The "You're Winner!" Gaming Thread

[dinizintheoven]

Meanwhile, I've picked up Earthbound again... if any of that sounds even vaguely interesting to you, and you have a SNES (or an emulator), then get this game - you will not regret it. I haven't even gotten to the really insane bits yet.

Yes. Yes it does. Sayonara Minecraft (which has just gone a bit... strange), I think I've just lost another week...

One reject non-racing game I own is Talvisota:Icy Hell.

Rise! Nation's pride, all was yours, strike 'em where it hurts!

[Shizuka]

Also Zavvi is currently selling the Gold Edition of Dirt 3 for both Xbox and PS3 for £12.95 atm. What's it like compared to Dirt 2?

I think 3 is great! Definitely better than Showdown.

[MinardiFan95]

Also Zavvi is currently selling the Gold Edition of Dirt 3 for both Xbox and PS3 for £12.95 atm. What's it like compared to Dirt 2?

I think 3 is great! Definitely better than Showdown.

In comparison to Dirt 2, Dirt 3 has a lot more point to point rally, as well as the addition of Gymkhana and Head 2 Head (another name for super-special stages). The tracks are slightly more realistic (i.e. smaller jumps, less extreme layouts) than Dirt 2's tracks (especially in RallyCross and Landrush modes) whilst the Gatecrasher mode was taken out completely and rally raids are now just normal stages. There are a few online party modes that include Transporter (Capture the Flag with cars), Outbreak (like an "infection" game mode in an FPS, where one player starts out infected, and has to 'infect' the other players) and Cat and Mouse (using Mini Coopers as the 'mouse' with Group B cars as 'cats'), though the best feature of Dirt 2 online, the ability to use any type of car on any track has been sadly omitted.

Showdown, on the other hand, is only really good for a demolition derby game - it's probably the best derby game of this console generation, but it hasn't had much competition.

[WaffleCat]

You might have lost me for the next few days to Trials:Evolution.

[14 Hundred Hours]

Meanwhile, I've picked up Earthbound again... if any of that sounds even vaguely interesting to you, and you have a SNES (or an emulator), then get this game - you will not regret it. I haven't even gotten to the really insane bits yet.

I've only come across Earthbound in Super Smash Bros... after being chased by a massive Porky statue I decided I wasn't brave enough to try the actual game! (I can't cope with levels where you have to run away from something- it makes me too tense and I have to sit in the dark for a while afterwards to calm down!)

[Salamander]

Meanwhile, I've picked up Earthbound again... if any of that sounds even vaguely interesting to you, and you have a SNES (or an emulator), then get this game - you will not regret it. I haven't even gotten to the really insane bits yet.

I've only come across Earthbound in Super Smash Bros... after being chased by a massive Porky statue I decided I wasn't brave enough to try the actual game! (I can't cope with levels where you have to run away from something- it makes me too tense and I have to sit in the dark for a while afterwards to calm down!)

The Porky/Pokey statue is from Mother 3, actually. But Pokey is in Earthbound - he spends most of the game just being a jerk, really. There's nothing like that in the actual games, it's just your standard top-down RPG affair.

[dinizintheoven]

Meanwhile, I've picked up Earthbound again... if any of that sounds even vaguely interesting to you, and you have a SNES (or an emulator), then get this game - you will not regret it. I haven't even gotten to the really insane bits yet.

Yes. Yes it does. Sayonara Minecraft (which has just gone a bit... strange), I think I've just lost another week...

