Need for Speed: Unbound Review (Lemonz)
Need for speed unbound is the successor to the need for speed Heat which I enjoyed very much.
as a car enthusiast, I went into this game completely unbiased knowing nothing about it and I enjoyed it very much.
So I'll break some stuff down for you to understand it better and whether this game is for you or not.
1) The art style: This was a very controversial thing when it first launched and still is but I enjoy it. In the modern day where everything is going for hyperrealism, NFS Unbound offers some refreshing looks at the visuals. Besides the normal realistic cars and environment, there is a layer of cell-shaded animation. So while drifting, nitro, taking down cops, etc. there are short moments of cell-shaded animation. The characters also are cell-shaded which offers a refreshing take on the hyper-realism set by games like Forza Horizon.
2)Gameplay: I loved the gameplay, it was not as fast-paced as heat was but it had speed going for it. Unbound is not a fast and furious adrenaline game like Heat was, it's more of a drifting mania type of game but speed can and will be felt as you progress further into the game. The game's map is full of sharp turns and down hills so if you love drifting you're going to have a lot of fun. Even if you're not a full drift maniac the game offers sharp turns and nitrous to nail those edges. All in all solid gameplay just not as fast as heat.
3)Customization: The customization in this game is not as advanced as some of the earlier games making it forgiving but it still offers a lot to do with your car. For eg. I unlocked the Audio about Friday into week 1 during the campaign and it was a full street car. The drift was terrible but unbound offers me to change that to tweak it the way I like it. The customization is deep but simple and enjoyable. Besides the car customization, the game is very detailed with its body customization being a game inspired by car meetups. I enjoyed just scrolling through community wraps or even making my own ones. Fun customization on the outside. Simple, forgiving but deep on the inside
4)The story: Ahh yes, the story.
The game's story is told through short cutscenes and phone calls which are pretty brief. While playing they are fun to watch and aren't a nuisance. They don't overstay their welcome. In my opinion, the story is pretty solid, it's not great by any means but it's a fun story that I enjoyed keeping in mind it's a need for a speed game. The story is about Rydell, the owner of a garage, Jasmine and You the player. Jasmine "steals" Rydell cars and then 2 years later you get revenge. Going against someone you loved ahh story. The story is fine during its duration, the cutscenes are good and the dialogues can be a bit cheesy and weird at times but they're fine for the most part as compared to what people said. Rydell is a good character, he's old but doesn't reject anything. He's tryna be a good leader, you can see him learning tech and adapting but still sticking to his old stuff, and it's pretty wholesome. The story is about car enthusiasts, not some heists or criminals etc. It's fun to see because I have heist games in my arsenal if I wanted to play it and this game somewhat reaches the level of street racing's need for speed. all in all a 7 out of 10.
But I do hate portraying modern people as Instagram-like seekers or stuff.
5)the map: I kinda don't like it. Lakeshore could have been a great city if it was done right. It's taken inspiration from Chicago but something about it does not feel right. For example, in Heat the city had this neon vibe at night and a free vibe in the morning. Palm City was a great and memorable city. The same goes for NFS Most Wanted 2005, Rockport was a great city and I got to know it inside and out. But Lakeshore doesn't feel the same way, it's boring, and bland, sure there are people but there's no life to it. It's also got this coating of grey I dunno. City is not the best point in the game. I wish they would make this city more alive in further updates but for now, it's a boring city that you will not enjoy roaming around. It's got no personality to it. Even NFS Payback's city was a Las Vegas-themed city that I could remember. Couldve done it better EA.
6) Bonus stuff: The passes and the palace key aren't a pay to win. They just give you a few cars and cosmetics so you can let it slide. The shock boost is a fresh take on risk and reward feature. The riskier you drive the more your bar fills which provides you a temporary boost but the bar depletes quickly so it's a dilemma whether you wanna risk what you have or if you wanna use it now. The same goes for the day-night feature.
Final Verdict:
Solid game and, best got on sale. Just get the base game, the palace edition isn't worth it.
As for whether is it enjoyable, it's a fun game with interesting visuals and a somewhat better story. The multiplayer options are less so get heat if you want a full multiplayer experience.
Solid game def recommend it but best on sale. Would not pay the full price