Whether you’re a shooting, racing or role-play fan, we’ve got something to get you through the Christmas holidays and beyond. Battle aliens in downtown New York in Crysis 2 – one of the most visually stunning and technically accomplished shooters ever released. Rejoin Alice for another trip down the rabbit hole in horror-platformer Alice: Madness Returns. Or go full throttle with the unique coast-to-coast action driving experience of Need For Speed: The Run.

Sims fans will be able to complete their collection this Christmas with both the original Sims 3 and up to three fun expansion packs, including the long-awaited Sims 3 Pets. Score your way to victory with FIFA 12, the latest in the long running football franchise. Or for gamers of a more trigger-happy persuasion, discover the award-winning multiplayer combat experience of Battlefield 3.
Get your game on – visit Origin today!

*Offer ends 08/01/2012. Selected titles include Battlefield 3, FIFA 12, Need For Speed: The Run, Sims 3, Sims 3 Pets, Sims 3 Generations, Sims 3 Ambitions, Mass Effect 2 Digital Deluxe, Crysis 2, Dragon Age 2, Alice: Madness Returns.

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Tension mounts as the camera shot draws away to his real predicament, one that sees the car being lifted into a compactor, whilst his enemy looks on discussing briefly the reason why our character is in this situation.  The base of the story laid out, the tension hanging and the initial key presses to start your escape ala Battlefield.  You manage to get out, run to a car with your foes just about to follow you.  The conversion from game into pure film form is right there and then ………. loading ……… loading …….loading.  The tension is broken, the feeling of what proper film form gave you is gone, washed away in the bleakness of a loading screen and tries hard to claw you back throughout the game but not with much success.

• Likes

  • Great Concept
  • Autolog included
  • Frostbite 2 engine

• Dislikes

  • Handling
  • Blockbuster film form doesn’t work

You see, this is a problem that has the gaming industry on its knees as they try to find a way to convey the structure and narrative of film into our gaming worlds and unfortunately, the intervention of a loading screen at key points seems to be the main reason that games just don’t work when played or viewed in such a cinematic way.  That’s not to say that narrative doesn’t work, it does and very successfully but when you try to merge two art forms together, it tends to lack somewhere and Need For Speed: The Run has this as its downfall.

The game itself is good and Black Box, through Criterion’s stellar approach to critically acclaimed Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, have learnt all over again what a Need For Speed game should be about providing break neck gameplay with responsive controls, over a series of roads all running through the incredible Frostbite 2 engine.  The now bread and butter overlay of Autolog has also been included to allow for a challenge or two between friends logging speed runs on certain roads and sending them straight to your mates for them to beat.

The game itself can require precision driving at times and is evident very early on in the game as you are being chased down by people that you owe money too.  Being able to apply the right amount of power and braking to negotiate the corners to get the required speed out of them takes a little time as you get used to the weight of the car and its distribution through the corners.  Beating the train to the crossing, for example, provides for some frustrating moments but once you are out on the open, things start to become more like the Need For Speed we know.

Based on a race across the country from San Francisco to New York, Need For Speed, takes us on an adventure of break neck racing taking in many locations and weather conditions.  Some roads are more open and straight whilst others have a lot of bends where your car choice can make a difference between overtaking the required amount of cars to proceed to the next section and having to rack your brain to select the right specs on any of the cars available to tackle the conditions.  As well as the standard racing the roads are jam packed with vehicles for you to negotiate but all the while concentrates also on the short cuts that you have come to know and love to reduce those times down and overtake more opponents too.

It may seem simple enough but when you have to negotiate landslides and other tricky conditions that the game throws at you, Need For Speed – The Run delivers enough variety in the gameplay and sometimes the most unexpected times to reward the gamer with a thrill that only the newer Need For Speed titles can deliver and with the focus on big blockbuster action sequences some WTF moments too.

The handling dynamics of the cars themselves seem to have had a personality problem as they cannot decide what they really should be.  It feels as though they are firmly in bed between Shift’s more sim handling but has had a bit of a conflict with itself and also tried to add a little of the handling of Undercover too which is not the best relationship.  It is a far cry from Need For Speed Pursuit’s excellent handling and suffers a little because of it.