And so, having got past all the madness that BCS just told us all about on page 6, picture this:

The year is 2014. Sebastian Vettel has turned up at the British Grand Prix with the number 1 on his car, again, only his car is an HRT. Somehow they managed to magic the cash out of thin air to stay in F1 after 2012, and when Vettel was sacked at the end of 2013 for winning his fourth championship in a row, he chose to sign for them. His team-mate is Fernando Alonso, who saw a move away from Ferrari to a Spanish team as a promotion, having discovered nationalism during the 2013 season and rebelled against his Italian employers. Lewis Hamilton has retired to go banger racing in Essex, Bernie has been replaced with a clone of himself thus ensuring the empire will run for another 80 years, and the clone has married Bernie's ex-wife, you know, the really tall one from Eastern Europe. F1 coverage in England is now exclusively on Channel 5 and HWNSNBM is doing the commentary in Hungarian, aided and abetted by Chanoch Nissany, in Hebrew. Paul Stoddart is driving for Red Bull, and Nigel Mansell's quip that Williams could put a puppet in the FW15C and it would still win has been tested, as one FW36 is actually being driven by a puppet, which records a lap time a second faster than Bruno Senna. Felipe Massa, driving for Ferrari, is on pole by five seconds, ahead of Timo Glock, still driving for Marussia, who haven't improved, it's just that everyone else has got a lot worse, including Massa's team-mate, Carmen Jordá. Massa loses the race after getting the "Fernando is faster than you" team order... from HRT, and is given a special blue flag which orders his to drop behind. Glock wins the race, and the champagne is sprayed first. Only it isn't champagne because, in deference to Marussia's Yorkshire roots, they spray cans of John Smith's bitter. Glock and John Booth are presented with their trophies by Prince William, who then unzips his mask, revealing himself to be a shape-shifting lizard. Grabbing the microphone from appointed interviewer Jacky Ickx, he bellows at the crowd. "AND YOU NEVER KNEW DAVID ICKE WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG! NOW TREMBLE BEFORE THE POWER OF THE MIGHTY REPTILIANS, PUNY EARTHLINGS! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA *cough* *choke* *splutter*" Meanwhile, the duck was ninth.

Now, having pictured this, you're still no closer to the madness that is apparent while trying to complete part four of Earthbound. At the moment, I am in a strange, dark facsimile of the current city, where everything is lit up in neon like a strip joint, only my character - who I've called Bob - is about eight years old and is trying to recapture his lost girlfriend, at least his mum thinks she's his girlfriend, even though they're nowhere near old enough to know what that means. For accompaniment Bob has a nerdy kid called Colin, with inch-thick glasses dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy who is a dab hand with a spanner and a rocket made out of plastic drinks bottles. Bob and Colin are having to fend off exploding petrol pumps, fire hydrants, and pieces of abstract art; the previous encounters with were with animated guitars, old LP records and scalding hot cups of coffee. And, bizarrest of all, the people in this strange, darkened outpost all talk like they're - ooh, astonishing sod ape - in an episode? of Jam. Jam ja jaaaaaa jaammm ammm am am (etc etc etc...)

I think I will need to spend a lot of time in a padded cell with the lights off after this one. Chris Morris would be proud.

[dinizintheoven]

...trout flavoured yoghurt.

TROUT FLAVOURED YOGHURT.

[dinizintheoven]

SMAAAASH!

So, I thought I'd explore the Dinosaur museum, found some sewers, and a huge rat at the bottom. Earthbound suddenly got a bit... normal. Thing is, apparently I was supposed to pick up some Chinese prince beforehand and he was supposed to help us. Hmmm. It seems that, without consciously level-grinding or money-grabbing, I've acquired enough of both to buy the best armour available at the time and have aced the fifth boss with only three people in the party when there should have been four.

Maybe the Chinese prince was actually Japanese, although now that I've arrived in his kingdom it looks more like Nepal... still, I suspect he's the game's equivalent of Mr. Miyagi. But the pupils have done just fine without sensei there to assist. And so... YOU'RE THE BEST! AROUND!

[Ataxia]

...trout flavoured yoghurt.

TROUT FLAVOURED YOGHURT.

Looks like the Nintendo Virtual Boy...

[Shizuka]

I made a video while playing this! Strong Bad rules.

[Shizuka]

*bump*

Bought Driving Emotion Type-S, GT-R Touring... and to have a good game as well, HeadHunter for PS2. I remember playing this on Dreamcast, which we had borrowed for a few weeks. Have you folks played this game?

[RealRacingRoots]

I've been playing lots of Team Fortress 2 and Borderlands 2 lately. Neglecting my racing games (and the fact that I should be making videos with them, silly me) for the last little while to boot.

