Need for Speed: The Run

I have been a fan of this series since the original on PlayStation and for me, Need for Speed: The Run is one of the more underappreciated games in the series. This would be the 18th game in the NFS series and it was released back in 2011 and available on pretty much anything that was capable of playing a video game. EA went all in with this game and it is as much a “spectacle” as it is a video game.

The Run

The first thing that may surprise you about this game is just how cinematic it is. I was pretty blown away by what EA Black Box did here in terms of the story…. That is right, Need for Speed: The Run actually has a story and it is the main thing you will be doing in this game. You play as a dude called Jack and you get in trouble with the mob who are trying to kill you in a car crusher! You manage to escape and end up taking part in a cross-country race called The Run where you can win millions of dollars.

The production values in this story are through the roof. The voice acting is great and overall, the game just looks like a million bucks. I was seriously blown away by how good this game looked when it was first released and I feel that it holds up pretty well to this day.

No Going In Circles Here

One of the most interesting aspects about Need for Speed: The Run is that you are not just racing around a track and doing laps. Instead, you are going from point A to B. The thing is the game throws a ton of stuff your way as you race. One time you might just need to finish in first place, another you might need to knock other racers out of the race and another you might be on the run from the cops or the mob! The game does a fantastic job of keeping each race in the game interesting and different.

The core gameplay is fine. If you have played the previous game, you know what to expect. This is arcade-style racing and it is fun, but this is one of the more challenging games in the series and you will certainly have to retry many of the races.

Press A

One thing that some people do not like about Need for Speed: The Run is the quick-time events. Why the heck does a racing game have quick-time events? Well, I can see what you are saying here, but they do actually work and help keep the cut scenes when they do happen more interesting and interactive.

Look Out For The Rocks

I have already said how much of a spectacle this game is and how sky-high the production values are. Well, this game features some of the best set pieces I have ever experienced in a racing game. The main one I want to talk about sees you hauling ass down a snowy mountain way with stuff blowing up all around you. There are many sections like this in the game and they get your heart pumping.

Pros:

• The game looks fantastic
• Some amazing set pieces
• The story is way more fun than you would think
• Fast driving action
• The racing is arcade and a lot of fun

Cons:

• Apart from the story mode the rest of the game is meh
• Some might not like the quick-time events

Burn rubber and blaze a trail across the United States in Need for Speed: The Run, another great entry in the iconic racing franchise. With an added focus on realism, Need for Speed: The Run puts players in the middle of real-world locations in flashy cars, pitted in high-octane races and chase sequences. Story mode, multiplayer, and extra challenges offer lots of exciting racing content for you to enjoy, with some unique twists never before seen in the series. For all racing fans, Need for Speed: The Run is a title that will fill you with adrenaline.

Main Game Features

• Arcade style racing in real locations
• Story campaign and multiplayer modes
• On-foot gameplay and quick time events

Story

Similar to previous modern Need for Speed games like Shift 2: Unleashed and Need for Speed; Undercover, Need for Speed: The Run has a short but interesting story mode to enjoy. The game follows Jack Rourke, a talented racer who runs into problems with the local mob of California. With his life at risk, Jack travels to San Francisco, where he runs into his friend, Sam. Whipping up a deal, Sam tells Jack about an illegal, cross-country race, where the winner will take home millions of dollars. If he wants help dealing with the mob, Jack must win the race and give most of the winnings to Sam, saving his life and making some decent cash at the same time.

Of course, Jack takes Sam up on the offer, and soon begins the long race across the United States. Heading east from California, he must make his way through the arid desert of Nevada and into the sin city of Las Vegas, dodging cops and opposing racers alike. This begins an entertaining and exciting road trip story that leads Jack through multiple states, on wild chases, and into some dangerous encounters. Although you can beat the story mode in just a few hours, Need for Speed: The Run offers a linear racing adventure with a highly cinematic feel.

Gameplay

In all modes, story or otherwise, Need for Speed: The Run presents arcade style, hectic racing gameplay. Unlike simulation games like Gran Turismo 5, you are free to bump into your opponents at high speeds, scrape medians, and more. Car damage and crashes are still possible, but crazy action is the biggest priority. Throughout points in the story, you are able to choose from a selection of awesome vehicles, including Porsches and other super cars. There are multiple types of races, including survival, checkpoint races, and more, testing your driving abilities in multiple ways. However, the computer controlled opponents can be frustrating at times, with unfair elements like rubber banding.

Multiplayer is mostly an online affair, and players queue up into different playlists with various tracks and race types. Races support up to eight players at once, and all players vote on which track they want to play next. Playlists include NFS Edition Racing, Mixed Competition, Muscle Car Battles, and more, with each playlist focused on different car classes. Unfortunately, the online servers are not supported anymore, so you can only play in privately hosted matches through LAN. As a final note, Need for Speed: The Run also contains some on-foot quick time events, but these are infrequent and don't add much to the experience.

Conclusion

Although it lacks some of the customization features from previous installments, Need for Speed: The Run is a unique entry in the franchise with a sharp story mode and awesome action sequences. The story isn't very compelling, but it gives good motivation to keep you racing across the country.

Pros

• Cool cars and locations
• Great graphics
• Solid racing gameplay

Cons

• Short story campaign
• Discontinued multiplayer servers
• Not much customization