 For those racing fanatics that don't have a Need for Speed
game of any kind, this one should definitely be in your library. For those that
already own a previous Need for Speed game, I think that new incarnation of the
series offers enough new modes, tracks, and cars for you to definitely consider buying it.
Graphically, this game is superior to any other Sony PlayStation racing game, with the
exception of Gran Turismo. The developers at EA did some serious polygonal
welding so that you do not notice any of
the edges of the polys that make up the cars. Another nice touch is that if you
choose to take an outside view while driving, you can see all of the scenery around you
reflected on the window of your car. The car models are beautiful and almost photo
realistic. Like I mentioned, you can not see any poly edges and the car models are
so exact that you can even see the protruding tail lights of the Mercedes. EA has
also added some great light effects. You can now see the tail lights of your car
reflected on wet pavement and rain coming through the the beam of light from your
headlight. The level
of detail of the courses is about the same as Need for Speed 3, but the courses
are much more believable and are more fun to drive on. On one of the first courses,
you drive through a forest of pink dogwoods and also see huge, old wooden houses that are
wonderfully detailed.
 The gameplay is still about the same as
the last entry in the series, with some minor changes here and there. The only real
major modification to the gameplay is that the game now features a full-out monetary and
damage system. You win a certain amount of credits depending on how well you placed
in a race and can use those credits towards upgrading your current car or buying a new
one. However, if you used the wall as a guard rail for the entire race, then you
will probably be spending all of that hard earned cash paying off your repair bill.
As many of you Need for Speed
veterans know, the heart of the game play does not focus on simulation, but rather fast,
action-packed game play. In the last game, it was fun to get chased by the cops for
speeding, but in this game you can actually take the role of the cop and hunt down all of
those baddies to hand them their tickets.
The other two modes in single player are
single race and special event, in which you compete in a special race or tournament.
In two-player mode, a new addition is the High Stakes mode. In this mode,
both players cars are removed from their memory cards before the race (to prevent
cheating) and then both of the cars are then saved to the winning player's memory card
after the race. So if you lose the race, you lose your car.
The control in this game is excellent. A dual-shock controller or racing wheel is
almost a necessity to do well, as is now the case with most racing games. After you
play the game for a while, you realize how each car has its own feel on the road. An
example of the detailed control is that in the rain, your car's control is very loose and
you will have the tendency to slide around more than usual.
 The sound in the game is its only
lacking category. The sounds of the cars are muffled and if you own other games from
Electronic Arts, like FIFA 99, you will realize that they used some of the
same music.
To conclude, I think that Need for Speed: High Stakes should definitely be
considered by owners of previous Need for Speed games as it offers many new game
play options and better graphics. As for racing fans that don't own any other Need
for Speed games, you should definitely get this one unless you already own Gran
Turismo. |