There are 3 other games I have been playing, however: an online Magic The Gathering program called Cockatrice, Civilisation 5, and Automation. Because I think you all would like Automation, it's a game where you design your own engines and cars. While only the engine designer is playable right now, it is getting a big update on the 5th of December. First thing I will do is make a Cosworth DFV since Bore and Stroke now scale. Also it's being developed by 2 guys in Melbourne, just fyi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnxTh-QdIKA

[dinizintheoven]

...that whole game was one huge acid trip. But can I just say...

...right, Pokey, you're going to get it now. I've got my Legendary Bat, and given the punch it packs, you are going to get such a clobbering when I get my hands on you that you'll be spending the rest of your miserable life in a full-body plaster cast sucking up your lunch through a straw. Not even PSI Shield Omega will save you. Now even HWNSNBM will save you. Just you wait. Just you wait. You will get what you so richly deserve.

[Salamander]

...that whole game was one huge acid trip. But can I just say...

...right, Pokey, you're going to get it now. I've got my Legendary Bat, and given the punch it packs, you are going to get such a clobbering when I get my hands on you that you'll be spending the rest of your miserable life in a full-body plaster cast sucking up your lunch through a straw. Not even PSI Shield Omega will save you. Now even HWNSNBM will save you. Just you wait. Just you wait. You will get what you so richly deserve.

Glad you enjoyed it.

If you want to see Pokey's ultimate fate, you should get Mother 3.

[dinizintheoven]

It's tempting, but I've just lost a whole week of my life (as I predicted). Mother 3 will have to wait a bit...

[Wallio]

Because I think you all would like Automation, it's a game where you design your own engines and cars. While only the engine designer is playable right now, it is getting a big update on the 5th of December. First thing I will do is make a Cosworth DFV since Bore and Stroke now scale. Also it's being developed by 2 guys in Melbourne, just fyi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnxTh-QdIKA

Holy bathplugging shite! FINALLY! A car tycoon style game. Just preordered the Forced injuction edition cn't wait to start playing. RRR may HWNSNBM bless you for showing me this!!!

I had started playing Forza 4 again, after accidentlly deleting my game with 125+ Hours into it. I'm hooked again as all the DLC makes the level up choices more interesting, and I have a Kinect now and the head tracking is pretty sweet. But if Automation is HALF as epic as that demo looks, I have a new love.

[Shizuka]

Based upon your recommendations, I ordered these for PS2:

- The Sniper 2, because he smells the same I do
- GT-R Touring
- NFS Prostreet (I like getting obscure, 'obsolete' ports of games)
- NFS Undercover (this was dirt cheap, I wonder why!)
- Headhunter (had this played on a Dreamcast that we had borrowed)
- Driving Emotion Type-S
- Street Racing Syndicate (although I own this for the PC too)

So I basically mixed good games with some laughable ones (and still it cost me about 20 quid total). Will try to get other recommendations soon.

Also, since it was 2.77 quid, I bought Republic Commando for the PC, plus the awful Rogue Warrior, the latter one being brand new, cost me 5 quid. Thanks to a game convention, I even got Dishonored for a reasonable price (15 quid, and brand new!) - I really like this game too.

Have you played Enthusia? Is that a good racing game?

[MinardiFan95]

Based upon your recommendations, I ordered these for PS2:

- The Sniper 2, because he smells the same I do
- GT-R Touring
- NFS Prostreet (I like getting obscure, 'obsolete' ports of games)
- NFS Undercover (this was dirt cheap, I wonder why!)
- Headhunter (had this played on a Dreamcast that we had borrowed)
- Driving Emotion Type-S
- Street Racing Syndicate (although I own this for the PC too)

What a mix of games! I hope you erm... enjoy Driving Emotion Type-S (as I recommended it to you). After playing it you'll wonder how Square could get the elusive Ferrari and Porsche licences whilst Gran Turismo couldn't. I had both of the PS2 NFS games that you ordered, and while Prostreet is passable, you can really tell the developers just gave up on PS2 by the time Undercover was released - one issue (especially noticable in faster cars) is that traffic cars would often pop-up just a bit too late. Oh and on the topic of GT-R Touring, there's a 'prequel' of sorts by the name of GT-R 400, which uses the exact same tracks just with some licenced GT cars - namely a Mosler MT900 and Ascari KZR-1. Also, when looking at the box art for these games, note the similarity in the font that has been used for the title to the font used on the title for Simbin's (infinitely better) GT-R series on PC.

