Need For Speed: Undercover Preview

Need For Speed has defined the street racing genre for over ten years since the release of the original Need Speed on the first Sony Playstation game console. The team behind the original Need For Speed attempted to provide gamers with the only realistic racing experience the franchise has ever had (excluding Need For Speed Porsche Unleashed) as gamers raced in tournaments and unlocked new cars. This first attempt by the still (relatively) young Electronic Arts (EA) featured realistic physics and allowed gamers to experience the thrill of outrunning the long arm of the law.

Now, almost 14 years later, Publisher EA is ready to release the latest in the extensive, intense racing franchise. Developed by EA Black Box (EA's Canadian studios) Need For Speed: Undercover will bring gamers all the high velocity hijinks that longtime fans of the series have come to know and love.

Turning back to its bread and butter, Undercover will feature the popular chase and run gameplay style as well as bringing gamers back to the good old days with a much less stylistic presentation.

Throughout its long and dicey history Need For Speed, like most popular franchise games, has had its hits and misses. Undercover represents a bit of a regression for the racer to a much simpler gameplay formula. Prominent single and multiplayer modes will return from past games including online racing modes from past Need For Speed games and Undercover will boast new modes including “Cops and Robbers” mode and “Highway Battle” which will allow players to outwit police on crowded civilian highways.

This go-round, story figures more prominently than in previous games. Much like its namesake suggests, Need For Speed: Undercover tells the story of an undercover Tri-City police officer who delves into the world of street racing in order to crack an international smuggling syndicate and car theft ring. Players will play as the officer as he transports, races and engages in all other types of criminal behavior aided and abetted by his only federal contact; Agent Chase Linh.

Adding an emphasis on open gameplay, EA will allow players the freedom to explore Tri-City at will, aided by a revamped map system. EA has gone to great lengths to bring a much more cinematic feel to the game and the new cinematography of the in-game visuals as well as new FMV cut-scenes will definitely bring a fresh flair to the games enjoyable gameplay style.

EA has come a long way since the early 90's and the first Need For Speed, and so has the Need For Speed franchise. With a new focus on presentation and a return to its cop racing roots, EA hopes to reinvent the popular racer and recapture the glory days. Need For Speed: Undercover launches in late November of 2008 and will be available for all major platforms.