Our very own Criterion Studios know how to make a racing game. From the Burnout series to Need for Speed’s finest titles in Most Wanted to Hot Pursuit, you can near-guarantee that you’ll feel the sheer power of the cars you’re driving, and barely keep a handle on them as you drift through some fantastic open worlds. Their first outing in the Need for Speed series was Hot Pursuit, way back in 2010, and the remaster-heavy 2020 feels like a fantastic time to wheel it back out and give it a reappraisal with Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered. Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is out today on Xbox One, PS4 and PC via Steam.
If you remember the original, everything is present and correct here. You’re given the opportunity to drive on both sides of the law, as an outlaw using everything in your power to get away; and as a cop, using all of the tools and weapons given to you to bring your perp to justice. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll have heartstopping speed at your disposal.
One of the key elements of Hot Pursuit was the Autolog system, which chucked you challenges and made you aware of how your mates were doing. That’s back, alongside some new features that will push the dial up further. All of the DLC is available out of the box, 30 new challenges come as standard, loads of extras have been added like a photo mode, and – of course – it all looks shop-bought, with enhanced visuals.
As a Burnout Paradise fan who never got on board with Criterion’s switch to Need for Speed, this feels like an ideal time to cool the head and give it a test-drive. A full single-player campaign and the entirety of Seacrest County to drive through seems like an ideal lockdown-beater.
Features include:
- CROSS-PLATFORM MULTIPLAYER AND AUTOLOG – Bolt down the winding Seacrest County roads headfirst in racing that is socially competitive at its core. The groundbreaking Autolog connects you and your friends in head-to-head pursuits and races and instinctively delivers challenges based on your friends’ activities. This highly dynamic system is fueled by friendly competition and is now supported with cross-platform sync and new multiplayer gameplay so that you can race each other no matter what platform you are on.
- ALL MAIN DLC INCLUDED, PLUS MORE UPDATES – Get all the additional main DLC delivered at launch including an extra six hours of gameplay and more than 30 challenges. Brand new achievements, wraps, car colors, reduced hard stops, an updated photo mode and gallery, and multiple quality of life updates create an even more well-rounded gameplay experience this time around.
- EXOTIC CARS WITH WEAPONS – Drive the world’s most desirable supercars on both sides of the law. Bust suspects in supercharged cop interceptors enhanced with tactical weaponry, or level the playing field with counterattacks and defensive maneuvers as an elite racer. Strategize to gain an edge over the competition, no matter what side you’re on!
- CHASE AND ESCAPE – A deep and fully-defined single-player career delivers the action of both cops and racers, with a seamlessly linked multiplayer experience across all race modes. Take on friends or play through the career solo to earn Bounty and unlock new cars, weapons, and equipment.
- ENHANCED VISUALS – Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered delivers a timeless racing experience updated for today’s generation of hardware with enhanced visuals.
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is a mouthful, but is out now on Xbox One and will cost you £34.99. It’s also out on PS4 and PC via Steam. It’s out to buy physically too, should you want it on the shelf. Hold tight for our full review of how this remaster plays out.
Game Description:
Feel the thrill of the chase and the rush of escape in Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit Remastered on Xbox One. Unleash a savage sense of speed both as an outlaw and a cop in the world’s hottest high-performance cars. Outsmart the heat or take down lawbreakers with the tactical weaponry at your disposal in a heart-pumping, socially competitive racing experience. Updated with enhanced visuals, cross-platform multiplayer – including the asynchronous competition powered by Autolog – plus all additional main DLC , this is the ultimate edition of Criterion Games’ critically acclaimed Need for Speed debut. It’s time to reignite the pursuit.
