Need for Speed: The Run

 Xbox 360
Need for Speed: The Run Image
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68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 65 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 194 Ratings

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  • Summary: Need for Speed The Run lures players into an underground world of illicit, high-stakes racing. The heat is on – and it isn’t just the fuzz who are after you. Entering the race is just the beginning as you blow across borders, weave through dense urban traffic, rocket down icy mountain passesNeed for Speed The Run lures players into an underground world of illicit, high-stakes racing. The heat is on – and it isn’t just the fuzz who are after you. Entering the race is just the beginning as you blow across borders, weave through dense urban traffic, rocket down icy mountain passes and navigate narrow canyons at breakneck speeds. Powered by DICE’s state-of-the-art Frostbite 2 engine, Need for Speed The Run takes the action racing genre to new heights with stunning visuals and car physics that hug the road even at top speeds all built around a gripping storyline. The cars are hot, the racing is intense and the story will have you at the edge of your seat… all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State building.… Expand
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Need for Speed The Run - Limited Edition Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 65
  3. Negative: 2 out of 65
  1. Game Revolution
    Nov 30, 2011
    91
    If you focus on the pure details of the cars and racing itself, Need for Speed: The Run stands head and shoulders above past installments as well as other racing simulations.
  2. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Dec 28, 2011
    81
    The driving in this driving game is fast, sexy and frequently exciting. [Feb 2012, p.94]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. GamesRadar+
    Nov 14, 2011
    80
    It's possible Need for Speed The Run won't provide as many hours of entertainment as previous NFS games, but then it packs in unique events and some incredibly exciting chase sequences, meaning it packs a lot of entertainment-per-hour. It's not very forgiving of mistakes, but then it provides greater rewards as a result.
  4. Planet Xbox 360
    Nov 17, 2011
    70
    The game is way too short and there isn't enough to its narrative to get even close to being interested in playing it again. While there are some cool moments, I generally found myself getting too bored or frustrated with the races and the game's conclusion only made the story even more pointless.
  5. IGN
    Nov 14, 2011
    65
    All this awesome racing action gets somewhat lost amid the nonexistent story, the dumb/scripted AI, the lack of options, and the overall shortness of the game. The Run is not a marathon racing game, it's a quick and dirty drag race.
  6. Xbox Achievements
    Nov 15, 2011
    60
    Racing across the USA for a cash prize is a great concept, and perhaps there's a Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay collaboration in there somewhere. Or possibly there's a sequel that can inject some variety and fun into proceedings, rather than a succession of thankless, exhausting rubber-band races against faceless opponents and stereotypical rivals. Need for Speed: The Run does generate some memorable highlights, but they're simply too few and far between.
  7. BigPond GameArena
    Nov 16, 2011
    40
    The game might look decent enough, but the overly scripted racing and under scripted plot fail to engage the player or give the feeling of a white knuckle battle to reach the finishing line. You end up barely caring about Jack's plight and when it comes to the gameplay... Lets just say if you're a fan of the franchise stick to Hot Pursuit, it's where Need For Speed shines - The Run on the other hand just crashes and burns. Repeatedly.

See all 65 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 51
  3. Negative: 8 out of 51
  1. SuperNacho
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    You feel like you're travelling in America, the car physics feels like arcade-simulator, and it's very awesome. How you can't like it?!
  2. r50
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    Wow! I was totally expecting this game to SUCK. The premise sounded stupid, the story looked lame, and the guy looked like a total douche.Wow! I was totally expecting this game to SUCK. The premise sounded stupid, the story looked lame, and the guy looked like a total douche. But I'm not kidding when I say this is the most fun in a racing game I've had in a long time. Admittedly it's not perfect. The story WAS stupid, and the guy IS a douche, and as far as mechanics go it's nothing more than a solid racer. But what really sets it apart are the incredibly satisfying movie-esque chase sequences. Sure, the other NFS games have cop chases, but nothing that comes close to this. Honestly, I don't think I can go back to the old get-in-first-and-stay-there formula. Ironically (or understandably?) the parts of this game that did have that were the most boring, but I'm giving it a 10 because racing games need to be made like this from now on (minus douchebags).… Expand
  4. flightmedicgrl
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    What a great game, the graphics are amazing and besides the story line there are many auto challenges. The cars are great and the handling isWhat a great game, the graphics are amazing and besides the story line there are many auto challenges. The cars are great and the handling is very realistic. Best Need For Speed yet. The story had me on my seat and felt more realistic than any other racing game I have played. The intense action scenes make the story incredible. I will be playing this game till the next NFS comes out. Love it.… Expand
  5. Kmann1994
    Nov 19, 2011
    8
    First off, I'd like to say that Need for Speed is my second favorite game franchise out there (Next to GTA) and I have played every singleFirst off, I'd like to say that Need for Speed is my second favorite game franchise out there (Next to GTA) and I have played every single game in the series. The Run looked promising, so when I gave it a try, I had some high expectations. While certainly not a perfect game, I did enjoy the entire concept, beautiful cutscenes, fast driving, amazing graphics, great tracks, and attempt at a story. The ending of the game opened up room for a sequel to The Run, and I can say that I am thourougly looking forward to it. As long as Black Box improves some areas like the story, more cutscenes, customization, some sort of weapon usage similar to Hot Pursuit in gameplay, and maybe even an open world, then we could have a real winner of an NFS game!… Expand
  6. P4YTNET
    Jan 23, 2012
    7
    Need For Speed: The Run is one of the first games to run on the Frostbite 2 engine, and from the very beginning you can tell it is differentNeed For Speed: The Run is one of the first games to run on the Frostbite 2 engine, and from the very beginning you can tell it is different from any other Need For Speed game. In some ways that is a good things, and in other ways it is very, very bad.

