Need for Speed Most Wanted (Xbox 360, 2005)

When it comes to launch games, one can usually find many ports with some sort of enhanced features thus making the title seem greater than it's past-gen counterpart, but is it really?. Most Wanted is a game that certainly looks to follow the mantra but in effect and to most of our surprise is an entirely polished and well branded next gen offering. Now, I know it's been a year since release and that shiny glimmer of the title might not be as appealing now a days, but let's face it... for it's new dropped price of $30, you really can not go wrong! This title is tricked out with hours upon hours of entertaining-heart drilling action and high speed EPIC chases that will literally blow those old Grand Theft Auto police chases right out of the water and out of mind! Of course, Most Wanted isn't all about police chases either, as it's focus is trying to earn respect by jumping up the blacklist. The blacklist is a listing of 15 underground races wanted by law but free by evasion. They rigged your car and left you for dead taking your pride and leaving you without anything. Luckily, there's a little help by a very beautiful young lady named Mia who gives you your golden ticket back into the races. Of course, gaining on the black list isn't about winning the most races but also building a rep with the Rockfort Police Department. This game will own you and anyone else who dares to feast their eyes on this mesmerizing wonder!

In the graphics department, Most Wanted is an upgraded-souped up version of the GC/PS2/Xbox version. The environments aren't terribly improved but there's a lot of help in the effects department which enhances the world's image thus developing a more cinematic style. There's a lot more motion blur and enhanced textures that make the roads and scenery feel more real and believable. The car models themselves are some of the game's absolute beauties as just staring at the controllable vehicles looks as though you're looking through a window right at the real thing itself. The game is absolutely astonishing when it comes to detail. There are some aspects that haven't really been improved on, and that's definitely the city structure itself. Things seem just a little blocky, and I do understand that this is supposed to be the same game as the past gen versions and their limitations would make some appearance in this next gen title, but it's still a little too boxed to make this world feel 100% real. However, it must be mentioned that the best visual flare of this game shines when it comes to the lighting itself. As you travel in daylight (this isn't the night driven underground series, mind you), trees, buildings, and even other cars reflect back at you as your car is flying up and down valleys and underneath canopy tree hidden roads. The realism in the cars' reflections are mind numbing in how gorgeous it looks. Oh and the times when you're driving into the sunset only help to make the adventure even more enrapturing for the true graphics hog inside all of us. This isnt a visually perfect game, but it is a game that gives us a taste of what the 360 is capable of.

In finishing, I must say that this game is a blast to play from beginning to end. NFS: Underground 2 was a fun, but nothing in comparison to this. After demoing NFS Carbon, I can confidently say that this title holds stronger than both those titles combined and with so much action to be experienced, I can say this is a great game.

NFS Most Wanted is a solid game, with plenty of arcade style driving, fun chases, and some great new game modes.
The new game modes are mostly twists on old ideas, but are fun none the less. Importantly, the are logical to the story. (Say, instead of a checkpoint race, you run from tollbooth to tollbooth seeing who can blow through them all in the shortest time.)
The game has a storyline, though it won't draw you in too much. In the game, you are the new racer in town, and without spoiling anything, your goal is to become number 1 in an underground criminal racing syndicate.
To do this, you need to earn reputation, both by beating racers, and committing crimes.
The counterpoint to this, is that the police will not forget you if you evade them. You will need to change your car often to keep it's 'heat' down, which provides a nice way to keep things changing while making sense at the same time.
After earning enough rep, you can challenge a racer in the top 10. As you earn more rep, you progress up the ranks and are able to take on the racers one by one until you get to number 1.
I find this is a very cool concept, and it help break the linear progression of other racers where you just do increasingly difficult races as you progress. NFS Most Wanted gives you more of a goal, and the little 'boss battles' along the way are fun races.
Also worth nothing, you can do races available in any order you choose, so if you're having trouble with a certain circuit race, you can do a couple of tollbooth races to earn some cash, upgrade, and come back to the race later.

The only downside to the game that stands out is that the level of customization you can do to your car is far more limited than previous games (Underground 1&2) as well as follow up games (Carbon). While this doesn't affect gameplay, gamers who enjoy they're custom car creation may feel a bit disappointed.

Also notable, for Xbox 360 each racer you knock off the top 10 is worth at least 100 achievement points! A fun and easy way to rack em up quick!

Overall, a great game, with some really fun police chases, challenging races, and a cool twist on the genre.
I would recommend the game to anyone who enjoys the style, though Need For Speed Carbon (the follow up to Most Wanted) generally does what this game can do, only better.

