Need for Speed Unbound

 Xbox Series X
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 153 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 153
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 153
  3. Negative: 68 out of 153
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  1. Johcker
    Dec 17, 2022
    4
    Infelizmente o jogo se preocupa mais em lacrar do que em ser um bom jogo de corrida, mas isso nem é o pior: os carros parecem flutuar na pista, sem inércia e sem desafio real. Parece que os efeitos coloridos foram colocados ali só pra disfarçar o problema.
  2. Benzant
    Dec 19, 2022
    4
    the worst soundtrack of the entire saga, it shows that they put drug addicts with no taste for music to choose the playlist, you are in moments that nothing fits with the intonation, where is the metal, the rock the music that makes the game feel fast
  3. akos544
    Apr 19, 2023
    8
    Reminds me of the old Underground 2 times. Good vibes! This is a solid entry! I recommend it to anyone who enjoys banging music with some good arcade driving
  4. VinnyDeee
    Apr 25, 2023
    8
    Need for Speed Unbound is probably the best nfs has been in years. Criterion’s return to the franchise is a strong one. This game certainly has problems but it’s surely better and more polished than anything Ghost Games ever made. The issues it has mainly boil down to repetitive design, boring map design and a terrible police system. And for me personally, I absolutely despise the celNeed for Speed Unbound is probably the best nfs has been in years. Criterion’s return to the franchise is a strong one. This game certainly has problems but it’s surely better and more polished than anything Ghost Games ever made. The issues it has mainly boil down to repetitive design, boring map design and a terrible police system. And for me personally, I absolutely despise the cel shaded effects and wish there was an option to turn them completely off. However this is still probably the best Nfs game we’ve gotten since rivals, and I truly hope we see more updates for this game soon.… Expand
  5. Obama-Gaming
    Jan 6, 2023
    0
    Protip: EA Blackbox and EA canada (this protip is for EA only) they didn‘t learn from heat
  6. Rocket7874
    Feb 11, 2023
    9
    Really enjoying this game I think it’s the best need for speed since underground 2
  7. Takuminightcore
    May 25, 2023
    9
    The game is pretty good despite it does have some problems with the drifting physics and a couple of other small things but besides that it’s a great game and I think it’s better than heat
  8. Blackboxsucks
    May 31, 2023
    10
    Wtf that's the most underrated game ever how is this low in rating you fxking black box dickriders
  9. Lobotany
    Dec 5, 2022
    0
    Worst NFS ever created, art style is annoying and intrussive gameplay is boring and not to mention the gen Z humour and characters, disgusting
  10. Bigmakin
    Dec 14, 2022
    0
    No localisation no respect, this is worst game politics ever, not in game for regular players
  11. RanGom007
    Dec 10, 2022
    0
    it's so disgusting to treat Russian-speaking players.. In principle, I'm not surprised by EA's policy, but if star wars survival doesn't get Russian localization either, I'll be furious. how did the players who buy your games deserve such an attitude?
  12. papaja2137
    Dec 3, 2022
    1
    Nothing new at all, it’s just Heat 2.0
    -Some mobile games have better graphics (in photo mode, vehicle models are very nice from the outside) -anime effects can't be turned off -driving model is tragic, you can't drift smoothly. vehicle balance is absurd, Nissan Silva is faster than Corvette Stingray or Lambo Huracan
  13. FatherSterba
    Dec 4, 2022
    7
    Need For Speed Unbound is an excellent game that’s unfortunately plagued by some of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen implemented into the multiplayer. Unbound would easily be a 9 out of 10 if not for the total lack of ingenuity that is the multiplayer. The matchmaking is terrible due to the fact that it relies on only pulling players from your 16 player lobbies, making it nearlyNeed For Speed Unbound is an excellent game that’s unfortunately plagued by some of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen implemented into the multiplayer. Unbound would easily be a 9 out of 10 if not for the total lack of ingenuity that is the multiplayer. The matchmaking is terrible due to the fact that it relies on only pulling players from your 16 player lobbies, making it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to have those 8 man races that the game is literally built for. Not to mention, the horrific spawn points after crashing create some serious RNG where oftentimes, you’ll actually benefit from getting full on smashed into a building and then spawning way ahead of second place somehow. And don’t get me started on traffic, everyone drives like they’re drunk and on a mission to take your ass out without reason. It seems the traffic picks and chooses who they’re going to go after and I’ve often been taken out of races/seen others taken out by pedestrian cars suddenly swerving into the middle of the race like absolute idiots.