Have you played Enthusia? Is that a good racing game?

Enthusia is just about the only game on PS2 that came close to beating Gran Turismo in terms of cars, tracks, graphics and realism, but has been forgotten by most due to it's very unfortunate release date - a few weeks after the release of GT4. The career mode is certainly unique, as you are penalised for changing cars too often - changing cars means you miss a week of racing on the in-game calendar, so it's best to stick with one car until it's well and truly outclassed. The penalty system (Enthu points) is rather flawed as you lose points if an AI car runs into your car. The range of cars and tracks is also a major selling point, even though there's only two licenced race tracks, the fictional tracks are on the same level of greatness as those in Gran Turismo, and there's some cars I've never seen in any other racing game.

[Shizuka]

What a mix of games! I hope you erm... enjoy Driving Emotion Type-S (as I recommended it to you). After playing it you'll wonder how Square could get the elusive Ferrari and Porsche licences whilst Gran Turismo couldn't. I had both of the PS2 NFS games that you ordered, and while Prostreet is passable, you can really tell the developers just gave up on PS2 by the time Undercover was released - one issue (especially noticable in faster cars) is that traffic cars would often pop-up just a bit too late. Oh and on the topic of GT-R Touring, there's a 'prequel' of sorts by the name of GT-R 400, which uses the exact same tracks just with some licenced GT cars - namely a Mosler MT900 and Ascari KZR-1. Also, when looking at the box art for these games, note the similarity in the font that has been used for the title to the font used on the title for Simbin's (infinitely better) GT-R series on PC.

Haha, will try so! I had played some... interesting racing games in the past. For example, the Dreamcast port of Test Drive 6 is downright PATHETIC! Speaking of DC, Metropolis Street Racer is unbelievable, I call it the proto-Project Gotham Racing.
I knew that these NFS ports wouldn't be "the prefered' one, but since I had Carbon, why not pick these two up, I thought. Pop-up does seem to be a problem with these late-PS2 racing games for some reason. I never realised the font

Enthusia is just about the only game on PS2 that came close to beating Gran Turismo in terms of cars, tracks, graphics and realism, but has been forgotten by most due to it's very unfortunate release date - a few weeks after the release of GT4. The career mode is certainly unique, as you are penalised for changing cars too often - changing cars means you miss a week of racing on the in-game calendar, so it's best to stick with one car until it's well and truly outclassed. The penalty system (Enthu points) is rather flawed as you lose points if an AI car runs into your car. The range of cars and tracks is also a major selling point, even though there's only two licenced race tracks, the fictional tracks are on the same level of greatness as those in Gran Turismo, and there's some cars I've never seen in any other racing game.

You pinpointed out all the reasons why I plan to get this in January. That game is a true hidden gem in the PS2's lineup. The Enthu points remind me of the MSR's point system - but in a negative way this time around.

[tommykl]

Have you played Enthusia? Is that a good racing game?

Enthusia is just about the only game on PS2 that came close to beating Gran Turismo in terms of cars, tracks, graphics and realism, but has been forgotten by most due to it's very unfortunate release date - a few weeks after the release of GT4. The career mode is certainly unique, as you are penalised for changing cars too often - changing cars means you miss a week of racing on the in-game calendar, so it's best to stick with one car until it's well and truly outclassed. The penalty system (Enthu points) is rather flawed as you lose points if an AI car runs into your car. The range of cars and tracks is also a major selling point, even though there's only two licenced race tracks, the fictional tracks are on the same level of greatness as those in Gran Turismo, and there's some cars I've never seen in any other racing game.

