What next for NFS?

[ThrasherDBS]

I mean like two separate series, one that revolves around classic NFS, and another that's more like the Underground games. Maybe they can alternate every two years. I wasn't making any digs at Ghost Games, I was just making a generalized suggestion or "what-if" scenario.

 

[JR98]

I mean like two separate series, one that revolves around classic NFS, and another that's more like the Underground games. Maybe they can alternate every two years. I wasn't making any digs at Ghost Games, I was just making a generalized suggestion or "what-if" scenario.

That, I think, would be the best way to do it.

 

[Avetorian]

In a sense, it was about personal taste. You praise the first four games for being similar in nature, and it being different and sporadic ever since then. Your personal taste is to return to what that used to be.


That is something that would be great. However, what they need to do first is figure out how to fix that atrocious handling model that they've decided to use.

I'll give you that I did add my disdain for the features that were taken away, but the highlights are the fact that the game has changed too much and gone too many directions. To be honest I can't help but add some of my slight personal hatred for the updates each game had received and it isn't just NFS that does this, a lot of game franchises seem to offer less for the sake of "Shiny graphics". But really the important thing is there is no core experience. Super cars or whatever isn't really a core experience because NFS isn't the only game with those features.

What makes need for speed stand out on its own. That's what NFS needs in my opinion, and yes I humbly agree that stupid handling model from nfs 2015 needs to be done away with. big time.

One last thing that I will add, My personal taste is that need for speed needs to go back to where it left off, then evolve, so not quite return to what it used to be. Bring the elements of underground add the elements of 1-4. remember the showcases? The announcer giving you history lessons with video presentations on each car. Which all could be done in engine by now with the way graphics have come. Bring a world that combines the exotic locations of 1-4 with the urban environments of underground/most wanted. Basically the best of need for speed. Bring in a handling model that is believable, so it might be easy to access but hard to master. Sort of like a simcade I suppose. Hell remember the empire city map from NFS 3? imagine if that became an actual location in a new open world game. Then off in the hills you'd find a route that is exactly like rocky pass. or off into the desert you'd have red rock ridge.

My personal taste is probably impossible at this point and I realize that.

by the way @JASON_ROCKS1998 Why do you believe that underground and classical NFS should be separate games? NFS most wanted 2005 shows that it's clearly achievable to have the best of both worlds. They would just need to improve that no?

 

[JR98]

by the way @JASON_ROCKS1998 Why do you believe that underground and classical NFS should be separate games? NFS most wanted 2005 shows that it's clearly achievable to have the best of both worlds. They would just need to improve that no?

I think they could be combined but what I meant was they could have the customization focused street racing games (NFS 2015) as one game and have another focused on supercars and racing on highways & country roads (NFS Rivals). Combining the two (without Rival's stupid weapon systems) would make for the perfect game however, if they fixed the handling.

 

[Avetorian]

I think they could be combined but what I meant was they could have the customization focused street racing games (NFS 2015) as one game and have another focused on supercars and racing on highways & country roads (NFS Rivals). Combining the two (without Rival's stupid weapon systems) would make for the perfect game however, if they fixed the handling.

Fair enough. Agreed, though knowing EA we can't have perfection and as a second option I would go your way. Either they need to do something that gives NFS it's own identity back. Because it doesn't have one, and the quality has severely dropped since the 2010 installation.

So One thing I guess I'd ask the rest of the people that visit this sub-section, What is it in your eyes that makes or would make need for speed stand out on its own, that gives NFS a unique identity

For me going back to the first game, The road and track presents "The need for speed" It was always about taking cars that are highly exclusive and driving them fast in a sort simulation like setting, Watch out for cars and cops, with you being in the car. You are the rebel, the guy that gives the middle finger to the law and the other boring rich people that just leave these cars in their garage as a collection item. For me that was always the core, getting busted meant the end of your race or possible a step back in your career.

What about you guys?

 

[CleanCut]

For me it's all about the customization. I feel like it is the niche for the series. Too many other racing games do the RACING part so much better.... too hard to compete with that. That isn't to say that I'm satisfied with the handling physics of 2015, it could definitely be improved. But I AM saying that they need to put primary focus on the cars, customization, and environment - in that order. Do something that the competitors don't. What the competitors DON'T give us is the customization and the underground feel. So NFS needs to embrace that difference. I think they realized that and is exactly why they made NFS2015. I think they are on the right track, they just need to make it better. In order of my personal preference, they need:

Better handling.
More parts.
More cars.
More cops.
Tougher cops/pursuits.
More events.
More variety of events.

But the whole vibe of the last game? I think they are spot on and just need to amp it up.

My DREAM NFS game? Just remake Underground 2 with the current graphics engine, add Most Wanted's city as an adjacent world, add the cops/pursuits and handling from Most Wanted, and give us another up-to-date car list and all the customization stuff found in the new game.

 

[Stephan]

If there's one thing that NFS does is that they can adapt to either supercars or car culture. I'm always staying neutral on what will they do. It doesn't matter to me that if they either go back to the old NFS style, or continue NFS2015/Underground. The only thing it matters like @ImaRobot said is that the physics must be improved and the other than that, there's not else left that NFS needs to do in terms of features because it doesn't matter what style of NFS is Ghost going to do as long as its good.

 

[JR98]

For me, since I started playing with Underground, NFS it has always been about starting with a really basic car, like a Honda Civic or Nissan S13, and building that car up before upgrading to something better, working through the street racing ranks to reach the top. The story I always thought was a big part of those games and I loved the way it was presented in the PS2 games as well. And I mean an actual story with a clear goal and antagonist. The "story" in the last few NFS games have just been awful with no clear goal or antagonist at all. The last one to feature that I think was The Run.

 

[PAWEL17]

Pro Street was really the only one of it's kind, I hope they make another one

 

[CleanCut]

For me, since I started playing with Underground, NFS it has always been about starting with a really basic car, like a Honda Civic or Nissan S13, and building that car up before upgrading to something better, working through the street racing ranks to reach the top.

I appreciate this comment and something I overlooked in my previous post. Yes, starting out with a basic car and upgrading it is definitely a core component of the series (at least since Underground). In fact, in the past I have described that era of NFS games as RPGs for cars.

 

[SlimCharles]

Wasn't the identity of Need For Speed "racing cool cars in cool locations?"

It always was. And the better NFS games (before Underground) were those where you drive exotic cars in highways surrounded by nature with an extremely good IA. Classic NFS games offered the most thrilling driving experience of all racing games.

I wish the old EA Canada team keep doing all NFS games.

 

[cudwieser]

Just a little aside to chew on. Not accurate but interesting all the same.