the racers are time trials and you will spend literally the first 10 hours of gameplay trying to just get some stupid gold medal for no reason. It's not worth it. Basically, Single Player will not hold you over and it's beyond boring. So then I swapped over to Multiplayer. It's amazingly flawed. First of all, you can't play anything online unless you've unlocked one car for either racer or cop in the single player. Whomever designed that system, it's really bad and stupid. But I thought meh, I'll earn more for being good. Except the game not only rewards having the highest level, but gives you a HUGE boost for being the highest level in the game. So a level 7 vs a level 20 is not an even match. How did that slip by the creators? Still, I let that roll off my shoulder and decided to at least try. The multiplayer feels exactly like the single player, bland and flawed. I think my favorite flaw is that racers can drive backwards and go behind the cops and wait. Why the hell is that even allowed? But wait, it gets better. They also call this a dog chasing a rabbit type of game (No joke, that's almost a direct quote from before the game came out), except it's like being a dog with absolutely no teeth. Seriously, I could catch up to the racers but I couldn't do anything to them as a cop. On the other side, being a racer isn't about racing anymore, but more about swiveling in circles around the cop. I think the creators need to really retool and refocus this game so that it's more towards what it's supposed to be about. Racing. If a racer stops, give him a few seconds before he's disqualified for running away. That way they have a reason to always be moving forwards. Also, racers need to know that they are still in a race, where first place is the only winner, not this "group win" crap where even if you get disqualified for holding the cops up you are a winner. It should be racers against racers and cops and cops teamed up to take down the racers. Not racers vs cops. That's I think the largest flaw with the online. And on the other side, cops shouldn't be able to hurt each other as easily as it is in this game. Seriously, I launched an EMP and it decided to latch onto the cop to the let instead of the racer right in front of me. That's bad programming and it ruins the game. Last, the online felt... dated to say the least. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this game to a friend.… Expand
  30. sinadoom
    Mar 17, 2012
    8
    The game is very easy, there's no leaderboards and absolutely zero skill involved in the driving. It isn't a bad experience, but no-one can take this seriously as a racing game. The online race is actually more addicting than the cops & robbers, which have perks/powerups. The graphics are great, and the cars are decent. But all of the feel the same to drive, with VERY subtle differences inThe game is very easy, there's no leaderboards and absolutely zero skill involved in the driving. It isn't a bad experience, but no-one can take this seriously as a racing game. The online race is actually more addicting than the cops & robbers, which have perks/powerups. The graphics are great, and the cars are decent. But all of the feel the same to drive, with VERY subtle differences in handling, but performance is pretty much the same. It's enjoyable and fun while it lasts, but it doesn't last for long. Getting to level 20 cop and racer and playing all the online events until it becomes incredibly boring took me 58 hours. That's to do everything, including all achievements. For NFS nowadays it's quite long, but for an average racing game, it's not long enough. And the reason for this is because the gameplay is so repetitive and there's no real precision involved. However, the game is remarkably very good for what it is. It has a fantastic set of cars to choose from, even if it is very small and all of them feel similar handling-wise. There are only slight differences between cars in the same category/class, but no matter which you pick, you are not disadvantaged, so in a way it is balanced. The graphics, smooth frate, solid controls, beautiful environments and cars coupled with the almost lag-free multiplayer matchmaking and innovative modes make this game a must experience. Drifting is extremely fun, the normal race mode is addicting and overall, Criterion have pulled it off. It's a game which has no barriers to entry. You can just jump in and play it. But, by some miracle, if you're good at this almost skill-less game you can still beat inexperienced player even if you take the same route and don't crash. If you want serious racing look elsewhere. If you want something arcade and fun this is definitely worth playing.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
24
#24 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
17
#17 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 73
  3. Negative: 1 out of 73
  1. PALGN
    Jan 24, 2011
    80
    While Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is a terrific racer, it's also a poignant reminder that Criterion will probably never be able to match the standard they set with Burnout 3.
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  2. Gamekult
    Jan 18, 2011
    70
    A fast, fun, pretty and globally mastered game, even if we could regret a rather short content, and a solo career a bit too classic and repetitive.
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  3. Cynamite
    Jan 16, 2011
    85
    Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit reminds me of the first part of the assassin's creed-series. In general, the game is great, but it's missing variety and long-time motivation. Especially the number of time trials shouldn't have been this high. Races and pursuits are much more fun. The small amount of about 100 cars doesn't really matter, because all of them were done well, although some them have only 300 PS. Altogether, it's a great action-racing-game, but there is maybe more potential for Hot Pursuit 2.
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