Crash.. AND Burn?

One serious flaw in a great majority of racers is the poorly designed AI, or should we say, perfectly designing AI - almost too perfect! In such titles the last place in a race can be a very familiar place, not so with NFS5. Gone are the 'perfect drivers' of the past and in comes a splash of realism that's as refreshing as a poster of 'Gail Porter' on a hot day.

Now when you're racing, those nasty little CPU opponents are just as likely to make a serious cock up as you are. Just as you do, they don't have for-knowledge of oncoming traffic and deal with tracks on a more 'as is' basis rather than 'know it' one. So don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself steaming by a three car pile up on the roads, just remember to pay attention yourself or the same could easily happen to you.

The AI certainly provides for a challenge and is one that any player will easily want to accept and overcome, just remember that putting the pedal to the metal isn't always the quickest way to overcome a foe. If you do end up in a crash or hitting other cars then 'realistic damage' will can have drastic effects on the performance of your car depending on where your hit, not to mention it can leave some nasty dents. Anything from acceleration to steering can be affected.

The combination of clever AI that reacts to what your doing and traffic on the road, alongside the realism in physics and damage, means you end up playing with the race rather than against it. Actually feeling a part of the race is something most games can't convey, yet NFS5 pulls it off with ease. You soon learn that it's not about being in first place; instead the best tactic is to get into 2nd and trail the guy in 1st until a mile off the finish line. This allows you to see ahead by the way he reacts to cars and turns around him.

Next >>

<< Previous