Indeed. I played it regularly until my PS2 died about three years ago, and apart from the distinct lack of licensed circuits (I remember the Nordschleife, and I believe the second circuit was Tsukuba), it was a very pleasant and frustrating game all at the same time.

[AndreaModa]

Oh and on the topic of GT-R Touring, there's a 'prequel' of sorts by the name of GT-R 400, which uses the exact same tracks just with some licenced GT cars - namely a Mosler MT900 and Ascari KZR-1. Also, when looking at the box art for these games, note the similarity in the font that has been used for the title to the font used on the title for Simbin's (infinitely better) GT-R series on PC.

Haha! I have GT-R 400 on PC. Let's say it's basic at best, and way way too easy and I'm not even that good with gaming!

[DemocalypseNow]

Just bought F1 2011 for a fiver down at Morrisons. The handling is a bit...strange. Much like all of the recent Codemasters games. The car doesn't feel like it's touching the ground most of the time.
I took the second HRT seat and in Albert Park qualified 5th and finished 11th after spinning three times...the first time while leading!!

[Aerond]

I've just gone back to the golden era of NFS games and installed High Stakes in my computer.

Just so you know, my fave not so well known F1 games ever:

MEGA DRIVE

- F1 Circus; The layouts are not real, but this game HAS IT ALL; Great career mode, red flags (which I've never seen in any other serious game), dynamic weather, speed...

- Super Monaco GP; A pity it didn't have the graphics and great gameplay of the arcade because it would have been a blast with the real tracks and 20 cars per race. But instead you get a decent career mode and trying to beat G.Ceara when you get the Madona car is one of the toughest challenges in any F1 Game ever.

MEGA CD

- F1 Heavenly Symphony; Simply the most realistic you can get in 16 Bit. And it has a mode similar to the Challenge mode in F1-World Grand Prix.

SNES

- F1 Grand Prix (specially Part III); It has a team development mode where you try to develop your car from scratch while you fail again and again to qualify it because it's so shite and need a year at least to have a machine capable of being to qualify (you drive, so it's both drive and management). It's in Japanese but simple enough to get a glimpse of what's going on.

PC/PSX

Apart from GPM, Grand Prix Series and the first two Formula One titles from the PS Saga, MGPRS2 was a GREAT Sim, even today it plays really good (if you can make it work), and has really good rain driving. F1 Racing Simulation was great for the time as well, and I can remember desperately trying to get Riccardo Rosset's Footwork to qualify in Albert Park within 107% with the most impressive graphics ever at the time.

Power F1 -- One of the few games recreating the 1995 F1 Season, a bit arcadey but fun.

N64

F1 World Grand Prix -- Worth if only for the challenge mode.

[DanielPT]

Just bought F1 2011 for a fiver down at Morrisons. The handling is a bit...strange. Much like all of the recent Codemasters games. The car doesn't feel like it's touching the ground most of the time.
I took the second HRT seat and in Albert Park qualified 5th and finished 11th after spinning three times...the first time while leading!!

Going Daniel Melrose on F1 2011, kostas?

I've just gone back to the golden era of NFS games and installed High Stakes in my computer.

A couple of years ago I went all out and installed Hot Pursuit on my PC. Still a great game. But my all time favourite still is Porsche Unleashed.

[Aerond]

Just bought F1 2011 for a fiver down at Morrisons. The handling is a bit...strange. Much like all of the recent Codemasters games. The car doesn't feel like it's touching the ground most of the time.
I took the second HRT seat and in Albert Park qualified 5th and finished 11th after spinning three times...the first time while leading!!

Going Daniel Melrose on F1 2011, kostas?

I've just gone back to the golden era of NFS games and installed High Stakes in my computer.

A couple of years ago I went all out and installed Hot Pursuit on my PC. Still a great game. But my all time favourite still is Porsche Unleashed.

If you can call any NFS game realistic, Porsche is the one.

[Shizuka]

But not on the PS1. On the PC however, it is realistic.

[Salamander]

I've just gone back to the golden era of NFS games and installed High Stakes in my computer.

