Need for Speed has been a firm favourite among gamers for well over a decade, but how does this latest offering, from developer Blackbox, hold up against previous titles?
The game feels as if it has gone back to its roots. Recent NFS spinoffs have felt different, have seen the franchise veer off in a different direction, yet Blackbox have taken us straight back with The Run, re-establishing the arcade style to the high-speed car race that gamers first fell in love with. Not everyone will see that as a good thing. Many have grown to enjoy the new, more developed style, but there is something quite 'old school' about it, quite familiar that is set to recapture the fun for many.
No one can deny that Need for Speed: The Run has been on exceptional form when it comes to the landscape. The scenery changes from mountains, to all American towns to the skyscrapers of the big city as you travel from San Francisco to New York, but it's all beautifully executed.
The cars are great to drive. A wide variety of vehicles are offered, ranging from sports cars to muscle cars and they handle as expected. The sports cars are fast, very responsive and are able to drift flawlessly around bends. The muscle cars are as they should be, harder to tame, but if you get the right balance, brilliant to drive.
Throughout The Run, you are playing as Jack Rourke. Having become involved with the mob, you have been promised a way out, but only if you win the cross-country street race. The game doesn't focus on the story too much, however, which can only be a good thing as it means plenty more time for hurtling through the streets as you race to win.
The game allows you to change cars, something that is necessary to suit certain types of road, however, this can only be done at petrol stations. Although at points, these can be hard to find, meaning you may find yourself in the completely wrong car and you have to make do. Not only this, but you do need to bear in mind that if you are lucky enough to come across a petrol station when you need it, you will be penalised for using it, which could potentially stop you from hitting your objective.
There are lots of challenges, the pressure constantly on as you race through America. The objectives that you have to meet in each leg of the race keep it exciting and give you more to focus on than simply winning. The Run tests your driving skills to the max and has plenty of variation to keep it interesting.
All in all, Need for Speed: The Run is highly impressive with the polished graphics and superb cars. Fans of the older games in the franchise might enjoy the step back reminiscent of NFS's older style, but some may not be entirely satisfied. The game itself is enjoyable, with the excitement and challenges that people want from a racer. It does have its disadvantages. The resets can be irritating as at times you can divert off road with no penalty, but then another time you get just slightly off course and the reset kicks in, sending you back to your last checkpoint. The story is poor and rather short, but were you buying the game for the story or the racing? If it's for the latter, the outstanding environments and tremendous handling of the cars is enough to make The Run worth playing.
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