Need for Speed: Most Wanted [PC]

In the original Need for Speed games back in the day, getting into a tough cop chase was always a prerequisite. That was the peanut butter part of the PB&J sandwich. The thrill of the chase, dangerous roads, numerous escape routes, and perhaps even outthinking -- or, at least, narrowly out-running -- the cops was, and still very much is, a great concept for any videogame. You couldn't do it in the Need for Speed Underground series, but you'll be able to do it now, and hot-damn is it fun.

A New Feel Visiting EA's Hot Summer Night event last night, I played the three-part demo for about an hour, about 45 minutes more than most games; that's because I was riveted by all three parts of the demo. The quick demo showed off a Toll Booth race, Sprint Race, and a Drag Race, each one incrementally more difficult than the last. EA demoed the Xbox version, which ran at a fast clip, somewhere around 30 FPS, with a range of cars on-screen from traffic to frenetic cop cars, to just plain opponent cars. The whole demo looked solid. The RX8 I raced in was custom modified, and the shape and design was beautiful, tasteful, and unique. The NFS team hired a custom builder who modified each car model distinctly for this game, so each one is different, uniquely designed to match its particular body shape. Every one is painted with a touch of artistry and aesthetics.

The races themselves put me in a car -- a souped-up Mazda RX8 -- that would normally be unlocked much further in the game, so it felt distinct, powerful, challenging. The car felt heavier than I expected in weight, quite burly, a lot more powerful than the real RX8 I test drove last December, and it tended to glide or slide a little to the side, almost like it rumbled, or vibrated, to the left or right due to its sheer power. It took me a while to adjust to, but I eventually did grow accustomed to its distinct style.

Adding to the game's new feel is the style of cars in it. Much has changed in the world of racing since a non-NFS "Underground" game came out. So the game is filled with street cars, and they all offer different handling, senses of speed, and varying controls. Producer Larry LaPierre said the cars do indeed feel different than in Underground, and they're still in development, so the handling on each is still undergoing examination, tweaking, and balancing.

The Game We learned there are at least 40 cars in NFS: Most Wanted, including models from Porsche (including the new Camen S), Mazda (RX8), Toyota, Chevy (Corvette), Ford (Mustang, GT), Lamborghini, Cadillac, BMW (GT4), and Volkswagen, to name a few. The game will not include SUVs, and there won't be any Ferraris in it either. This is by no means a complete car list, instead it's a sampling of what to expect. EA will announce the full car list at a later date.

The game comprises straight racing, and pursuit races. You can play it any way you want, but eventually you'll have to encounter either the straight races or the pursuits. Pure racing includes sprints, tolls races, and drag racing, while pursuits include variations of cop chases, from point to points, time-based races, speed trap races, and more. Another new feature is the Pursuit Breaker, which is not to be mistaken with NBA Street's Breaker system. Here, it's a cool trick in which you use destructible objects such as water towers to lay down barriers for cops. The more you can trap or stop, the more points you earn.