Need for Speed

 Xbox One
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 612 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 408 out of 612
  2. Mixed: 73 out of 612
  3. Negative: 131 out of 612
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  1. Allthat
    Nov 3, 2015
    2
    I'm giving this game a two because it has only two things going for it: graphics and customization. The game looks fantastic and there is a huge roster of cars with loads of customization options. However, even though the game looks good, the open world itself sucks because it's always night time and for some reason its always raining. Another thing that really put me off were the liveI'm giving this game a two because it has only two things going for it: graphics and customization. The game looks fantastic and there is a huge roster of cars with loads of customization options. However, even though the game looks good, the open world itself sucks because it's always night time and for some reason its always raining. Another thing that really put me off were the live action cut scenes, they're just really boring and kill immersion. The characters are flat and missions are not as well designed as previous NFS games. The worst part is that this game is always online... that just sucks. Whoever decided to make this game always online needs to go f**k himself. This is a critical design flaw as online interactions are very rare. This game would be better if they just removed that.… Expand
  2. Saisuke
    Nov 3, 2015
    0
    Cons
    >always online
    >atrocious (and frustrating) rubberbanding which is used to mask the AI >bad AI >unrealistic driving (some might love that though) >boring city/only night time >lame cutscenes >bad fps drops >lackluster car list (and some weird choices, there's a lot of the same car type, and where are most of the cars the other need for speed had?) >pick up your phone bro pick    Cons
    >always online
    >atrocious (and frustrating) rubberbanding which is used to mask the AI
    >bad AI
    >unrealistic driving (some might love that though)
    >boring city/only night time
    >lame cutscenes
    >bad fps drops
    >lackluster car list (and some weird choices, there's a lot of the same car type, and where are most of the cars the other need for speed had?)
    >pick up your phone bro pick up your phone bro pick up your phone bro (constant nagging from npcs)
    >can't pause

    Pros
    >Lots to customize
    >the game can look stunning at times

    I hope people don't fall for all the paid/bot reviews.
    There should be a ton of 0's to counter the 10's from those review bots.
    I wish I could give a more fair review score like a 5 or a 6, which I think the game deserves, but the 0 is for countering the 10 bots.    … Expand
  3. Eero94
    Nov 3, 2015
    0
    This game requires constant internet connection, Always-on DRM—that is, digital rights management—has been a contentious subject within the gaming world ever since it first arrived on the scene. For those of us not in the know, games that use DRM require people to remain linked to a server via Internet connection in order to actually experience them. While many game developers would assertThis game requires constant internet connection, Always-on DRM—that is, digital rights management—has been a contentious subject within the gaming world ever since it first arrived on the scene. For those of us not in the know, games that use DRM require people to remain linked to a server via Internet connection in order to actually experience them. While many game developers would assert that it’s an effective technique meant to prevent piracy of their software and is a convenient way to distribute updates, most fans would argue that it’s a hassle, especially if the DRM authentication network goes down and locks gamers out completely.… Expand
  4. PREDATORPOL52
    Nov 3, 2015
    4
    the game has a great quality (it is very noticeable in the graphics,sound,etc...) but it is very boring and you need to be constantly connected to the internet.need for speed is far from what it once was
  5. srfelipe
    Nov 4, 2015
    0
    This is the worst Need for Speed I've ever played. The xbox version runs at 900p and is blurred without a level of detail. Curves are a bit hard to do, even making a drift you ends up on the wall, that helps you to make the turn. The map is very small and does not have many details and the AI is very bad. The whole game is very boring, and the protagonists are very annoying, they call youThis is the worst Need for Speed I've ever played. The xbox version runs at 900p and is blurred without a level of detail. Curves are a bit hard to do, even making a drift you ends up on the wall, that helps you to make the turn. The map is very small and does not have many details and the AI is very bad. The whole game is very boring, and the protagonists are very annoying, they call you every 10 seconds.

    Pros

    -Customization

    Cons:

    -There is no sense of speed
    -Unrealistic driving
    -The graphics are blurred and there's FPS drops.
    -Full of cutscenes
    -Bad AI.
    -Always online.
    -Can't pause

    This reboot can be a new beginning for EA, but for us, Need for Speed died in the past, apparently, was not born again yet.    … Expand
  6. Thoury1959
    Nov 3, 2015
    10
    WELCOME BACK ! KING OF RACING GAMES !!
    Ghosts game made it ! great graphics and control.
    The arcade gameplay is very, very fun.
    I am grateful that they have returned to their origins and bring a good car game
  7. Deadraque
    Feb 7, 2017
    0
    No steering wheel, imposed Film Grain, Imposed, Blur, Imposed kids stuff, imposed online and so on, just trash for 5 years olds, thx goodbye, and EA want to come more to pc just stay where you are with you're crap of games you fit there perfectly
  8. gamingisgreat
    Mar 23, 2017
    2
    Need For Speed 2015 is a disgrace to the Need For Speed name.

    The gameplay is just straight up horrible,with terrible physics,a counter-steer system which makes drifting near impossible,and considering that drifting makes up a significant portion of the game,this makes the game a chore to play,then you have the awful rubberband AI along with having to be always online to play the    Need For Speed 2015 is a disgrace to the Need For Speed name.

    The gameplay is just straight up horrible,with terrible physics,a counter-steer system which makes drifting near impossible,and considering that drifting makes up a significant portion of the game,this makes the game a chore to play,then you have the awful rubberband AI along with having to be always online to play the game.Then we come to the decent but extremely overrated customisation system,which is nice but with the awful gameplay it doesn't mean anything.

    The graphics are great,but the framerate needs some serious work,like most of the game.

    Then you have the cringeworthy,downright pathetic and the ''actors'' who perform these scenes are awful.

