Need for Speed Heat

Need for Speed Heat was released in 2019 under the direction of Ghost Games and on PC brought a return to tuning themes with a pronounced day-night cycle in the fictional city of Palm City, inspired by Miami. By day, the player drives legal circuit and sprint races for money needed to buy and upgrade cars, while by night they take part in illegal street races that bring reputation but also attract the attention of aggressive police willing to use harsher measures, including ramming vehicles and nighttime roadblocks in the streets. This division of day and night into two distinct game rhythms and economies was among the main new features of this installment and noticeably affected the risk level of individual activities.

Technically, the PC version used a more advanced version of the Frostbite engine, capable of rendering atmospheric transitions between sunset and neon-lit streets, as well as realistic reflections on painted bodywork in the rain on wet asphalt. The tuning system offered extensive options for visual and performance upgrades, and players could invest earned money and reputation separately, which supported different playstyles depending on the player's preference between caution and risk. A soundtrack made up of electronic and hip-hop music complemented the nighttime chases and underscored the contrast between safe daytime races and risky nighttime chases with police and rival racers from the area.

Heat was received as a successful return to the beloved tuning formula after previous entries that had moved away from the series' classic approach toward cinematic storytelling and a linear plot. The combination of daytime and nighttime activities and the emphasis on thrilling police chases placed it among the more popular entries of the series' last decade and showed that the tuning identity of Need for Speed still has a firm place with players today.

Why play it: The combination of daytime races and nighttime chases with the police makes it one of the most successful returns to the series' tuning identity in the past decade.