A desire to win
The Need for Speed

Don't you just hate a review that just goes on and on and... but never tells you what you really need to know? Is the game really worth my/that-poor-slob-in-the-subway's money? Does it know the meaning of the word replayability?

Well, we here at GP are (rumored to be) pioneers in the reviewing business; we will give you what you want! But first, a little note: although not a requisite, I would recommend at least a Voodoo Banshee (or equivalent) video card and more than 64 MB of RAM to really enjoy this game. With that out of the way, let's get back to our question: is the game good?
Yes, the game is worth your (or anyone else's) money, and yes, the game has a good replay potential!
Still want to know more, huh? A tough nut to crack, are yuh? Well okay, but be warned: this review is going to go on and on and on...

Gameplay
Before getting our feet wet, let's take a quick look at the gameplay, shall we? In NFSP, gameplay should be looked upon as a two-edged sword: at times it will get very tough and irritating, but do keep plugging at it; it is so worth the while! The rewards for your efforts can vary - a new car, a new track, or even a promotion - a good reward system is in play here.
Get behind the wheel, and everything changes... The wind blows through your hair, a truck honks past you, your opponents desperately try to get past, the music from the radio pumps you up, you can taste this victory; and then, on the right, the sun sets in the ocean, an orange hue envelopes the anchored ships, you are sucked in...

Graphics
The NFS series has a solid graphics engine. Remember the cool collisions? The out-of-this-world weather effects? The always-fun night driving? Unfortunately, NFSP has abandoned most of these features.
Collision damage is there, and is nicely rendered, but you can't help feeling that there should have been more damage, as your car limps away from a 200 mph head-on with a truck. Though visually lacking, the damage system seriously alters the car's physics. Damage the steering wheel and you will struggle to keep the car on track, as the monster gets a mind of its own! The graphics are great in other departments - good tracks, great backdrops, excellent driver animation, detailed and unique dashboards, tire marks - it's all excellent!

Sound
NFSP has many, many cars. Almost every car's engine has a unique sound...almost (some cars sound a bit off tune). Everthing else in the sound department is perfect! Drive a top-down convertible and you can hear the wind rush past your ears! No amount of writing can do justice to how good this game sounds; you have to experience it in order to believe it!

Cars
When I first heard that NFSP would only feature Porsches, I was disappointed. "That can't be a lot of fun", I said to myself (yes, I talk to myself...sad, yet true). "No Lamborghini, no Ferrari, no Merc...nooooooo!" I was wrong. While the game does feature only Porsche, the lineup of cars is impressive. Every Porsche from the first 356 up to the 2000 911 Turbo is represented here. There is a plethora of cars (I know, a few big words), and it's not just quantity. Each car has a unique identity - engine performance, handling, dashboard, accessories - all come together to give a car its own personality. Then there is the option to upgrade or replace any part of the car, adding to the depth and replayability.

Garage
I mentioned above that you can upgrade/replace a car's parts. The Garage is the place to visit for all tweaks. You can adjust your shocks, the tire pressure, the steering, brake balance...you can even buy and sell cars from the garage. After you are done tweaking, you can take your monster for a test spin! Cool!

Tracks
There are 14 tracks in NFSP: 9 are point-to-point road courses. There are no laps here...you start off from point A and finish at point B. The remaining 5 are regular closed circuits (laps and all). All the tracks are well designed. Apart from the beautifully rendered surroundings, each track has perfectly balanced turns and twists.

Factory driver
Without a doubt, this is the best addition to the NFS series. You take a job as a test driver for Porsche, and as you complete various jobs/tests, your position rises. So, you start off as a lowly rookie that everyone laughs at and you finish up as the Ace Test Driver, which is so cool, it is written in capitals! As a test driver, you get access to the coolest cars, the coolest tracks and -- a skid pad!
This mode, however, is the most frustrating part of the game. Every test thrown your way will stretch your skill and patience to the limit! Don't give up -- it's worth it!

Evolution
The word Evolution perfectly describes this mode of play. You start in the 'Classic Era'. Translation: very old, very sloooow cars. You then move on to the 'Golden Era', where muscle cars abound, and finish off with the 'Modern Era', an age of speed freaks...these cars are faaaaaast...whooo!
As you finish each era, you are rewarded with new tracks. There is also a race thrown at you at the end of each era -- win the race and you get a race car!
One can only imagine the work that must have been put in to balance the Evolution and Factory driver modes so well!

K.O.
The 'Knockout' mode is a real quickie thingy. Feeling bored or frustrated? Opt for a 'Quick K.O' race. There's nothing better than watching your opponents drop (like flies) out of the race, lap by lap. Use the K.O. modes in conjunction with the 'Quick Race' option for fast relief from aches and pains.

Summary
NFSP isn't perfect. It gets a tad frustrating. I don't understand why weather and night driving were not included (@#$$@#!!...give me moment, da?...). Apart from this one rant, the game is perfect. The NFSP development team have taken the word "detail" to their heart.
Beauty is not in the details, it is in this game! It is sweetly done! A must-buy for everyone!

Post-playem
I hate it when a company advertises a corrected fault as a feature! What am I talking about?
Eg: Remember how the cars in previous NFS games felt like hovercrafts? Absolutely floating on the tracks! NFSP corrects this to an extent (it also allows for side-rolls, as you turn). The cars don't feel like magic-carpets with wheels (yes, I have a magic carpet...it's out for dry cleaning, should be back this evening). This corrected error is listed as a feature!
As I gaze into my crystal ball (yep, got one, too), I can see ads like these in the near future:
"Buy our sandwiches, they now come with two slices of bread!" Fight the future!

 

PULSE RATING COMMENTS

Concept Although a racing game, it has lots of cool additions. 95 Gameplay Well balanced fun, speed freaks - take note. 95 Graphics Great engine, great tracks; attention to detail is breath-taking! 90 Sound Excellent sound, good music. 95 Technical Very stable...never crashed once! 95 Overall As good as it gets. 94

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