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Need for Speed: Most Wanted puts the 'car' in carnage
There's not an iota of Tonto in this non-live-action launch trailer for Need for Speed: Most Wanted, but we'll forgive that oversight just this once. But we'll never forget.
Need For Speed: Most Wanted gameplay video is in hot pursuit
This gameplay trailer for Need for Speed: Most Wanted shows a full race in which the driver navigates the city of Fairhaven to outpace his opponent (yes, similar to Criterion's Burnout series). Need for Speed: Most Wanted is scheduled to launch October 30 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.
NFS: Most Wanted's Kinect support detailed, lets you talk to your car
Need for Speed: Most Wanted's Kinect functionality is tied to the game's mods. A gameplay video earlier this year teased support for the Xbox 360 add-on, and today Criterion outlined how it works with the equipment and upgrades you fit your car with.No, there are no invisible steering wheels, and yes, it's voice-controlled stuff. Just as you would in a real car, by saying commands like 'Mods, Nitrous, Burn Nitrous' you can equip your vehicle with whichever mod you need, while you're on the go. No, we don't know if the car talks back, but we'll all find out when the game comes out on October 30.
Drive whatever car you fancy in Need for Speed: Most Wanted ... if you can find it, that is
As if driving through pictures of your friends on billboards weren't enough to get you exploring the open world of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, perhaps finding lavish sports cars will sway you. Criterion's betting on exactly that, as seen in the latest trailer.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted to ditch traditional car unlocks, let you smash your friend's face
In Criterion's upcoming Need for Speed: Most Wanted, every car in the game will be available almost immediately, executive producer Matt Webster said during EA's Gamescom press event today. Webster asked the crowd why players can't just choose any car they want at the beginning of a game, saying that the only thing holding developers back is 20 years of tradition. "An open world game deserves an open game structure," he said, adding that "if you can find it, you can drive it." Adding to the open nature of Most Wanted's progression, unlocking upgrades for a specific car is as easy as driving it.Another Most Wanted feature involves competing with your friends. The team at Criterion thought it would be great to show which of your friends have made the best jump in a given area, for example. The solution, just slap up an in-game billboard of your friend's face. If you want to break your buddy's record, all you have to do is smash right through his or her face (as illustrated by the about-to-be-obliterated image of Peter Moore's mug seen above).Furthermore, a feature called CloudCompete will allow players to track their friends activity and earn multiplayer points across multiple devices, including iOS, PC, Mac, Vita and consoles.Need for Speed: Most Wanted will launch on October 30 in North America and on November 1 in Europe.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted's pretty cars with dirty faces
Need for Speed: Most Wanted features a bunch of very fast, very pretty cars. As it turns out, when those cars go real fast, they get pretty banged up. Also, some short cuts of dubstep play for some reason. We don't quite understand the latter effect, but the former just makes 'em look kinda rugged.
Latest Need for Speed: Most Wanted video hints at Kinect support
A recent gameplay video walkthrough for Need for Speed: Most Wanted includes a pack shot for a Kinect-supported Xbox 360 version. Since Kinect integration for the game has yet to be revealed, we've contacted EA for more information. In the meantime, feel free to check out the gameplay video.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted limited edition and pre-order bonuses revealed
Much to nobody's surprise, Need for Speed: Most Wanted will have an initial limited edition run, offering bonus in-game incentives for early adopters. Pre-ordering Need for Speed: Most Wanted is the only way to get the limited edition, which unlocks the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale and Porsche 911 Carrera S for early use in multiplayer, and gives players double speed points throughout their first four hours of multiplayer.Depending on where you pre-order Need for Speed: Most Wanted, you'll also get to choose between three different booster packs: speed, power or strike. The Speed pack grants players the Caterham Superlight R500, along with the Track Tyres and Lightweight Chassis mods for improved handling and top speed. The Power pack includes the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor with Reinforced Chassis and Nitrous Dump mods for greater damage sustainability and for "making tight jumps and powered up takedowns." Finally, the Strike pack includes a Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series with Powertrain and Re-inflating Tyre mods for improved torque and acceleration, and greater ability to withstand rival takedown attempts.If you want to snag a limited edition copy of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, you'll need to pre-order by October 30.
