This is presumably the only racing game where 'spoiler warning' could apply not just to the number of automotive accoutrements but also the fact that it actually has a storyline. Well, of sorts. It's basically impossible to ruin Need For Speed: The Run's story because it's as flimsy as budget bog roll. 'Cocky, intensely unlikeable man races across America' is about the long and the short of it.
There are very few other characters to speak of, Christine Hendricks turns up from time to time to offer encouragement, having somehow convinced hero Jack that risking his neck for 10% of $25 million is a fair deal, just because 2.5 million is a large number. There are other competitors on the 3000 mile race, but their personality is limited to loading screen bios that read like they were written by a Speak And Spell. This is to storytelling what Chicken Cottage is to haute cuisine.
The problem is that in order to accommodate a largely perfunctory plot, the game has become a slave to scripting, yet rarely takes advantage of it. As one of many examples, there's no sense of ebb and flow to the race as a whole - you're simply assigned a number of cars to pass per stage and if you fail to overtake them all you have to restart the section. Worse still are the sections where you aren't passing cars at all, just 'making up time,' which feel even more hollow. As a result races are robbed of the drama - you feel like you're simply the last, nitrous-fuelled element in a predetermined script. At least the quick time events are mercifully short and a relative formality compared to the racing.
Sometimes the scripted approach works. Slithering around a winding, snowy mountain pass as an avalanche happens all around you is the most memorable moment in the entire game. Sadly it's also just about the only memorable moment in the entire game. We got excited as a thunderstorm brewed across middle America's endless, barren plains, but our hopes of outrunning a twister were cruelly dashed. There just aren't enough dramatic set-pieces to justify such rigid inflexibility.
And then after two hours, it's all over - although you'll spend at least another hour waiting for the levels to load. Autolog makes the leap from Hot Pursuit as the primary motivator to replay the game, but the tracks themselves are so devoid of character that picking favourites to session and reduce your overall time for The Run is nigh-on impossible. Multiplayer suffers from a similar problem - why play a Need for Speed game where you spend 80% of your time at full throttle when the dynamic cat-and-mouse of Hot Pursuit is perched coquettishly on the discount shelf in your local game store?
18 comments so far...
DMIK on 15 Nov '11 said:
This is after the overwhelmingly positive recent preview, entitled "Need for Speed: The Run - a story racer that actually works", which includes such excerpts as "The Run could be the best Need for Speed yet", "It's an absolute blast" and "Our two hours with The Run were among the most thrilling we've had all year."
Then follows a horribly mediocre review and score. If you couldn't tell it was average after two hours of play, I'm not sure exactly what you were doing? Did you spend 1 hr 50 mins at the start screen? I haven't pre-ordered the game, but if I had done on the basis of what was a very positive preview after a not insubstantial time playing the game, I'd be feeling pretty aggrieved right about now. If it was 2 hours of skyrim then fair enough, but you can't fathom the quality of gameplay of a racer in 2 hours? If the criticism was a lack of depth, then again fair enough, but now the gameplay/scripting is horrible?
Poor.
OXM ETboy on 15 Nov '11 said:
I wrote the preview you're referring to, based on hands-on time with single and multiplayer, not Mike. Obviously I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to putting the final version through its paces.
SidTheSloth on 15 Nov '11 said:
I was quite surprised by the review based on the preview the other day but if two different people have had a go then it's understandable that their opinion may be different?
Ed/Mike et al @ OXM - put a suggestion in the suggestion box about this a while ago, my old sega magazine in the days of the mega drive (and i know other magazines have done it - maybe even OXM in ye olden days - memory not so good!), a second opinion etc for each game? They used to make the rpg guy play the beat em up, sports sim fan play platform etc etc just to add some perspective? (wonder if everyone at OXM would give skyrim a 10, jonty seems not so keen?!)
Obviously not the same sort of depth as the main review but just an alternative slant? Obviously i imagine given the number (and size) of games out at the mo you'd need three extra staff to make it possible!!.
I know sometimes you 'revisit' games in the magazine (usually for online i know), perhaps a chance to reflect? Would also give you chance to make amends for the deus ex score
Anyway, away from this horrific skyrim spoiler filled articles forum i go, back to my hovel and collection of steel daggers...!
