Need For Speed Rivals

Get in, buckle up and brace yourself for a visceral and intense racing experience in Need for Speed Rivals by Ghost Games. Strap in by yourself or with friends and engage each other in high speed pursuits as either a racer or a cop and find out who’s the better driver.

Gameplay

This game can be tense. I’m going to put that out there first. There are two main ways to play in this title, either as a cop where you chase down racers or as a racer where it’s up to you to evade the police and rack up a high score like no other. For the standard game, the racer is the best play with upgradable gadgets and far more aesthetic personalisation for your vehicle. You speed through the world at an incredible velocity as you are hunted down by the cops.

As you go you receive points based on dangerous driving, manoeuvres and race standings, these stack up and it truly brings the tense gameplay to a whole new level where you run the risk of losing all your accrued points by being busted by the police. The higher you go, the more cops are on your tail and the harder they fight; its similar to Grand Theft Auto V’s Wanted system.

It doesn’t stop there as this is a multiplayer game through and through with a seamless transition between single to online play and without a doubt some of the best fun comes through the online bouts with your friends. Chasing them down and engaging in automobile warfare, with EMPs, spike strips and such, provides an incredible amount of fun that cannot be outshined easily, all accented wonderfully by the responsive controls and brilliant scenery.

Visuals

Alongside its dynamic weather system that alters the feel of your sessions, this title provides stunning cars in adrenaline inducing races and a gorgeous world for it all to take place in. Set in the fictional location of Redview County, players will be blown away by how pretty this place is; frequently giving rise to moments where you can’t help but pull over and appreciate the aesthetic. Diverse biomes of snowy landscapes and long winding country roads provide a nice amount of diversity and a realistic simulation of a Midwest American county.

This along with the style and attention to detail in the vehicles, it’s an appealing game to say the least. A veritable cornucopia of cars and officially licensed brands await you, ranging from Aston Martin and Dodge to BMW and Chevrolet.

Sound of Music

The music selection is crucial in a game like this. Pulse pounding tracks to accent the adrenaline fuelled races and this title delivers. With a soundtrack sporting songs by artists such as X Ambassadors and Bastille the music offers a visceral yet attractive atmosphere for the player to hit a whole new high score to.

Pros

• Smooth Handling
• Gorgeous world and cars
• Great multiplayer experience

Cons

• Lack of variety
• Vehicles barely get damaged