The beauty of Need for Speed is that each release in the series evolves and changes to suit the needs and demands of players. This racing simulator, like no other, changes styles dynamically, so as a gamer, you have a great opportunity to find the edition that will be most suited to your style of play. You can try illegal street racing, track driving, and more.
Accessing the games is easy – you only need to purchase an activation code on Steam. But how do you choose the best Need For Speed game for yourself? After all, more than 20 of them have appeared on the market since 1994, and each has received different ratings from experts. This guide may help.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
We start with a proven classic that should appeal to all series fans. Thrilling police chases return to the game and become more and more challenging as you progress through the game. On your way, in addition to police cars, there will be helicopters or roadblocks. Excellent graphics and a lot of space to play will indeed have you in your seat, and besides, you will be able to try your hand at racing against other players (there are no police races in multiplayer races).
Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004)
Underground 2 is great for you if you like momentum, lots of choices, and a huge open-world map. You’ll find a gripping storyline, great side missions, and the ability to customize anything. You will also be able to choose to drive an SUV. In this part, if you want to join an event, you just have to go to it to activate it (sometimes you will have to travel quite a long way). Unlike the previously mentioned Most Wanted, you won’t be disturbed by police intervention here.
Need for Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed (2011)
If you like playing with a realistic view of the dash cam and the helmet camera, you will definitely like the Shift 2 version. The driving experience is highly immersive and realistic. In this game, you get a lot of freedom when setting up your car, and you can also choose from many events. If you pay attention to detail, you may not like the slightly lower graphics quality off the main track.
Need for Speed: Carbon (2006)
Carbon is an excellent choice for players who would like to go back a bit to the past and check how the games considered innovative and meeting the highest standards fared at the time.
Carbon took a lot from Most Wanted but became the first game to appear on the Wii and PlayStation. There are many new features that the predecessors did not have, including Canyon Duel, i.e., duels in the canyons surrounding Palmont City.
The game also featured original team race options, in which players could independently increase their statistics by recruiting players to their team. However, this version of the game again lacks police chases.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
Hot Pursuit is a remake of the 1998 original, and its sequel was released four years later, considered one of the best parts of the series. If you want, you can play the role of a police officer. The game combines immersive action and everything most immersive in the series. A large selection of cars and excellent graphics, including a realistic recreation of California roads, make Hot Pursuit a pleasure to play. Equally exciting is the multiplayer version of the game.
Need for Speed Heat (2019)
This time the creators decided to go back to the roots but introduce some novelties. There are both police races and a vast open world. As a player, you can choose the time of day and participate in races during the day or at night. Need for Speed Heat is considered a good but not-so-great game of the series, but it’s worth testing after getting acquainted with the above certainties.
