POSTED 24/11/10


NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT

EA
PS3 (also on Xbox 360, Wii, PC)

Shit! What? Rollers… No? Yeah. Shit!

(Loading…) The way the Need for Speed franchise has wobbled along the past few years it’s needed a seriously major tune-up. So EA brought in the big guns – Criterion, purveyors of fine Burnout for several years.

(Loading…) We had high expectations for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Would it get NFS firing again? Would it satiate Burnout fans too? Is this ‘Autolog’ online stuff as ace as claimed?

Kinda, kinda, kinda… (No, that’s not a new fraternity.)

(Loading…) Speed figures heavily (thankfully) as you hoon across Seacrest County. You can go rebel racer, or go Francis Ford Copular on those renegades’ arses. Both have careers, and solo you have to cover both law sides to progress properly. Events include ‘hot pursuit’ (cop chases racer) to several time trial variations. Progress unlocks more cars, including some wild rides for cops.

(Loading…) ‘Autolog’ is a superb online system. It revs you up to beat friends’ times, and lets you brag when you do. It’s also good for finding new adversaries, although usual online dickhead caveats apply. Competing with a friend is NFS:HP at its awesomeness acme.

(Loading…) There are too many niggles though, especially painful loading times (guessed much?!). Some events last 30 seconds then you’re subjected to minutes of often unskippable crap in-between. WE JUST WANNA RACE! There’re too many finicky time trials to be completed to progress, where even a slight guard-rail brush costs time – yeah, we know it’s not Burnout, but still. (Loading…) Weather effects are good, however scenery’s bland, and post-crash you can be put back in unfair possies. Seacrest can be explored Burnout style, but other than sussing shortcuts there’s fuck all to do – some collectibles would’ve worked.

Hyped as the second coming, NFS:HP is good, but it’s no revelation...

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