Need for Speed – A brand most gamers associate with illegal races in the underground and heated police pursuits connect. Older possibly also Wild races in supercars as fast as an arrow on fictitious routes. Well, the latter took place in the 90s, at the beginning of the NFS series. With the current offshoot, the since the 08. November hisses over the counter, however, developer Ghost Games focuses primarily on modern sports cars, which you can make deeper, wider and faster can. Whether the new Need for Speed Heat is a hot iron or a small flame, the test of *ingame shows.En.
Need for Speed Heat in the test: Hot patch, tarred with flaming clichés
At the beginning of the game, the eye initially wanders over a very tidy main menu. Even before the test EA proved with the creative launch trailer of Need for Speed Heat that the line of march is clear: Style meets Substance. Here, the choice is between racing together with friends online or the classic solo mode. The Need for Speed Heat online mode is grayed out for the time being at the beginning due to the tutorial. This will come into focus later on in the game. First, however, everything revolves around the well-groomed speeding as a single.
After starting the solo mode, the wild ride starts as well. One sees a scene like in a Newsflash of the TV. A visibly annoyed officer holds a public speech about illegal street racing and announces that these will now soon come to an end. The scene jumps around and the player is effectively Volvo Polestar 1 thrown, the title vehicle of the game. After a testosterone-fueled cutscene the NFS Heat logo appears and the Arcade Racer teaches its basics.
The nice Mr. Rivera introduces himself and immediately the player in one of its four hot sleds take a seat. After that the decision falls on a Character from a handful of ready-made recreational racers. The look can be adapted only easily to the own preferences. After that it's directly off to the city, where the first story missions and open race wait. In order not to spoil too detailed information of the story, the test is now about the important details: The Tuning, the chases, the open world, and, of course, the online mode.
Deeper wider harder. And that in NFS Heat finally down to earth again
The Tuning is an elementary part of most Need for Speed parts since the release of NFS Underground in 2003. The Hype about illegal street racingen and larger rims than you have space in the wheel well is unbroken until the test. So also again with Need for Speed Heat. Visually the cars of the arcade racer can be completely individualized. Here you can for example Giant pool of rims or choose the popular Designmaker romp.
Also regarding. The Performance optimization is again everything from the engine control unit to the differential and nitro injection. The criticism in the context of tests of the last part has left visible traces with the developer team and so drops a hated feature completely. The annoying Trading Card System with the tuning parts from the predecessor NFS Payback has been completely abolished and you can, as with the 2015 NFS simply install everything from the garage, as long as you have unlocked the parts with the appropriate level.
In addition, each vehicle can be equipped with a active and passive perk equip. This could be a nitrous booster or a defensive system against police radar, for example. If that's not enough, you can also add a couple of inert gas tubes in the sense of neon tubes build under the fiber parts, colored tire smoke implement or also the Change horn sound. In the test was only the opportunity to try out a fraction of the vehicles. The choice is simply huge and so every car remains in Need for Speed Heat an absolute unique – provided there is enough money in the cashbox to buy the elaborate tuning to pay.
Need for Speed Heat in the test: Reputation is everything
To unlock the components, however, more than coal is needed. Also the Driver level must be right. In order to raise your level, you first have to Increase reputation (REP). However, you can collect these for the most part only at night. During the day there is also REP, but only via the RACER Challenges, more information about this further down in the test. At night it is a question of to annoy cops and win illegal street races. The multiplier for this is the HEAT level, which one in the chases frighteningly fast from level 1-5 can push up – and that right from the start. With this Need for Speed Heat for example, differs from the popular Most Wanted, where the police only brought out the big guns in the later gameplay. And the cops do their best to make sure that you don't collect for a long time. It becomes violently rammed t and the "Life indicator" of the drivable undercarriage dwindles fast total loss.
