Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1715 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2005-11-25
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Preview
If there’s one thing to be said of the Need for Speed series, it’s that it never stays the same for long. After only one sequel EA have decided to give the underground night racing theme a rest and let you drive in the sunlight for a change. You’re still a super-illegal street racer though and indeed much of the game revolves around you being pursued by the police in some very Blues Brothers-esque chases.

Appearing to take a leaf out of Burnout’s book, the game encourages you to make the most of traffic and roadside objects, in order to put off the long arm of the law or simply one of your fellow racers. The demo race so far seen features a lot of weaving in and out of traffic and some very cinematic touches such as zipping underneath a giant lorry carrying tree logs, which then spill out on the road behind you further aiding your escape.

The graphics in the game have definitely received a boost from the last one and appear far more detailed and ambitious in scope than Underground. Unsurprisingly the ability to customise your car is still a large part of the appeal, although again there’s a big distinction between extras that are just for show and performance tuning that actually has an effect on the way your car performs.

It probably still won’t please hardened petrolheads but if you just want a simple, accessible racing game it looks like Need for Speed is set to deliver once more. --Harrison Dent

This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.

Manufacturer's Description
Wake up to the smell of burnt asphalt as the thrill of illicit street racing permeates the air. From the makers of the hit Need for Speed Underground series, Need for Speed Most Wanted challenges players to become the most notorious and elusive street racer.

Combining illicit street racing and tuner customization with the intensity of strategic police pursuit that surpasses any Hollywood-style chase scene, Need for Speed Most Wanted will be on every gamer's 'must-have' list this holiday season. Out-race rivals, evade cops and exploit hundreds of miles of open road as gamers make their way up the Blacklist.

To become the most wanted racer, players must build up their street cred and Rap Sheet with gripping, white knuckle, head-to-head races with the top drivers on the streets, as well as pull daring, evasive moves to out-run and out-fox the cops that patrol the open road. Players can manage their heat or utilize a number of strategic tactics to keep the cops off their tails as they leave their rivals behind to suck their exhaust fumes.

Need for Speed Most Wanted also features a variety of the hottest cars that range from tuners to super cars. You can customize your ride to race against any class of vehicles. The streets will be your playground this Fall.

Key features

Customer Reviews

Once a winner always a winner
Very impressive game indeed. I guess the great improvement in NFS game series started with Underground, which was not that excellent, then came the great Underground2 which was very nice and addictive. I decided to get NFS Most Wanted because I was sure it is gonna be something, I was right, the game hits you from the start with a good story line, you were a racer, lost your car and your girl, and now you gotta get your revenge by climbing up the Blacklist.
The graphics, and the audio are excellent, the game feels so realistic, and attention to details is really good. It is so nice as well, to be able to race again under the sun.
Selection of cars is so cool, you can have the Mercedes MClaren, and the super nice Carrera.
Career mode is very good, although you can play some tricks to get to challenge the blacklist driver faster than usual, but that does not mean it is easy.
COPS, yeah, cops are back, so cool. You can feel the thrill when you are being chased by five cop cars, and you are trying to escape. Definetly an excellent idea from EA to bring back the cops. The only bad thing is that the audio, as far as cops are concerned, is not really that great.
There are some annoying things, like for instance, I could not combine a control system in which there is a button to change camera, and one for acceleration. I do not want to accelerate with the 'R' stick on my PS pad. It is much better to accelerate with 'X'.
Anyways, the game is super, very addictive, very nice, great graphics, great idea and definetely worth playing.
Way to go EA.

Best Of Its Kind
Lastability:-
Thanks to the inventive blacklist storyline and the various elements that go with it this game will keep you going for a very long time, several weeks at least. 8/10

Playability:-
Pretty easy to pick up - just accelerate, accelerate and accelerate. The races are obviously going to be pretty self-explanatory and whilst the elastic band technique of the races can seem unfair it does add to the tension. The only thing I did find difficult to get to grips with was the drag races - the concept of changing gears is straightforward but the game seems to want to steer your car for you - fair enough, until a car/lorry appears in your path and suddenly it is obvious you are going to plough straight into it and the controller seems to cease to function. 8/10

Graphics:-
The cars are modelled well, as are the various other traffic on the road. The scenery is stunning but you won't get to see it unless you happen to be watching someone else play. The cutscenes, particularly the initial ones, are nothing short of stunning and although a bold statement to make possibly the best ever seen on a Playstation (or at least the best I have seen). 9/10

Sound:-
I personally like most of the tracks but obviously hearing them over and over is going to grow tiresome even to the most tolerant of players. However, given how incredible the engine sounds are I turned the in-game music right down and cranked the stereo up so I could appreciate the sounds of the cars. Gran Turismo NEEDS this, each car sounds different and even simple tuning affects the sound. It took me a good couple of hours before I could stop grinning at just how good the cars sound, even the most basic Volkswagen Golf. Getting the Aston Martin/Lotus was a whole new experience. 9/10

Overall 9/10 - Buy it!!!

A serious Xams purchase
If, like me, you were blown away by the quality of the NFS series, then you won't be disappointed with the sheer excellence of 'Most Wanted'. Build up your wanted level by beating drivers on the 'Blacklist 15'. True, there isn't as many mods for your ride as the previous games, and there's no drifting action but the mix of roads, hiding places, and pursuit modes (try evading the cops for 28 minutes!) I have and I can only tell you that playing is believing. You have all the exotic cars available of 'free race' but the real deal begins in the 'career mode'
Race through a stadium or on a golf course, I'm only 14% thru' the game but i'm hooked.
If you only buy one game this winter, get this one and drive em like you stole em!!!

Winner!!