    The sound design is good,but the soundtrack is awful.

    Overall,Need For Speed 2015 is an awful game that has made an embarrassment of this franchise.    … Expand
  9. resumil
    May 8, 2016
    0
    Worst Need For Sped Ever, and certainly my last EA purchase! They insist their "permanent online" requirement is meant to keeps kids away from playing, what a **** excuse for spreading their useless DRM. And the lack of wheel controller support in a racing title is simply unforgivable! Come one EA, this is 2016 ...hello???
  10. Silverbow
    Nov 5, 2015
    3
    I usually only log into metacritic for feedback on games that I love. Exception this time. I can't stand this game.

    Rivals was a good game, cars felt reasonable for an arcade racer, nice variety of scenery, decent AI, no forced online. The online actually doesn't bother me at all, but it's unnecessary. The rubber banding AI at the end of the first race made me regret buying it. I    I usually only log into metacritic for feedback on games that I love. Exception this time. I can't stand this game.

    Rivals was a good game, cars felt reasonable for an arcade racer, nice variety of scenery, decent AI, no forced online. The online actually doesn't bother me at all, but it's unnecessary.

    The rubber banding AI at the end of the first race made me regret buying it. I knew it was going to be in there, but I bought it anyway :(

    The car has zero feel to it. It doesn't feel like you are in control. Braking does almost nothing, it doesn't feel like you are braking.

    I dunno, just really disappointed. Played an hour of Forza 6 just to restore my faith in humanity. I know it's not apples and apples, but Horizon 2 would have served the same purpose, and surely that game is a competitor for this mess.

    Don't buy this game. I cannot recommend it. The customization is nothing Forza doesn't have. The cars don't feel like cars. The rubber banding AI removes any feeling of achievement you might have for driving well.    … Expand
  11. touka
    Nov 6, 2015
    2
    A Need For Speed title that requires constant online connection yet lacks a proper multiplayer racing feature. I was prepared for many of the aspects of the game to be bad or lacking but... this? What a stupid blunder by the game developers. The game also loves to stutter on Xbone, civilian cars randomly disappear all the time, even fully tuned cars rev only till 7k rpm, using handbrakeA Need For Speed title that requires constant online connection yet lacks a proper multiplayer racing feature. I was prepared for many of the aspects of the game to be bad or lacking but... this? What a stupid blunder by the game developers. The game also loves to stutter on Xbone, civilian cars randomly disappear all the time, even fully tuned cars rev only till 7k rpm, using handbrake to throw your car sideways can reduce your speed from 200kmh to 0 in less than a second, soundtrack is small and not memorable in the least, rubberbanding AI is a real pain in the ass.. the list goes on and on, I probably forgot half of the problems the game has.

    Worst of all, after 15 or so hours of playing I actually find myself enjoying the game, especially the touge area is really fun to drive. This game could've been so damn good but without actual multiplayer race lobbies the game has hardly any replay value and won't live long :|    … Expand
  12. zango007
    Nov 12, 2015
    4
    For starters, the AI becomes almost unbeatable later in the game. Their precision is outrageous during races. Also their speed: holy cow!
    The outcome of a race is based on pure luck: hope the leader crashes into something so you can finish first. Be warned: this game will NOT test your skill, only your amount of luck...and patience!
  13. alvangee
    Nov 6, 2015
    5
    Okay, I don't want to be all negative, but list of bad things will be huge.

    Several hours into the game, I am still not enjoying any aspect of it. Races are not fun, crew members are annoying, car list is not interesting for me (1965 Mustang and that old Volvo and that's it. I need more muscles and classics). I spent first two hours wondering if it's always night here or there's hope    Okay, I don't want to be all negative, but list of bad things will be huge.

    Several hours into the game, I am still not enjoying any aspect of it. Races are not fun, crew members are annoying, car list is not interesting for me (1965 Mustang and that old Volvo and that's it. I need more muscles and classics). I spent first two hours wondering if it's always night here or there's hope for some Sun and nice weather - but there's no hope. So I will spend some more hours and maybe I will find something pleasant in the gameplay, but I'm not sure at the moment.

    Now to the lists of good/bad and lets' start with the good. There's couple of classic/muscle cars, this is nice, but not enough.
    The graphics is good, no doubt.
    Having tuning and customization is a plus. But I'm afraid that's it.

    Now here's what's wrong with this game.
    - Always online is just NOT necessary here. It's okay in GTA Online, for instance, but here it's ridiculous. The only explanation is they really want to have full information on how much people are playing and what they're doing.
    - The city feels dead. Almost to no traffic, always dark, it just feels uncomfortable on those streeets.
    - The racing itself is not intense or interesting in any way. It's just not fun.
    - Live cutscenes are okay to me, but what's the point of them? Why do we need to watch it, why in the world there should be some "storyline" in a racing game? No one cares!
    - Those damned "crew" members calling all the time. ARRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! They call even when you're in the middle of an event. Seriously? Once again, what's the point of having them in the game? Who gives a damn?
    - Depressing atmosphere. It's always in the night, rainy, dark. Damn, I hate such weather in real life, who would be happy to spend the whole game driving on wet streets under reddish city lights?
    - Blur and shaking effects - that's normal for racing games now, but it's too extensive. Let users to turn that shaking off, it's exhausting for eyes. Vibrating controller is enough for feedback.
    - No pause button. Everyone think it's not okay in solo mode. It's just plain wrong to not have pause button.
    - Most camera positions are not convenient. The best one is the hood cam. All heli cams are too low, the road is hidden by the car and it's hard to race this way. Why there's no cockpit view is also a mystery to me as it always should be in a racing game - it's essential for some part of gamers.    … Expand
  14. geforceman
    Nov 29, 2015
    1
    My review of NFS Underground 3....I mean NFS for Xbox One. After Hot Pursuit 2? after NFS most wanted? after Rivals - they take TWO years to deliver......this???

