Electronic Arts made its name back when it started releasing the Need for Speed series.
Compared to the competition, they delivered something in the market that was not an ordinary racing game.
After a few installments, EA decided to take racing games to a new level with NFS: Hot Pursuit in 2010.
It is one of the best NFS games to date, and fans loved it so much that EA had to create a remastered version of it.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit was released for every platform, including PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
This review will cover everything about NFS: Hot Pursuit, along with some tips and tricks to win the races easily.
Table of Contents
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered Review Storyline
All NFS games have practically the same storyline.
That is, an underdog makes his way to the top by racing leaders of different teams.
Hot Pursuit is no exception, but the stakes are higher than usual.
In this game, cops also have the same cars as yours and will hunt you down. Instead of following the predetermined pattern, you can roam on the map and escape the cops.
Yes, you can use many obstacles to stop the cops, but they won’t give up on you easily. On the other hand, you can switch between an illegal car racer or a cop in your career mode.
The goal is essentially the same, become the best driver in the game. The goal of the cop is to chase down the racer while being an illegal racer.
GamePlay
NFS: Hot Pursuit comes with different modes. You can start a story in the career mode, where you can win races and unlock cars.
Every victory in the secret race will get you the car of your opponent that you can use in other games.
Moreover, you’ll earn money which you can use to upgrade your car and maximize its performance.
The game starts with you being given a car for the test race. Win that race, and you’ll have enough money to purchase a car for future use.
While winning gets you money, the better you win, the more you earn. Style points matter greatly to unlock exclusive rewards; they’ll multiply your winnings.
Every campaign has multiple races, but you don’t have to win them all. Play two or three of them, and you’ll be able to race with the leader.
Once you win every race, you can upgrade your car to the maximum level and race against online players.
Multiplayer Mode
NFS: Hot Pursuit also features a multiplayer mode where you can challenge your friends locally or any player around the world internationally.
Even if you don’t have internet, you can use a LAN cable to join with other players physically available in the same room or house.
Since this is a cross-platform game, you can play against PlayStation and Xbox players if you are playing on a PC.
The bounty you’ll earn in multiplayer mode won’t go into your career mode winning. However, you can choose any car from the collection for the race.
There is no restriction on race maps in multiplayer mode; you can choose any map and start playing.
Unlike FPS games, ping difference doesn’t play a huge role; unless the difference is huge.
You’ll see significant jitter while playing on a higher ping, which might become a problem while cutting corners.
Another thing is that you won’t lose the car if you play in online games, it will be a straightforward race, and the victor gets a higher bounty.
While waiting for the race to start, you can check everyone’s bounty, giving you an idea of how good your opponents are.
Think of it like a level system, where bigger levels mean a person has played this game way more than you.
One problem with the multiplayer mode is that every player must have the same game version.
Since there are changes in the performance and graphics of this game with each update, players on different versions cannot play together.
Free Drive Mode
If you want to roam around the city for a time pass and relaxation, try the Freedrive mode of this game.
Any damage to your car will be undone once you leave the Freedrive mode, and you can take screenshots of the sick moments you create.
This mode is perfect for those who want to show off the best pics of their car to friends. One problem with this mode is that you cannot access Seacrest County over the map.
Instead, you have to rely on the minimap on the screen.
Graphics
Being a 2010 game, NFS: Hot Pursuit had the best graphics in any racing game.
Set the graphics settings to high, and you can see a sun flare on your car, making it look beautiful.
However, the game graphics lacked the texture needed to separate the car body parts.
A cop car feels so flat, while the racing cars are much better designed.
Races at night are the best; you can see the light’s reflection on the road, and using NOS blurs everything making a bokeh of light that looks mesmerizing.
Since this game was designed for 720p and 1080p resolution, don’t expect the unnecessary parts to be full of details.
The sunset might look better, but the mountains, walls, trees, and traffic won’t look good on a bigger screen.
Due to these reasons, EA decided to make a remastered version of this game.
The remastered version has everything that was missing in the old version. It has better graphics and audio quality; even the races feel more realistic.
Controls
Controls are simple; basically the same as every NSF game. However, the controlling mechanism is different.
Back in the day, you might believe that pressing the key hard made the car run and turn faster. In this game, the controls are sensitive.
You must press the brakes delicately to slow and move the car. One single hard press and your car is out of control.
There is no mouse support for PC, so you’ll only need a keyboard to play this game.
While using a controller on Xbox or PlayStation, you can easily use the joystick to navigate through the map.
Racing And Tracks
There are ten events available in this game, and some are restricted ones that open up after you end the game.
Every map has shortcuts you can use to finish the race fast; however, you’ll need to explore the maps to find those shortcuts.
Every update brought new maps making the game more entertaining. The real races in this game begin when you join a secret race.
Typical races are easy to win, but secret races demand perfection. One small mistake, and you’ll chase after the opponent’s dirt.
Secret race tracks are also different from the usual; they have sharp turns and traffic that appears out of the blue.
You’ll need exceptional control over drifting to cover the corners to take over your opponent quickly.
If things are not working your way, try knocking out your opponent with a tackle or side attack. Damage their car, and they might be unable to continue the race.
Plus, the cops will always be there, so you can bait your opponents and let them get caught by cops.
Remember, your opponents know all the shortcuts, and you must stay ahead of them to win the game.
The worst part is that the cops know all the shortcuts and try to close that road so you cannot get past them. So, while avoiding a chase, be careful with choosing a shortcut.
Not Your Typical Racing Game
As the name suggests, Hot Pursuit is not your typical car collecting game. You won’t find a garage to keep your cars, but the game allows you to keep some of them in your career mode.
The main idea of this game is to build the fastest car that is ready to beat every opponent you face.
If you like following the law, become a cop with a custom cop car featuring the best parts.
Engage in races and stop the target assigned to you by using your car and the backup. You can call for backup and throw spikes on the road to stop the racer.
During the chase, you must avoid damaging ordinary cars. Otherwise, you must pay for the damages.
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit – The Best There Is
If you want to enjoy a thrilling racing car game, there is none better than NFS: Hot Pursuit. Its remastered version is even better.
The best part is that you don’t need much space to install the game or a heavy PC to run the original version.
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