You heard right: Damage. In the new Need for Speed Heat the mobile undercarriage to a certain degree damage. This has an extreme effect on the performance and makes it more difficult for recreational racers to aggressive lawmen additionally life. Externally this is limited to damage model on a few hanging attachments, cracked windows and scratches without end. It is nevertheless very (in)nice to see that the car visually as well as technically changed. In order to counteract the total loss somewhat racing through one of the many gas stations scattered around the city, in order to make its Boliden again fully functional – this however unfortunately only three times per night. In the test, it quickly became apparent: This creates additional pressure to survive the night. For as day breaks, dusk finds its end and all won REPs will be added to the current level.
One will caught or scrapped the car, you lose almost the complete experienced REP points of this night. Cops to measure. Surviving the night. But once you have left the neon darkness behind you, you can during the day legally organized races on closed race tracks drive. Here it is only about collecting a lot of money for the virtual account. After all, cars and tuning do cost a fair bit of money – even in a test environment.
Once upon a time…A Need for Speed
This is how many great stories start. The Story of Need for Speed Heat doesn't start with these words, but it feels a bit like this. Thanks to the quite diverse character customization It's easy to identify with your own character, because Ghost Games has given it, unlike in Need for Speed Payback, an identity again Voice given. A bit curious: The main character can be changed at any time during the game. Quickly one slips so into a small family plot. Becomes a part of this blood related crew. In the test, the whole thing quickly reminded one of a Best-of of the Fast and Furios series. And that's exactly what it is. The issues Family, friendship and the tough life on the asphalt remain also in Need for Speed Heat omnipresent.
You get to know the different characters of the story, who want to get you further in Palm City, bit by bit and meet during the Rise to the legendary street racer again and again on familiar faces. Basically negotiated Need for Speed Heat i.E. The heated conflict for which the series is notorious: Cops against speeders. A correspondingly large role play the order guards also in the new offshoot. At this point in the test, however, not too much should be revealed. Within the scope of their rather limited possibilities, the story very well told and you are gradually introduced to all game modes.
Need for Speed in the test – No need for Cars
Cars over cars. In total there are 127 different of it in NFS Heat. From the VW Beetle to the Koenigsegg Regera, everything is really there. Well, except for Toyota unfortunately. The Supra Mk IV, an all-time favorite of the series, is unfortunately missing for fans. But this can be overlooked without any problems, after all the Selection otherwise gigantic from. That is also bitterly necessary, because a well prepared night racer needs in the most comfortable case several cars at once, unless he wants to constantly replace components. Beside the old known Road race, where a car with grip belongs to the obligatory program, there is namely also drift& Rally events, where the speed of your own car plays only a minor role.
Each of the driving modes offered, requires a own vehicle setup and individually installed parts. Special differentials, tires and suspensions ensure that the necessary parts are available for each of the specialized areas to achieve the driving performance that arcade racers demand.
Not all that glitters is gold in Need for Speed Heat
Speaking of driving modes Drift races are a special case for themselves. It is really extremely demanding to adjust the car so that it goes around the corner on the various drift races the way you want it to go. As it is partly Driftchallenges with fast curves gives and on the other hand tight drift races, is It is extremely difficult to find the perfect to find. Either the car goes too crosswise or refuses to go crosswise at all, due to a too blatantly locking differential and in addition too little power. To avoid frustration Tip: Fit the suspension, tires and diff with speedcross parts, put in all the power you can since the speedcross diff locks almost 100%, put in the 7 speed transmission and set the shift to manual in the options to get a to prevent unintentional shifting. Off you go!
Besides the quite messed up drift mode, are additionally some partial unsightly graphic errors and during the day the City, despite some cars driving around, somewhat barren and empty from. Even the car chases, which were so highly praised earlier, have to be grumbled about a bit. As gripping as it is to be able to get the full pack from the beginning, it is just as hard to escape in reverse. The Cops patrol at night partly at each corner or stick to the tail with utopian excess speed around even the tightest corner, so that a successful escape in Need for Speed Heat becomes a small miracle.
You have to be aware from the start that if you have a somewhat weaker vehicle, it can extremely hard to escape at higher Heat levels. This circumstance could be a problem for inexperienced players quickly lead to moments of frustration lead. Here you have to be patient and then later on you will corresponding tuning parts and ability to approach the matter. Then it's much easier to get away from law enforcement officials.