The star of the show, however, has to be the Frostbite 2 engine and everything it creates.  The lighting particles and textures in the landscape are as jaw dropping as you expect, creating environments that play well to Frostbite 2′s strengths and doesn’t let up, no matter how busy the screens get.

It is, however, unfortunate that Need For Speed: The Run suffers from these foibles as this is what really upsets the apple cart and makes the game a do i, don’t i proposition.  I have to applaud Black Box in trying something different to build onto the rebirth of the franchise, something I do not do a lot, I admit.  The cinematics and the attempt to create a blockbuster film like game are sincere BUT games just don’t behave like they should to build up tension within the storyline and this unfortunately is one major flaw in the game.

I had problems trying to find friends that have populated the leaderboards and inevitably is what the games longevity lives and dies on.  The ability to try and beat other people’s times.  If people aren’t taking up the challenge like they did in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit then the game will fail despite the great things the title also has to offer.

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Using theNeed for Speed franchise’s signature Autolog feature, gamers will compete to see who will come out on top and who will be left in the dust as they race through the Desert Hills of California and Independence Pass of Colorado.

In the Need for Speed The Run demo, players will have access to two high-powered supercars including the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. The second car, the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S, will be unlocked when gamers refer a friend to download the demo, giving them one of first opportunities to get behind the wheel of this 400HP luxury ride. The Need for Speed The Run demo will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace worldwide and the PlayStation Network in North America from October 18th to November 1st, and available on the PlayStation Network in Europe from October 19th to November 1st.”

Need for Speed The Run takes gamers on a heart-pounding, high-stakes race that will have them surrounded by a constant feeling of danger. The heat is on and lethal action unfolds as gamers take on the role of Jack Rourke and battle 200 of the world’s most notorious racers for a $25M cash prize. Weaving through dense urban traffic, rocketing down icy mountain passes and navigating narrow canyons at breakneck speeds, gamers will be challenged in this illicit race for their life. Powered by Frostbite 2, Black Box makes its return and takes the action racing genre to new heights with stunning visuals and car physics that hug the road at insanely fast speeds. In Need for Speed The Run, the cars are hot, the racing is intense and the story will have players at the edge of their seat, delivering this holiday’s hottest action racing game.

Developed by Black Box , an EA studio , Need for Speed The Run will be available November 15, 2011 in North America and November 17, 2011 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii and Nintendo 3DS.

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As The Run hits Colorado, Jack faces a life-threatening choice at icy Independence Pass. Take the long route and lose valuable time, or ignore avalanche warnings and use his skill to survive a treacherous shortcut. With the clock ticking, a mountain crumbling in front of him and a rival one step ahead, the choice is obvious. He has to race for his life!

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We’ve seen how good his engine is starting to look with Battlefield 3 and we have a feeling that it could also be utilised across all of EA’s games from now on.  Add into the mix advancements with the Autolog feature, are we starting to see the next evolution in EA’s arsenal?

What do you think?  Have your say below.

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The hottest blockbuster this holiday is a game that takes players on a heart-pounding cross-country race from San Francisco to New York. Launching on November 15, Need for Speed The Run lures players into an underground world of illicit, high-stakes racing. The heat is on – and it isn’t just the fuzz who are after you. Entering the race is just the beginning as you blow across borders, weave through dense urban traffic, rocket down icy mountain passes and navigate narrow canyons at breakneck speeds.

Powered by DICE’s state-of-the-art Frostbite  2 engine, Need for Speed The Run takes the action racing genre to new heights with stunning visuals and car physics that hug the road even at top speeds all built around a gripping storyline. The cars are hot, the racing is intense and the story will have you at the edge of your seat… all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State building.

“This is the year that Need for Speed goes to the next level,” said Jason DeLong, Executive Producer at EA. “We think that Need for Speed The Run is going to surprise people with its intense, thrilling story and big action feel. But the game would be nothing without hot cars and crazy-fast chases. So that is what we’re delivering — explosive racing that will have players flirting with disaster at 200-miles an hour.”

