Need for Speed

Need for Speed from 2015 was a reboot of the long-running arcade series, and on Xbox One it tried to combine the nighttime street racing scene with a cinematic presentation full of live-action actors. The player took on the role of a newcomer trying to make a name for himself among five legends of underground racing in the fictional nighttime city of Ventura Bay, watching live-action sequences between races featuring real actors and real personalities from the automotive and tuning scene, such as Magnus Walker or Ken Block, which gave the game an authentic feel and set it apart from purely animated competitors.

The game placed heavy emphasis on visual style and car customization – players could not only upgrade cars' performance but also modify their looks using an extensive editor for paint, decals, and body kits, which made it possible to create a practically unique car reflecting the player's personal style. The open world was designed to run in near-constant dusk and nighttime, giving the game its characteristic neon atmosphere inspired by classic entries in the series like Underground, to which the game openly paid homage. Races were divided into five styles based on the individual legends, from drifting through speed duels to free roaming the streets, with each style carrying its own leaderboard and rewards.

On Xbox One the game visually ranked among the best-looking racing titles of the generation, thanks to its detailed lighting model and reflections on wet asphalt, further accentuated by the constant nighttime darkness. Reviews at the time praised the atmosphere and customization but criticized the requirement of a constant online connection even for offline play, as well as excessively aggressive police chases. Even so, the game became a popular choice among arcade racing fans and is still remembered today as a worthy, if not flawless, return to the core of the series and its nighttime spirit.

Why play it: For arcade racing fans craving the series' nighttime spirit, Need for Speed offers atmosphere and customization on par with the best-looking titles of the generation, even though the constant online requirement annoyed offline players too.