    Overall I’d love to give Unbound a 9, but the multiplayer was implemented so terribly that I can’t genuinely give this game any better than a 7 as of now. Hopefully this will change in the future but Need For Speed is notorious for lacking decent post launch support, so I won’t put my money on those needed improvements happening.    … Expand
  14. ademyz
    Dec 4, 2022
    1
    the game is disgraceful!. 0. Worst NFS game with no reality driving sensation
  15. Logccmong55
    Dec 3, 2022
    0
    Garbage game not worth buying heat copy gen z characters awful anime effects
  16. jj350
    Dec 3, 2022
    1
    This is the THPS5 of NFS games. The graphics and art style look very similar, and it's the same sort of low point for the series. Ignore the paid promoters, this game is pure disappointment. Do yourself a favor and play the EA Play trial before you buy if you are really interested.
  17. JohnnySins1233
    Dec 4, 2022
    0
    Trash game not worth it especially at that price, maybe at a HUGE sale, game is boring effects cannot be turned off even tho they said it can, it cannot. REpetitive cringe story overall trash
  18. powL
    Dec 6, 2022
    3
    This game is a joke.

    Racing is fun, style is nice…but…story mode itself has the worst game design I have played for years. And the worst AI in a racing game ever I guess… Not sure if it’s because of the starter car, but on normal this game f* you literally all over for maaaaany hours. Bad car to start? You will be last in nearly every game until you got some crumbs together for some    This game is a joke.

    Racing is fun, style is nice…but…story mode itself has the worst game design I have played for years. And the worst AI in a racing game ever I guess… Not sure if it’s because of the starter car, but on normal this game f* you literally all over for maaaaany hours.

    Bad car to start? You will be last in nearly every game until you got some crumbs together for some tuning parts. Than, the AI rubberbands so hard that very tiny error or crash will result in a game with nearly zero credits won.

    Then, after these stupid races with nearly no reward, but hard as f*, police can rob your earned money. So if you had a bad day, you played for hours and gained exactly nothing xD

    This game is an absolute waste of time, a game design that was total **** 30 years ago and all that’s left is the little taste of „burnout“ feeling without any burnout gameplay.

    As said, racing is good, style is nice, but the game is zero fun. Buy something that you can enjoy and that does respect you time instead of wasting it a in a stupid singleplayer grindfest.

    And yeah I know the mechanics of this game. As said, it’s a sad fart of what burnout was with a punishing and unfun singleplayer.    … Expand
  19. Captiosus
    Dec 6, 2022
    3
    Another year, another mediocre Need for Speed game.

    Gameplay wise, the handling is god awful and doesn't care one bit about the cars' designs. Physics seem to be based in the center of the vehicle no matter what car you're playing so there's no difference between playing a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive, or various engine placements. Physics are floaty, more akin    Another year, another mediocre Need for Speed game.

    Gameplay wise, the handling is god awful and doesn't care one bit about the cars' designs. Physics seem to be based in the center of the vehicle no matter what car you're playing so there's no difference between playing a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive, or various engine placements. Physics are floaty, more akin to a zero-gravity racer like PACER or Redout than a car-based game. Drifting is absolutely inconsistent. Rubberbanding AI is nothing short of atrocious and cops can regularly spawn right behind (or in front!) of you like you're racing in Night City (Cyberpunk 2077). There is no real sense of speed compared to similar racers like Forza Horizon 5.

    Speaking of Horizon 5, I have seen reviewers try to claim NFS Unbound is graphically equal to Forza Horizon 5. To this I say: Respectfully, get your eyes examined. FH5 at 4K is damn near photo realistic. NFS Unbound is anything but and it leans heavily on the cartoon effects and motion/lens flare effects to cover up obvious and repeat texture issues. It runs smoothly enough, and there are some really nice reflection effects, but it's not even remotely in the same league as Horizon 5.

    The writing... Whooooo boy is it bad. If you thought Forza Horizon had some cringey "bro" moments, NFS Unbound makes Forza Horizon writing and dialog sound like classic literature. I don't know who they're appealing to with this writing, this soundtrack, this pathetic attempt at being "edgy", but it certainly isn't someone over the age of 18.

