Need for Speed World Editor's Review

A Globally Interactive Racing Experience

The newest addition to the Need for Speed franchise by EA Games attempts to fashion an MMO racing game with the popular racing game, however the results aren’t exactly the most spectacular so far. Though a new player can join Need for Speed World for free by simply signing up to the trial, the MMO has so far felt rather empty and underused. Racing within the game can be performed with either single player of multiplayer games initiated within the world; however the multiplayer phase sometimes feels rather sparse, while the single player aspect does not offer the same rewards.

Despite this, it is by all intents Need for Speed. Players can choose a favourite car, modify it, paint it and then pit against other AI and human players within a fairly large world. There are the options of races, challenges or police chases that are commonly seen in the single player games released almost yearly by EA. The lag most commonly found in MMO’s that attempt any amount of fast exertion seems to be relatively stable, although the cars do sometimes have a feeling of being made of flubber, with instances where the car seems to wildly steer wherever it wants too. Speaking of which, cars are bought by real world money, usually in the range of £2-£5, though there is the option of a starter pack should you wish to play Need for Speed further.

Pro's: Good graphics, stable performance, good amount of racing options

Con's: Empty at times, lag can cause problems, quickly loses its fun

Conclusion: Though generally a fun enough addition to the franchise, it can sometimes feel really empty, which ruins any immersion that EA Games is trying to create.