The desire to earn back a car I made and felt an attachment to in the prologue made me stick around to the end. I found myself actively wanting to do a lot of racing and car deliveries to earn money while avoiding cops when I had high Heat so I didn’t lose it all. Players are motivated throughout the four-week day and night cycle as they race to make enough money to participate in each Qualifier and The Grand. These personal customizations make it all the more frustrating (in a good way) when the car is taken away. Even the player character is customizable with poses and unique branded clothing this time around.

Like its predecessors, this installment features an incredibly detailed customization system that allows players to adjust minor details and add small, personal touches to every vehicle they own. It’s a clever narrative hook that builds upon the many systems that make up Need for Speed Unbound. After a two-year time jump, Need for Speed Unbound follows the player as they earn money and build up credibility in Lakeshore City’s underground racing scene so they can eventually challenge Jasmine in a series of races called The Grand to take the car back. The main motivation of Need for Speed Unbound is getting your first car back after your foster care sibling, Jasmine, surprisingly betrays you. During this gap between Gran Turismo 7 and next spring’s Forza Motorsport, this open-world racer refuels a series that has been running on fumes.

Need for Speed Unbound is surprisingly challenging, making each race important and engaging, and it has a lot of style. The racer eventually hits its limits due to sometimes cringe-inducing writing and repetitive objects, but the ride there packs in a lot of fun.

This surprisingly strong narrative hook kicked off Need for Speed Unbound, which turns out to be a pleasant surprise despite its series’ recent struggles and a muted marketing campaign.

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