Run Need For Speed World

If you like the games with cars, is virtually impossible to not have heard about the famous Need for Speed series, created by EA Sports 16 years ago, when some current fans were not even born. Each year has meant a new NFS game, sometimes better, sometimes worse than the previous ones, but this time EA Sports has prepared no less than three titles.

If NFS Shift and Nitro are classic games, all these things change for the third title: Need for Speed World, because this is a game available exclusively on the Internet and, moreover, is free. A paradise for users with strong connections to the Internet, which are ardent fans.

Introduction

The first thing to be noted from the very beginning is that while talking about an online game, NFS World is running on client software which needs to be previously installed on your PC. But things are going quickly and easily, so that the entrance into the game is performed without headaches. Perfectly predictable, at the first entry in the game you have a certain amount of money that can be used to buy the first car to advance in the game. At this stage, one of the most interesting variant is the Volkswagen Scirocco, but after a period there will be available cars like Porsche Cayman S, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Nissan 370Z, Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560.

Gameplay

Winning the first race is required in order to play in multiplayer mode, this being also the main attraction of an online game. Once you are at this stage, there are three types of game: speed racing, racing the circuit on multiple tours or explore the city.

For each of the three types of racing, skills can be bought using the money earned in previous races. These skills start with classic options such as Nitro and reach to Dragster, which improve the acceleration, Need for Speed, which adds speed, or Nerves of Steel, which provide a better handling.

Although at first glance it seems ordinary and boring, exploring the city can become very interesting because of the possibility of creating police chases. In this game mode you can use additional skills such as radar, which detects the location of guards, or Most Wanted, which increases the player’s reputation.

Unfortunately, the competing routes are largely known to NFS series fans, as there are versions more or less similar to those found in older versions of the game, like NFS Carbon and NFS Most Wanted. One of the main problems at this stage of development is the automatic selection of opponents in the race. Basically, there are no criteria, so that level 2 players had to deal with level 10 or 15 players, which significantly affects the balance of the fight.

Also, many testers accused the producing of a large number of bugs and even crashes, which resulted in the complete exit from the game even during races, something frustrating especially if you’re in first place and you approach the finish line.

Monetization

Even if it is a free game, EA is currently examining ways in which NFS World could be monetized. One of the variants with the best chance of being implemented include the possibility of real money to buy some skills like those exemplified above, which will increase the chances of victory.

Conclusions

EA Sports is trying a new approach to the Need Ford Speed series through a fully developed online game. First impressions of the beta are encouraging, but bugs need to be addressed urgently in order not to frustrate the players even from the beginning.