    I remember reading the previews and I remember groaning when I read that the game will be "nocturnal only" - IE - we are taking drastic shortcuts to hide frame rate drops and other fixable flaws. Sure enough - I was right -    My review of NFS Underground 3....I mean NFS for Xbox One. After Hot Pursuit 2? after NFS most wanted? after Rivals - they take TWO years to deliver......this???

    I remember reading the previews and I remember groaning when I read that the game will be "nocturnal only" - IE - we are taking drastic shortcuts to hide frame rate drops and other fixable flaws. Sure enough - I was right - BORING SNOOZER of a game - Ive played this game since its release and have no desire to play for more than a race or two - I have since gone back to Forza Horizon 2 where you can race a manual transmission with an interior view on a beautiful sunny day. Ironic considering THAT scenario is what the original games soul is all about - not this underground racing neon retread. The person who decided that a racing game should be online 100% so you cannot pause a game should be fired. Same goes for the genius who said - hey - lets make this game nighttime only. I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  15. dougmacbeth
    Nov 22, 2015
    4
    I suggest that anyone scoring this more than 6 either doesn't engage in the game completely, does not possess a competitive edge or worse still, has some alternative investment for doing so.
    My first review, after a few days, looks generous; but now, almost 3 weeks on and perhaps a little over 200 hours play [shared between xbox and ps4], I'm struggling to rate it any higher than 4/10
    So    I suggest that anyone scoring this more than 6 either doesn't engage in the game completely, does not possess a competitive edge or worse still, has some alternative investment for doing so.
    My first review, after a few days, looks generous; but now, almost 3 weeks on and perhaps a little over 200 hours play [shared between xbox and ps4], I'm struggling to rate it any higher than 4/10
    So lets get the source of these 4 points out of the way:
    It has a very acceptable choice of cars, modifications and handling dynamics [1point.] There is a good variety of events, from easy to very challenging, and in the main they are enjoyable [1 point] The vinyl editor is fiddly and limited but with patience plus creativity, you can just about achieve anything [1 point] There is the environment, themed as it is, a bit on the gloomy side, but large enough, varied enough and interesting enough [1 point]
    Now, the pointless;
    I will start with the glaringly obvious statement of 'This is a racing game' and, as the game and franchise reminds us, there is a 'Need For Speed.' For the casual player this is perhaps not an issue but for those of us who vigorously compete against all-comers, it is vital that the Speedwalls give us the information required and are geared up for competitive racing. This means event completion times need to, and must, go beyond minutes & seconds, we simply must have tenths & hundredths of seconds, maybe even thousandths. This level of accuracy is vital, these fractions are the difference between being first and being the first loser; the rivalry that exists in online racing is intense. The speedwall should also be available automatically & immediately after an event ends without having to wait around 10 seconds for the cinematic to return you to 'free-roam' and without having to perform 3 actions to view the updated information. The first thing a racer wants to know once they hit that finish line is 'how did I do & how does that affect my position' Perhaps every Speedwall should be 'topped' with the 'World Record' for that event?

    I get so annoyed that games are released with so many flaws, bugs and glitches. When a blockbuster Movie is released it is finished and polished, it is the definitive article; not so with games it appears, and certainly not the last 2 instalments of 'Need For Speed'. If one player can find so many flaws in 2 weeks of playing you must ask yourself “how come the production teams never spotted them?” or did they? And if they did, why aren't they fixed before release? The lure of the Lira?, the must be out in time for Christmas sales? Or worst still, a two-fingers up to the customers and an acceptance of this is as good as it gets .. warts an all.
    We have 'route-tracks' to lead us through the events but many are very poorly placed, follow them at your peril. There are checkpoints in absurd places, some of which, if you drive a 'racing-line' you will miss completely and effectively your race is over. There are 'invisible hazards on race tracks that either stop you dead, make you crash or launch you like a missile into the air. The starts to events are awful, as you come out of the cinematic, you can be face to face with a truck or even facing in the wrong direction. The 'multiplayer' [again, just like in Rivals] is totally impractical and can only be achieved with careful planning and an absurd routine. It's sad that games such as GTA V can handle all of these issues flawlessly and yet, a much more dedicated racing franchise fails miserable on all points.
    A car racing game with no steering-wheel support, no manual gears and unbelievably, no car horn [which was about the only one sure way to attract the attention of your fellow lobby players]
    Off course I'm nit-picking, I paid plenty of money for an over-hyped average game with AI cars that attack you on every turn, trucks with 5-watt tail lights that are set like traps for you to impact into at 370km/h and cars suddenly spawning right in front of you as you hurtle down the freeway or canyon winds. 'Collectibles' that are lame, tame and pointless [literally], sweeping blue-light flashes that constantly blind you as you approach that right-hander at great speed [where one of them trucks will be waiting] off course this is all more noticeable once you have passed the cinematic story and the constant phone calls and messages and have entered the realm of racing against your peers.

    How about a little more customisation on all cars, some offer very little indeed. In the vinyl editor, give us some manufacturers decals and badges, a few different fonts and a more precise control over placement. Those garages! Why cant we drive through them and have our damaged cars made good, like we did in Most Wanted or Rivals. Why is there no 'photo-mode', we love taking photos of our custom rides.

