Sure, for a next-gen only title, Need for Speed Unbound doesn’t take advantage of these consoles’ hardware to deliver Forza Horizon-esque visuals, but it makes up for it with a bucketload of style. What makes this game stand out right from the get-go is its presentation.

Sure, that’s what Need for Speed Unbound is at its core, but there’s more to it than just that. But Criterion (yes, they’re back!) wasn’t aiming at solely developing a generic love letter to Underground 2 and calling it a day. After the resurgence of nu-metal, boomer shooters, and Blink-182, car tuning culture is making a comeback, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Good, old, cheesy as hell, Xzibit-endorsed car tuning. We’re back with an open world full of clandestine races, unnecessary plots full of backstabbing and treason, and car tuning. This game is a clear nod to Need for Speed Underground 2 and Most Wanted, games that are nearly twenty years old as of the time of writing. Need for Speed Unbound is here to remind me that we’re getting old really quickly. Need for Speed Unbound’s cartoonish particle effects are a sight for sore eyes.

Download nfs unbound 2022