9 Reasons To Be Excited About Need For Speed: Most Wanted

There are of course many reasons, but it has been broken down to a bite size version for your viewing pleasure. Via GamesRadar

The Last Reboot Was Great

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You need look no further than 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit to see just how stout the newest games have been for revitalizing the Need for Speed name. Despite well-meaning misfires like NFS: Pro Street and Undercover, the franchise was in a rut until Criterion started stepping in to implement a new approach to the series. What’s the new approach? Rebooting Most Wanted’s cop-evading, blacklist-climbing fun as a crash-tastic open-world experience.

Most Wanted 2005 Was A Darn Good NFS Game

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Before the series began slipping around 2007, there was the original Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It was a fine racer that helped launch the Xbox 360, and made big waves as a last-gen title when it dropped in 2005. With its emphasis on teasing the police and racing around in authentic rides, there was plenty to like about Black Box’s game. The new Most Wanted will capture the high-intensity cop chases and the blacklist (a list of top rival cars that you’ll need to take down), all within a new environment.

Autolog 2.0 Finds New Ways To Heighten The Tension

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Criterion’s take on leaderboards in Hot Pursuit marked not only a sea change (or is that road change?) for how the developer sparks competition between friends, but also got other developers onboard the program, as seen in Shift 2: Unleashed and SSX, which both used its approach to elicit envy among you and pals to rack up high scores. Autolog is designed to incite even more rough rivalries between you and friends. In Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Autolog 2.0 will offer up more points challenges, a new interface, and extra content. Even more importantly, the update will give you more customization over your in-game feed, so if you want to downplay the activity of one friend and heighten your beef with another, there are plenty of options to build the tension, your way.

After All These Years, Criterion Can Wreck Real Cars!

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Unlike the Burnout games, in which placeholder names and fictitious vehicles made up the road wreckage, Most Wanted features real-life vehicles and brands. Make no mistake; this licensing deal is a huge milestone for the developer’s brand of mayhem. Whether it’s an Aston Martin V12 Vantage, a Porsche 911 Carrera S, or a Chevy Camaro ZL1, you’ll be able to mangle these gorgeous vehicles and take all the spoils from your friends. It’s the right dose of authenticity and realism in a game that doesn’t need to be too realistic, lest it get creepy--you are after all, looking to violently wreck other cars.

It's Open World, Like Burnout Paradise

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With the new Most Wanted, you can drive around Fairhaven City, get into whatever trouble you see fit, and if you lose an event, you can easily stumble into another one nearby and find something else to get into. The layout of the city has been designed with lots of vehicular mayhem in mind, from event to event. Sound like another amazing racer from earlier this gen?

Its Multiplayer Is Competitive, Like Burnout Paradise

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You can look forward to drift and takedown challenges, plus other content that'll cause you to lose friends and alienate people--at least, until the next round of races. Factor in the modes on hand with the rivalries fostered with Autolog 2.0, and this could be a very potent combo.

Although I doubt any more reasons are needed, check out the full list over at GamesRadar.