Need for Speed Most Wanted is really a fun racer that is available for each console. And just as we've seen with the rest of the current to next-gen ports, the Xbox 360 version is $10 extra for some enhanced graphics. It is nice for people like me that won't be getting any more regular Xbox games, but that $10 more is too much for only improved graphics.
Need for Speed Most Wanted is about making your way up a black list. This game in the series is called Most Wanted for a reason. You need to get the cops looking for you and establish yourself as a hot racer. In order to challenge the current holder for the next position on the list there are three areas to work on. This is good so that you can get a taste of everything the game has to offer. After defeating that opponent and claiming their spot on the black list, you get to make a choice of 2 face down 'cards.' There's a group of 3 that has either a money reward or the pink slip for the car you just raced. With two of those being money and the other being the pink slip. Then there are unique upgrade cards. So if you wanted to, you can use both of your choices on the money and pink slip, both of them on a unique upgrade (maybe a unique visual upgrade and a unique performance upgrade), or do one of each. This is nice thing to bring in the game and mix things up a bit.
Most Wanted takes the Underground series and starts to combine it with Hot Pursuit. The cop chases from Hot Pursuit return but there isn't the option of you being the police. This would've made a cool unlockable. In fact, I felt the police chases came out pretty nice. To fit in with this 'blacklist' feature, they've made it a little more advanced than just chases. During a pursuit there are several things that are getting tracked. First, there's a dollar amount on how much you are costing the state from your wrecklessness. This includes ramming through park benches or knocking over street lights. The game also tells you when you commit a new infraction such as a hit-and-run. You are also shown how many cops are on pursuit and how many you've taken out. And at the bottom of the screen is a meter to show you how close you are to the cops. If you are out of sight, the meter turns into a cool down timer. It will slowly go down until you are either seen again or successfully evaded the police. Of course there are a few things that help you out including some interactive environments. Overall, the pursuits work out nicely and are usually pretty fun to play around with.
Of course the game has some replay value in the multiplayer modes. Offline-split-screen isn't exciting for too long as you aren't able to have AI cars added in. Live, of course, turns up the heat and is a bit more fun. It seems like it could've been better online, though. There really isn't anything besides the usual racing modes here. Some kind of cop chasing mode would've been a nice addition but hopefully next time.
Most Wanted features some nice looking graphics. The city has some good detail and good texturing to it. I really liked that there are some interactive areas that act as ways to block/destroy police cars. I just wish that there were more of them in the game. The cutscenes are actually FMVs with a twist. They filmed actual people but gave them sort of an animated look to blend them into the game. It works out nicely too because when you first see it you will question if it's FMV or CGI.
The audio comes out nicely as well. The thing that surprised me the most with the audio is when you hear the police as they chase you. A lot of times you hear a lot of repetitiveness and not much realism. In Most Wanted, the police talk over the radio is done very well. Of course the car sounds come out realistic. I really didn't listen to any of the game's music because of custom soundtracks, so no comment on their music selection.
Need for Speed Most Wanted really is a fun game that is mostly brought down by the $10 Xbox 360 'premium.' The game has some good car customization, good single player action, very nice graphics and a mediocre multiplayer feature. Most Wanted is a really good choice for those looking for their next game to play. If you are still playing a 'previous'(current)-gen systems, you might want to check the game out for that console instead and save yourself $10.
