Preview: Need for Speed Hot Pursuit
Hot Pursuit is the latest in the Need for Speed series. This time EA has handed the development reins over to Criterion, the good people behind Burnout Paradise. The Newb Review’s Tom Wallis was lucky enough to be invited along to check out the head-to-head online multiplayer mode.
Hot Pursuit brings a new mechanic to the arcade racing genre, this time focussing on cop cars versus racers. The crux of the gameplay revolves around either chasing down a racer, or being chased by a cop. This mode is online only, but was something of a breath of fresh air compared to straight racers like Blur that we’ve seen lately. Whilst the premise is simple, tactics really come into play as the racer must use the terrain to gain an advantage and get away.
Added strategy comes into play with the power ups on offer. Once charged, the cop can call in a road block to assist in slowing down the assailant. Meanwhile the racer can employ a radio jammer to disorientate the cop and make a swift getaway. One of the lead designers showed how this could create an advantage by frequently doubling back whilst engaging the jammer to lose the cop car.
Whilst there was only one power up on offer at this stage, the end product will feature at least four. Unfortunately I couldn’t drag out what these would be as the developer stayed particularly tight lipped about the feature.
When you first take control of the cars they seem to handle sluggishly. However, once you get used to the little nuances of the racing style, such as breaking to perform sharper corners, driving becomes a lot more intuitive. As an arcade racer, one would expect the handling of such exotic super cars to be a bit lighter than they are at this stage, however the designers stressed that this preview is to show off the game mode rather than the driving mechanics, and the final game will feel quite different.
Road blocks are currently the main power up to slow your escape...
Graphically the game is looking polished even with this relatively early build. Terrains are varied and vibrant, but it’s with the cars that the graphics really come into their own. There were two Lamborghini’s on offer with this build; the Reventon as a cop or a bright yellow Murcielago as a racer; and each looks just as beautiful as the real thing.
The map seems to be very much in the spirit of previous Need for Speed instalments such as Most Wanted and Carbon. Whilst Hot Pursuit clearly moves away from the cityscapes of earlier titles, various terrains are on offer including winding forest tracks, mountains and deserts. Each links together seamlessly, however a gripe from the old games seems to have returned; certain areas are not accessible at the start, which is fine, but the mechanic for refusing entry is a huge red light banner that takes away somewhat from the more realistic graphical elements.
... A poorly placed roadblock can slow yourself down as a cop
The notion of Criterion making a game about Cops and Racers can be seen as flying a little too close to their expansion of Burnout Paradise. Whilst it’s true that both contain cops versus racers gameplay, as far as I can tell the comparisons end there. Whilst the DLC for Burnout was fun, it only ever felt like an add-on. Hot Pursuit on the other hand feels like a stand alone game that could have some very interesting single and multiplayer modes.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is set for release in November 2010. If Criterion deliver like we know they can, this will be one to watch out for.
- Tom Wallis
im pretty much sold.