Gameplay Review: Need for Speed Heat game

Need for Speed Heat game is bringing back the classic arcade racing. The new installment of the series is ushering in the return of the series with its core DNA. For the last couple of years, Need for Speed was suffering to find its identity now it is finally back on track. It is not the most amazing racing game but it is still a good Need for Speed. The series is a huge leap forward compared to Payback. The game has exceeded my expectations. Don’t get me wrong, it still needs some improvements but it is a good Need for Speed in quite some time. It is the old style racing game that we all love. If you miss the old NFS then it is finally time for you to experience the rush again.

The developers of the game have said that it is the spiritual successor of Need for Speed Underground. The DNA of Underground is evident in the game along with some elements of Most wanted. I think the combination of these two great games is setting a good direction for the series. There are no microtransactions in the game which is something we all been looking for in an NFS game. Finally, they are making it a racing game once again and not some wannabe racing game.

The Setting of Need for Speed Heat Game is Wonderful Addition and Shares its Core DNA with Underground

Need for Speed Heat game take place in Palm city which is a fictional city that feels like Miami with little inspiration from San Francisco. There are neon lights in the city which shows us the elements of NFS Underground. The city is good but it’s even better in the night time or rain. In the night neon light are visible which gives a euphoric feeling. Palm city in the night comes to life and the core DNA of previous NFS games becomes visible. Rain is an important element of the game because it enhances the aesthetics of the city. With rain, Palm city looks astonishing even in the day time when there are no neon lights. They really put a great effort into creating a beautiful world for a racing game.

The most important aspect of the setting is the fact that most items in the maps are destructible.  Trees, stone walls and other such stuff can’t stop your car. This is a great addition because in previous NFS games most items would stop your car in its tracks. Destructibility of the environment gives a realistic feeling to the game. However, you still need to keep eyes on your car condition because you can destroy it if you are not careful. Need for Speed Heat game is an open world and the execution of the open-world idea is flawed. This is not the problem of this game but rather all other open-world racing games because you can’t just put NPCs in a racing game. Random NPCs can complicate things in a racing game. The city in Need for Speed Heat game seems devoid of life.

The Plot is Just another Wannabe Fast and Furious

There is not much when it comes to the plot of Need for Speed Heat game. In the beginning, you will have a choice to pick one of the pre-existing characters. There is no character creation and it seems like they are following Anthem in that Regard. However, the plot this time is helping in creating a perfect environment for racing. The story is better than Payback but it is not a great one. In the end, it is a racing game so no one was expecting a story-driven narrative. Most of you will play it because it is bringing back the Need for Speed that we all love.

Need for Speed Heat game Offers Two Different Experiences in One Package

There is the concept of the day and night races in the game. These cycles not only change the environment but also the entire purpose of the game. At day time you will partake in legal races to earn some cash. This cash can be used as a currency to purchase new upgrades, cosmetics, and new cars. Basically, the cash you earn in the day time is the currency of the game.  There is no story in the day time and most of the time races feel like Pro Street. The night time is totally different. You will be able to progress the story at night. The night time will also help you unlock new upgrades and cars. At night time you will take parts in illegal races and activities to earn rap points.

You will have the ability to change night and day time at will. This cycle does not depend on time but rather your own choice. Basically, you will be spending the cash to buy stuff that you have unlocked using rep points of the night time. The manual shift of day and night gives you control over the progression. If you are short on cash then shift to day time. If you want to unlock new upgrades and cars then shift to night mode.  This manual sift gives you control and lets you decide your own progression pace.

There is a level cap in the game. At night you will be earning rep points to level up so that you can unlock new updates and cars. Once you reach level 50 the progression of levels will stop. Level 50 is the level cap of the game. After that, the motivation to do anything at night is gone.

Cops Chasing is Thrilling but the Lack of Car Combat Makes it Less Interesting

In Need for Speed Heat game, the cops are aggressive. They will keep chasing you and ramming you as long as they are after you. The aggressiveness of cops is thrilling which makes the cops chase and interesting element of the game. The more you raise the heat level the more aggressive will be the cops. You will also get the reward in the form of rep points for the survival against aggressive cops which will multiply with survival time. However, if you get busted or wracked in the night you will lose all the earned rep points of that night along with some cash. Busting or wrecking can really hurt you because it will take away your hard earn cash and rep points.

