One recent observation is that numerous big-name releases have managed to elude the press this week. It’s as if every major gaming site has review fatigue, perhaps brought on from being forced to play through Death Stranding in its entirety.
The end of the week is upon us, though, and it seems the outlets of the gaming world were able to muster enough enthusiasm to review EA’s latest entry in the Need for Speed series.
Need for Speed: Heat is going down reasonably well, with the Metacritic currently sitting at 73% on PS4 and 77% on Xbox One. A couple of Xbox-dedicated sites awarded the racer 9/10, hence the slight difference in scores.
The consensus is that it’s a hodgepodge of ideas from recent NFS games, and a weak story lets it down, but overall it’s a fun racer with decent customisation options and some impressive tech.
We’ve rounded up a smattering of scores below.
4/5 – VG247: For the first time in years, Need For Speed has remembered why people used to play it so religiously, and recognised the more recent elements that put them off. I’ll take a missed checkpoint or a dodgy police bust now and again in exchange for a return to Underground’s unlock structure and tuner fetishism; for Hot Pursuit’s high stakes chases; for an EA release in 2019 without an RNG element designed to slow progress.
8.0 – IGN: Need for Speed Heat is a mosaic of existing ideas but it is easily the most impressive Need for Speed game in years.
4/5 – Hardcore Gamer: The adrenaline-inducing, high stakes nightlife of Need for Speed Heat is an exciting idea that pushes the franchise forward after years of stagnation. The packed, vibrant world of Palm City and solid driving mechanics go a long way towards helping as well, but the poorly-balanced AI opponents, middling story and barebones online integration hold Heat back from standing among the best in the series.
7.5 – God is a Geek: Need for Speed Heat puts the franchise back on the right track, but the various bugs and dull story means the series is still behind the pack.
3.5/5 – GamesRadar: Great modding and a decent game engine can’t disguise the tired story and simplistic driving.
3/5 – US Gamer: Need for Speed Heat is a conglomeration Need for Speeds past. A little Payback, a little Rivals, a little Hot Pursuit, a little Underground. The result is a good foundation to build upon, but weird AI issues, a lack of variety in events, and some poor tuning in cop chases mean it’s not great. Maybe next gen will see Ghost Games bringing a little more real heat.
Need for Speed: Heat is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.