Windows Phone 7 review: Need for Speed Undercover
Unfortunately for Windows Phone 7, one of the most impressive-looking games on the platform at launch happens to be a port of a year-old iPhone game. EA's racing game is one of the few 3D games on the platform right now, and its high-speed action and buttery smooth framerate make it one of the best technical showcases on the device.
Thankfully, Undercover isn't just pretty looks. It actually has some depth, featuring a full career (cheesy live action cutscenes included!) and car customization options. It's not as fully featured as its console counterparts, but it certainly feels far more meaty than most cell phone games.
The controls will be hit-or-miss for most, as accelerometer-based racing tends to lack the responsiveness that a standard control pad offers. Undercover does a good job of accounting for that, with an easy-to-access slow-mo feature. Still, with oncoming traffic and competition, you'll wish you had a better handling of your car. Perhaps the form factor simply doesn't lend itself to anything better.
Ultimately, Need for Speed is a rather by-the-numbers affair on mobile devices, but that's to be expected considering the limitations of the platform. In spite of its lack of inspiration, everything else is solid. Given the impressive production values and the variety of content, it's easy to recommend.
See also: Windows Phone 7 launch games reviews hub
This review is based on a retail Samsung Focus provided by Microsoft and AT&T.