    Finally, I ask myself this question “ are the developers, producers, EA Games, Ghost Games, all happy with the work they have done on this game. Are    … Expand
  16. thedirtyrussian
    Dec 25, 2015
    1
    It shocks me how anyone on earth could give this game anything more than a 1 or 2 out of 10. This game is a super disappointment. Let me go over the good and bad of this 'game':

    Pros -good graphics Cons - Live-action cutscenes every four seconds that are un-skippable, and easily has the worst acting I've ever seen - Annoying phone calls from quest givers that ring off the hook    It shocks me how anyone on earth could give this game anything more than a 1 or 2 out of 10. This game is a super disappointment. Let me go over the good and bad of this 'game':

    Pros
    -good graphics

    Cons
    - Live-action cutscenes every four seconds that are un-skippable, and easily has the worst acting I've ever seen
    - Annoying phone calls from quest givers that ring off the hook constantly
    - almost no traffic on the streets or weather changes
    - The A.I gets a 3-mile head start of you for every race (no idea why)
    - Cops only go after YOU during races (meaning the A.I can easily win the race with no one chasing them)
    - Must be online to play (even though NO ONE interacts with each other online)
    - Controls that are horrible and cannot be remapped
    - Controller sensitivity cannot be remapped
    - cannot change camera angles (THIS IS A SIN FOR A RACING GAME)

    Wow...Can you even call this a game? For $60?? It's like everything EA does these days turns to feces. Way to ruin one of my favorite racing franchises of all time. I think for me this is the straw that breaks the camels back. NEVER buying another EA related game in my life    … Expand
  17. aLpHaTeChNiCiAn
    Nov 7, 2015
    1
    STICK WITH HORIZON 2!!
    Always online ruined this game for me, took it back the next day. Can't pause, can't restart race, and got bullied by other douche bag racers multiple times. As a big nfs underground fan, i was hoping for a similar type of game,with exploration, and a fun experience, that was just not the case.. The need for speed franchise is dead to me unless they truly ever go    STICK WITH HORIZON 2!!
    Always online ruined this game for me, took it back the next day. Can't pause, can't restart race, and got bullied by other douche bag racers multiple times. As a big nfs underground fan, i was hoping for a similar type of game,with exploration, and a fun experience, that was just not the case.. The need for speed franchise is dead to me unless they truly ever go back to the roots like they promised. this game was just un-fun and annoying    … Expand
  18. kozinaki
    Nov 24, 2015
    0
    Disgusting game. Permanent online. What happen after a few years, when all servers down? What we must do? I buy, to play game EVERYTIME. EVERYWHERE. What i must do when i dont have the internet?
    Where is sunny days? Where is dry weather? Where is another police car? AI? What'a hell is going on with AI? Сops is incredibly stupid. No. This game is not game of 2015. This game of 2000 or    Disgusting game. Permanent online. What happen after a few years, when all servers down? What we must do? I buy, to play game EVERYTIME. EVERYWHERE. What i must do when i dont have the internet?
    Where is sunny days? Where is dry weather? Where is another police car? AI? What'a hell is going on with AI? Сops is incredibly stupid. No. This game is not game of 2015. This game of 2000 or something. I love Need for Speed 1994-2006. And i hate EA from 2006 until now. And Ghost Games. You not game developers. You hate games. Money is your main thing.    … Expand
  19. victorcash
    Jan 16, 2016
    1
    EA...please dismiss ghost studio and let the Criterion handle the NFS...
    - always online
    - stupid tutorial (please read 200 words while you are 200mph)
    - harassment call, annoying af
    - rubber band AI
  20. ItaJohnson
    Nov 5, 2015
    3
    Well, its not as bad as THPS 5..

    That being said, its not very good either. While i do like upgrading my cars piece by piece and the structure of the world itself is fairly nice thats about where the positive things end. Everything else about this game is either half-assed or terrible. Now i know ghost is NOT criterion, but you would think ea would make sure work was over a certain bar    Well, its not as bad as THPS 5..

    That being said, its not very good either. While i do like upgrading my cars piece by piece and the structure of the world itself is fairly nice thats about where the positive things end. Everything else about this game is either half-assed or terrible. Now i know ghost is NOT criterion, but you would think ea would make sure work was over a certain bar that i feel this game totally missed.

    So onto the reasons i hate this game (and im not even one of the people who minds it being always online!):

    1. The entire game is at night. Do you know what that means? Tired/bored players. I have seen it happen time and time again in various games in various genres, you simply cant play the game too long because it makes you groggy because of the darkness.

    2. Gymkahna.. this filth does NOT belong in a need for speed game, or atleast not as events you HAVE to pass to unlock new parts. For one thing when you see it on youtube its obvious they have a closed course and the videos are shot in several takes, in NFS you have other cars in the "race" screwing up everything you do! On top of that aside from drifting theres no real clear explanation of what EXACTLY you are getting points for ("style".. could you be any more ambiguous?) and most of all this is NOT racing! Maybe in some other game it would make sense (DIRT showdown comes to mind), but not here!

    3. Intermittent dropped frames. Even though the game is only at 900p theres are constant frame drops in high poly places, kind of like the texture cache is buffering. kotaku caught it in their review of the game and while it IS apparently an xbox one only issue its one that TOTALLY should have been fixed in testing. Few things in the world are worse than getting sudden spastic frame rates as you are drifting around a corner in traffic.

    4. Awful textures, lighting, and fog. I dont know why it had to look so bad, some spots look good, and then others you would swear you were streaming the game to a smart phone. Again, this may very well be an xbox only issue, but it really does destroy immersion. It wasnt bad enough that they put the entire game at night to hide the flaws, but they cant even keep the game looking good because of it!

    5. The soundtrack. While not a huge deal i usually have enjoyed the franchises soundtracks, this one however theres maybe 4 songs i found tolerable. The rest were essentially insulting to have to listen to (it was nice to atleast see a roni size remix in the game though).

