‘Need for Speed Unbound’ Review – PS5

Some of my favorite gaming memories are from when I was a kid playing ‘Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2’ on my Playstation 2, listening to ‘Country Gold with Rowdy Yates’ on a radio clock with way too tinny speakers. The franchise always holds a special place in my heart. I have countless hours into ‘Undercover’ and my first ever Xbox 360 game was ‘The Run’ when it was released (don’t say it, I was young and loved it at the time). After a three-year hiatus, the franchise is back with a redesign and new life to the IP with ‘Need for Speed Unbound,’ and this is a breath of fresh air.

EDITORS NOTE: There will be some spoilers for the story. So read at your discretion.

‘Need for Speed Unbound’ is a big step in a new direction for the franchise. Looking at the story, your character, only known as ‘Kid’ or ‘Speedie,’ works at the local tuner shop ‘Rydell’s Rydes,’ working in the shop during the day and racing at night with your pal Yaz. You start off killing it on the scene with your choice of car between a classic Dodge Charger, a Lamborghini Countach, and a Nissan Silvia K that Yaz built for you all to win races and make money. As you move through the streets and days, tension seems to be rising with Yaz. They seem to become more and more combative toward both you and Rydell. Til finally, it all boils over. Yaz sets you up with a hot car, and her secret gang robs the shop and steals all the cars, leaving you and Rydell high and dry.

Two years pass, and the shop is struggling to survive. The street racing scene has been dead due to the new mayor cracking down on crime in Lakeshore. You’re left at Rydell’s to do oil changes and be a taxi service to make ends barely meet. One day, your luck starts to change after you pick up Tess, waiting on a ride to head to an underground location. Come to find out that street racing is starting back up in Lakeshore. You check the local scene to find out that Yaz is behind this. They roll up in your car. The one they helped build and won with years ago. Yaz rolls up that night and sets the bar, announcing The Grand. A winner takes all $1 million series of races featuring weekly qualifiers. You, wanting revenge and answers for the past while also craving to go fast, enter with the support of Rydell and financial backing from Tess. Here is where your journey begins to the top.

The gameplay here is stellar. ‘Unbound’ is honestly the most fun I’ve had with an NFS game since I played through ‘Undercover’ back in high school. The racing is tight, close quarters, and chaotic. Running down narrow streets, water tunnels, and high-speed interstates…just ripping up asphalt. Handling the cars is a fun learning curve (get it, like with cars). You have the ability to make the car handle better or make adjustments to tune for drifting for specific events, even without getting upgrades or parts. As a car guy, this feature is really nice to have. Not being locked into one setup because you can’t afford parts. Yes, those parts would help, but it isn’t a game-ender.

Racing and being out on the streets are impeccable. Top speed or cruising through the city. You’re in control of the car, but at high speeds, it’s like you are barely on top of it, adding to that excitement. Then it turns into fear as you get spotted by the cops. This might be the most anxiety I’ve had in years.

Stay out all night, and you earn the most cash, but you risk getting burned by the cops and losing all that cash, and all your work goes to waste. It’s a fine line that I’ve broken. Cops and the AI are tame at lower heat levels. Once they hit level three, it’s on. They start rolling out in Corvettes with undercover Camaros. Level five heat features F150 Raptors trying nothing but to decimate you and end your existence. It’s like a warzone, and you’re the only target. Chase sequences feel like a throwback to the older NFS games where cops had just one job, to end you.

The visuals are just stunning. I’d go into detail, but I can’t even begin to do it justice, so I’m just going to put some screenshots that I staged for you to look at.

Y'all…'Need for Speed Unbound' goes so hard. pic.twitter.com/T2xPzDELoC

— old ben (gone and forgotten) (@BrBranscum43) December 1, 2022

As a music lover, the soundtrack to this is also incredible. chillstep to hip-hip beats are just what the mechanic ordered for the game. It slaps, as the youth say. Banger and banger while you’re doing 145 mph on city streets in your type-A Miata.

Something that I have noticed about the game is its level of quirk. It makes a ton of references to ‘new age’ or modern humor and things. Using lingoes like ‘straight fire’ or live streaming on Insta, or even just having obscure phone calls about gameshows where people get socks. There is a level of satire here that I can appreciate. Sure, for some, it feels like a cringe moment, but that is the point. It’s supposed to be over the top and not taken too seriously.

I mentioned earlier that it feels like a throwback to old NFS games. To be honest, this feels like a modern version of ‘Most Wanted’ from 2005. The chaotic feeling of the races, over-the-top character acting, and the police trying to murder you for just blowing by them doing 180 in your Lotus. This all feels like a total throwback in the best way possible. Taking the best qualities, and merging them into a more modern version. Also, shoutout to the dev team for including Pride billboards and trans characters in the story. Super awesome.

‘Need for Speed Unbound’ is what we all needed. In a world full of racing games trying to be the next iRacing or a sim in general. Unbound says, ‘Hey, I’m really just here to have a damn good time,’ and hands you the keys.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]