Nice, I still have my High Stakes CD around here somewhere. Still the best NFS game IMO. Speaking of classic NFS games, I tried getting NFS 2 working the other week, but unfortunately Windows 7 doesn't like it.

[Nuppiz]

I've got both Need For Speed: Porsche 2000 (as it was known on PS1 in Europe) as well as "Porsche Unleashed" on the PC. And I must say I like the PC version better, mostly due to the Gran Turismo-style tuning aspect (as opposed to PS1's Porsche 2000, where you only had to repair your car) and higher difficulty level.

[DOSBoot]

I've got both Need For Speed: Porsche 2000 (as it was known on PS1 in Europe) as well as "Porsche Unleashed" on the PC. And I must say I like the PC version better, mostly due to the Gran Turismo-style tuning aspect (as opposed to PS1's Porsche 2000, where you only had to repair your car) and higher difficulty level.

Pretty much all of the NFS games at that time were better on the PC, than on the PSX. Mostly because of the far superior graphics, and it's abilty for modifying. Which is still very much active to this day. My favorite is Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. Was way ahead of it's time when it came out. Great graphics, plenty of cars to choose from, amazing curcuits, and an excellent soundtrack.

[MinardiFan95]

The first game that I owned for Playstation was NFS: High Stakes... such a great game, and possibly what kickstarted my love for racing games. I also played Porsche Unleashed, but it was only a weekly rental so I didn't remember much of it except for the fact it had the largest variety of Porsches seen in a game. Rather sadly I expect it to be the only game to ever come with a licenced 917 or 935, thanks to EA's stranglehold on the Porsche licence and their tendency to use only the latest and not-so-greatest models in the latest Burno... erm... Need for Speed games.

[DOSBoot]

Rather sadly I expect it to be the only game to ever come with a licenced 917 or 935, thanks to EA's stranglehold on the Porsche licence and their tendency to use only the latest and not-so-greatest models in the latest Burno... erm... Need for Speed games.

This really pissed me off as a Forza IV player when it first came out because of that reason. We had to wait almost a year before finally got the Porsches back in the series where it belonged. (No 917, or 935 agitatingly.) Even so, Forza Horion still doesn't have them yet. He'll, I think that's why we didn't get the good race tracks in Forza IV like NFS: Shift did. (Spa, Monza, Brno, ect.) I hate it when companies like EA do stuff like this. They are clearly doing this so it can force you into buying thier games only, intead of thier competitor's. But it's mostly the consumer that suffers the most from it.

[RealRacingRoots]

Rather sadly I expect it to be the only game to ever come with a licenced 917 or 935, thanks to EA's stranglehold on the Porsche licence and their tendency to use only the latest and not-so-greatest models in the latest Burno... erm... Need for Speed games.

This really pissed me off as a Forza IV player when it first came out because of that reason. We had to wait almost a year before finally got the Porsches back in the series where it belonged. (No 917, or 935 agitatingly.) Even so, Forza Horion still doesn't have them yet. He'll, I think that's why we didn't get the good race tracks in Forza IV like NFS: Shift did. (Spa, Monza, Brno, ect.) I hate it when companies like EA do stuff like this. They are clearly doing this so it can force you into buying thier games only, intead of thier competitor's. But it's mostly the consumer that suffers the most from it.

It's not like the NFS series is any good nowadays.

[DOSBoot]

Rather sadly I expect it to be the only game to ever come with a licenced 917 or 935, thanks to EA's stranglehold on the Porsche licence and their tendency to use only the latest and not-so-greatest models in the latest Burno... erm... Need for Speed games.

This really pissed me off as a Forza IV player when it first came out because of that reason. We had to wait almost a year before finally got the Porsches back in the series where it belonged. (No 917, or 935 agitatingly.) Even so, Forza Horion still doesn't have them yet. He'll, I think that's why we didn't get the good race tracks in Forza IV like NFS: Shift did. (Spa, Monza, Brno, ect.) I hate it when companies like EA do stuff like this. They are clearly doing this so it can force you into buying thier games only, intead of thier competitor's. But it's mostly the consumer that suffers the most from it.