    6. The load screens/times.. I guess its kind of a necessary evil, but you go to do anything and you sit through a load screen. Like i leave the garage, load screen, in world, open map, teleport to race location, load screen, at race location, start race, load screen, stupid cut scene, race. To make matters worse alot of the races require you to re-tune your car.. so back to the garage to repeat the entire process all over again.

    7. The plot.. a bunch of wankers doing inane stuff. I have to answer my phone so these knob jockeys can add new locations to the map for me to race at, then i have to go to "hideouts" to meet up with them and listen to their drivel, and i dont care in the least about any of them. I guess there HAD to be some degree of plot, but i feel most wanted 2012 got the plot to gameplay ratio right. This is just way too much of something i dont care about at all.

    8. Voice chat disabled by default. I dont know why this is seeming to be the norm anymore, but you race in silence unless you turn it on (and most people dont know they have to go into the multiplayer settings to do that), im level 35 or something and have never heard another person speak in-game.

    9. Rubberbanding AI. Nomatter how hard you push it, nomatter how flawless your run, if you mess up in the last 1/10 mile of the race you will lose. You just cant get any kind of lead on the AI that is meaningful. Granted this is really only a problem in actual races (not time trials or drift attacks) but i mean.. it IS A feckin' racing game!

    10. Lack of variety. Possibly partly due to the game all taking place at night, but the vast majority of the game all feels the same. Yea the zones may have different names, but aside from the 1 where it is dawn (thus the sky is slightly lighter) every corner looks like every other corner, all the stretches of highway look the same, and all the exit ramps are just the same thing. Its the epitome of bad game design. The ONLy place where theres real diversity is when it comes to hitting things, some times telephone poles fly out of the ground, others you explode in a ball of fire.. and that goes for cars, guard rails, anything really.

    If it wasnt a need for speed game it would be acceptable (particularly as a new midnight club game..) but this franchise is supposed to set the standard, and the standard on this one is garbage. This should be a wake-up call for EA! forza horizon 2 is a MUCH more enjoyable experience.    … Expand
  21. PurelyMac
    Nov 6, 2015
    6
    Need For Speed 2015;

    What happened to Awesome? When friends ask me about the Need For Speed 2015, I reply “It's okay but I just don't get the 'wow' or 'awesomeness' I was expecting” … that about sums it up really. An average game that fails to meet the expectations & hype that was built up over the last year or so. The playing environment is about the right size with scope for    Need For Speed 2015;

    What happened to Awesome?

    When friends ask me about the Need For Speed 2015, I reply “It's okay but I just don't get the 'wow' or 'awesomeness' I was expecting” … that about sums it up really.

    An average game that fails to meet the expectations & hype that was built up over the last year or so. The playing environment is about the right size with scope for more add-on locations, the roads are excellent with a good mix of Highway, trunk roads, rail-tracks, back alleys winding country roads and canyon areas. There are docks, rail yards, industrial and suburban areas and then there is half a city .. I say 'half' because you can clearly see a fine city-scape with the usual towers and sky-high office blocks, but you just cant drive between them. The game play all takes part in a 'from dusk-til-dawn' time cycle and it seems to rain about 80% of the time. There are no bright sunny afternoons, there is no 'bright-time' at all which gives a very dreary look to the city, the cars and the monotonous gameplay .. in short Ventura Bay is a depressing looking place .. by design. No wonder I dont seem to be able to do the marathon sessions that I can do in sunny 'Horizon 2' .. we all need a little sunshine.

    I have no major problem with the cars themselves, I am happy with all that I have driven so far. As for the mix or choice, well people will argue over that all night .. but then again, I will guess there will be more added. The driving mechanics feel good to me, again that will be debated by the 'experts'. The car customisation options are many and varied, yet some of the cars I chose had very limited custom parts to choose from, many have a 'none available' message for you when you go to change bodywork parts or headlights. The 'wrap editor' in the main is excellent although the control-tools for applying are poor compared with the likes of Forza. A 'paint palette' or colour chart, would have been good to help match exact shades, even better a 'previous colours' used list instead of having to fiddle about with the sliders and trusting your vision. Applying 'TEXT' is a nightmare [if you want to have a professional look] There is only 1 single type-font and resizing each letter and placement takes forever and that is just for black, add in a colour and you have a real 'patience-tester' on your hands. Again Forza allows you to create 'layer groups' on a graph grid for accuracy, then you can save to use on any other vehicle.

    On to the game-play; from conception this game came with the tag line - 'Five ways to Play' well sorry, I dont see it like that, I see one way to play with five ways of scoring. It's nigh impossible to score in one way alone [perhaps with 'build' you can, If you only build and never leave the garage] The events can become a bit repetitive but I suppose there's not than many other types of events in a racing game .. we race; but they missed a trick employed by Driveclub .. make the events available also in reverse, “et voila” double the number of tracks/races/events.

    The 'Collectables' are a little tame; drive to a camera and take a snapshot? .. 'donut' here .. follow the sign to get a free car part … there could have been something with a challenge attached, something that is measurable and could be scored, like for instance in Rivals there were speed zones, speed cameras and proper jumps, all of which you could compete for on 'speedwalls' plus they greatly add to the number of challenges available. Even the inclusion of a dedicated playground would have enhanced the overall variety of play … not to mention fun .. yes fun, there should be some in a game.

    … and what about the 'story' well, it's okay. As movies go it will never win an Oscar, it does what it was intended to do, it's the wrapping of the product, the presentation; I wont knock it. I only wonder how much time and money was invested in that production that may have been channelled into actual game creation. It is what it is!

