Need for Speed: The Run - Xbox 360 Review

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Pretty boring honestly. The game itself isnt that fun to play, it's ok but it's weak. The races are short for the most part and the driving is ok a camera stays focused on your car through turns which is cool but NO WAY this game is worth $60. Breakdown

Graphics-9.5 awesome graphics but unfortunately this is the best part of the game

Replayability-4 there are challenges to unlock cars an other things but nothing major

Physics (mechanics)2 it doesn't feel like you are driving the car, even when you choose the view to race from within the car there isn't even a steering wheel or nothing just looking at the road, this isn't the early 2000s

Length1...maybe 5 hours tops?? Really?

Enjoyment1 honestly it's pretty boring, it didn't make me want to play this game at all

I love NFS, mostly the older ones but I did enjoy hot pursuit but this game just doesn't appeal

Do yourself a favor, RENT before you buy. Trust me you will understand why after you rent it

Overall the game is just overall weak minus the beautiful graphics but thats it. If you are looking for a new game for xbox pick up Skyrim, Saints row 3, Battlefield 3, Mw3, Gears of War 3, Batman Arkham City, Sonic Generations even Forza 4, but not The Run. I'm not hating on this game it just doesn't being much too the table races too short an the little bit of excitement you'll have playing this game quickly vanishes.

Hope this helps

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This game is good, but there are a lot of people I know will be disappointed with it. All the races seem the same, just on a different stretch of track. Personally, I don't mind because I can sit and play a game for hours, not caring whether I do good or bad, or what's even going on in the game. The graphics are very nice, and they used the "Frostbite 2" engine, for those who don't know, which was used for Battlefield 3. The actual story behind the game isn't bad as well.

Overall, the game will keep you busy for at least one play through the game, and if you're interested, for some races online as well.

EDIT: It feels like it's sort of moving away from what NFS used to be. As far as I've played the game, I haven't come across any "lap" type of races, it's all get from point A to point B in an expensive sports car. I miss the street/drag racing kind of thing.

EDIT #2: I'm finding myself to rage quiting while playing this game quite a bit. It seems like there's always a car in the same lane that I can't see just over that hill. It seems like the obstacles in this game are too easy to predict. Once again, I miss the old street/drag racing type of style. This feels a lot more like a simulator than an arcade racer. [Edit: it seems they have have patched it since I originally posted the review. I don't run into those cars nearly as much anymore]

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This game is amazing. It has the feel of a great action movie. Before I bought this game, I was kind of skeptical because of some the mediocre reviews it had received. I decided to get it anyway and I am so happy I did. I think it is a must have for anybody who is a fan of arcade racing games.

Honest reviews on Need for Speed: The Run - Xbox 360

This game is utter trash. It's NFS all over again. Nothing new... except terrible game play mechanics.

Out-of-Bounds

The cars now must stay within the confines of the game's "invisible out-of-bounds" rules. The animated holographic boundaries previously found in NFS games that were solid walls are now able to be driven through into out-of-bounds territory. Cross the boundary line... even if you are heading back onto the road and you're automatically reset. And that brings up the next issue.

Resets to Checkpoints

You're allotted only 4 resets per race. After that you start all over again. I don't know what made it worse... the fact you're only alloted 4... or that the reset takes you back to your last checkpoint which could be miles back... OR that the checkpoint may place you in an unplaying position (speeding off the track for another immediate reset)... OR the fact that if you get reset before the first checkpoint, the race starts over anyways but with you having spent a reset. I always just restart the event at that point because why deal with 1 less reset? Which sets us up for another issue.

Load Times

Every reset brings and insanely long load time. Each EVENT brings and insanely long load time. Each event reset brings insanely long load times. It destroys the pacing of the game to the extent that it no longer fun to play. "Need for Speed"? Maybe they were referring to their own "need for speed" in getting the games loading faster.

Duplicating World Scenarios

While the one shining gem of the game is it's graphics and the world that's recreated taking inspiration from places in the USA, you'll find similar situations (track covers, city scapes) will recur if you drive the thing in one go. Streets in Chicago the you drive on while evading the Mob will be the same streets you drive on for the next race leg. Similar road curves (even a shortcut) are also duplicated verbatim from the Chicago area to the "State Forest" stage... just with new textures.

Car Selection

The game makes a big deal out of the cars it offers... but then it specifically mentions you're going to need certain cars in certain scenarios (mountains, street, highways each suggest a different style of car). That's all fine and dandy... but here's the snag. YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR CAR! Oh sure, you'll get to choose one at the start... and a couple times in the middle... but other than that you have to pull into a gas station to switch out cars. Gas Stations are located on VERY FEW event maps. Which means you might get to select a car on one event, but the next even you're still stuck with it because there is no gas station on that event's course map and then the car you chose might be all wrong for the event! Too bad... you're still stuck with it. If you're going to make car selection an important part of winning the game... ALLOW US TO PICK A CAR AT THE START OF EACH EVENT!

No Replay Value

The game also has very little replay value. Previous NFS games I've enjoyed exploring the world... or taking out another car and avoiding the cops. This one is just a single path... from San Francisco to New York... and not even all of that. Total playing time for "The Run" itself took around 2 hours (not counting the resets or the load times) and then you've seen it all. Oh sure there are challenges to go back and do... but it's on the same tracks you've already raced on. And the game itself is a challenge enough!

Terrible AI

The computer cars display insanely impossible acceleration and driver recovery capabilities. Think you've just pushed an opponent over the cliff? Guess again. But they can perform the same move and send you flying for... you guessed it... another instant reset. Or think you've passed someone at 190mph? Guess what... they'll go flying by you 2 seconds later without nitrous with you still going 190 but making it look like you were standing still.

Do yourself a favor... and "Run" away before it sucks $60 from your pocket.

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After being extremely impressed with Hot Pursuit, I picked up this game thinking it would be a step up from that. Not true.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great game. The graphics are fairly good and overall it's a fun game, but compared to previous NFS games, it's nothing to brag about. Ironically, the aspect of this game that's the most boring and tedious is the running part. At certain points in the game, the police will surround your car and you will be forced to run on foot. In order to jump fences and avoid getting caught, you have to hit certain buttons on the controller. Mess up, and you have to try it again. These feel more like cut-scenes with a little audience participation than any type of challenge. I can understand that the hope was to give the game a little variety so it's not strictly a racing game, but if that was their intent, they should have allowed the player to control where they run and where to hide.

Also, NFS is known for having the police in the game. Sadly, the cops are only a small part of this game and many races won't even include them. This may not bother you, but if you're buying a game in the NFS series, chances are, you'll be missing that.

The game does have a lot going for it. Visually the game looks good and the selection of cars is nice and grows as the game progresses. The storyline is a nice element in a racing game, but it's referenced so infrequently that you'll often forget about it. Plus, you goal in each leg of the race is usually to just progress a few spots, so you'll wonder why you needed the story at all.

Overall, the game is still a lot of fun and I have a feeling that most of the negative reviews are from those who just expected more from the NFS series and were a little let down. But used for a few bucks, it might be worth it.