Need for Speed now officially Criterion's baby
Criterion VP Alex Ward revealed that the company took over the Need for Speed series in an interview at E3 with GameInformer. Noting that the franchise will see "strong Criterion involvement" going forward, Ward said that he will be "personally involved in how the cars drive, how the game will play out, how connected they are, and what the features are.""It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it – it's definitely a Criterion gig now," he said.Regarding the variety in Need For Speed titles and features (such as Hot Pursuit, Shift, and Most Wanted), Ward added, "I think it would be amazing in the future if there was one big game that had all of these in it. That would be amazing."
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a secret return to Paradise
It makes sense for EA to call its new racing game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It's spent multiple titles and a lot of money shoring up the Need for Speed brand on all kinds of platforms, and while the Most Wanted series (known for racing from an underground perspective) isn't the strongest, it's about time EA released another game bearing that title. And after the success with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, it's not surprising that Criterion's been given the task of making it.But just a few seconds with this game reveals a deeper truth: This is really a secret message from Criterion to its fans, funneled through EA's branding channels. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is an open-world racer in a beautiful city. It's full of various events, environmental features to find, and a social backend that's full of information and ways to connect and compete with fellow players.In other words, it's Burnout Paradise 2.%Gallery-157681%
Criterion tracks a lot of things with Autolog
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is playable on the show floor here at E3 (and we'll have a full preview later on this week), but what interested us most about the demo here is what's up above. There's a circle of eight screens running the game in EA's booth, and above that is a little leaderboard that's constantly updating with the Autolog stats of those racing below. EA used some Need for Speed (and Criterion) specific terms for player names, so "Paradise," "Undrgrnd," and "Need4Spd" are all players. The level of granularity is really shocking: Criterion is tracking everything from "Speed Points" earned (which is the main leaderboard stat being tracked during the demo) to whether a player is crashing or racing, and even their speed or if they're using boost at any given moment. All of this is being tracked in real-time, and it's then being pumped into a dynamic web page (you can just barely see the browser URL at the top). This is a setup specifically for this E3 installation – obviously, you won't usually be watching a web page while playing Need for Speed: Most Wanted. But this little leaderboard does show just how much information Criterion is keeping track of with Autolog in the game. Every single element of your racing will be watched and number crunched in real time.
Buckle up for Need for Speed: Most Wanted gameplay
Words are great – we've built an entire website on 'em – but sometimes you need visuals to help you, uh, visualize stuff. So go ahead and check out some Need for Speed: Most Wanted gameplay, embedded here in this very post. After all, it is Mike Schramm's most wanted game of E3 and he does not toss around such praise lightly.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted pulls into retail on October 30 [Update: PC, iOS and Android ports, Limited Edition confirmed]
It wasn't much of a surprise, but EA officially pulled the wraps off (again) on Need for Speed: Most Wanted, the latest from UK's Criterion Studios. It's the follow-up to the outfit's previous take on the Need for Speed franchise, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit – with an open world.A gameplay demo showcased the new open world, and even gave us a glimpse of Porsche, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Dodge whips, the titular "most wanted" rides the player will be tasked with collecting. Also: beautiful slow-motion crashes ala Burnout.Update: EA just sent us a press release, detailing a special-run Limited Edition version (just like Hot Pursuit) of the game, which packs in "double speed points, custom liveries, pre-customized rollouts and two vehicles: the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale and Porsche 911 Carrera S." Also, ports are coming to PC, iOS and Android – find more details in the press release past the break.
Report: 'Need for Speed: Most Wanted' listed on E3 booth schedule [Update: Yup!]
That mysterious Need for Speed game mentioned during EA's fiscal 2012 investors call may become slightly less ethereal during E3, as TwitchTV's booth schedule lists "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" as one of the games it'll be showcasing, according to IGN.If that name sounds familiar, that's because it should: The original Need for Speed: Most Wanted (above) was released on nearly every system in existence way back in the ancient caveman days of 2005. It's possible that this may be the Criterion-developed Need for Speed game the rumor mill was churning over a couple weeks ago, but that's just rampant speculation on our part.It's also possible that TwitchTV could merely be showing off the Game Boy Advance port of the original or something, we're going to go ahead and assume that isn't the case since we don't live in a Far Side cartoon.Update: We have also received the schedule in question and can confirm that Need for Speed: Most Wanted is indeed among TwitchTV's on-site programming for E3, along with "TBA" titles from Ubisoft, Capcom and Warner Bros.
