While it’s a juxtaposition to be
sitting completely still staring at a monitor and at the same time feeling like
you are going 200 MPH, that absurd sensation seemed to be the goal for the
creative team behind the little goliath series known as Need For Speed. Since
its conception way back in 1994 (was it really that long ago?), the NFS series
has long been giving all those bottled-up road-rage addicts an outlet to get
their fix. Need For Speed: Carbon is no different with even more additions,
challenges and customizations than ever before. But it is the smallest
incremental step forward in the series, feeling more like a rehash of Most
Wanted than a “start-from-scratch” production. This isn’t necessarily a bad
thing. I really enjoyed Most Wanted and thought it was an excellent game, but
because of the lack of innovation I wouldn’t necessarily call Carbon a break
through title.
If you’re even the slightest bit
familiar with Most Wanted you’ll be right at home with Carbon, not only from a
control standpoint, but from a story perspective as well. Carbon begins where
Most Wanted left off. Just in case you never finished Most Wanted I won’t spoil
the ending, but needless to say you’ve made your way out of Rockport and into
Palmont City, an overpopulated racing town nestled “quietly” beside Carbon
Canyon. The city is divided up into what are called “territories” and you will
have to beat a handful of races within each of these to call them your own. But
winning is only half the job because your territories can be challenged by rival
racers. This is referred to as defending your territories and was probably my least
favorite aspect of the game because it felt more like house-cleaning and a cheap
way of milking hours. Thankfully, the game does give you an option to turn down the
races, although there is a chance you will lose the territory if you do so.
The main chunks of story are
presented through hybrid sequences of live-action and CG. They are for the most
part well done with a unique look and feel. As for the acting, I would say it
was a noble effort but at moments you find yourself staring awkwardly into your
monitor not quite sure whether you should laugh or ponder whether the game was
trying to be serious. Another grumble would be that the antagonists are more
irritating than threatening which actually ends up giving players some
unintentional motivation to win just to get them off the screen.. All in all though, EA keeps
the story rolling forward at a steady pace and come to think of it, Carbon
probably is one of the few games that acceptably pulls off live-action actors to
tell a story.
But what about racing? Well, this is
where Carbon’s high-gloss paintjob shines through. But before I get too excited
let me first explain the major changes that were added to the series: the first
and most significant change is the addition of a racing team. You don’t fly solo
any longer. As you progress you are offered the option of hiring up to three
additions other than yourself to your team: blockers, drafters and scouts. And
this is how it works; blockers get in front of the specified car and cut them
off giving you the chance to pass. Drafters on the other hand race in front as
you wake in their draft gaining speed before you slingshot to the outside of
them to take the lead. And last but not least, scouts are sent out ahead and
look for unmapped shortcuts through back allies and roads to help give you the
advantage. Your team meters work just like your nitrous meter. When the
specified wingman meter fills up just hit the shortcut key and the corresponding
team member will engage in their specialty. Surprisingly, your crew is fairly
intelligent and there were a handful of races that I owe to them.
The races are set up again, much
like Most Wanted’s with circuit races, checkpoint races, sprints, and a type of
radar-clocked race where position correlates directly with collective MPH.
Eventually, as you become familiar with the city, the game introduces a new type
of race, drifting. Much like how Most Wanted brought you drag racing, Carbon’s
drifting races are very complex and take place in the winding Carbon Canyon. The
objective here is to drift as long and as close to the walls as possible without
slamming into the cliff on one side, and flying completely off it on the other.
At first, these are very difficult races. The control system and responsiveness
is completely different than the street races, which results in about a 20
minute learning curve before you become competent enough to win the event. But
those aren’t all the races that take place in the canyon. When challenging
different crew leaders of opposing clans, you begin with standard street races
before graduating to the canyon for a sort of mini-tournament. This is the least
fun and boarder-line annoying part of Carbon. The object of the races is to
remain as close to the leader as possible; the closer you are to him the more
points you rack up. The second race is exactly the same but now he is chasing
you. Sound slightly ridiculous? It is. The races not only rise in intricacy
because of the track and the fact that you are now playing a mini-game of tag,
but the A.I. is exponentially more difficult compared to that of the normal
racers as well. With all of these aggravations rolled up into a single series of
competitions just to beat one boss, the result is quite perplexing. I’m thankful
those races are only a small portion of the game.
As far as the racing mechanics,
sound design, and graphics go, this game is at the head of the pack. The
production value is about as high as they get. Not only do the cars all handle
differently from one another, but they also change with each unique upgrade as
well. There is a vast selection of cars, each having a multitude of customizable
options. From the brakes to the bumper, NFS gives you options on top of options;
anywhere from make and model to the color and designs, your car will feel like
your car. Sadly, you might find yourself showing off your polygonal masterpiece
to your friends and gawkily referring to it as your “baby.”
The graphics themselves look
extremely close to Most Wanted’s with a few slight tweaks and a couple of extra
post-processing effects. The sound design is top-notch with each clutch shift
and blow-off valve easily delivering movie-worthy eminence and heart-pounding
satisfaction. In terms of music, Most Wanted had in my opinion slightly better
tunes with more thumping tracks, but Carbon’s is still definitely enjoyable but
it edges more towards rock. In the end, all of this combined into one package
results in a visceral racing experience that will please almost anybody whether
you like racing or not.
My only yellow flag of caution with
this game would be the entertainment-per-dollar value is drastically reduced if
you already own Most Wanted. About 80 percent of Carbon looks, sounds and feels
just like its predecessor. So when considering this purchase into your holiday
budget, just be aware it is not an exaggeration to say that even some of the
same buildings, car models, textures and music have been ported directly over.
But if you missed out on Most Wanted and/or are a racing fanatic, Need For
Speed: Carbon is a high-octane no brainer.
The Collector’s
Edition
The collector’s edition
comes with some extra goodies like deleted scenes, exclusive cars and decals
etc. Here is a full list breakdown:
-
Three new cars
-
Ten specially tuned
cars-six new races-ten exclusive vinyl kits -
A bonus DVD
containing behind-the-scenes footage on the making of the game.
Now, I normally don’t
recommend collector’s editions for the average consumer but with a PC price of
only 39.99 this is deal would be hard to pass up.
Review Scoring Details for Need For Speed: Carbon |
Gameplay: 8.5
Even though you know NFS guarantees tested and proven gameplay mechanics, they
are tested and proven successfully once again.
Graphics: 8.7
Beautiful graphics but exactly the same as Most Wanted.
Sound: 9.2
Absolutely remarkable sound effects and fast-paced, energetic music.
Difficulty: Medium
Fairly easy but gets hard quickly with the steep learning curve of draft racing.
Concept: 8.2
The various types of races and the freedom of a wide open city to explore offer
some fast and fun gameplay. The vast selection of cars and parts combine to form
a worthy and satisfying racer.
Multiplayer: 8.5
Supporting up to eight players, Carbon delivers on all the essentials. It’s
fast, fun and competitive. The only two modes are online pursuit tag and pursuit
knockout.
Overall: 8.5
Need For Speed lives up to its heritage staying at the forefront in the
evolution of racing simulations. Although I wish there was more revolution I
can’t deny its status of a rock-solid racer.
