A new trailer video for Need for Speed Payback sees the expected deluge of E3 racing game coverage getting underway a little early.
Shown during the EA Play event, the trailer depicts the game’s heist mechanic, using the same event seen in the original reveal. The aim is the theft of a Koenigsegg Regera from the back of a moving truck.
Multiple player characters
One of the big new additions to NFS this time around is the ability to play as all three protagonists. This is in a similar vein to Grand Theft Auto V, but as far as we can tell there’ll be no switching on the fly as is available in GTA V, with the game switching to the different characters according to the script. Nevertheless, this should give missions a much more dynamic feel than in past NFS games.
The heist starts with the player, as ‘Tyler’, driving a 2017 Ford Mustang GT in a bid to catch up with the truck holding the cargo. We hear the team over the radio giving the player advice on how to deal with the situation. The other two characters are Mac, The Showman, and Jess, The Wheelman. She’s in the passenger seat of the Mustang for the hijacking.
As Tyler tries to catch up to the truck, several BMW X6 SUVs join the chase to make sure he fails his mission. The player must bash and barge the SUVs off the road or into roadside apparatus. In a sequence that could belong in Burnout’s Road Rage mode, Tyler bashes the Bimmers into road signs, other cars and light poles.
As you can probably tell, somebody really doesn’t want Tyler to steal the Regera. That somebody is ‘The House’, a major cartel which controls the underworld of Fortune Valley, the setting for Payback. If something illegal is happening in Fortune Valley, you can bet The House is behind it.
New world, new physics
Developer Ghost Games says that Fortune City is the largest world that’s ever been built for a Need for Speed game. It’s also the most open, as evidenced by the Mustang’s trip off the beaten track in a bid to catch up to the truck.
The physics model is slightly different than last year’s offering. Gone is the choice of arcade or sim-cade modes. This time around, Ghost Games has built a handling model dubbed ‘hero’ physics.
This gives the player the impression they’re driving in an action movie. The new handling model makes it easy to look cool when you’re weaving through traffic, or trying to outrun the cops.
Cinematic cut scenes
After shaking off the BMWs the player catches up to the truck. This starts a cut scene, with Jess climbing from the Mustang and jumping onto the trailer. It’s very reminiscent of the original The Fast and The Furious movie.
The scene continues in a shower of sparks until Jess, driving the Regera, explodes out of the back of the truck. The camera switches to Jess and the player gains control of her for the next sequence.
Need for Speed Payback brings some new aspects to the long-running franchise. This kind of high-octane action feels like a large departure from last year’s Need for Speed. Those looking for their arcade fix in addition to feeling like you’re Dominic Toretto’s best friend should look no further when Payback releases this November.
See more articles on E3 2017.