Using the groundbreaking Frostbite 2 engine, Need for Speed The Run will set the bar with unparalleled visual quality and enhanced physics. Need for Speed The Run will also take immersive storytelling to a new level with cutting edge performances that will draw the player into a world with no speed limits, rules or allies. Autolog, the Need for Speed franchise’s revolutionary social competition functionality, is back and better in Need for Speed The Run as it will continue to reinvent how people play games, track career progression and compare game stats.

Developed by Black Box , a studio of Electronic Arts , Need for Speed The Run will be available November 15, 2011 in North America and November 17, 2011 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii and Nintendo 3DS.

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Over the next month Seacrest County lawbreakers will be treated with three all-new content packs – Armed and Dangerous, Lamborghini Untamed and Porsche Unleashed – releasing in consecutive weeks. Starting February 22, these content packs will increase the intensity of the ever-popular police chases, superior racing and addictive social competition that Need for Speed Hot Pursuit delivers.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Armed and Dangerous
The first pack, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Armed and Dangerous, contains two all-new game modes that expand and extend the spectacular online experience. “Most Wanted” is an open world battle where the cops are out to bust a specific racer while the racers battle to protect them, making full use of the open world, weaponry and demanding team tactics. In “Arms Race” it’s every man for himself as racers use their full arsenal of weaponry on each other in ruthless races to the finish. In addition, this pack also contains three new trophies and achievements. Need for Speed Hot PursuitArmed and Dangerous will be available beginning February 22 for £5.49 (560 Microsoft Points) on the PlayStation Network or Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Lamborghini Untamed
Lamborghini Untamedadds three of the world’s most famous Lamborghini’s to the game, but with a Need for Speed Hot Pursuit twist; the legendary Lamborghini Diablo SV, Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV and Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will all be playable as both a cop and a racer. In addition to this, the Lamborghini Untamed content pack will include 10 new events and four new trophies and achievements. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Lamborghini Untamed will be available beginning March 1 for £5.49 (560 Microsoft Points) on the PlayStation Network or Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Porsche Unleashed
The third pack, Porsche Unleashed, continues to add to the already stellar lineup of Porsche cars in the game. Any car enthusiast will be delighted to see the Porsche 911 Turbo (1982 Edition) make its way into the game, along with the Porsche 959 and 911 Speedster. The Porsche 911 Turbo is a high performance tier one car, designed to enable players to go back and reignite their earliest rivalries and beat their friends’ times. Also included in this pack are 10 new events and four new trophies and achievements. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Porsche Unleashed will be available March 8 for £5.49 (560 Microsoft Points) on the PlayStation Network or Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

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By getting the car showcase trailer showing below via youtube viewed one million times, Criterion will unlock three gorgeous convertibles for your racing pleasure.  Included is the Bentley Continental, Dodge Viper SRT10 and a Lambo Murcielago LP650-4 roadster.

Well, what are you waiting for, we have cars to unlock!

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I still remember the heady years of the early 90′s, sitting down and popping the original Need For Speed title into my 3DO for a monster session of racing and police evasion over 3 courses.  Need For Speed II: Hot Pursuit provided the same enjoyment but with more flair as short cuts were introduced to try and beat your friends in head to head split screen battles.  As time went on EA felt that they needed to follow the Fast and the Furious crowd and pump out games that imped your vehicles and take the franchise down a different route.  Unfortunately, for me, this is where the franchise started to die.  Many iterations of the franchise have been produced since but none have brought the feeling of the originals back into my heart.  There have been some good versions, but unfortunately, not good enough.

And so, Criterion take the helm for the latest instalment of Need For Speed called Hot Pursuit.  Not only have Criterion been shouting from the rooftops that they are taking the game back to its roots but they have also used the original two titles and brought them together.  My thoughts have been weary over the last couple of months and I have instantly imagined the big build up that will be followed by the greatest disappointment but I am here to say that Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is as close an immersive and entertaining experience that you will get without spending a shed load of cash on the original.

Yes folks, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit can hold its head up high as you get to enjoy the simplicity, the ass cheek clenching, pedal to the metal, white knuckle ride that put the franchise on the map.

