Need for Speed Unbound features a surprisingly good storyline and some of the best urban arcade racing in years. Much like past games in the series, players will find themselves competing against other ambitious racers, weaving through traffic at high speeds and attempting to escape from the police. Unbound also features graffiti-like driving effects that are activated when players pull off stunts on the street, matching its urban aesthetic, and they can be fun to see.
Although the driving effects are not underwhelming by any means, Criterion Games could have done more with the idea. That it is the studio's first attempt at the idea, so titles that come after Need for Speed Unbound could provide even better driving effects that explore the full potential of its aesthetics.
Need for Speed Unbound Introduces Driving Effects
For long-time Need for Speed fans, Unbound is nothing revolutionary. It brings back fast-paced street racing that lets players work their way up, stack money, improve their reputation on the streets, and gain access to faster and fancier cars as they go. Despite this, Unbound manages to stand out from its predecessors by including a few interesting new features like a betting system, a host of designer clothing, and a celebrity cameo in A$AP Rocky.
Unbound is also notable for its graffiti-like graphics that show up during gameplay. As players hit NOS and skillfully drift around corners, their car will give off cool graphics that make it look like the vehicle is racing out of a comic book. Examples include angel wings for cars that get air time and colored smoke for vehicles that skid sideways. Players start off with a few options to choose from, but as they earn more money they can purchase fancier effects. The driving effects are a good addition, as they also match up with the customization of in-game characters and the compelling storylines that NPCs provide.
Need for Speed Unbound Could Have Done More With Its Driving Effects
The driving effects are spectacular and it is fun to see them in action, making it worth unlocking all the effects just to witness how they change the feel of a race. However, it does feel like Criterion Games limited itself when implementing the effects. They are used sparingly during gameplay, and players who are focused on speed over style may find themselves seldom triggering the iconography.
There should be more actions that trigger the driving effects so that players get more opportunities to witness them. More options for effects should also be added, as players can't pick much outside of colored smoke and wings. The option to add more cartoon effects would let players exercise their imaginations and have their car look as hip as possible while it slides around the right-angled corners of Lakeshore City. The driving effects should have been made a little flashier, as even though Need for Speed Unbound demonstrates makes it so they aren't distracting during a race, a little more pizzazz to show off when styling on the competition would undoubtedly be appreciated.
Despite quite prudent with its driving effects, the game does a spectacular job of providing a tense driving experience. Players can try several modes, including Takeover where rapper A$AP Rocky and other drivers are judged on their style in addition to their speed. Unbound also has cross-play, which allows players to race with their friends on other platforms. Hopefully this serves as a great springboard for future Need for Speed projects that really advance its concepts.
Need for Speed Unbound is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox Series X/S.