Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit (Jewel Case)

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit (Jewel Case) Review

Wow!

When I first popped this CD into my PC, I could hardly believe my eyes. This game "begins" with one of the best "cinematic" sequences I've ever seen, starting with thunder and lightening, fast music kicking in, and a great little "film" full of fast cuts, great editing, amazing graphics, and SPEED! Though one can bypass this opening at any time to get to the play, I still often love watching this opening movie prior to every time I'm up for enjoying the actual game. What's truly amazing however is that, once you get into the game and get better at it, you can record, save, and replay any/all of your OWN races. These are just fun to watch also.

The real fun however, is in the play. I have tried many, many driving/racing games, on consoles both old and new, and this is undoubtedly the best out there. Even those on the so-called next generation systems like PS2, XBox and Gamecube have NOTHING which compares to this, in my humble opinion. For the low price this is going for nowadays, if you want the BEST driving/racing game ever made, look no further. I would easily pay three times what they're asking for this, it's just that damn good.

The Need For Speed series has been around for awhile, and I also own and enjoy the Playstation versions, however, even those cannot match the graphics of this PC one. With a gamepad and/or joystick and some headphones, you're in for the ride of your life, again and again. It's even possible to play a mean game of NFS3 with the keyboard alone, but it's much better with a controller of some type, and they're pretty cheap these days too.

There are several beautiful tracks here, and many great cars to choose from. You can choose various types of races, go into HOT PURSUIT mode where you try to outrun the cops, or if you like, just drive around and enjoy the scenery and explore in cruise mode. With various "cheat codes" easily found on the internet, you can also make your cars go faster, choose special "locked" cars at will (El Nino!), and open up special hidden tracks like the beautiful "Empire City."

For anyone new to fast driving/racing games, this may seem quite impossible or at least extremely difficult at first, but with practice and timing and the right combination of passwords, you will soon be winning races and much more. I say this because, regardless of whether you're racing another single opponent or a flock of them, the AI (artificial intelligence) of your comrades in SPEED is pretty tough. Sometimes, if you don't run a perfect race, you will see the rest easily pass you by and drift off into the distance, vanishing as you struggle to keep up. The challenge however never ends, because even when you do get pretty good, there will always be other cars who will always give you a good run for the money. The cops chasing you and setting up roadblocks and spikestrips and such, are also pretty good and fast and relentless, and it's really a kick to try to outwit and outrace them before you're finally "arrested." This will come after they pull you over a couple times first with some "warnings." In this mode, you get to hear the cops and female switchboard operator talking on a CB in the background as they chase you.

The graphics are not only consistently beautiful and the frame rate high, but the sound effects (engines, screeches, wind, howling wolves, birds, cows, you name it), and music are also top notch. Everything is highly configurable though not on any Gran Turismo level, but the options for setting up exactly what you want, from track locale to car to car color to night driving to weather effects like rain and snow, are almost endless. And each replay you save with differences like this, also make for unique little "movies" like the opening sequence which are a joy to save and watch in themselves.

I can't recommend this game enough. The system requirements are low, the price is low, the graphics are like eye candy, you can turn down the music selections (which are all great techno and rock styles) and play your own MP3's if you like instead, and all I have to say is, if you don't have a driving/racing game yet for your PC, BUY THIS ONE FIRST!!! You may not even have to buy another one, it's just THAT GOOD. A true gem in every way.

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit (Jewel Case) Overview

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Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit (Jewel Case) Specifications

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit puts you behind the wheel of cars as prosaic as the Corvette and exotic as the Lamborghini Diablo. And--in case taking the vehicle of your dreams out for a high-speed spin isn't enough--you can race that car against computer opponents, other players, and the law.

The game has a something-for-everyone design, with an excellent range of racecourses and customization options. Racecourses can be altered to different times of day and weather conditions, varying their level of challenge. The game has a strong commitment to realism, going to extremes to differentiate the cars in appearance, control, and even engine noise. Driving uphill or on rough terrain has predictable (and frustrating, if it costs you a lead!) effects. Pursuit mode, where you can either run from or become the police, is entertaining and heightens the stakes credibly.

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit is not without minor disappointments, chief among them being the lack of an Internet play option (although you can link players over modem and network). Additionally, some of the course shortcuts fail to deliver their promise as time-savers. It also comes with a virtual airbag--no crash is really terminal. This is a common feature of race games, but a strange convention--it contrasts starkly with the game's realistic driving features. You can strike a road sign, spin out and smash a competitor, or even hit a cliff head-on at 120 mph, and none of these accidents is fatal to the car or driver. Instead, players may back up, turn around, and floor it, in hopes of making up lost time and winning the race. --Alyx Dellamonica

Pros:

• Over a dozen high-performance cars
• Fantastic track design
• Innovative pursuit mode
• Customization options

Cons:

• Weather has little effect on handling
• Cars don't show damage when bumped or crashed

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 14, 2010 12:15:20

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