Pros: Fun cool cars and designs and upgrades.

Cons Gets old first time you beat it, difficult

Well, another Need for Speed game. The franchise has been pretty successful. N.S.M.W. is a great next gen title. Not a racing franchise start for the 360 but it's ok. The game kicks of with you racing against Ford Mustang G.T. This is like a little training level but its how the game takes place. As you are winning or losing about 200ft away from the finish line your car breaks down. Then a cutscene shows your car getting towed away. Now you have to use your racing cash to buy a useless vehicle that can barely get up a hill. Then this woman tells you about your hide out and what its for. Then you start to get some calls on a cell phone. You meet the caller on the streets to race. You race till you win a certain number of races, meet bounty challenges , and have to get bounty points. Bounty challenges is escaping the fuzz and destroying them ohh and a time limit to get away. As you complete what you need to do you meet Blacklist members. Ther are 15. Blacklist members are the leader of the streets what one you beat is what rank you are. The higher you get the more races you have to when the more bounty challenges to beat and bounty points. Plus the cars get faster (alot faster). Each time you when you get to pick 2 markers. Three ? marks and 3 upgrades items. In the ? marks there 3 choices. Some are money or upgrades but, the big price is there pink slip which is there car. As you when more cars they go to your garage. Personally I only had two cars a Viper all upgrades to the max and my beautiful Lamborghini. You also have a percentage completion. Which is how much of the game you have complete . Mines a 100%. To do this complete every race, bounty challenge, and bounty points. Took me a month good luck.

Multiplayer
Nothing much. You can use your cars in single player and unlock all tracks.
And one more thing on your X-box 360 profile. If you have over 5,000 on your gamescore please tell me. Because I have 5,520. Thank You.
-Cole Price

Work your way up the blacklist, outrun police, get your car back, and get the girl...all in a days work.

I don't usually buy game made by EA, but this is one of their better racing titles.

This is a great game that everyone should own. It is a very immersive game. Hours can be spent free roaming the city trying to outrun the police. There are plenty of races, milestones, and challenges to win which will keep you busy for hours. The sounds are great. I love the revving of the engines, the shots of nitrous, police sirens, and police chatter.

There are 32 cars available to unlock and buy, and tons of different ways to customize your ride...body kits, spoilers, hoods, roof scoops, rims, paint, graphics, and performance upgrades.

The police are very intelligent. They try to set roadblocks, and lay down tire spikes. If you pull a fast one on the police and lose them momentarily they will communicate to each other and set up a look out radius to try to spot you again.

The graphics are good, but not spectacular compared to other games out there, but the gameplay and sound make up for it.

Again there are plenty of things in this game to keep you busy for weeks, and the replay value is high on this game, you will not be disappointed by selecting this game.

Need for Speed Most Wanted has, as we like to say, shaped up real nicely. The stylistic presentation and graphic sensibilities are impressive (though the acting is super cheese-ball), and they're complemented by excellent engine sound effects and smart cop chatter. The 360 version sports super high poly count cars with great definition and geometry, and the lighting is first rate. The game holds at a solid 30 FPS on Xbox 360, though there is odd hitching and pauses from either loading problems or disc formatting on the retail builds. And while the sense of speed isn't as palpable in the first hour or so of play, just wait. Win a few cars, upgrade them, and before you know it, you'll be smoking. The sense of speed never reaches Burnout levels, but it's damn good in everything from a souped-up Volkswagon GTI to a stock RX-8. And while it should be a given, the Lamborghinis, Porsches and other high-end cars really rip. The 360 version is easily the best version of the bunch.

Rating Description
out of 10
9.0 Presentation
Stylish and different. Who would have thought FMV could be cool? Not I. Kudos to EA Canada.
8.0 Graphics
Good particles, great car models, and sleek designs. The lighting system is far more apparent on the 360 version, and the 720 and 1080 versions are extremely sharp.
8.0 Sound
Kick-ass cop chatter and engine sound effects. And Josie Maran sounds as sexy as she looks. Yet another worthless EA soundtrack, however.
8.0 Gameplay
Good sense of speed, impeccable car roster, and a different feel to the cars. Erudite mission and course design.
8.5 Lasting Appeal
Fifteen-plus hours for the single-player career mode, not counting tons of incidentals, online or other modes. Very healthy replay value, indeed. Did I mention Josie Maran?
8.0
OVERALL

Impressive
(out of 10)