It's not like the NFS series is any good nowadays.

I haven't been very impressed with them either. The last good NFS game I played was NFS: Most Wanted, that was way back in 2005. It's 2012, and I still haven't ran into one after it that was as good or better than it. Forza Horizon I thought was way better than the latest NFS games have been lately. Now that's just sad when you think about how awesome those games were in the 90s, and early 2000s. EA's stubborness of keeping Porshe is just their way of desperately trying to keep the series afloat. They must be really out of ideas when they call thier latest game NFS: Most Wanted less than a decade after it was released.

[RealRacingRoots]

It's like EA and the developers have been playing a game of musical chairs with a bunch of different game attributes, but only few chairs for features. From the first Hot Pursuit to Carbon, the best parts have gotten the seats (except Porsche Unleashed for PSx, god that game is awful). But starting with Undercover, it seemed like the seats have gone to inferior attributes and features. Chief among which being the Physics in almost all of the games past Pro Street. While NFS was on it's high, the Criterion attributes and features were in the corner of the room, too afraid to attempt to take a seat. But once one of the traditional features (good racing dynamics) invited them over, it was like the old NFS isn't even there to get a seat anymore.

Burnout Physics, Boost and Crashes from Burnout. Hell, Most Wanted 2012 is Burnout Paradise 2. It's like they've lost sight of what makes a great NFS game, not a ok racing game that was the Love Child of NFS Undercover and Burnout 2: Point of Impact.

My 2 cents on why NFS sucks.

[DanielPT]

It's like EA and the developers have been playing a game of musical chairs with a bunch of different game attributes, but only few chairs for features. From the first Hot Pursuit to Carbon, the best parts have gotten the seats (except Porsche Unleashed for PSx, god that game is awful). But starting with Undercover, it seemed like the seats have gone to inferior attributes and features. Chief among which being the Physics in almost all of the games past Pro Street. While NFS was on it's high, the Criterion attributes and features were in the corner of the room, too afraid to attempt to take a seat. But once one of the traditional features (good racing dynamics) invited them over, it was like the old NFS isn't even there to get a seat anymore.

Burnout Physics, Boost and Crashes from Burnout. Hell, Most Wanted 2012 is Burnout Paradise 2. It's like they've lost sight of what makes a great NFS game, not a ok racing game that was the Love Child of NFS Undercover and Burnout 2: Point of Impact.

My 2 cents on why NFS sucks.

I quite like Burnout series. That must be why I thoroughly enjoyed the two last NFS iterations from which I preferred more The Run. This is because I have long come to terms that NFS Physics are crap and will hardly improve and accepting this fact is the best way to enjoy a completely arcade game. What doesn't help is that there are a noticeable lack of racing games for PC and lack of opposition relaxes those who stay. We hit a barren run of games only desguised by the NFS iteration and the F1 game of that year. I think that most of these are because racing games, as a genre, got old and every one that leaves the stores is now mostly a rehash of what was already made with better graphics (this is perhaps why I very much liked The Run as it was different) exception made for F1 games as it at least portraits the season in progress at the time.

[MinardiFan95]

It's like EA and the developers have been playing a game of musical chairs with a bunch of different game attributes, but only few chairs for features. From the first Hot Pursuit to Carbon, the best parts have gotten the seats (except Porsche Unleashed for PSx, god that game is awful). But starting with Undercover, it seemed like the seats have gone to inferior attributes and features. Chief among which being the Physics in almost all of the games past Pro Street. While NFS was on it's high, the Criterion attributes and features were in the corner of the room, too afraid to attempt to take a seat. But once one of the traditional features (good racing dynamics) invited them over, it was like the old NFS isn't even there to get a seat anymore.

Burnout Physics, Boost and Crashes from Burnout. Hell, Most Wanted 2012 is Burnout Paradise 2. It's like they've lost sight of what makes a great NFS game, not a ok racing game that was the Love Child of NFS Undercover and Burnout 2: Point of Impact.

My 2 cents on why NFS sucks.

