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