Need for Speed Heat in the test: Pretty and fast
But the arcade racer also has nice sides. In cutscenes and even on the track NFS Heat looks incredibly good. The Vehicle models are extremely detailed and the people in the models were perfectly integrated into virtual life by motion capturing. The game runs almost always smoothly and even if you have zig "Bullen" in the neck, Heat runs without problems flicker free on the box. EA shows once again impressively, how felicitous Graphically incorporate rain into a racing game leaves. From time to time it is pouring down in Palm City and that's the looks extremely good. No matter Driving through puddles or the Standing at a traffic light for a few horny screenshots is.
One catches oneself again and again to position its Boliden at a beautiful place of the open play world, in order to make a picture of it. Also alone in order to own paint and decal creation to present to the public. On one classic photo mode fans have to do without. Sound quite a bit. What belongs more to tuned. Pimped carts than the sound? What belongs more to tuned. Pimped carts than the sound? Since in the tuning menu you can also Customize exhaust sound can, all should be happy here. Otherwise one builds just times completely fast into the E30 the thick 4.0 liter V8 in it… Then it also roars again additionally. The different Vehicles sound each in their unique sound and you can hear directly online, which engine is coming around the corner.
Together Heat is more fun – even in the test
And that is also important, because in Need for Speed Heat racers do not only compete single-handedly against the police of Palm City. Also together with friends the racer can be contested. The online mode is a mega extension to the normal story mode. Already in the main menu you can join a party and by pressing a button into a common online session launch. This works without any problems and provides even more playful possibilities on the streets of Palm City (by the way, based on Miami).
In itself it is online as offline. Only that one halt together the story or even share the chases at night can. Consolation for all who had to struggle solo with the crisp duels against the cops: Together with friends it escapes clearly more relaxed. So all in all, the online mode provides a lot of fun. In the test one catches oneself again and again with bad blood. And that is when you want to win against your own friends. Then it can happen that your colleague makes a spontaneous dive into the water and suddenly finds himself at the end of the field. The result: Delicious action with a sting of hate and rivalry. This is how it must be.
A lot helps a lot in Need for Speed Heat
Last but not least remains the question about the scope. How much game time can Need for Speed Heat expect? To put it in a nutshell: A whole lot. In Palm City there are always something to do. Besides the story missions there is again umpteen races to be completed independently to farm REP or money to master. In addition you can expect again six different collectibles search, which unlock a special car each time. So you can either glowing LED flamingos rivet, Speedtraps drive through or bspw. Driftchallenges master, that occur at certain sections on the map.
However, slight skepticism remains in the test whether the daily selectable challenges and the online mode keeps the long-term motivation high for so long can, until the next NFS part is tangible. Cars enough to tune and perfect are at least in the fleet of Need for Speed Heat Ready. For more variety away from the console, the companion app to the game is also available, which also includes quite a few of the in-game tuning options.
Conclusion: In the test Need for Speed Heat goes to the podium
The test shows: Need for Speed Heat is a extremely well done controller arcade racer, which is perfect for battling with your friends online. The Graphics and the controls turn out fantastic and let memories of the old NFS times boil up. The car does at any time (except when drifting), what you want it to do. Everyone who has been waiting for a Need for Speed since Carbon from 2006 with the strengths of the old parts is waiting, comes here fully at his expense. Many players immediately reach for the comparison between Heat. The extremely popular NFS Underground 2 (2005). The massive difference of 15 resp. 16 years, pull only conditionally. However Need for Speed Heat in any case a extremely good train for modern times. It trumps with Game fun, sound, graphics and above all the tuning scope with roaring engine on. Flaw in drifting and the somewhat sparse daily look Ensure that the best score fails to materialize. However, every tuner junkie will find a true paradise here, thanks to 127 different Cars entertained for a long time.
Purchase recommendation: Everyone who has only at least 100 octane in the blood or whose heart and kidneys are engines, comes to this Racer not past.
Need for Speed Heat has been available since 08. November 2019 on the launch line for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
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