NFS UNBOUND

The next generation of gaming consoles demands an all-new Need For Speed game and EA has responded with the arrival of the newest installment of the hit racing franchise that blends racing action with artistic expression and high-risk thrills.

NFS UNBOUND (PS5)

NFS UNBOUND (XBOX Series X)

NFS UNBOUND is the newest installment of the Need For Speed franchise where street racing is a work of art in a new urban setting where the stakes are high for those who dare to challenge. 

Taking place in Lakeshore City, a fictional take on the streets of Chicago, NFS UNBOUND pits players on a high-stakes challenge where they are making money by racing and then surviving intense cop chases. The risks have never been this intense because the more you race, the more heat it builds, and when it gets high, be prepared to take on powerful forms of law enforcement that will hunt you and your ride down. Get busted and all of your savings are gone. You've been warned.

In solo-player story mode, you are assuming the role of a driver who is taking on The Grand in order to reclaim the ride that was taken away by an old friend who betrayed you two years ago. The Grand is a high-stakes tournament where you will need four cars to enter. The prize? One million dollars. Winner takes all.

Before taking on The Grand, you must first take on the weekly qualifiers. You have Sunday to Friday to rack up some funding for the buyout, tune up your car to the required class, and prepare. It's not going to be an easy task because with the cops hunting you, powerful rival drivers to take on, and a four-week time limit, best to plan ahead because one huge mistake will cost your chances. Stay alert, stay fast, and stay alive if you are willing to take on The Grand.

Time is money, so you need to find various ways to make money and survive the whole day to bank them, whatever it takes. In races, you'll have a feature to place bets against rivals. If you are feeling confident, you can place a bet against a powerful rival. It's a risk you'll take but taking risks is the main mantra of this game.

There are various racing events to take on; circuit racing, sprint racing, duel, podium race, drift event, and of course, The Takeover. The Takeover is where you'll show off your driving moves; drifting, jumping, and smashing targets. The higher the combo, the better the score so keep the combo alive if you want to win the Takeover.

Aside from racing, there are other ways to make money such as delivery missions from timed events where you'll be racing against the clock to high-heat delivery missions where you'll escape the cops and get to the destination with the car nearly intact. There will be random occurrences where you will be helping a distressed driver get to their safe house while evading the cops. Successfully clearing it will earn you a new safe house to hide away from the cops and call it a day.

While retaining the driver personalization from Heat, where you can dress in various clothing from top brands, UNBOUND features a wide selection of cars available. Tuners, muscles, exotics, they have it all in one place, unless you have a decent amount of cash to spend it. Of course, while you are afraid to spend one because you'll need some funding for the qualifier buyout, don't fret because there are some events where you can win a new car. Of course, the buyout's expensive but if you win, you can totally keep it if you can survive the night from the long arm of the law.

While tuning your car is the main priority to get an edge for The Grand, you can personalize it with body kits, wheels, paints, vinyl wraps, exhaust sounds, and vanity items. In UNBOUND, you can add some driving effects such as Tags and Samples to make some noise and graffiti come to life in your ride. Some say there are some cars that can be kitted with Legendary Customs, which features an ultra-unique body kit that stands out from the rest.

The sound of music is the sound of speed and NFS UNBOUND features an original soundtrack by Brodinski as well as a playlist of hip-hop and rap music, including a world premiere of A$AP Rocky's new song. Mind you, A$AP Rocky's making an appearance in the game as a rival character driving his customized Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16, the hero car of NFS UNBOUND. Some say if you can beat A$AP Rocky in a duel, he'll lend you the keys to his Mercedes. If you are itching to drive the game's cover car, this is your opportunity.

If you've enjoyed story mode, you can enjoy online multiplayer action, which is sadly separated from the solo-player story mode. While retaining its open-world element, players can take on a series of playlists to show the world who's the fastest. Of course, you can still get exposed to a cop chase if you're caught but hey, crossing paths has never been this intense in online multiplayer. Anything happens.

UNBOUND has proven itself to be the most intense installment of the franchise because by retaining everything we love about Need For Speed; the street racing action, cop chases, and an array of fast cars, while mixing it with artistic expressions, high-stakes gambling, and a hip-hop playlist to boot it, you'll get yourself hooked to UNBOUND. This is the art of driving with a thrilling mix of "run for the money" and this is how NFS UNBOUND rolls.