Unfortunately, the opposing AI drivers (including those on the blacklist) are complete toolsheds. Not only are their biographies and threats completely trite and idiotic, but any gamer over the age of 5 could out-race them. If the car crashes and the AI takes the lead, oftentimes the player can catch up to see the AI spinning out of control on a wide open road for no reason.
OR……perhaps they may just be braking, just for the hell of it. It is really, really disappointing that these guys don’t present more of a challenge. When racing a blacklister, you’re racing for pinks.
However, just because the race has been won doesn’t mean that the car is automatically in your garage. There are 5 options to choose from, with the prize hidden from sight. Two of these are car upgrades, and the other three include “get out of jail free” and “more strikes against your car for impound” cars, as well as the pink slip. However, players only get to choose two out of five. This option is annoying, as I kicked myself when I didn’t win the Porsche…
Car customization in this game is really cool. After beating opponents on the blacklist, more options are unlocked to upgrade more cars. Also, neat decals and paint colors are a nice addition. (Yay for the German flag on my VW!) Exhaust, vents, spoilers, and other visual add-ons are also included.
Even the crappiest cars can be turned into formidable opponents if the right amount of upgrades are added on. Some of the upgrades include turbo, brakes, tires, engine, transmission, and most other parts as well. These options are a nice addition to the game, as cars can become quite unique.
The graphics on the Xbox 360 are simply amazing! There are lots of subtle scenery elements, and you usually whiz by them too quickly to really appreciate them. The shadows from trees realistically react to the cars, which are shiny and photo-realistic. The lighting and weather effects (rain droplets on the virtual camera) are very realistic.
Unlike NFS: Underground, this game takes place completely in the daytime, although the lighting changes from rain, to afternoon, and even dusk. The light blooming and chromatic abberation through leaves and tree branches are very realistic. The lighting even oversaturates when emerging from a tunnel to daylight, similar to the effect of your eyes’ pupils re-adjusting. Add wide-screen high-definition into the mix and you have the best-looking game in the Need for Speed franchise.
Besides car customization, the variety of cars in the game is immense. Although many must be purchased and then upgraded, there is everything from Lamborghini Gallardos to Lotus Elises and the standard Acura Integra. Maintaining a large garage is easy with this many cars to choose from.
The graphics for the cars are quite nice; however the environment besides the road could be better. When driving by at 130 mph, the graphics look pretty nice. However, at slower speeds the environment has a lot of jaggies and pop-ups.
NFS:MW’s soundtrack is really dull as well. As much as I like the sound of car exhaust, some more tracks could be added for during gameplay. The same old rap tunes over and over again get old. However, the game is a “talkie”, which is a big relief.
