Need for Speed: Most Wanted [PC]

When it comes to racing games, EA's Need for Speed series is one of the granddaddies of the genre. Originally conceived in the mid-'90s, the game was designed around the concept of racing exotic cars at high speeds. As the genre matured, and the tuner influence grew, so did the series. In Need for Speed: Most Wanted, the series returns to its roots with mixed results. At times, the game is a shining example of why we fell in love with the original, while at others it seems to meander along, not quite sure what it's trying to be.

Set in a fictional town, the game drops you into the role of the new guy out to make a name for yourself. The only way to do this is by taking on the "black list," the town's big shot racers. Complete challenges, earn bounty points, buy new cars, and eventually you'll have your shot at the big time. Just don't get caught by the fuzz, or your esteemed, yet highly illegal, racing career will be over before it even starts.

Time in the game is split between two styles of racing: straight racing and pursuit. The former is all about the speed, and getting to the finish line first, while the pursuit modes involve catching the attention of the heat and then evading them in a high-speed version of cat-and-mouse. Some of the straight racing modes include toll booth races and drag strips, while the pursuit modes include point-to-point racing, time-based evasion challenges, and a classic "rack up the damage" challenge.

Noticeably absent from the Underground games, the cops are back in full force in Most Wanted and it's a welcome return. Appearing in virtually all the game modes (you can disable them if your skills aren't up to the challenge), the officers of the law are determined to take you down at any cost. Unfortunately, their skills don't quite match their desire, and the game has to resort to cheating in order to present a challenge. The end result is an odd mixture of the Keystone Cops and Ozzie and Harriet.

But what makes the evasion modes so much fun is the intricate and open-ended street system the developers have devised. Instead of dropping you on an artificial track, the game models the town, the freeway, and a bunch of shortcuts. The first two always appear on the in-game map, while the latter is waiting to be discovered. Shortly after you pick up the controller, it becomes obvious that speeding down the freeway isn't the way to ditch the cops. In order to successfully evade, you'll need to get creative with the driving.

The game encourages players to cut off freeway exits at the last minute, tear through roundabouts, and take shortcuts through parking garages -- all in the name of getting away. You've got to be careful though, as the officers do have a limit. If you cause too much carnage, they'll call in the ghetto chopper, complete with spotlight, to keep an eye on you. Ditching that one involves racing underground and through buildings. It's a nice touch and adds a new element to the classic evasion mode.

Another new feature is the Speedbreaker. Best described as "bullet time for the car," the Speedbreaker not only slows things down, but it temporarily enhances your handling, allowing for crazy "thread-the-needle" style maneuvers that would otherwise be impossible for all but a hyped-up Red Bull addict. Toggleable at the touch of a button, the Speedbreaker recharges as you race, allowing for multiple uses during a single contest.

Along with the AI issues, the handling between autos is a little suspect. Despite the fact that the game is loaded with exotic cars -- 36 to be exact -- they all seem to handle very much like one another. If there are differences, they're extremely subtle.

Most Wanted also suffers visually. There's plenty of detail and special effects, but it's a little rough overall, which extends to the Xbox and PlayStation 2. It seems that the development team saved up all their creative energies for the Xbox 360 version, which really shows off the power of the system. The cutscenes are worth a mention -- they're a glossy meshing of live actors against the 3D environment, and really give the game a unique style. Even the campy performances don't prevent us wishing there were more of them.

Overall, Need for Speed: Most Wanted qualifies as another solid entry in an always solidly performing series. Adding cop chases back to the franchise, retaining the free-roaming world setup from Underground, and introducing the Speedbreaker are all welcome items. It could have used a little more refining, but both fans of the series and arcade racer fanatics won't be disappointed with this latest installment.