It’s long been a meme in the racing and speedrunning community thatNeed for Speedwill never be the same. Some even argue that 2010’sNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit, despite being generally praised by those who played it, as the turning point for the franchise as a whole. AfterHot Pursuitcame theMost Wantedspiritual reboot, which ended up being nothing like the original game in nearly every way. For those who’ve played it, 2005’sNeed for Speed: Most Wantedis widely considered the best game in the whole series.
And yet, it feels like EA has made every attempt to ignoreMost Wantedat every turn. The most recentNeed for Speed Heatsupposedly usedMost Wantedas an inspiration, and while it never quite reached the highs of the originalMost Wanted, the inspiration was clearly there. As the best-sellingNeed for Speedgame from the whole franchise, it’s been practically ignored by the franchise’s latest efforts. Now withNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuitbeing remastered, there’s no reason whyMost Wantedshouldn’t receive the same treatment.
NFS: Hot Pursuit Was a Triumph, But Began a Downfall
Firstly, this is not to say that one or the other should’ve been remade. In a lot of ways, 2010’sHot Pursuit(the successor to 1998’sHot Pursuitand 2002’sHot Pursuit 2) marked both the renaissance and the downfall of the franchise.Hot Pursuitcame just a few years after Criterion Games, ofBurnoutfame, had been acquired by EA and was to begin helming theNeed for Speedfranchise. As it turned out, Criterion Games was the perfect studio toreimagineHot Pursuitinto the game that came out in 2010. MeldingBurnoutdriving mechanics with theNeed for Speedworld design and pedigree was the perfect way to make a very successfulNeed for Speedgame.
Harkening back to the linear driving challenges from the originalHot Pursuitgames, Criterion’s iteration in 2010 modernizedNeed for Speedin several big ways. For one thing,the heavily arcade-like driving experience fromBurnoutgameswas almost one-for-one integrated intoHot Pursuit. There was also the implementation of “Autolog,” a newly engaging multiplayer component that allowed friends to compare stats and achievements to score more “bounty.” In an at-the-time new generation of consoles,Need for Speed: Hot Pursuitwas the exact kind of evolution the franchise needed.
Most Wanted Deserves More Than the Lackluster Reboot
EA and Criterion Games decided to continue that momentummoving into the next game with a “spiritual successor” toNeed for Speed: Most Wanted. However, instead of taking after the originalMost Wantedgame, 2012’s iteration focused on the idea of competition amongst friends as part of Autolog’s next iteration. But ultimtely, 2012’sNeed for Speed: Most Wantedmay have been unrefined in some areas, but as aMost Wantedgame, it was comparatively lackluster.
The issue with 2012’sMost Wantedwas the open world largely felt soulless, and in general the game had a much less concise creative direction compared toHot Pursuitas well. Rather than being placed in a narrative-based open world racing game, like the original, 2012’sMost Wantedlargely just felt like an empty playground where friends would occasionally swing by to race. Police AI during pursuits simply wasn’t up to par in a sandbox setting, and without any story to adhere to, there was largely no reason to stick around in the game’s world. This game would’ve been less offensiveif it didn’t have the “Most Wanted” name attached to it, which turned off fans of the original.
Bringing Back the Best-Selling Need for Speed
A true remaster (or remake) ofMost Wantedshould modernize the original game, not the spiritual successor. 2005’sNeed for Speed: Most Wanted, which still remains the best-selling game in the series at 16 million units sold, was the gold standard ofNeed for Speedback when it was developed primarily by EA Black Box. And for good reason, as the game honed in on what made a story-drivenNeed for Speedgame truly great. The game oozes with early 2000s car culture in a campy and sarcastic way, one that never takes itself too seriously, but still provides an awesome balance between an arcade-like and realistic driving experience.
Taking down the eccentric racers of “The Blacklist” was incredibly fun, bolstered by a stereotypical villain and a genuinely entertaining revenge story. In terms of gameplay,Need for Speed: Most Wantedexcelled at creating a system of progression that was rewarding and satisfying, in terms of both racing and escaping the cops. The police units themselves steadily increase in difficulty, as the player’s heat level increases, with a pace that doesn’t feel unfair or impossible.
Depending onhow wellNeed for Speed: Hot PursuitRemasteredperforms, aMost Wantedremaster should absolutely be next. However, the remaster should follow the original game’s concepts rather than the reboot. There’s a reason why 2005’sMost Wantedsold so incredibly well, and should still be an indication of the type ofNeed for Speedgame that players truly want.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remasteredwill be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 6, with a Nintendo Switch version available on November 13.
MORE:Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remaster Could Keep Up the Series' New Momentum