Waffles2541 on 16 Nov '11 said:
I think you should try maybe putting multiple peoples opinions in it. they don't need to write a review each just a quick statement of what they think, and then a number to show how good it is. Then put those together to get an average rating.
Decent_Jam on 16 Nov '11 said:
I imagine they would love to all collaborate on every review (hmm...) but there's no time for that sort of thing with an entire magazine to write. Second opinions seem interesting, but I think we get enough of those in the comments from those who buy the game!
I admit I am a bit let down after the preview as well, very curious to see what Edwin makes of the final version.
sonicmark on 16 Nov '11 said:
So a very grim review after what was being hyped and promised as the most enthralling NFS yet, here's a word to the not-so-wise for the next set of reviews, base an oppinion on the demo first off, and I mean REALLY base an oppinion, it IS possible to make a judgement from 2 hours of demo playtime, even less for that matter, I seriously think games are getting either good or bad reviews based on the game name alone nowadays.
andy24king on 16 Nov '11 said:
This is £40 I ain't shelling out then. The demo was crap and the reviews are crap!!!!
OXM MightySeven on 16 Nov '11 said:
I suppose if there's enough demand Edwin might post his take on the website? What do you reckon ET?
Decent_Jam on 17 Nov '11 said:
We DEMAND!
Only if he really disagrees with your review though, to be fair. Would be interesting to see a different take.
OXM ETboy on 17 Nov '11 said:
I'll see what I can do. You'll have to tear me away from Skyrim first though...
Mendes on 18 Nov '11 said:
I really think you should tear yourself away from that epic, if only to counter why the Need for Speed Run advertisement in Metro this morning have 2 glowing quotes at the top from OXM as part of the half page splash. Needless to say EA did not put the OXM score on it!!!!
The power of marketing!!
That said, I don't really care to be honest, Battlefield 3 all the way for me at the moment, besides I'd go down the Forza 4 route if I was going to buy a racing game. I played the NFS Run demo and once I realised it was so scripted lost interest fairly quickly.
SidTheSloth on 18 Nov '11 said:
No dice Ed. I tried that with my manager yesterday and he looked at me like i'd just smacked him across the face with a (riverwood) salmon - so if it doesn't work for me, it doesn't work for you!
Mendes - are the quotes from the review or the preview? I'd struggle to find 2 positive quotes from the review?!
Mendes on 18 Nov '11 said:
Couldn't say for sure, preview I strongly suspect. I can't check because I left that rag on the bus!
CunningSmile on 18 Nov '11 said:
Marketing departments do a fantastic job of twisting quotes. In games they usually use preview quotes, which the reviewer has quite often had to make after only seeing someone else play for half hour if it was a hands off preview.
Film marketing is even worse. A really dodgey B-Movie about Zombies once quoted Empire magazine by saying "...the new Evil Dead..." The original review had said "...B movies can be great, but to call this the new Evil Dead, as the director has, would be an insult to Sam Raimi..." or words to that effect.
SidTheSloth on 18 Nov '11 said:
I think i've been playing skyrim way too much. I almost shouted at you for not collecting that and every copy and storing them in your house to sell later. Man i've got issues
Ha, it is a rag, but never failed to make me laugh watching the suit in the tube reflection trying to read it over my shoulder unaware i could see exactly what he was playing at. Always used to take it with me then just to spite him - childish? You betcha!
Mendes on 18 Nov '11 said:
Yeah, I've mentioned it before on this site.... Marketing is one of mine and Bill Hicks' pet hates. Saying that, I would quite like a job in it, taking the honest, straightforward approach once past the watershed, i.e. an Andrex tagline would be "It's versatile... use it to wipe your arse or cough your muck in to.", whereas Yorkie would be "These taste great but don't let your girlfiriend eat them cos she's probably fat enough already."
CunningSmile on 18 Nov '11 said:
As I may have entioned before during a anti marketing thread try watching the Dudley Moore film Crazy People about an ad exec who goes nuts and starts telling the truth. The line "Sony: Because caucasians are too damn tall" still creases me up.
Mendes on 18 Nov '11 said:
LOL! Yes, I've seen it, probably where I stole the idea, I remember the safe but boxy Volvos.