GameSurge - Computer game preview - Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed

Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed

reviewed by Chaplum “Chaps Ralph Lauren” Chu


	Developer: EA Publisher: EA Genre: Racing System Requirements Minimum: Win9x Pentium 200Mhz or faster processor 32MB RAM 4X CD-ROM 150MB HD Space Direct 7.0 Hardware accelerated D3D compatible video card with 4MB RAM Soundcard with DirectSound support Recommended: Pentium III 450 64 MB RAM 16MB Video Card Reviewer’s AMD Athlon 700 128MB RAM Geforce DDR Diamond MX300 Viewsonic P815

Story

The game engine has been entirely redone this time around to include a 4-point physics model to capture the unique feel that you get from each of the different cars. The graphics are stunning; the screenshots just don’t do this game justice. You have to view this game at 1024x768x32 with everything turned on to enjoy the lavish scenery, curvy Porsches, and spectacular weather effects.

Wow! What else can I say? The graphics are very realistic and beautiful. Levels are detailed with waterfalls, cliffs, trees, and photo-realistic backdrops. Each level has its own mood, which is stunning. The cars are modeled very nicely and look exactly like their real life counterparts. In past NFS games, the cockpit wasn’t a thing of beauty, but I can now say that this time they actually put some effort into it. Although not entirely realistic, it is much better than ones in the past were.

Let me remind you people that the racing genre is a very crowded one and it’s the little things that set NFS apart from the competition. When you shift gears in cockpit mode, you see the driver’s hand reach out and shift. When you’re driving along the sea in real life you don’t just see water, you see boats. In one level, there is a long stretch of road that is right by the ocean and you can see two big ocean-liners with clear transparent water effects. I just wanted to stop my Boxter and admire the scenery. Like I mentioned before, the screenshots don’t do the graphics justice.

I was really impressed with the sound on my Aureal sound card. The engine sounds are extremely realistic which is about the only sound I noticed during the game. But that’s a good thing, sounds shouldn’t stand out, they should complement the game. When I listened carefully, I could hear the slush of the snow when my tires slipped, the scratching of my car when I was way too close to a wall, and the sweet sound of my tires spinning and my engine revving when I’m spinning out from overturning.

There are 27 different tunes that you can cruise to in Porsche Unleashed. It’s a mixture of techno, and dance music that really gets your juices flowing. I find that this style suits the game perfectly as it promotes high speed with a steady beat. The quality of these songs are very good, meaning that it’s not the work of amateurs. Although strongly influenced by the UK club scene, I found the tunes to be very enjoyable outside of the game. They are available for download at www.needforspeed.com/porsche

First thing I have to admit is that I didn’t like this game the first time I played it. The controls felt all weird and everything seemed really slow even though I was chugging along at 120km/h. But let me tell you something, this game really grows on you the more you play it. I’m a gamer that likes games that are fun and I can really get addicted to games and therefore my standards are extremely high. For me, Quake3 and StarCraft is garbage (no flame mail please). So when I recommend a game, it has to really impress me in a big way.

First thing I noticed was that the controls didn’t feel right. Some of you won’t notice it if you don’t play High Stakes a lot but I did. It felt sticky yet it was responsive. In High Stakes, it felt like your car kind of glided over the surface, but in Porsche Unleashed, the sticky feeling is actually how your Porsche is hugging the road. Once you get used to this, it’s hard to go back.

Another thing that impressed me was the different game-modes that are included in Porsche Unleashed. You can join the Porsche Factory Testing Crew where you can test out many different Porsches under different conditions. Factory Driver is a mission based gameplay style where you start off as junior test driver and build up your reputation to get promoted. Missions include doing test runs such as 360-degree spins, delivering Porsches to customers (without scratching them of course, and on time), navigate through obstacle courses, and drag race to beat the clock. If you play Factory Driver, be prepared for a challenge. Each mission gets progressively more difficult than the last. Missions that are especially hard are ones that require you to deliver Porsches unscratched. While this may not seem difficult to those that have not tried it before, picture this; Your boss wants you to deliver a Porsche Boxster in MINT condition to the docks where it will be picked up. Seems easy you think, but then he tells you that the boat is leaving in 3 minutes. No problem. You get on the road and suddenly you realize that you’re dodging cars left and right while going at 200km/h. If that’s not bad enough, the cops start chasing you then the road suddenly starts getting curvier. And by the time you reach the docks in perfect condition marveling at how you dodged all those cars, the time reads 3:10. Better luck next time!

For those of you that are into tweaking and modifying cars, Porsche Evolution is what you should be playing. This is another game-mode where you build a career that revolves around the Porsche. You start off with a little cash to buy your first car. When you win races, you are rewarded with money, which in turn can be used to repair or upgrade your car. There are over 700 parts from which you can choose from the Official Porsche Catalogue.

Another thing that could be just a rumor is that the Hot Pursuit game mode is back. It requires that you beat the last mission in Factory Driver on your first time and that you finish Porsche Evolution with $100,000,000 (correct me if I’m wrong here). While this is great, I find that the cops in the normal game are more than enough to handle. This time around, the cops are suddenly faster and smarter. Most of the time, you’ll be able to blow right by them, but watch out ‘cause I swear they’ve got some nitro stashed somewhere. They’ll starting chasing you and fishtailing you if you’re not careful. This is extremely annoying when you’re trying to deliver those Porsches in mint condition.

If you’ve never played NFS before and want to try it, this is the best place to start. If you’ve played NFS before you’ve got to give this game a chance, it’ll blow you away. And, if you’re the type of gamer who likes to tinker with their cars and likes a wide variety of choices with realistic game modes, this is also the game for you. And of course, if you love Porsches, you’ve got to get this game. I must admit, I’ve always loved BMWs for their sexy look and high performance, but I suddenly have a place in my heart for Porsches.

· Amazing Graphics
· Great soundtrack
· Realistic controls
· High Replayability

The only flaw in this game was that it wasn’t tested enough. Although this is becoming the normal practice of software developers, it has to stop somewhere. You’re probably wondering what I’m complaining about since I wrote such a positive review about this game. Well, this game most definitely wasn’t tested with a GeForce DDR as many people are getting bad frame rates at certain areas in the game with a GeForce. You’re probably all saying “whatever, man, 30 FPS isn’t slow.” No, we’re not talking 40 FPS, try somewhere around 20 @ 1024x768x16. For a game that is all about speed, I find this very disappointing since I’m not exactly one with a mediocre system. I hope EA gets their act together and software companies take note because gamers are demanding more and more and if you don’t deliver, you’ll end up paying for it in the long run.