Electronic Arts in partnerships with the Canadian developer Black Box have again come up with a new NFS, the NFS Run. The first striking thing that anyone will notice in the game is the effect of Frostbite 2 which makes the Run look absolutely splendid- graphically, the best yet in the series. The life-like surroundings, lacking in previous editions barring Hot Pursuit, has upped the level of excitement. Driving on avalanche-affected roads in the Rocky Mountains is not only a challenge but a science experience.
What makes this NFS RUN realistic is the fact that the fastest car is not always the winner. So though you might take a fancy to Chevrolet Dodge or a Ford Mustang you need to brush up your skills, you will find them hard to control as they drift at the corners. The best bet, of course would be to start with a slower BMW M3.
The protagonist, Jack Rourke, has a mob debt hovering over his head and the only option for him is to race across the United States and win the prize money which he can use to pay off his debt. Yes, the storyline is as thin as it sounds. The good thing about the NFS Run is that it lets you experience different real-world vehicles like muscle cars, street racers and super sports cars. Basically, a bit of everything to tackle different driving challenges for the player.
However, this idea sadly fails to impress even though you can use muscle cars for long highway stretches, street racers for owning the tracks and sports cars to conquer the urban jungle. The problem is that you can drive down from San Francisco to New York with your first car, the M3. This is where the 10 stage race with many multiple short races between cities becomes predictable, bordering on the boring. What was disappointing was the artificial intelligence that runs the rival cars. It attacks your car but holds the line when the rivals are side by side. This is where all the realism shatters. Excellent trailers and great graphics but NFS: The Run has to get more substance and inject a lot more interest for the speed freaks.
Genre: Racing
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer/Co-Developer: Black Box
Release Date: November 15, 2011
MSRP: $59.99
Also on: X360, PC, Wii,Nintendo 3DS, iPhone, iPad
T for Teen: Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