It's not just NFS that sucks, it's EA as a whole. They introduced the dreaded online pass system, which means that used game buyers have to spend more and those who trade the game in (most likely because it's terrible) don't get as much back on their trade. Their DLC is hugely overpriced, 3 cars for Hot Pursuit should not cost $14.95AUD, nor should a code to unlock everything cost $15 - whatever happened to putting in a cheat code to do that for free? Back onto NFS, they've ruined their best racing franchise (Burnout) in a pathetic attempt to bring back NFS' glory days - the ingredients seem to be to take a Burnout game, strip away it's best features (Crash mode, damage models, etc), slap some NFS over the top and garnish with so many special effects that in comparison makes the latest Michael Bay CG-athon look like Jaws.

One final gripe with EA - they don't support their own product, or more accurately, don't let the developers support their own product. The PS3 version of Shift 2 had some steering lag issues with wheels, and head of Slightly Mad Studios, Ian Bell, went onto some forums where this was reported (GTPlanet is one example) and promised that a fix would be on it's way. EA, on the other hand had different ideas. The DLC had already been released, so in their eyes their would be no point in improving the game, as their wouldn't be much of a monetary gain. Needless to say, EA and SMS soon went their separate ways...

What doesn't help is that there are a noticeable lack of racing games for PC and lack of opposition relaxes those who stay. We hit a barren run of games only desguised by the NFS iteration and the F1 game of that year. I think that most of these are because racing games, as a genre, got old and every one that leaves the stores is now mostly a rehash of what was already made with better graphics (this is perhaps why I very much liked The Run as it was different) exception made for F1 games as it at least portraits the season in progress at the time.

Actually, I think the PC racing game market is the strongest it has been for a while in terms of racing sims, much less so in terms of arcade games though. There's a whole heap of very promising sims currently in development, such as rFactor 2, Project CARS, Assetto Corsa and Raceroom Racing Experience. Even a few of the gMotor 2 (rFactor engine) sims that have recently been released are quite good, Game StockCar and SimRaceWay are two examples. Plus there's also the aforementioned yearly releases F1, NFS and WRC, which based on playing the demo is rather good. Then, there's always a steady stream of mods being released for older games.

[DOSBoot]

One final gripe with EA - they don't support their own product, or more accurately, don't let the developers support their own product. The PS3 version of Shift 2 had some steering lag issues with wheels, and head of Slightly Mad Studios, Ian Bell, went onto some forums where this was reported (GTPlanet is one example) and promised that a fix would be on it's way. EA, on the other hand had different ideas. The DLC had already been released, so in their eyes their would be no point in improving the game, as their wouldn't be much of a monetary gain. Needless to say, EA and SMS soon went their separate ways...

Well said about that. Sad thing about EA is that they are one of those companies that spots a good thing from another develper, quickly buys them out, and either takes thier idea, or simply relases one game, and the franchice vanishes into obscurity. I miss the days when DICE was independent, and making Rallisport Challange. The game that convinced me to buy an Xbox. Now thier stuck to making Battlefield. I knew when they purchaced the Burnout franchise, they were eventually going to mess it up. Even though things started out well at first, it was only a matter of time. I remember Free Radical, and the awsome first person shooter franchise Timsplitters games, until the series was bought out by EA, and I have yet to see another one come around. It made me really sad to whatch this like this happen.

[Ataxia]

EA's online pass system is horrible. It's just THE display of the money-draining techniques EA like to employ. Instead of just sticking the game in and playing, you have to painstakingly enter a code to go online. What is this? It's not a freaking Commodore 64.

I've all but given up on online gaming now. I don't have the new CoD yet, Grid 2 isn't out yet and I don't like playing Fifa online. With my N64, I put the game in. I turn it on. It starts playing.

The old times were the simplest...which is why I now want to buy a SNES.

[DOSBoot]

I agree. The online console gaming community has gotten a little to far beyond my understanding now. Glad I kept my NES over the years. No inernet conection requirements, no downloadable content. All you really needed was a Game Genie to get you out of a tight spot, and you were ready to go.