Released: 19980325 Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Electronic Arts Genre: Racing

Review by: PSX Freak

A few years ago, Electronic Arts brought us its first installment in its
Need for Speed racing series. It combined top-notch graphics with
stellar gameplay. Soon, it had many gamers begging for more, so EA
decided to release a much-anticipated sequel.

NFS II was disappointing,
to say the least. The graphics and controls were poorly done, which left
many gamers upset. Recently, EA released the third installment in its
NFS racing trilogy. Does it give racing fans what they want? Or does it
turn out to be another NFS II? To find out, read on!

Graphics

After looking at the horribly blurry NFS II graphics, NFS III's visuals
are a breath of fresh air. EA has used realistic car models, paying
close attention to details. The scenery is absolutely astounding,
especially on the Aquatica track. The FMV introduction sequence is
amazing, and really gets you pumped up to burn rubber! During the race,
there is no pop-up, and only a small amount of pixellation. The
backgrounds are done so well that I find myself gazing at the scenery
sometimes instead of paying attention to the race. EA has thrown-in
plenty of lighting effects, which are at their best when you race
through the tunnels. Reflections are extremely well-done, and the replay
mode is great. Overall, NFS III's visuals are superb, compete well with
Gran Turismo's graphics.

Gameplay

This is the category where NFS III has really improved over its
predecessors. Although NFS III is compatible with the Analog Controller,
it controls great with the standard digital joypad. New options that EA
has added are that you have the ability to change the weather conditions
and the amount of traffic.

There are several modes available for play.
Included are the standard Single Race, Tournament, and VS Modes. Two of
the interesting features in NFS III are the Knockout and Hot Pursuit
Modes. In Knockout, you race a circuit. Each race, the last-place car is
eliminated. As you progress, you continue to race until only two cars
are left, where you go head-to-head. In Hot Pursuit, you try to escape
from the cops. The police do everything in their power to stop you. When
you are caught the first time, they give you a warning. After multiple
offenses, you will be arrested, which ends the game.

Now, let's talk
about the controls. The cars are easy and fun to handle, although it
takes awhile to learn how to brake efficiently. After you master
braking, controlling your vehicle is a piece of cake. The
computer-controlled opponents are intelligent, and actually compete with
you all the way.
However, NFS III does have a few bad points. First, if
you crash, it is really difficult to recover and win. Usually, when you
crash, you will lose 2-3 spots. Also, the turns are a little tough to
handle if you don't brake before turning. Other than that, the controls
are excellent.

All the tracks are long and are smartly designed.
Overall, there are 10+ tracks to choose from, four of which are
initially available. To unlock secret cars and tracks, you will need to
win in Tournament Mode.

Sound/Music

NFS III features the standard racing rock/techno music. In the Options
Menu, you have the ability to choose the style of music you want to
hear. Each car's engine sounds different from the others. A cool feature
that EA has included is the ability to honk your horn while racing. Each
car's horn is unique as well. The cops' voices are realistic and easy to
understand. The crashes are well-punctuated, especially when you are
going 200 miles-per-hour and slam into a wall! Overall, the sounds and
music in NFS III aren't bad at all.

Replay Value

The lasting ability of NFS III is actually quite high, which is odd for
a racer. You will need to practice in order to unlock all the secrets in
this title. The Hot Pursuit Mode is long-lasting fun, and the Knockout
and Tournament Modes add to the replay. The Simulation Mode is also
superb, and compliments the Arcade Mode nicely. Overall, NFS III is a
solid racer, but is slightly behind Gran Turismo in my books. I suggest
that you check out NFS III. It will give you weeks of enjoyment!

- We have 1 review for Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1 Staff, 0 Member)