PROS

Unique day and night dynamic. Beautiful graphics. Improved driving feel. Character customizations. No microtransactions.

CONS

Cop pursuits can feel unbalanced. Lackluster multiplayer mode. a couple of unclear control bindings.

BOTTOM LINE

Need for Speed Heat brings the 25-year-old racing franchise back to relevance by combining the simplest mechanics from previous entries with a couple of new ones.

I slow to a stop at a bend on a street. On the map, I see a flashing red triangle rushing towards my location. I reverse and head the opposite direction, before noticing two more cops coming at me from that side. I reverse again and am lucky that the first cop changed course. I floor it across the subsequent corner, cutting across a part of a marsh, and just barely get out before yet one more approaching cop's radar. Tense pursuits are common in Need for Speed Heat and not all of them end with a getaway. This latest entry within the long-running Need for Speed (NFS) racing game series recreates a number of the simplest aspects of previous titles, including engrossing pursuits, ample car customization options, and alluring arcade-like racing mechanics. Heat also features a more fitting setting and story than the last game, tapping into the adrenaline-fueled racing spirit that defined its most successful predecessors.

Story and Gameplay

In NFS Heat's single-player campaign, you begin off as a newcomer to the fictional Palm City, a sprawling, Miami-inspired locale with a brutal local department determined to clamp down on street racing. Unfazed, you team with a pair of siblings: Ana, a fellow street racer, and Lucas, a car mechanic with several garages, at the beginning of the campaign. As you would possibly expect, tensions and stakes rise between the cops and racers as you progress. The story mostly takes a backseat to the racing action (as it should) and therefore the dialogue isn't masterful, but Heat's streamlined narrative framework works far better than NFS Payback's convoluted action-racing plot. I even have not finished Heat's main story at the time of this review, but have spent about 12 hours within the game.

NFS Heat brings a fresh dynamic to the series; rather than a full day-and-night cycle, players now choose from Day and Night modes whenever they leave the garage. Sanctioned race events (part of an occasional series called the Speedhunters Showdown) are available within the day and reward you with a bank (the game's currency). Illegal street racing happens in the dark and people events award you rep (points that go toward Heat's leveling mechanic). Cops are present both during the day and in the dark but are far more aggressive once the sun goes down.

Daytime events are straightforward and include sprints, circuit races, time trials, and drift contests. I played the sport at medium difficulty settings and didn't find early races very challenging. However, because the game progressed, the NPC competitors improved. concentrate on the recommended car level for every event, since the further your car is below that level, the harder the event is going to be to win. Note that you simply can't endlessly replay races and obtain an equivalent monetary reward. After a couple of repetitions, the cash prize amount starts to decrease.

Cops play prevalently into night events. Cruisers often interfere during a race, but sometimes they wait at the finishing line, able to engage the winner during a pursuit. Cash payouts are lower for these events, but they're typically safer ways to earn rep than trying to start out and shake massive pursuits.

Cops now freely roam Palm City and may come after you at any time. this is often a big improvement over the unsatisfying former Bait Crate mechanic (you had to manually trigger pursuits with preset start and end points) from Payback. Pursuits combine mechanics from several past Need for Speed titles. for instance, your heat level (1-5) increases the longer pursuits continue and therefore the more destructive you're. Also, like 2010's NFS: Hot Pursuit, you'll get hit a particular number of times before being totaled (and busted) and may equip passive and active anti-pursuit tech to your car. a number of the cops' tactics are almost like those from NFS: Carbon and NFS: favorite, too. as an example, cops frequently attempt to ram into you then box you in, as they did in those games. Police helicopters and Rhinos units (heavily armored SUVs) are back too, but they only show up at higher heat levels.

Cop chases seem harder than in years past. for instance, the escape meter depletes very quickly, albeit you've got a transparent path far away from trouble. Player vehicles also appear to suffer a disproportionate amount of injury from cops ramming into you, compared to once you hit them. a method to debar destruction is to drive through a gasoline station to repair your car. you would like to use these repairs wisely though since you simply get three per night. you'll also bribe cops with a little amount of money at the beginning of pursuit if you are not within the mood to spar with enforcement. In my experience so far, the simplest cop evasion strategy is to undertake to outrun them on straightaways or stop the road and hope they struggle to stay up or hit a tree along the way. within the downtown areas, if you brake hard before the water, sometimes cops will drive straight into the bay, too. Unfortunately, there are not any pursuit breakers; I patiently await the day once I can end pursuits by crushing cop cars with a toppled reservoir again.


