Arriving at a test track in Surrey to take a look at Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, it is clear to see that EA’s PR machine is in high gear as the reboot of their classic arcade racer franchise will soon be hitting shelves. My coat is checked at the entrance to a marquee housing Xbox 360 demo units, each one loaded with preview builds of the game. My first stop, though, is at the back of the room where a leaderboard is set up next to a fairly gigantic LCD TV and I am invited to lay down a time on a sprint track in a Pagani Zonda.
As brief as it was, this was my first chance to play the game and I was honestly impressed. The staple Need for Speed elements are all here. Do super-cool things like driving against oncoming traffic and near-missing other cars to build up your nitrous meter and hold A for a speed boost (just like real life). Anyone that has played a Need for Speed game in the past decade will be right at home here. Hot Pursuit is a throwback of sorts to the franchise’s roots that tries to bring something fresh to the table. More on that later, but for now I recorded a gentleman’s 1.23.50 for TSA then barely had time to devour a burger before being called out to the track. Apparently I was in for a treat.
Outside I met Patrick Soderlund, EA exec. and driver for Team Need for Speed, who was far more eager to get out on the track than to exchange pleasantries. Before I could say “perhaps I should digest my lunch first” I had my organs rearranged at the hands of a Porsche that apparently needed to get around the track faster than anything ever. Twice. My interview would have to wait.
Back inside I got some time with the preview build of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and, aptly enough, it was its ‘hot pursuit’ multiplayer mode that I’d be playing. Essentially cops and robbers, a group of up to eight players is divided into two teams, the enforcers and the racers. As an enforcer it is your job to take down the racers before they can escape past a certain point in the course and, naturally, there are some tools at your disposal to help you achieve this. Assigned to the d-pad are four justice rich (or ‘justilicious’, if you will) “weapons” in the form of spike strips, an EMP, helicopter support and the ability to call for a road block. Meanwhile, as a racer, it’s up to you to escape the long arm of the law by driving like a bat out of hell with a similar arsenal of tricks up your sleeve. Along with the spike strips and EMP you also have a jammer to counter the Enforcers’ helicopters and a ridiculously over-powered turbo to give you that extra kick in a tight spot.
Initially these vehicle powers felt a little gimmicky and not a million miles away from Mario Kart, but by the end of my first pursuit their presence had been entirely justified. There were points during my play time when they were genuinely game changing and their end results almost comparable to the Michael Bay chaos of Split/Second. The mechanic as a whole lends itself well to the style of arcade race’em’up EA wanted to get back to with Hot Pursuit. Laying a spike strip to deal with a pesky enforcer on your tail and leaving him in your dust with a turbo boost to reach the finish line is easily one of the most satisfying things I’ve done in a video game all year.
That said, nothing that I experienced here felt new. The reason that those familiar to the franchise will feel at home is largely because it will feel like they’ve already played it. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit feels less like a reboot for the franchise and more like an update of a formula that worked so well for the original. Everything from the supercars to the vistas look astounding, I didn’t once notice a drop in frame rate, and each race I played in was hugely enjoyable, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been here before.
What remains to be seen, then, is Criterion’s mark. Given their sterling online support for Burnout: Paradise, perhaps we’ll see a similar approach here. During the interview with Soderland he expressed a desire to make a game that gamers will feel is worth their hard earned £40 and will make for a lasting and extended experience. This is a sentiment echoed in Hot Pursuit’s Autolog system, which tracks your style of play and recommends new tracks or events, as well as giving stats on your friends’ performance. I asked Soderland if this was perhaps a way of implementing micro transactions, which he denied; describing a system more akin to Paradise’s that updates the player on the fly.
“You might get a message that says ‘Hey! Patrick’s just beaten your time on this track,’ and you’ll have the option to go try and beat him again.”
Given that Paradise had much more of an open world setting, it will be interesting to see how this pans out with Hot Pursuit’s top down map interface. Above all, Soderland recognised the dire critical reception Need for Speed: Underground had and regards this, along with last year’s Shift, as a response to that. A focused redirection; an update for the franchise. While I’m not sure you could call it a reboot just yet, it’s certainly a lot of fun.
JamboGT
Have played the demo quite a bit as have been in a battle with a housemate to get the top time and whilst I enjoy it I have to say I am slightly diappointed with it.
The handling is a little vague and compared to Burnout the lower frame rate is a little jarring.
Will be getting it still as the multiplayer could be fantastic.
scavenga
Thought the demo was okay, could be a fun game.
The two level demo having one level unocked “until one of your friends play the demo”-bit is the weakest idea yet, though. What the hell was the point of that?
JamboGT
The big thing about this game is Autolog so I think they were making sure people tried hat out in the demo.
I really think it adds something though.
cc_star
Also, Autolog is here to stay – it will be an ever present in the franchise for all future releases and may well cross-pollinate to other EA franchises in one form or another.
tonyyeb
The demo is great. Played it for an hour yesterday, beating friends times and posting on the Autolog. Can’t wait for christmas now! :D
AshGraham99
Played the demo a bit. Not a massive fan of the handling, although that could just be down to needing time to adjust to it. I’m assuming theres more variety to the single player than straight point to point racing and being a cop too.
The autolog feature looks good though with friends leaderboards and notifications. Might buy it when its cheaper and if plenty of people get it
cc_star
Handling took a couple of races to get used to, but keep in mind those 3 cars are the worst 3 cars in the game, the handling is deliberately not pin-sharp so as to differentiate it from all the Zondas, Lamborghinis, Astons and Ferraris.
Immediately after you progress past those 3 vehicles in the full game’s campaign you get a go in the Pagani Zonda police interceptor unit, which apparently has to be driven to be believed.
Tuffcub
Seemed a pretty generic racer to me when I tried the demo, nothing stood out really. Burnout still rules.
Kennykazey
I loved the demo, I liked how it feels like something I’ve played before, because it feels like the good old nfs hp2, mw and burnout takedown/revenge and not like the crap ones that’s been coming out the last years. It’s simple yet great fun. I even liked autolog, which I was sure to hate, but it made me more competetive, and I like that. Preordered it after playing the demo, and looking more forward to this than GT5.
DJ Judas
I was terribly disappointed with the demo unfortunately.
I just didn’t find it fun, the handling felt like a chore and while I loved the return to closed tracks for criterion, I just felt bored playing it :/
My only hope now is a HD remake of burnout 2+3.
gazzagb
Sounds good, I haven’t got around to downloading the demo yet which is something that I must do!
Guyers94
I have been playing the demo consistently since it was released, trying to beat my time (And those of others) is so addictive, and the graphics are sublime. I was planning on getting this game for Christmas but I was so impressed by the demo that I pre-ordered it last night.
I haven’t been so impressed with a racing game since Paradise itself, and I know Criterion will do just as good a job with supporting this long after release.
Gaztee
Haven’t played a NFS game since the original back on the 3DO!! Think it looks ok, didn’t like the handling too much. So unless I find it dirt cheap somewhere I’m gonna spend my time getting to grips with f1 2010 instead!!