Damage Add Realism but it Takes Away Car Combat That We All love

Cops evasion, in Need for Speed Heat, is thrilling and difficult at the same time. There is a damage meter in the game, so your car can only take a certain amount of damage. Once the damage meter is empty then your car will be wracked. There is also a busting timer which makes the chase all the more difficult. You not only have to avoid damage but also busting time. I mean the busting should have been damage dependent. Like once your damage meter is empty, then you get busted. You can also repair your cars during a chase by passing through a gas station but these repair chances are limited.

The cop chasing mechanics of the game is random. There are no specific spawn points in the map or race. Cops can appear out of nowhere and this appearance is not a controlling factor but rather random. The inclusion of damage takes away the car combat because you can’t hit a car constantly. No matter who hits who once your damage meter runs out then it’s over.

The Variety of Vehicles is good and the Amount of Upgrades is Insanely Huge

There are many cars in the game. Most of the cars from Payback are back along with some more verity. The amount of vehicles you can find in The Need for Speed Heat is insane. Ferrari is back in the series along with some classic cars. Upgrades in the game are insanely vast. Nearly every part of a car can be customized or upgraded. The upgrade system reminds me a lot about the Need for Speed games that we all love. The upgrade part alone is a great improvement for the series. EA Games seem to be taking gaming serious once again.

You can also customize exhausts to your liking. It’s not just about the shape of exhaust but the way it ejects nitro as well. This time you will also have a chance to change the dress of your character. Customization of character is not useful but it is there. There are no more cards in the game. This time upgrading your vehicle does not depend on luck or shady practice. You can just buy parts of your car to upgrade. There is no need to draw a card and hope for the best or pay for the best. You can even make your initial car a beast through engine swapping.

There are also active and passive upgrades along with normal upgrades. These upgrades give an extra boost to your car without the use of specific parts. Active upgrades can give you boast refills or some other direct improvements. Passive upgrades improve the performance of a specific part such as tire, brake, etc.

Driving Mechanics of the Cars are the Same but There Are Some Major Changes.

Drifting is different this time because you can shift between classic drifting and a new way of drifting. The default drifting depends on acceleration and brakes are not needed. In the default style of drifting, you have to take a turn, leave acceleration and then press the acceleration key once again to start a drift. This new style of drifting can be better or worse depending on how you drive.  You can also turn on the classic drift of brakes and tune drifting on the go.

NFS Heat you don’t need different cars for different purposes. There are no races for different classes of cars. You can just tune your car for different races without changing it. Even one car can be used for all types of races. Just install the parts for a specific race in your car and you are good to go.

Need for Speed Heat is an Offline Game with An Online Mode and No Microtransactions

This time Need for Speed is offline. You can complete the entire game without using the online mode of the game. It is just an extra feature of the game that is there to keep the game alive for some time. The multiplayer of the game does not offer interesting gameplay. You might not even access it and complete the whole game. In my opinion that part of the game is totally forgettable. If developers don’t add something good to the multiplayer then the game might die in three to five months.

There are no microtransactions or loot boxes on the game at this point. They might add them later but right now this is the situation. EA Games has distant themselves from this shady practice, at least right now. I think once the multiplayer starts to attract players we will see microtransactions popping up. According to the officials, the NFS Heat won’t have loot boxes so that a relief. Ghost Games is going in the right direction with this game. Heat is their fist good Need for Speed game. The future of the franchise seems bright if they keep on the same path.

Is it Your Type of Game?

With Need for Speed Heat, the famous racing franchise is back on track. It is not a great racing game but it is a good Need for Speed game. At least it is better than most racing games. Heat brings back the series to classic arcade-style racing that revolutionized racing games. Developers not only improved stuff but also added some, which is something that series was lacking for some time.

If you are looking for a game with good racing mechanics then Need for Speed Heat might the game for you. If you are loved the classic Need for Speed games then it might still be a game for you. In case you are looking for a game with a good setting, car chases and good upgrades then it is still the game for you. If you are looking for car combat then the game might disappoint you. In short, it is a game for all the people that like racing games.