Need for Speed: Rivals is an open world driving game released on 15th November 2013.
In this game, you can drive an array of cars including the 2013 McLaren P1 or the 2012 Pagani Huayra. Since this game was made in late 2013, the player base is rather small, but the community is still active. Despite it being a PS4 game, I have been playing Need for Speed Rivals on my PS5 which gives me a much better gaming experience as the quality of the visual effects are significantly stronger.
Need for Speed: Rivals is an open world game set in the area of Redview County, a fictitious place designed for the game. The game allows its players to go anywhere on the map. Need for Speed: Rivals isn’t just another car racing game, but rather it combines elements of car racing and hot pursuit depending on the player’s choice of team, which could be either cop or racer. You make this choice when you first load into the game and this determines your mission. You’re provided with a set of tasks to complete throughout the campaign. The storylines and tasks will be different depending on the team you choose.
An alternative to Need for Speed: Rivals is Need for Speed: Payback. Made in 2017, Need for Speed: Payback allows players to customize their car in more detail according to their play style. For instance, if a player wanted their car to race faster on the track, they can modify different aspects of the car to achieve their goal, including choosing a tire with more traction or adding additional features to make the car more streamlined.
To succeed in the game, players need to complete the missions of their choosing which includes achieving a set of objectives. Upon completing the campaign, the player will automatically level up and unlock new cars and a new mission with a new set of objectives becoming available. You are able to continue the cycle of unlocking new content to play with.
Need for Speed: Rivals allows players the choice between completing set missions that involves high speed driving and quick time maneuvers to race against others or ignore the set objectives and enjoy casually cruising through the highways of Redview County.
One of the reasons I love Need for Speed: Rivals is that you have don’t have to play the campaign. You have the freedom to casually zip around and explore. Should you meet any fellow AI or real player racers, you can challenge them to a head-to-head race, but watch out, they might be a cop and then you will have to flee.
Overall, I think Need for Speed: Rivals is an exciting and thrilling game. Even though it is slightly outdated and updates for new content are not supported, the developers are making new and improved versions regularly for its ever-growing franchise. The game offers in-app purchases for faster cars, however I don’t see the point spending money when there are constantly new versions in the series being released. This game may feel a bit plain for new players; however, for returning players it may create a fun sense of nostalgia when you hear the iconic soundtrack. While some things are a letdown, such as driving camera views being limited to first and third person, not being able to leave your vehicle or make things explode, there’s still plenty of fun to have if you are a new player.
Need for Speed: Rivals is a great multiplayer game. You have options to play the campaign or just have the freedom to explore maps and create your own fun. Despite the game being nearly a decade old, it is still satisfying to return to this game from time to time and pick up where you left off and enjoy some driving and car pursuit action. Keep an eye out for the new game, Need for Speed: Unbound being released in late 2022.