You must successfully return to a secure house to say all the rep you've earned during a night session. If the cops bust you or if you total your car, you lose the bulk of the rep you've earned and must pay a fine. As your rep level increases, you unlock new campaign-centric events, new cars, and better upgrade parts. Your heat level resets each night.

NFS Heat does include some multiplayer options, but they are not very compelling. Essentially, if you select to play online, the sport loads an equivalent map with other free-roaming players. you'll enter races, join a celebration, and begin massive pursuits, but there's not really tons of structure thereto. NFS: favorite (2012) offered a way more complete multiplayer experience, with both exciting event playlists and online free-roaming. you will not find anything almost like Burnout Paradise's local multiplayer parties either in Heat. I'm also apparently a part of a randomly assigned crew that collectively earns rewards, but whose members also are competitors. I ignored this mechanic.

Characters and Cars

Before you even choose a starter car in NFS Heat, you decide on a playable character (there are 12 models to settle on from). At any point within the game, you'll customize your character's hair, clothing, and shoes or switch characters entirely. Your custom character appears in cut scenes throughout the sport, including victory outros at the top of races and through campaign missions. Characters' facial animations and mannerisms look slightly unnatural, but the voice actors seem to vary (though not drastically so) for several I attempted. In any case, the power to settle on and customize a personality may be a huge improvement over being forced into the lifeless, rote roles of Ty, Mac, and Jess, within the previous entry. Forza 4 also allows for player customization.

Players can pick from one among three starter cars: a '65 Mustang, an '88 BMW M3 Evolution II, and a '96 Nissan 180SX Type X. I chose the Mustang and had no problems getting through the primary chunk of major gameplay with it. Still, you will not want to stay with any of those cars for long, because the game offers around 130 to get. Sadly, you will not find any Toyotas on the list, which suggests no Supra or Celica models.

As a franchise, Need for Speed is understood for its car customization options, and NFS Heat is not any different. the sport smartly got obviate the awful slot-machine style performance upgrades from Payback in favor of a more traditional approach. You now purchase parts individually with the cash you earn from winning races. Need for Speed Heat rates cars on a scale of up to 399. Some cars start out at higher base levels, but you'll increase any car's level by upgrading parts. Upgrades fall under the Engine, Chassis, Drivetrain, and Auxiliary categories with several items in each across various performance levels (Stock, Pro, Super, Elite, and Ultimate). Higher-end parts cost extra money.

Different categories affect different car stats; as an example, the parts you select within the Chassis and Drivetrain categories affect the car's handling. you'll also prefer to show a car's actual performance stats, like its 0-60 acceleration time or top speed. Once you hit certain rep levels, you'll even fully upgrade the engine during a car to offer it an enormous performance boost. this is often useful for once you want to stay your car competitive in later stages. Note that car-tuning settings (such as downforce and steering sensitivity) are hidden within the Numpad menu, a minimum of on PC. an enormous complaint of the necessity for Speed community with Payback was the shortage of an honest grip handling option. Heat's handling options allow you to line up your car to your liking and that I found that both grip- and drift-centric options felt natural and satisfying.


The customization system in Heat is essentially an equivalent because it was in Need for Speed (2015) and Payback. you'll purchase and equip custom parts like the exhaust, fender, hood, roof, side skirts, spoiler, taillights, tires, and more. Not all cars have an equivalent number of parts available, but Heat lists ratings for every car's customizability on a scale of 10 at dealerships. you'll also change your car's paint jobs, construct elaborate decals with the wrap editor, and equip effect items like neon lighting and nitrous colors.

Visuals, Effects, and Sounds

NFS: Heat's environment is very detailed, well-linked, and is far more varied than Payback's. There are dense urban areas, long bridges, natural marshes, and towering forests. Some points of interest include a huge spaceship launch site, an observatory (complete with beaming red lasers), and an abandoned race track. The lighting effects of the night mode look spectacular with the downtown's glimmering skyline usually visible. Rain is that the only weather effect within the game, which is sensible given Palm City's tropical climate, and it too looks great. All-out downpours create puddles with detailed reflections, while light sun showers actually make everything look humid. Despite Heat's impressive effects, Forza Horizon 4's four-season system remains more advanced, as weather significantly affect how your vehicle handles.

Locations (such as garages and dealerships) and events are marked on the map, so it is easy to navigate to them using the waypoint system. Other collectibles like speed traps, flamingoes, and graffiti signs appear after you've discovered them. Destructible billboards also return.