Since its inception almost three many years in the past, Want for Velocity’s finest entries have mixed model and substance to supply thrilling homages to the road racing scene. Want for Velocity Unbound seems like the final word realization of that ethos, creating one of many franchise’s finest in years.
Sliding into the motive force’s seat of just about 150 automobiles in Want for Velocity Unbound is a good feeling. Crashing down a straight in a McLaren seems like a exceptional velocity, however nailing a drift round a nook in a Mitsubishi feels simply nearly as good. Actions like drifting and drawing fill your enhance gauge, making a satisfying rhythm within the moment-to-moment race as you go from one transfer to the subsequent.
Distinct visible results pervade virtually each second of Want for Velocity Unbound, making it one of the fashionable racing video games I’ve performed. Though town and automobiles retain their photorealistic look from earlier video games, the characters are cel-shaded cartoons. These two contrasting types appear set to conflict, however they work in tandem to create a refreshing fusion. Unbound leans extra into stylization by including avenue art-inspired prospers to the automobile as you drift, enhance, and leap off ramps. I loved the neon-colored smoke when cornering laborious, however the beacon that seems when your enhance is full generally blocked my view at essential factors within the race.
As you wander the open streets of the fictional city of Lakeshore, there are a bunch of occasions to select from. You possibly can take part in linear races, lap-based circuits, head-to-head competitions, and drifting occasions, to not point out the varied collectibles and challenges scattered all through town. These every current thrilling challenges, however my favourite occasion is Takeover, which places you in a good race and rewards you for drifting, boosting, hitting ramps, and destroying targets.
Want for Velocity Unbound’s single-player story facilities on a betrayal and the rise of town’s underground racing scene. Whereas the overarching story is straightforward to disregard, the fixed chatter between the characters accentuates their grating personalities. Rivals repeat hackneyed traces all through every run, whereas open-world exploration is commonly interrupted by calls out of your annoying supervisor or radio segments that includes caricatures of goofy politicians. After my first few hours, I declined dialogue within the menu. Nevertheless, I actively loved listening to from Rydell, the storage proprietor and father determine to your created character, as his conversations present some actually critical moments regardless of this recreation’s brash model.
Police chases have lengthy been a necessary a part of the Want for Velocity components, and Unbound implements them successfully. Every occasion and chase you take part in will increase your warmth degree for that day, with larger warmth spelling extra relentless cops with higher automobiles at their disposal. I usually left the bottom mannequin police cruisers within the mud at warmth degree one, however as the warmth ranks climbed and the cops got here out of the upper efficiency automobiles, pressure crept all through my physique as I gripped my controller tighter.
Coming again to a shelter the place the warmth is excessive will be daunting; I usually diverted my method to keep away from beginning a protracted pursuit. Though I often get away, the hazard of realizing that each one the cash I made on this session can be misplaced if apprehended makes for adrenaline-fueled enterprise. Though the few occasions I have been caught have made me need to stroll away in frustration, the exhilaration of a high-stakes escape is tough to match.
Sadly, police chases are absent from the sport’s on-line sequel. It would not be such a disappointment if I might reliably discover full occasions. Nevertheless, for the reason that on-line facet merely locations you in a Lakeshore occasion with 15 different gamers who appear extra all for exploring the city than racing, on-line races themselves are sometimes sparsely populated. When you’re in a race, the servers are steady and crossplay works properly, however I used to be dissatisfied that my storage development by the story did not carry over, leaving me unprepared for my first few races. . Fortunately, the beneficiant reward system allowed me to catch up, however I missed out on the upgraded automobiles I’ve grown accustomed to from the story.
Want for Velocity Unbound seems like a foundational entry into the place the sequence might go from right here. Taking part within the title’s many occasions is a blast, and I like the juxtaposed visible aesthetic. Whereas some parts depart me wanting, Unbound is as enjoyable as I’ve had with a Want for Velocity title in years.