A very good looking game that's a lot of fun to play. Not a true racing sim, but it doesn't claim to be.
After the movie The Fast and the Furious came out in ’01, racing games took on a whole new dimension. Now, it wasn’t just about exotic cars and fast rides, but now it’s about average cars “pimped out” with accessories and avoiding the law. Personally, that’s not my taste, so I wasn’t too into the Underground versions of NFS. Most Wanted doesn’t take NFS back to it’s roots, by any means, but the whole underground racing scene is a little more palatable in this incarnation.
First off, Most Wanted is a nice game to look at. The graphics do take advantage of the 360 and everything looks really good. Honestly, I don’t find the graphics as good as PGR; it’s just not as photorealistic. But, the graphics are still really good. The details are very nicely done, especially considering random debris, leaves in the air, and weather and such. The rain effects are particularly impressive. The cut-scenes are very nice looking. It’s from live video, with some cool filters and stuff to blend in nicely with the game.
The sound in Most Wanted is also very good. Nice road noises and ambient sounds. The engines sound good with the surround and the police sirens and voice talents are also well done. I really like the radio voices from the police, it sounds like an episode of COPS. The music is ok, not fantastic, but ok. I feel the same way about the music in PGR, it’s just not as cool as it could be. I think Burnout: Takedown had the best soundtrack of any racer so far. It would be nice to create a custom soundtrack, but, for some reason that’s not an option.
From a gameplay perspective, Most Wanted is somewhat unique and very interesting. The whole premise is that you’re a street racer who’s got to earn his rep by winning some races and getting back at the guy who took your car. You have an attractive girlfriend helping you out and a few friends offering you some advice along the way. But, this isn’t a simple list of races and new challenges to face. Most Wanted has a complete free-roaming capability. If you’re not familiar with that, it basically means that you can drive around just for fun and check things out. Of course, if you drive recklessly, the cops will be after you, but, that’s another fun aspect to the game. Now it’s time to outrun the cops! Free roaming is a nice diversion from constantly facing new challenges and competing in races. But, those challenges and races are the goal. You have to work your way up the “blacklist” of racers to get a shot at challenging the top dog. If you can do that, you win it all.
The controls in Most Wanted are pretty simple. It’s A LOT easier to control than many other racers. It’s not too realistic, in that sense, but this isn’t exactly a racing sim. This isn’t about drifting or crazy stunts. It’s about speed. Because of that, it’s easier than you think to keep your car on the road. Controls are pretty tight and you don’t lose control too easily. Just keep your eyes on the road, avoid hitting things, and stay ahead of the cops and you’ll be fine.
To be completely honest, if anyone asked me if I liked NFS: Most Wanted over PGR3, I’d have a hard time answering that. They are very different games. PGR is a racing sim: real cars, real controls, real cities. Most Wanted is more about the overall story, the scenarios and customizing your ride. They play very differently and have different strengths and weaknesses. So far, I enjoy PGR more, but like I said, they both have a lot of good points. Bottom line is, NFS: Most Wanted is a good game, it looks great and is fun to play. Which is the best racing game on the 360 today? That’s a matter of preference.