Need For Speed has repeatedly attempted to reinvent itself, trying out new twists within the arcade racing milieu to stay fresh after 20 years of releases. In pursuit of that novelty, Payback throws an enormous array of activities at the wall to see what might stick, including car customization,...

Terrible narrative aside, Need For Speed: Payback is a fun addition to the prolific racing franchise

Last year's Need for Speed tried to return the franchise to its original name and vision. It was a celebration of racing culture, with real cars and real aftermarket parts, alongside a focus on nighttime street races. On paper, it sounded great.

Ghost Games' decision to largely forgo much of what made Criterion's games work is a strange one, especially given how Rivals built on that DNA so well, but it's not the only questionable choice here.

This has great graphics, and great potential but fell short for me. It weaves real life cinematic into the story which is a great idea. Too complicated menu for multiplayer play.

looks the part, sounds the part, and is surprisingly reverent to real-world car culture. I like the direction Ghost has taken here, and I think it's the right one, but beneath its flashy exterior it's not quite firing on all cylinders.

Great visuals and sound; Drifting feels satisfying

Story is brief; multiplayer underdelivers; Rubber band AI; daft time-of-night effects; No drag racing; and no pause button

For over two decades the Need for Speed franchise has dazzled many arcade racing fans with over-the-top action. What started off as a game of fast supercars turned into cop chases and later street racing and car modding – they've always kept with trends of the time.

At least 30 hours of content; The car engines sound amazing in this game; The powersliding feels so; so good; You'll genuinely adore the disciplines that stand out for you..

...but other disciplines fall flat; Serious draw distance issues; An upgrading system that nearly destroys the experience; No steering wheel support at all; The soundtrack is abysmal

Game disc provided by the publisher This year the Need for Speed series gets the reboot treatment, with this year's entry simply titled Need for Speed, which is the second game to appear on the current generation of consoles after 2013's Need for Speed Rivals.

. While it may be considered a reboot, traces of familiarity are prevalent throughout the new title, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it only works if incorporated correctly. As with most

For car enthusiasts, finding a proper racing arcade game can be difficult. To that end, every so often, a game series attempts to reinvent itself, almost beginning completely from scratch.

Customization still relevant; Car tuning at an all-time high; Solid visually and audibly

...poor online multiplayer; Subpar plot; Tags