    Other observations have me asking;

    Why, when the gas stations are abundant, weren't they enabled in a similar fashion to those in 'Most Wanted' or 'Rivals' ? [I hate cruisin' with a bashed up front end]

    How awful is it to spend hours & hours on awesome wraps and decals when the dark and dingy world doesn't allow other to appreciate your masterpiece.

    On speedwalls, i'd like to see which car my friend/rival used for that event.

    Why on earth is each lobby limited to a maximum of 8 players, surely that could easily have been doubled? … and don't be fooled by the use of the term 'crew' this is just what they refer to when they mean 'lobby' just players on the same map at the same time, who may or may not be affiliated to you.

    Did I mention the constant 'phone calls'? How irritating are those?

    … I'm being picky now, aren't I, but then again, that is the point, it's my review, it's how I see it and how I feel about the game. Everyone of us has an opinion on Need For Speed 2015, what we love about it,what we hate and how we would have made it awesome. Don't get me wrong, I will be playing this game, I will enjoy this game but I cant help feeling that they delivered 'Okay' & not 'Awesome'

    .. In a nutshell, I'm disappointed .. 6 out of 10 [because I dont do halves]    … Expand
  22. Crocsx
    Nov 17, 2015
    6
    Well, I'm not a big NFS fan, and I played only Most Wanted , Carbon, Underground 2 and Pro Street.

    I followed E3 and gamescom, and I thougt this game would be like Carbon or Most Wanted. So that it was the way I approached the game. After playing it for 12 hours (88% of the game): This game is what I expected from an new gen Halo. Gameplay 7/10: The Gameplay is cool, but very    Well, I'm not a big NFS fan, and I played only Most Wanted , Carbon, Underground 2 and Pro Street.

    I followed E3 and gamescom, and I thougt this game would be like Carbon or Most Wanted. So that it was the way I approached the game.

    After playing it for 12 hours (88% of the game):

    This game is what I expected from an new gen Halo.

    Gameplay 7/10:
    The Gameplay is cool, but very very casualised... There is basically nothing to do anymore... Just full throttle, break and dodge other car. It's as simple as that since that auto drift system do everything.
    It bored me after some time. I dont want a car simulation, and i don't care if there is no manual transmission. But in the olds NFS, it was a bit more interesting and hard to play, and the race where intense and close, now is kinda easy, you race against [add random name], you jsut throttle and you win. GG WP.
    The city feels dead so even the "obstacles" are so few that you don't need to focus on the game to play to be honest, there is almost no traffic.

    Audio: 8/10
    Engine sound and Car sound while in race are fine but not amazing. I'm not that much into car game, but I honestly don't think that those sound are great.

    Graphics : 7/10
    Well, the frostbite always make most of the work in the EA game. The game is beautiful, the car look are great, and I love those NFS cutscene with real life characters combined with in game car, sometimes you don't see the difference.
    Sadly, the city is empty, without many details on the roads and the weather is always the same.

    Customisation 8/10 :
    You can customise some car very deeply, basically each point of the car. But there are not many car, and some of them (like lamborghini etc..) god 0 customisable part (at least at level 46).
    You can put stickers, change paint and wheels but that all.

    AI and Progression 3/10 :
    So now, I don't know if it's me, if there is an hidden option or something, but the Cops are useless ! You just full throttle and you lose them. Seriously, it's harder to be sued more than 10 seconds, rather than sow the police...
    I tried to smash cars but you can't anymore, and that was super funny in Carbon, destroy the police car while they chase you. Most of the race are mega easy, ok it's a casualised game, but pls, at least make the opponent a bit more aggressive... at 50% of the campaign I could already buy the best car, and upgrade it to basically full upgrade (the one available) and I didn't played many side race, just the main campaign...
    The Friend AI and Opponent AI are brainless, and boring, there is 0 progression from what we could already play on Underground II.

    City : 4/10
    The city is annoying, empty always rainy, there is no life, nothing enjoyable. Sometime there are some bin or bus stops to destroy and that all. Ventura Bay is depressing and without life. Everything is closed, no memorable building... nothing, you could be on the "generic_map_for_release01" it would be the same. There are many side race everywhere, but it's most of the time the same track and the same think (drift/timeAttack/Race).

    Multiplayer 3/10:
    The most useless feature is the all online... You see people connect/disconnect to your game, people you don't and won't ever know. You can race them (which is pointless and happened 0 time in over 12hours) or you can run into them (most of the time) and crash your car while in race because you are booth doing your solo race vs AI. Expect that, well this feature is useless.
    And the worst thing is that because of this, you can't pause the game!! which is a pain in the ass! You will have to run the race from A to Z vs AI without stop because some random dude is doing his stuff on the other side of the map, and you will never meet him.

    Conclusion :
    Well, I was hoping for something as good as Most Wanted or Carbon, and I think there is nothing (expect the open world and the cinematic) of those game in this NFS.
    I think i would enjoy much more replaying an old NFS again than playing this.    … Expand
  23. dragoequites
    Nov 4, 2015
    5
    Boms gráficos, muitas opções de customisação, porém.......

    Modo online obrigatório. Não há opção de desabilitar vibração do controle. Não há opção de escolha de idioma. História vazia e com personagens estereotipados. Cidade vazia, morta. Sempre noite, impedindo de desfrutar o visual do carro como um todo. IA com rubberbanding escroto e frustrante. Bifurcações, bifurcações e    Boms gráficos, muitas opções de customisação, porém.......

