Review: Need For Speed: Carbon (XBX)

If the Need for Speed series were to be acclaimed for one thing it would be the clever integration of storylines. Racing games are pretty much devoid of stories, but Need for Speed changed that with splendid cut scenes, using real life actors (yes, it is possible) with the game backdrops. It's just a shame that the game play doesn't offer the same freshness.

The first of only two new additions to the series are the canyon duels. Reminiscent of the Initial D franchise, these duels take place over two rounds. In the first round you have to chase your opponent down the mountain, staying as close as possible to rack up the points. The second is the reverse with you trying to get as far away as possible. These races are tense and probably the best addition to the series, which makes it even more unusual that they are few and far between, with the majority used for the boss battles. The main goal of the game is to take control of all the territories within the city and the boss battles are key to doing so. After an area has been taken over, then the boss of that gang will challenge you to a standard race and a subsequent canyon duel. The bosses though represent one of the main gripes we have with the game - the nonexistent learning curve.

After the stupidly easy opening races, the boss of the first area will surprise you by how infuriating and cheap he is. Memorising the course can be crucial, as your opponent will take shortcuts that can turn the tide of the race very quickly. The canyon duel (despite being the latter race) is the easier of the two and provided virtually no problems to Gamestyle. Following on, each subsequent boss has been simple in comparison with the only exception being the final race.

The second addition to the series are your wingmen. As you progress through the game you can recruit crewmembers to aid you during the races. There are three types of wingmen (blockers, drafters and scouts) each having their own advantages. Awful AI makes these 'helpers' become more of an annoyance. Sometimes they slow down in order for you to pass, but in doing so end up ramming into the front of your car. At times they can hit your vehicle - sending you swerving into a lamppost. These are one of several accidents on offer occurring thanks to your so-called 'team-mates'.

EA have also decided to resurrect the drift challenges from Underground 2; odd considering nobody cared when they were removed from Most Wanted? Experiencing these events once again in Carbon makes us wonder why the developers would take the time to reintroduce them. For they are truly horrendous, as your car is constantly swerving and the goal is to rack up as many points as possible before reaching the end of the circuit. Nobody decided to inject any fun into the mode and the best thing we can say is that to conquer the story it's not compulsory for you to complete them, unless you want 100% game completion.

Something that EA have got right (for once) is the music. Instead of flooding the game with your typical EA Trax (though there are a few) the majority of Carbon provides actual music that fits in with the game perfectly. Like taking part in a high-octane action movie, the music beat is enough to get your adrenaline pumping as you race neck and neck with your rival, and thankfully no tracks by My Chemical Romance. Car customisation (which has always played a big part in the Need for Speed series) also returns and pimping your ride is still great fun, with various ways in which to alter your cars’ appearance and look. With impressive graphics for an Xbox game, creating the perfect car is almost a game in itself. The only downside to the impressive visuals is the frame rate, which becomes quite a problem during high-speed chases.

In Carbon, EA have tried to create something new for the series, but aside from the enjoyable canyon duels nothing actually works the way it should. A huge omission is the lack of online play at all, and releasing an Xbox racer without an online component is like building a car without wheels. Need for Speed: Carbon is not a bad game, just one that misses the mark quite considerably. Now we must wait and see what the inevitable release next year can bring to the series.

Rating: 6 / 10

Words by Adam Gulliver