    The premise of the game is that your character, Jack, is on "the run" from a large crime organization as well as the police for offenses that are never fully explained. After some button-mashing and a frustrating chase scene, you actually start driving on the open road. Everything is fun and great, until all of a sudden it's not. Unlike previous Need For Speed games, The Run has a Rewind feature which enables you to restart from the previous checkpoint if you wreck your car or run off the road. The problem is the circumstances that cause you to restart are extremely inconsistent. On some tracks you can cut corners and overcorrect if you run drive a little off the track, on others it will reset you if you run half a foot off the road.

    It is not all bad, however, as the graphics on the game are among the best of any racing game out there. Overall, the gameplay compares with the best Need For Speed games such as Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit, but it is not quite there. It is very straightforward with no kind of "Free Roam" option, and while the multiplayer is fun for awhile, there is only so much utility you can get out of it, especially after you earn all the achievements.

    Although the game was relatively short at two and a half hours, I did enjoy it while it lasted, and I plan to pick it up again soon and try to earn the rest of the achievements. If nothing else, this game will help you make friends to compare your times on your Speed Wall!

    More reviews at P4YT.net    … Expand
  7. ADobbo
    Feb 17, 2012
    5
    I bought this game the day it came out. I payed the full price and I have to say it is not worth it. The characters are introduced to you andI bought this game the day it came out. I payed the full price and I have to say it is not worth it. The characters are introduced to you and have a detailed background story which you would think would play apart, they do not. It is like me telling you the entire history of Peugeot and yet not even having Peugeot in the game, it is absolutely ridiculous. However, the race itself is fun and going from back in the 200s and throughout the different regions of America that is good. The graphics are outstanding and probably the best I have seen in a racing game to date. The national parks are depicted just as they would look in real life. Unfortunately many big car brands such as Bugatti are left out of this game and you are left to pick from the rest. This game is just over 2 hours long for the main campaign which is quite humourous for a game of today. The challenge series is just something to do if you are in the boredest state of mind possible. The multiplayer is good fun and a big step up from Hot Pursuit in some areas such as the voting system. I also like the constant gap which you can see how far ahead and behind someone you are in seconds constantly throughout a single player or online race. Overall this game is defininitely worth a rent or a buy if it is cheap enough as the graphics are something which is incredible.… Expand
  8. Pokern1nja
    Nov 22, 2011
    3
    Such a super frustrating game. Let's start with the good : graphics and sound make it feel like a really intense and desperate drive acrossSuch a super frustrating game. Let's start with the good : graphics and sound make it feel like a really intense and desperate drive across the country. But..... loading times are totally unacceptable - I would suggest having something nearby to keep you occupied while u stare at a loading screen every 30secs, this really disrupts the speed of the game. The pointless QuickTime sequences are just unneccessary and again disrupt the flow of the game. Sometimes I wonder whether they even test some games before launch because if u just stray off track into the dirt even a tiny bit, the game just frustrating warps you back to a checkpoint, and of course another loading screen. This game is enjoyable in parts, but I was expecting a fast and fluid drive across the continent, but the are just too many frustrating disruptions.… Expand

See all 51 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
87
#87 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011