Daily iPhone App: Burnout Crash smashes with style
I don't really care who you are or what kind of games you like. You should go to the App Store and buy Burnout Crash for 99 cents because it's on sale right now. Done? Great. Now I'll tell you what the game's about. Criterion Games typically makes console games, most notably the Burnout series, in which cars are mashed up in incredibly gorgeous ways across races and other modes. Recently, the company released a downloadable console game called Burnout Crash, which was a top-down arcade version of one of Burnout's destruction-based modes. Burnout Crash isn't a shabby port. Criterion clearly considered how to best adapt the game to Apple's touchscreen. The result is a lot of fun. You swipe cars around the screen to blow them up, earn points with combos and multipliers, and enjoy the chaotic fun. The sounds in Burnout Crash must be heard to be believed. Not only are the crashing sounds perfectly implemented, but the arcade-style sounds are reminiscent of a casino slot machine. They ring out gorgeously as you play with various spinny wheels and jackpot game mechanics. And at 99 cents during EA's big sale this weekend, this is absolutely a must-play game. Which is why you already bought it at the beginning of this post, right?
Report: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit devs working on Vita title
UK studio Criterion Games is apparently prepping a project for release on the PlayStation Vita. Superannuation spotted a job listing for a software engineer that at one point reportedly listed "optimising and tuning the game resource system for the PS Vita" as part of the position's overview. The listing was seemingly altered since, as it now reads, "Optimizing and tuning the game resource system for other platforms."Aside from the bite-sized Burnout Crash launched on XBLA last year, Criterion Games has been rather quiet for the past couple years. The team's last console release was the fantastic Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, and many expect that the next Need for Speed entry will be handled once again by Criterion. We've yet to hear a peep from the studio in 2012, but E3 isn't too far away.We contacted Criterion's parent company, EA, for comment.
Burnout Crash coming to iOS
EA has announced that it will bring Criterion's latest, tiniest iteration in the Burnout franchise, Burnout Crash, to the iOS platform this holiday season. The punishing puzzle game, which originally launched on the PSN and XBLA, seems like a perfect fit for handheld devices -- though we don't suggest playing it while driving in real life. A post on EA's blog makes the upcoming version of the game sound true to the original, including "three game modes, 18 traffic junctions and six unique locations." As long as Dr. Beat and his nitroglycerin-infused ambulance make an appearance, we'll be satisfied. %Gallery-136399%
Watch David Hasselhoff shill for Burnout Crash
We're not quite sure we understand the motivation behind this union of 'hoff and Burnout Crash. Is it because Burnout is a game about cars, and Hasselhoff just wants you to jump in his car?
Burnout Crash review: Accident prevention
As anyone who possesses the required documentation and vehicular means can attest, it is not terribly difficult to crash a car. There are countless laws and infrastructural guidelines designed to keep your automobile from touching anything but the ground beneath it -- ignoring just one is enough to cause a horrific, steel-twisting wreck. If impulse, not reason, guided your hands-on-wheels and feet-on-pedals, then the act of safe driving would be exponentially more difficult than the dangerous variety. Perplexingly, Criterion Games has centered the focus of Burnout Crash on a task that's even more difficult, and more obscure than avoiding collisions with other automotive objects: In Burnout Crash, you must collide with all the other automotive objects. Harsh penalties await for players who let chunks of traffic slip through their grasp, bringing you to a haunting realization: You're not orchestrating symphonies of coordinated property damage, you're committing automotive genocide. %Gallery-132171%
Burnout Crash! preview: Kinect Party on the Autolog
Forgoing the usual AAA disc release, Criterion decided the next entry in its Burnout franchise would be a downloadable title featuring Kinect integration. My initial preview of Burnout Crash!, following its unveiling at EA's summer showcase, focused on how the main modes and how gameplay works. The game has come a long way just over a month later -- as it should have, since it's kinda launching soon. My experience with the Kinect Party mode and Autolog earlier this week showed me that Burnout Crash! stands out as a fun party game. %Gallery-132171%
