Most Wanted 2005 ported to 360 remains a genre classic with its Black List progression and a 360 that finally reveals visual details missed on last gen. Sergeant Cross and Razor write a memorable duel, and the rock-electro soundtrack hits dead centre.
Your verdict
Category
Racing1 player12+
Description
Racing by EA Black Box and EA Games, December 2005. An underground driver pursued by police tries to beat the feared Razor and dethrone the Blacklist in Rockport city. Police chases to escape patrol cars, visual car customisation and street races. Best-selling Xbox 360 launch title of the NFS franchise.
Need for Speed - Most Wanted review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Rockport is bathed in a grey-green filter applied to the whole image, low skies, dull asphalt and permanent storm light, a choice that gives the city the climate of a manhunt rather than a showroom. The cars, by contrast, get garish bodywork, chrome rims and patterned decals, and this collision between washed-out scenery and saturated tuning is the episode's whole identity.
The score adopts the vocabulary of the thriller: low pads, sustained strings and electronic percussion that step up a notch with each police heat level, up to the pursuer's radio call that triggers a short repetitive motif. The licensed tracks, rock and rap, stay confined to the menus and free races, so the manhunt has a sound entirely its own.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
An open city to roam freely, where you challenge rivals, shake off the police and climb a most-wanted list through wild races. The freedom to bomb anywhere you like and the thrill of chases create a constant high. Snappy, spectacular and superbly made, an arcade racer that turns the whole city into a playground for outlaw drivers.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Crisscrossing an open city to challenge the fastest machines and shake off a tenacious police force sets up a loop of racing and fleeing where the next goal springs up at every intersection. Improving your cars and climbing the Most Wanted list renew the urge. Its atmosphere can feel cold, but the thrill of the pursuit and the freedom of the terrain hold you for the long haul.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾5,5 GB📅02/12/2005
Published by Electronic Arts
Need for Speed - Most Wanted (Xbox 360) price, value & rarity
