Only the most extreme circumstances, like a head-on collision or careening off a cliff, resets a player's progress.
#NEED FOR SPEED PAYBACK DIFFICULTY DRIVERS#
Contact with other drivers holds minimal consequence, and the game offers critical feedback on drifts around corners and while coasting behind other drivers.
Payback isn't in the business of punishing players. Those who can learn the basics, drift well and navigate potential shortcuts will have fun and excel rather quickly. There isn't a steep learning curve here or endless menus or a system that will drive the vehicles for a player. This is where Payback is a throwback in the biggest sense. Players on the hunt for a pick-up-and-play game need look no further. The sheer detail-glass flying, damage at the point of impact-feels rewarding and flexes the game's muscle. Civilian vehicles pepper the streets and highways, and much of the environment players can tear through is destructible thanks to the Frostbite engine.Įverything about the detail holds up well when the game zooms in and enters slow motion for the crash cam. To top it all off, the city feels alive through sheer detail. This is one of the most versatile racing games visually in a long time-the open world means variety and colors that pop off the screen, and it goes a long way toward helping the game feel fresh compared to the reserved offerings of other racing locales.
Those vehicles fly through various locales, grinding rubber marks into the pavement of the city or kicking up dust off-road through various environments. opponent or online player has done to a ride of their own. A 24-hour cycle means the fictitious Fortune City pops to life during the day and glimmers at night just as its real-world counterpart does.Įvery customizable piece adds a new flare to a ride and sets it apart, which has a way of stealing a player's attention when they see what an A.I. There's nothing bland about this game in a visual sense. Need for Speed Payback catches the eye and doesn't let go. It all sounds great and is, with a three-character campaign weaving into the core gameplay and top-end visuals to create one of gaming's top surprises of the year.