    Unless you're really pining for a different arcade racer, this is a hard pass or, at least, a wait for deep sale. But if you have Game Pass, you've already got access to myriad better racers. Not just Forza Horizon but several others, including older NFS games.    … Expand
  20. Petatey
    Dec 5, 2022
    0
    Forget everything else. Asap this, asap that, asap everywhere. Like, why? I listened to like 5 of the soundtracks and all of them are forgettable. Yes i can turn them off but remember, the soundtrack is one of the critical part of the game, and certainly it doesnt deliver whatsoever.
  21. Pulancur
    Dec 6, 2022
    0
    Definitely not worth it especially at that high price, its a heat copy with a few minimalistic changes, cops are meh, pursuits not enganging, best was MW 05, Rivals and Hot pursuit. Customization is wacky goofy and cringe story and dialogue with political direction IN A RACING GAME.
  22. Lesnos4r2
    Dec 7, 2022
    1
    Unbalanced opponents difficulty and despite the developers coming out and saying that the graffiti effects could be turned off, that is NOT the case. You can turn SOME of the effects off but only.on your car. Thee opponents cars have all the effects still on. Got a refund on this one. Garbage.
  23. faikschmidt
    Dec 8, 2022
    1
    we arrived in the age of progressivism in games... it doesn't matter if the game is bad, as long as it follows the progressive agenda
  24. Penskesur
    Dec 15, 2022
    0
    You can tell they dont even try to make a good game. This is just nfs heat 2022, nothing else
  25. Sikkwolf
    Dec 24, 2022
    0
    This game is pure s**t. The AI racers literally drive past you in every race, no matter what their cars are or how tuned up your car is. My 2020 Corvette stingray gets blown out of the water by a 350z and a sedan on every track at A+. It's borderline impossible to win any race that isn't 80% cornering, as that is the only thing the AI can't do very well.

    This is the worst NFS game ever    This game is pure s**t. The AI racers literally drive past you in every race, no matter what their cars are or how tuned up your car is. My 2020 Corvette stingray gets blown out of the water by a 350z and a sedan on every track at A+. It's borderline impossible to win any race that isn't 80% cornering, as that is the only thing the AI can't do very well.

    This is the worst NFS game ever made and I regret paying for it. Further, screw all these reviewers that are praising the game, it's not good at all, it's a dismal experience.    … Expand
  26. LokiPokis
    Dec 20, 2022
    0
    There are 300 million Russian languages in the world, why aren't there at least subtitles
  27. Oncep
    Dec 21, 2022
    0
    Ни слова по русски. Советую добавить субтитры в будущих играх. Jedy 2 need rus sub
  28. Racer253
    Dec 24, 2022
    0
    Параша долбаная. Как можно было так угробить серию?????????????????????
  29. Jopeminterp
    Jan 19, 2023
    0
    Arcade racing game is supposed to be fun, not frustrating and so grindy. Add that with bad soundtrack and bad handling, this is definitely not how to make an arcade racing game, considering the price.
  30. Max_Lazy_10
    Dec 3, 2022
    10
    While by no means perfect, Criterion's put the franchise back on the road with NFS Unbound. Oozing with originality, and giving players their fix however they want to play (whether in story mode, online, customizing cars, or outrunning the cops), Need for Speed Unbound is the strongest outing the series has had to date since Criterion's Hot Pursuit entry in 2010.
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Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2022
15
#15 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Cubed3
    Mar 21, 2024
    80
    The best Need for Speed title in a long time, Unbound has such a fun gameplay loop and funky style that it's hard to put down. It has a hard difficulty and slightly odd game feel, but most players of racing games will have a blast here and probably fall in love with the chaotic and frantic police chases. Pick this up!
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 24, 2024
    60
    The aspiration of returning to the series' most successful titles is evident here. Illegal races, over-the-top tuning, a specific but fitting soundtrack, an open world, and police chases. It's not outright bad, but it could be a lot better. I would have liked more variety as well. I'm definitely positive about the elements that gave the game a unique identity. [Issue#325]
  3. XboxEra
    Jan 23, 2023
    84
    Need For Speed Unbound, even at its launch, is certainly rather packed with content. The story sees the player throughout 4 weeks of days and nights throughout many events, some mandatory and most optional, with players always being able to decide how many seen-before events they wanna rush through again for some extra cash. With tons of unlockable and upgradable cars, a robust if uninspired multiplayer and an open world with plenty of things to do, Unbound’s unlikely to last you less than a couple dozen hours, unless you get bored before the end credits of course. But boredom isn’t what I’d associate with the latest installment in this everlasting franchise: Need For Speed has found its identity, and while a few concepts require some finetuning, it’s the best episode in a long while and one of the most stylish and generally finest racers of the generation thus far.
    Read full review
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