    Modo online obrigatório.
    Não há opção de desabilitar vibração do controle.
    Não há opção de escolha de idioma.
    História vazia e com personagens estereotipados.
    Cidade vazia, morta.
    Sempre noite, impedindo de desfrutar o visual do carro como um todo.
    IA com rubberbanding escroto e frustrante.
    Bifurcações, bifurcações e mais bifurcações durante as corridas, fazendo você ter que reiniciar várias vezes.
    Sistema de pontuação de drift é uma piada; drifts insanos te dão míseros pontos, mas sair pela tangente te da 1000+ pontos kkkk.
    Em perseguições, o jogo sempre vai teleportar policiais aonde você estiver bem escondido e parado.

    Resumindo, capricharam no visual e ferraram completamente o gameplay.    … Expand
  24. KHKS
    Nov 17, 2015
    3
    after 17 hours played this game is garbage. Cars handling is really bad. The graphics also **** You have to be connected to LIVE to be able to play.And as always EA savers are **** This game no more than 3.
  25. BetterCallSalt
    Nov 3, 2015
    7
    Definitely a big improvement over some of the more recent NFS titles, but this entry to the series is still far from it's former self. The customization is expansive and can actually be the most fun to be had with the game however, it is still not up to par with earlier titles that had a wider variety. The driving is average at best and gets put to shame by other racing games that are outDefinitely a big improvement over some of the more recent NFS titles, but this entry to the series is still far from it's former self. The customization is expansive and can actually be the most fun to be had with the game however, it is still not up to par with earlier titles that had a wider variety. The driving is average at best and gets put to shame by other racing games that are out on the current-gen consoles at the moment although that is the case, it does seem to purposely go for this "arcadey" style. The story is not needed here and the majority of cutscenes are just horrible and cringe worthy making it at times unbearable to watch. In summary: wait for this game to become free on EA Access otherwise, go get Forza Horizon 2/ Forza Motorsport 6.… Expand
  26. Super_Sincero
    Nov 3, 2015
    7
    Need for Speed tenta trazer de volta uma jogatina igual do underground com algumas inovações mais ainda assim, alguns pontos negativos pesam tanto que a nota chega um 7 pra mim. Primeiro, faltou atenção para os gráficos, no xbox one parace que estão borrados, sem um nível de detalhe. As curvas são um pouco difícil de fazer, mesmo fazendo um Drift a parede acaba ajudando você a fazer aNeed for Speed tenta trazer de volta uma jogatina igual do underground com algumas inovações mais ainda assim, alguns pontos negativos pesam tanto que a nota chega um 7 pra mim. Primeiro, faltou atenção para os gráficos, no xbox one parace que estão borrados, sem um nível de detalhe. As curvas são um pouco difícil de fazer, mesmo fazendo um Drift a parede acaba ajudando você a fazer a curva.

    O mapa não é tão grande e não tem tantos detalhes, não sei o que aconteceu, mais parece que o jogo por se passar a noite algumas coisas foram deixadas para o lado, dando a entender que ninguém notaria.    … Expand
  27. Guin2514
    Nov 17, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Need For Speed this game gave me mixed feelings for various reasons so lets get in to this review i'll start with the positives i love the fact you can now tune every aspect of your vehicle from the ride height to how stiff you want the handbrake and even put camber on the wheels although you do have to level up earning rep from various styles of play to unlock all these options this makes a pleasant change from slapping a decal on a car and getting right in to it

    The graphics are another positive the car models look fantastic the view of the city is stunning as well even though its nearly always at night but i'll tackle the day and night cycle in further in to this review

    Live action cut scenes were a nice addition to the game although at times a little cheesy with random fist bumps and a heavy push of the monster energy drink brand but i definitely would not consider them a negative

    Ok so now the negatives to this game lets start with that day and night cycle its 90% night and raining occasionally day comes around and then it switches back to the night again pretty sharpish this can be rather annoying

    The AI still think this is demolition derby and not need for speed in certain events like drift races for example the tiniest bump or scratch makes you lose all your points and the AI especially in drift train events do not consider this and will write you off like you do not matter

    Then there is the good old fashioned need for speed perfectly timed cars and trucks appearing just at the right time when your doing 150+ MPH to write you off this can be frustrating especially in sprint events

    There is also no offline option so you can't really pause this game which can be annoying as hell if your halfway through the race and you have to answer the door or have to pop out at an instant you either have to stick it out or crash basically

    The city feels dead if you feel like you just want to cruise around the city there really isn't any traffic anywhere apart from the odd truck and lonely car where is everybody !!!

