Need for Speed ProStreet – 360 – Preview 3

In a few weeks, gamers will be able to sink their
teeth into the latest game from EA’s long-running Need for Speed franchise, Need
for Speed: ProStreet. ProStreet represents a new direction for the racing
series, forgoing the neon-glare and underground street-racing themes of prior
games for a more performance based approach. GameZone got a hold of the latest
build of the game and were able to take it for a test drive. So far, the game
offers some great features, with accessible racing that will appeal to casual
fans as well as hardcore gearheads.

The career mode unfolds though a series of race
days, each with a different track and a series of different races each race day.
There are standard races, checkpoint battles, grip races, and so on. Winning
races will net you money to repair your cars inbetween races (as well as
customize them or buy new ones when all is said and done), as well as give you a
reputation and the ability to take on the four street kings.

The most interesting new race mode is the drag
races. The drag races are purely based on speed and getting the fastest time
from the starting line to the finish. This requires you to mainly focus on
shifting at just the right time in order to gain the most speed and win the
race. A large HUD with your RPMs will appear on the side of the screen, and
you’ll have to hit the clutch at just the right time in order to keep from
missing a shift. This new mode is an interesting departure from other modes in
the game, and can be pretty involving at times.

The cars in ProStreet aren’t what you’d expect
coming off of the heels of Need for Speed: Carbon. They aren’t really much to
look at, with primer paintjobs composed of several different colors that don’t
match and plain bodywork. However, these cars weren’t made to look pimped out,
they were geared solely for performance and speed, making superfluous elements
like paintjobs, decals, chrome, and carbon unnecessary.

That’s not to say that the cars do not look good,
since they actually look pretty great. They boast tons of polygons for a
photorealistic look, and take on realistic damage (which actually has an affect
on how well your car handles). The coolest graphical element in the game is
possibly the smoke effects. When you heat your tires before the drag races, the
smoke will billow realistically around your tires, making for a great effect
that looks and moves very nicely.

ProStreet will also offer deeper ways to
customize your cars than previous games in the series. If you’re hardcore about
tuning and know what you’re doing under a hood, then you can pave your own path
and get specific parts to get your car into the condition that you want it.
However, if you’re like me and wouldn’t know the first thing about it, then you
can use blueprints that are readily made for upgrading your cars.

ProStreet is, thus far, a fun and deep entry to the
successful franchise, offering a good mix of depth and accessibility. Look for a
full review in the coming weeks.