Need for Speed the Heat in the Test
You ask a die-hard motorists a perfect world to imagine, the result would be pretty much exactly like the Palm City – the scene of Need for Speed Heat: wide, well maintained roads, no pedestrians or cyclists, little traffic, physical rules of a different world, trees and other obstacles, which are about as solid as cardboard, and although it rains almost constantly in the news, never talk of “climate change”, “CO2 tax” or “Greta”. … Oh: and “world peace”! Gorgeous! At the end of the world of the new Need for Speed is flow, but no, in the Oil and honey. In fact, s is even quite fast fad in Heat. Why? Read more!
Ghost Games, the Swedish developer, which for the past six years, and four titles to the iconic game series around the effect of full lawn care may, wanted to Heat a kind of Best of Need for Speed to deliver an open world complete with numerous to-dos, legal, but also illegal races, car chases with the Cops and a Story. The formative idea of packing everything into a game: a clear-cut distinction between day and night. While you can rake in during the day, anywhere in the city with your tuned sled at official speed hunters-events with Victories, money earned in illegal ravings in the night, the respect of the local Tuner and racer scene. The again, it needs to have all the cars and parts unlock your the gained money your fleet can increase.
Speaking of fleet: 127 cars are included in the game. The selection of posh classics such as an Aston Martin DB5 enough about Tuning-icons ala Mazda RX-7, to top-modern Hyper cars like Ferrari FXX K Evo or the Lamborghini Miura SVJ Roadster. Yes, even SUV’s like the good, old Land Rover Defender have made it into the game. This wide range creates it quite well belie that the selection a whole lot less rich than, for example, in the case of Forza Horizon 4 (450). Still, at least I can forgive the brand to the right Department hard, that you didn’t get it done in addition to a few other manufacturers, especially Toyota in the boat. A Tuning-game without the possibility of a Supra-screw up – whether it’s old or new? Too bad. Especially since the Tuning-Part is basically the absolute Highlight of the whole game, provided the necessary personal enthusiasm, of course. To assemble, in addition to the previously well-known, extensive modifications of aprons, hoods, sills, lights, Grills and the option of under-floor lighting, or to peck to your heart’s content Decals to be freely painted car, can now be tuned even the sound of the Engine by means of four sliders fine. Since the gasoline brother, the heart is laughing.
Physics follows function
Need for Speed Heat has no time to claim, away from the presence of the gravity also close to the known rules of physics to hold. Drifting about to happen here pleasant dorks in a direction, short throttle, and again by the press. Voila! The cross carriage is – each. Also, the driving performance of the cars were not strictly the game’s built-in performance index System subordinate; even if the result seems very conclusive. So it can happen, therefore, that a 400 HP car can be going uphill on a mountain road at 160 km/h faster. At least for me, reason enough for a strictly up-drawn eyebrow.
The same facial expression the game for the Lack of a Cockpit view and a Replay feature, as well as the non-existing support for steering wheels earned. Also, the design of the over the whole world distributed Events, some question was made worthy decision: That, for example, the lines of the “official races” from and through closed barriers or gates, is ignoring easy to. There is, however, only a recommendation for the performance class in a race, but no upper limit, is at least a Problem, if you activate the Multiplayer component of the game. There, it can happen that you get in a car with a performance index of 200 in a suitable and designated race, but from other pilots with the “400 cars” in the ground is moved. Fortunately, you can decide, but the game completely solo tackle Online forced there is no.
Full and yet empty
As in the past, a brief mention is the generously sized world of Need for Speed Heat full to the brim with all sorts of “do-cash”: radar fall-through heat, drift zones for Smoke, billboards to jump Through, ramps to fly Far, Graffiti tracing (for car use) and Flamingos to Hit (plastic, of course) step by step to ensure that the overview map of Miami inspired Palm City, soon to Burst fully appears. Mainly because in addition, of course, many races are waiting for you. These are divided into “races”, in which it usually goes to High-Speed, “streets”Events, which are also sharper curves need to be driven “off-road”events, mainly cross country and “Drift”Competitions, which must probably be explained in more detail. Except in the case of the Drift Events you compete always against AI drivers. A rubber-band AI, the developers have dispensed with fortunately. Very impressive, the opponents are still not. The AI pilots usually follow butt your line games such as Forza Horizon or GRID, where in each case a very intense race is offered, have proved that the nowadays better.
Just Forza , it has also managed the casual boards through the world significantly more interesting than Need for Speed, the Heat of the case. There are only other pilots around cruising and can be challenged, also makes drifting and/or things not only fun, but also make sense, as it points to the level-up. Here, it is not. Even the world of Forza Horizon 4 in comparison to the Need for Speed, the Heat is significantly more lively and interesting. Therefore, the fast travel function, and soon your best friend in Heat. So you can’t jump wherever you want, but at least to the rather generously distributed to garages and dealers in the game.
The only thing that Heat to the current part of Forza Horizon irrefutable voraushat, are, of course, the Cops. While these can you day almost completely alone (only if one drives you in, make you hunting a), pull of the Night, the velvet gloves off and chase you with all the Power – which, incidentally, is also the fulcrum of the but, unfortunately, the rather tedious Story of the game is. As usual, your “Heat rises in the course of a night after a-Level”. While you so at the beginning, just boring strip chasing, car chasing, the situation towards the end escalates to helicopter operations and nail bands. Unfortunately, the clashes with the Cops, but also far from perfect. The Balancing is completely wrong. This is mainly due to the fact that here again the odious “AI rubber-band” comes in. When this breaks, can often appear completely arbitrary. There is a chase after seconds passed, and the same the next time you hang on, the Cops at the very most as a mutant super fly. At this point, a little tip: as long as you have no Heli, tried during a chase just one of the many water control and injected straight. At least for me, occasionally entering a result, You respawned on the shore, the Cops from boozing. “ESCAPED”. Thank you.
The worse, the better
We come finally to the technology. All in all, Need for Speed, the Heat , unfortunately, no optical Board, become the it with the often-cited Forza Horizon 4 can accommodate. It definitely has its moments. The magic word here is: special effects! Not for nothing is it raining in Palm City almost constantly. While Need for Speed Heat so in the sunshine at a standstill still rather average looks, it can in the rain, in the night, during a chase with the Cops, thanks to all of the mirror-lung, Refractions and particle effects as a visual treat to be referred – you can just used the Frostbite Engine. Well, that at least the PS4 Pro that I used for the Test, but also never breaking a sweat. The Sound is also not from bad parents. The engine sounds crisp and authentic, and the Soundtrack is in tune with it … but, unfortunately, the style of Rap and co. limited. I’ve had almost a bad Conscience constantly Forza Horizon 4 to mention, but there was now also better resolved. The Keyword “Radio Station”. But hey: that’s what your here your Avatar can upgrade with a huge selection of garments. Also cool … or so. Well, at least there’s no Lootboxen.
CONCLUSION
Need for Speed Heat is better than feared but not as good as hoped. The optical Tuning is unrivaled, the graphics in bad weather to see value, the Handling is fun, the racing action is good and the size as well. Fans of Tuning and fun racing Action can strike. Simulation Fans should, of course, be careful to use the Finger from the game.
What is Need for Speed, the Heat is? An Arcade racing game with a focus on Tuning and car chases with Cops.
Platforms: PS4, XBox One, PC
Tested: PS4 Pro
Developer / Publisher: Ghost Games / EA
Release: 8. November 2019
Link: Official Website