    Last but not least the police are pretty non existent i know the aim was to tone it down but its so hard to find the police anywhere especially if your trying to do the outlaw challenges you have to drive around forever find a police car then nudge it to get it to chase you then you have to proceed to do 40MPH until it calls for backup just in case you lose it especially in faster top end cars    … Expand
  28. SuperkenGaming
    Nov 7, 2015
    8
    Need for Speed
    The Resurrection and Rebirth or Arcade Racing
    Need for Speed is the reboot of this arcade racer that has been around since 1994. I’ve enjoyed all of the modern need for speeds games, even the cinematic style The Run, but none of them really made my heart sing like Underground 2 did. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that This Need For Speed reboot pulled me back in    Need for Speed
    The Resurrection and Rebirth or Arcade Racing
    Need for Speed is the reboot of this arcade racer that has been around since 1994.
    I’ve enjoyed all of the modern need for speeds games, even the cinematic style The Run, but none of them really made my heart sing like Underground 2 did.
    I was pleasantly surprised to find out that This Need For Speed reboot pulled me back in again in the way that ps2 era classic did.
    The feel of this game is underground from the moment it starts.
    Like Underground 2, this game takes place in one giant city at night.
    You’re pulled into the underground scene by all of your hashtag hipster friends that say all of your favorite cringe worthy vocabulary that the kids are using today like bae and hand out tons of brofists like they’ve spent too much time watching pewdiepie instead of me.. which hurts my feelings a little bit, but whatever.
    Like in Underground 2, there are different style races and challenged spread out around the map that you can freely play in any order you choose. You have the choice to either drive to them or teleport to them which is a huge time saver.
    The challenges for the most part consist of time trials, racing, and drifting.
    There aren’t all too many circuit races which is kind of a bummer, but I’m torn, this is a street racing game, the races feel like street races more so than they did 9 years ago… but oddly enough I preferred the set tracks with invisible walls and actually miss that more arcardey style of racing..
    Need for Speed does do a great job with lighting up the road though to help you stay on track which is great and should honestly be implemented into all open world games… it was nice looking at the world more than staring at a map the for once.
    One race style that I’m a little sad to see missing is Drag Racing.. I’ve never been good with manual racing in games.. but they got my heart pumping more than any racing challenge has in the past… but I was horrible at them, so hated them just as much as I loved them.
    It would’ve been nice to see them return, but in this world I’m kind of glad they didn’t…
    I’m sad to say that the open world in need for speed is pretty bland…
    I couldn’t tell once section of the map from the other..
    Unlike in underground 2 where unlocking a new section felt like going into an entirely new map, everything is unlocked from the beginning here and it all looks and feels the same.
    No variety which means no urge to explore.
    There are cops running around that seem to never be there when you want to do an outlaw mission, but they are there for you to mess with, or they’ll occasionally interrupt your street racing..
    You can mess with them to build up your fine then escape if you can for a reward or just pull over and pay the small fine you start out with.
    The cops are very reasonable in this game, not too aggressive or over powered.
    Customization is back with much more freedom with decals and paint, but the variety of body and tire options are nowhere near the golden days of need for speed.
    Car Variety is also pretty iffy, and you can purchase the best car in the game about 6 hours in of this 12hour campaign.
    The story and cut scenes actually had me wanting more and I was surprised how well the live action scenes actually blended with the game.
    While this game isn’t on the level on Underground 2, they are definitely on the right track
    I loved my time with Need for Speed, but I have to say that I am mostly disappointed in the fact that this game is always online..
    7 other players can join your world at any time, you can set your privacy to invite only if you choose, and you can challenge these friends to races like you could with the ai drivers in underground 2
    But even if you won’t want to play with other people, you have to connect to a server for the game to even start.. and honestly I was the only person challenging other people, and only because I felt obligated to as a reviewer… It’s nice to see my friend’s high scores, and kind of cool to try and take on daily challenges, but this all could’ve been done without forcing an online connection…
    I also had problems logging in with my sub account on PlayStation 4 thanks to this always online game forcing you to have an origin account to do anything, so prepare to do some hoop jumping if you’re buying this game for your family.
    For what it is

    Arcade Racer: 8.0/10
    Overall:
    8.0/10    … Expand
  29. Lordtavar
    Apr 26, 2016
    8
    All done right with enough space to improve. Obviously there was a lot of spending on the 'story', still it never felt like a story at all. Not talking about RPG like story, but something like in NFS Underground 2 or at least the original Most Wanted. However, those cutscenes and stuff is just good for the overall feeling. It's just pure arcade-fun. Police is a bit too decent and I wouldAll done right with enough space to improve. Obviously there was a lot of spending on the 'story', still it never felt like a story at all. Not talking about RPG like story, but something like in NFS Underground 2 or at least the original Most Wanted. However, those cutscenes and stuff is just good for the overall feeling. It's just pure arcade-fun. Police is a bit too decent and I would have loved some more neonlights with the tuning :) It happened to me twice that I had to stop playing due to issues with the internet, that sucks. So please change this always online.… Expand
  30. Master_Ch1ef
    Nov 3, 2015
    7
    Need for Speed não voltou pra valer ainda, a história no começo anima o jogador, cheia de cutscenes, mas depois de um tempo começa a ser irritante muitos videozinhos e pouquíssima ação, a trama se desenrola lentamente, mas não é muito clichê, porém não chega nem aos pés da trama clichê de Mostwanted e da Séries Underground, que por mais "pastelão" que fosse, até hoje não foi superada porNeed for Speed não voltou pra valer ainda, a história no começo anima o jogador, cheia de cutscenes, mas depois de um tempo começa a ser irritante muitos videozinhos e pouquíssima ação, a trama se desenrola lentamente, mas não é muito clichê, porém não chega nem aos pés da trama clichê de Mostwanted e da Séries Underground, que por mais "pastelão" que fosse, até hoje não foi superada por nenhum outro jogo da franquia. Esse reboot pode ser um recomeço pra EA, mas para nós, Need for Speed morreu no passado, e pelo visto, não foi renascido ainda.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
9
#9 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 30
  3. Negative: 1 out of 30
  1. Sporting News
    Mar 3, 2016
    80
    Despite cringe-worthy storylines and curious decisions to require a constant internet connection, Need For Speed succeeds for several reasons. Most importantly, the racing is a blast. A wide variety of styles are available, and the ability to quickly adapt and win makes the adventure more than worthwhile. It’s beside the point that Need For Speed doesn’t compare with big-time simulation racers like Forza or Gran Turismo; instead of chasing half-second improvements based on real-world tracks, Need For Speed celebrates driving like a maniac in a big world with no reality to concern yourself with.
    Read full review
  2. ICXM
    Jan 8, 2016
    80
    Long story short, Forza’s customization is more professional but harder to use, while Need For Speed’s customization lacks in areas and it more suitable for people with less knowledge on cars.
    Read full review
  3. MondoXbox
    Dec 19, 2015
    79
    A good reboot for the series, with some very nice ideas but with a bit too many technical issues. It looks more like an unfinished job, something that could have used some more development time.
    Read full review
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