 Need for Speed: Most Wanted | |
| Developer(s) | Criterion Games/ FireMonkeys (iOS/Android) |
| Publisher | Electronic Arts |
| Series | Need for Speed |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3, Windows, Wii, Xbox 360, iOS/Android |
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The wait for the second major title of racing – The Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) will come to an end for gamers across the world with its final launch in Japan on Nov 15th. Being a game enthusiast I’ve grabbed a copy from Flipkart and played it in my Rig. Here is what I felt about this Game, once again Criterion have proved themselves in game development.
A little history
The first and original Most Wanted was founded in 2005 and was defined by the critics as the last great chapter in the saga of Need for Speed. Its success was so innovative with the idea of race and free roaming, it was better than the previous instalments. Today, Most Wanted returns, revised to recover the glory of the title, NFS, which in recent years has been gradually diminishing. The challenge to Criterion was to restore the glory of the gaming franchise by developing two games in the NFS Saga – Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) and they became successful.
Gameplay
The decision to give the development of the game in the hands of Criterion is certainly apt: Just a few minutes drive will familiarize you with the controls and give a view at Fairhaven, the town where competitions are being held. The game features a Blacklist (also known as The Most Wanted List) of 10 racers, similar to the single-player section of the original Most Wanted, which featured 15 Blacklist racers. The aim of the game is very simple: during our career as a racer, we will have to deal with races held in different parts of the city and challenge the Most Wanteds and become the new Most Wanted. All of this is possible with the experience points that you gradually earn by participating in and winning races and beating, of course the other nine rogues of Fairhaven.
The game is pure arcade: little importance to the handling of the car, what counts in racing, is speed. Obviously this is impeccably maintained by the algorithms that will force the hand of the AI to put in gradually increasing difficulty that our success will become more apparent. In short, contrary to other titles of the season, NFS Most Wanted is basically beating the opponents off the road, using nitro to overtake a rival and break every barricade at will. The city traffic, in fact, is an interesting flavor and we will be able to exploit it in our favor by dodging it, what could be more thrilling to a racer to see an opponent get stuck in traffic while he whizzes by him at full speed?
Features
The game uses Autolog, the competition-between-friends system developed by Criterion for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and since used in other titles in the Need for Speed series. Autolog in Most Wanted plays a larger role and gives more information to players. Activities in-game allow players to earn Speed Points which can boost players up on the Most Wanted list. Autolog recommendations have now been integrated into the game world, rather than sit externally on the menu system. Another feature called EasyDrive enables players to customize their vehicles while in action. For the first time in Need for Speed history, all of the cars are available from the start, hidden in different locations throughout Fairhaven; the players have to discover them in order to unlock them. Most Wanted features a new social system called CloudCompete, which strings together Most Wanted across all platforms in an inspired example of cross-compatibility. One profile is used for all versions of the game, allowing the player to rank up on one format and continue progress on another.
Conclusion
“We looked through the entire history of Need for Speed, and we came across the game. We really loved the premise of being the ‘Most Wanted’ amongst your friends, which is a really powerful idea. We really liked that. This game is all about being the Most Wanted among your friends.”
—Hamish Young from Criterion Games
NFS MW 2012 is another successful venture of Criterion with fast cars and intense police hunt . Need for Speed is back again and better than ever.
So why wait, grab your copy and play hard until you become the Most Wanted.
PC 
PS3
PS Vita
XBOX 360