User Reviews

Basically, if you didn't like Underground 2 or Most Wanted, and are hoping that Carbon will bring you back to the series... it won't, it looks and feels identical to Need for Speed: Most Wanted, except the game takes place almost entirely at night (giving it a very Underground feel) Pros: 1. More customization options than you can shake a stick at. You can make a car any way you want, and use AutoSculpt to tweak it to make it unique.

2. Large selection of cars, from exotics, imports, and tuners.

3. New "Territory" system lets you control territory and pick and choose your race events. If you aren't a fan of Sprints, don't do em... you can still progress the storyline and unlock things.

Cons:

1. Unlocking decent cars takes... hours. Don't expect to have your dream car and trick it out early on. This means that you'll be driving a crappy selection of cars until the good stuff opens up. The way the cars are set up, a Tier 1 car will never be as fast as a Tier 2 car... so if you like your old Camaro SS... you can't use it on the Career mode, because even with every upgrade it will be slower than any Tier 2 car.

2. Game tends to crash the longer you play it, which is awesome when you're doing a boss race.

3. Mountain racing is over-hyped, and often times will make you want to tear out your eyes and eat them.

4. The computer AI either borderline cheats or is broken. It hugs the road like it's on a track, never making a mistake. If you make one mistake, you usually have to restart as it's impossible to catch up. Other times the AI (especially your Wingman) will get in your way, crash into you, get stuck in corners.... it's ridiculous

The NFS games are probably the best street racing games around. Over the years they have grown from basic racer to genre defining games...until this version.

EA are removing gameplay ideas and options, not adding them for the next generation. (Also see FIFA) You have less cars, less races, less bosses, less customisations and overall a lesser game from the previous game in the series...yet they charge more for it.

I really would not even bother with this unless you find it in a bargain bin somewhere for less than 10 notes.

If you have NFS: Most Wanted, stick with that, it a FAR better game. If you don't, buy it instead of this version. You can thank me later.

I can remember the first time i got this game, i thought it was just another NFS Game , but it wasn't, unlike Most Wanted, it had better graphics plus loads and loads of choice, with customisation, and pick, and races. Also you get opportunities to race people for territory, and also their pinks slips. But this game i think will have a huge impact because its unlike any of the other NFS Games, meaning that, there are newer characters, new environments, different cars, different customisations. I also think that Microsoft should bring out a NFS Carbon 2, i think it will be cool. If i was to chose out of NFS Most Wanted or NFS Carbon, it would have to be Carbon. THIS GAME RULES!!

The main player has left Rockport, and is heading to Palmont, once again in his BMW M3 GTR. Sgt. Cross, however, is not far behind you. Sgt. Cross is now a bounty hunter. He chases you down a valley, and totals your ride. Darius rolls onto the scene, and busts you out of Cross's clutches. To repay Darius, you must, again, get a new ride. This time, instead of going through a Blacklist, you must take over regions. Complete races, and get the attention of the gang leaders that own the territories. Beat them all. The graphics are improved in Carbon, and there are new rides, and you can customize them better. There's also "crew." This time, you don't do races alone, you'll have a wingman. And, as always, there'll be cop chases. The game crashes a lot on the PC version, but it's still an awesome game.

Honestly, NFS Most Wanted is probably your best bet. It focuses more on pursuits to engage the player, better graphics, more realistic prices for cars and just more fun all around. Most Wanted was ballz out in the daylight!! And its easier to make the cop cars flip and slide across the road.

Carbon has bunches of shortcuts(which helps during sprints and circuits) Drifting ain't exactly my cup of tea, but it's alright. Another thing, in MW, you could re-enter races for the same amount of cash, in Carbon after re-winning the race, all you get is some crummy $500! A lot of cars are locked in challenge mode also(good luck with that). Music TRAX are so-so. I did like that you could drop the ride height.

I hope the new installment coming in the fall upstages the last one.