Need for Speed Unbound reviewed by Luke Reilly on Xbox Series X. Also available on PlayStation 5 and PC.
“When the rubber hits the road it’s evident Need for Speed Unbound hasn’t strayed very far from the fundamentals of 2019’s Heat. This is a little surprising following the series’ shift back to Criterion – a studio that has traditionally had a very distinct style of its own – although it isn’t a bad thing considering Heat was a welcome splash of gas for a franchise that was close to running on fumes. Unbound should, however, turn heads thanks to its bold new animated characters and special effects. Despite the odd juxtaposition between its traditional graphics and the cartoon-inspired flourishes, they are strikingly well done and make for an instantly recognisable instalment of this 28-year-old series. However, while the car customisation tools are as expressive as ever, it does feel unlikely that older players will be able to connect with the single-player mode’s preening cast of entitled chuckleheads, and unfortunately the separate online mode is currently missing core features like cops.”
