As an arcade racer fan, I can confidently say Need for Speed Unbound is absolutely worth picking up if you enjoy customizing and pushing exotic cars to the limit through stylish urban settings. With development led by seasoned studio Criterion, Unbound delivers a fun, accessible racing experience that stands out with excellent moment-to-moment gameplay. The new cel-shaded visual style also gives the game a unique look that really pops on next-gen consoles.
That said, Unbound is held back from being a masterpiece by some repetitive open world and multiplayer limitations. But at its $70 budget price point, you get engaging content and strong post-launch support that should provide dozens of hours of high-octane entertainment. Keep reading for my full analysis.
Thrilling Core Driving Gameplay
Satisfying Drifting, Jumps & Takedowns
The most important criteria for any racer is that the actual driving feels great. Here Unbound delivers impressively with an accessible yet deep arcade-style handling model. Cars slide and drift around corners smoothly once you get a feel for the physics. Judging when to use your nitrous burst to launch out of drifts takes skill.
Threading through dense urban traffic at 150 mph rewards precision and quick reflexes. Pulling off feats like syncing a perfect landing from a giant jump or taking down a rival with a sideswipe punctuate the racing with exciting moments. The driving has a great sense of weight and momentum that stays challenging without being frustratingly simulator-like.
Upgrades Let You Fine-Tune Performance
As you progress, you can purchase higher tier performance parts and fine-tune gear ratios, nitrous, suspension, and other aspects. It allows you to take even the initial starter cars and turn them into speed demons. Testing car setups and honing your driving skills through events gives a great sense of mastery. The satisfying raw speed and drifting physics form the addictive, energizing core that will keep you returning.
Standout Visual Presentation
Cel-Shading & 4K/60FPS Make It Shine
Unbound’s semi-photorealistic car models and cel-shaded environment are an artistic triumph, running smoothly at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second on new consoles. Even at top speeds, having such a high and stable framerate makes controlling your car feel incredibly responsive. The lighting effects like neon illumination and headlight reflections add to the atmosphere.
The visual effects as you drift and boost are simply jaw-dropping. Huge plumes of colorful tire smoke and showers of sparks fill the screen. It heightens the intensity when racing neck and neck against rivals. Paired with the pounding musical soundtrack, the audiovisual presentation gets your heart pumping.
Deep Customization Options
The visual customization lives up to Need for Speed’s legacy with extensive exterior and interior modifications. Beyond expected upgrades like paint colors, body kits and wheels, the new graffiti editor stands out by letting you apply wild decals and designs. You can make each car uniquely yours.
Social Media Integration
Photos you take in-game can be shared directly to social media, enhancing the tools for showing off customized cars to friends. The community wraps and liveries allow using designs from other talented players.
Engaging Single Player Career
Weekly Qualifiers Structure Progression
The single player campaign smartly revolves around a series of Weekly Qualifier events that gradually increase in difficulty. Each week offers fun and attainable goals like earning enough to buy your first supercar. Topping the Qualifier proves you are ready for the next challenge. I loved the structure as both a guiding force to progress while allowing freedom to explore Lakeshore City.
Diverse Event Types
You will take part in point-to-point sprints, lap races, drift and off-road challenges, police pursuits and more. New events unlock each week keeping the racing exciting. Some events feature unique conditions like only allowing classic muscle cars that force you to adapt your racing approach.
Used Car Lots Offer Affordable Options
Along with fancy supercars from completing events, you can get starter cars for reasonable prices at used car lots. This lets you own a diverse garage of vehicles tuned for different race types. The story is filled with plenty of characters and cutscenes bringing Lakeshore’s vibrant racing scene alive.
Rewarding Unlocks
Reaching new Driver Level milestones rewards you with free vehicles, fast travel points, and more. It gives a sense of meaningful progress as you rise to the top.
Multiplayer Provides Ongoing Value
Seamless Online Free Roam
Once the story is complete, you can jump online to cruise Lakeshore City with up to 15 other players. No lobbies or loading reduces waiting time so you can focus on simply driving around and showing off custom designs. Quick access to multiplayer races keeps the competition coming.
Developer Committed to Updates
Criterion has demonstrated strong post-launch support for Unbound with multiple free content updates already. Recent patches added highly requested features like cops in online free roam and a photo mode. More updates down the road will continue to expand multiplayer.
Statistical Data Highlights
- 140+ cars from brands like Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Nissan, and more
- 4K 60fps resolution and frame rate on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
- 25+ hours of single-player content
- Weekly content updates with new cars, events and features
- Over 2.4 million copies sold worldwide as of January 2023
Top Professional Review Scores
| IGN | 8/10 |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10 |
| GameSpot | 7/10 |
| Polygon | 8/10 |
Room for Improvement
More Diverse Events and Environments
After hours roaming Lakeshore City, the scenery does start to blend together. Having more distinct districts with landmarks or terrain variety would help keep exploration exciting. Introducing innovative new race types could also add diversity and challenge for veterans.
Free Roam Cops in Single Player
Police chases are a staple of Need for Speed, but currently cops only appear in dedicated pursuit events. Having cops roaming the open world looking to bust racers would make the city feel more dynamic and risky. The thrilling cop chases represent an area primed for expansion.
Expanded Car List
While over 140 cars is generous, there are some omissions like Toyota models that enthusiasts may miss. Continuing to add new cars over time can help address this. More aftermarket visual customization parts would also be appreciated.
The Verdict
Need for Speed Unbound succeeds as an addictive, high adrenaline arcade racer. The moment-to-moment racing stands out as extremely responsive, smooth and exciting to master. Visual customization is deep enough to make any car your own. The unique art direction gives the game an instantly recognizable look that pops on new consoles.
Some limitations around track variety hold it back from being flawless. But the core strengths of fantastic driving gameplay, progression system and support from Criterion outweigh the shortcomings.
If you enjoy going fast, tricking out cars with bold designs, and testing your skills against rivals, Unbound is absolutely worth experiencing first-hand. For arcade racing fans, it’s a must-play.