The campaign itself brings flowing stretches of the Seacrest County roads to life as you battle your opponents, the police, roadblocks, spikes and jammers to create havoc along these stretches to become the number one driver in the county as well as the most wanted driver by the police.  Set over a series of different events including straight up racing, head to head battles and time trials, selected by events that are opened up on the Seacrest County map, players will be rewarded with points for placing first, attaining the fastest time for a particular stretch of road, driving skills and police damage.  These points will unlock new cars for you to drive which in turn will open up new events for you to race in.  If you feel like being the hunter rather than the huntee?  Then you will be able to drive down the Cops career route instead which runs parallel in the campaign.

The races themselves are fast and tense and each car brings its own handling and damage statistics to the road, all surrounded by sumptuous car modelling and scenery.  The Need For Speed will also make you look for those little short cuts that can shave seconds off of your time to complete the course quicker but also try to beat your friends times that are registered via a new in game feature called Autolog which I will explain later.

If you think this is a run of the mill arcade racer then you can’t be further from the truth.  Mix in aggressive police tactics in the form of bumping, bashing and a wealth of destructive tools at their disposal like spike strips, police roadblocks, emp jammers and helicopters to try and take you out and you will be thinking just as much about the different ways of trying to evade them as much as trying to find the perfect line down the roads.  Need For Speed also rewards you for driving dangerously with nitrous boosts power ups given to you for driving on the wrong side of the road, drafting, drifting as well as taking short cuts which will give you those precious seconds to get away from your pursuer and perhaps jump a couple of places in the race itself.

There are only a couple of issues with the campaign and although not damaging to the game would help provide slightly more tension and faster reactions.  For all the reward that comes with driving at high speed there simply is not enough traffic to balance the risk and reward of driving dangerously.  Don’t get me wrong, there are enough cars around but when you put it next to Criterion’s other huge franchise Burnout then traffic feels non existent.  A simple addition would really help take this game to the next level.  The only other problem is the easy A.I. that you race against.  I felt that the cars themselves and the different decisions they make are sometimes no erratic enough to give them any thought in terms of competition.  Again, this is something that could get looked at.  As I said, minor complaints in a near perfect Need For Speed experience.

And so, with the niggles out of the way we look to the multiplayer element of the game where one of my quibbles will immediately be negated as you take on real life competition.  Games are easily selected and run along the same pattern as the campaign with up to eight players.  Being able to setup a race with as many cops as you want has to be a standout feature as you battle your way through the deluge of chaos that will be heading your way.  The multiplayer is also hooked nicely in the Autolog feature which will allow you to look for new racing friends as it will recommend some for you if you are Billy no mates, tell you what achievements your friends have completed, what times they have on a certain road for you to beat and also give you the ability to upload photos of your rides.

This social hub of the game provides the simplicity that Need For Speed has craved for a long time.  The ability to jump straight into a challenge set by a friend is as easy as pushing a button.  Autolog tracks your every move in the game and will supply your friends with all of your goings on and the option to beat them seemlessly dropping you into the action.  Basically, this is Criterion’s big hurrah to the road rules challenges in Burnout Paradise but with a Facebook feel.

Overall, Criterion have absolutely got what Need For Speed is about.  Gone are the wishy washy Black Box shennanigans that used to fail the franchise year in, year out.  When they said they were taking it back to its roots, they were not wrong.  What we have here is a shining example of a big budget game that doesn’t need to be too complex to make it work.  Sometimes, simplicity is key and the gameplay wins all the time.  It doesn’t need to be massive (which it is by the way!).  It doesn’t need a million customisation options and its main feature does not necessarily need to have a sandbox feel about it.  It simply needs to be exciting but with a couple of fresh ideas implimented.

Criterion has finally done something a lot of developers should take note of.  Provided a game that has a feel about it that makes you think back to the first time you played a franchise title that created the big beaming smile that you have chased for an eternity.

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This next clip reveals some of the functionality behind the Hot Pursuit ‘Autolog’ feature in a real life setting as Ben Collins and the Roll Deep crew fly around a racetrack in a bunch of supercars! What is Autolog ? Think Amazon recommends but in the most intense racing environment in videogames. Autolog powers social competition between you and your friends by comparing, and contrasting your times with each other. Autolog will take those times and throw them back to you to let you know who is the most wanted and ultimate enforcer. There is always a friend of yours that is trying to beat you!!

Also to whet your appetite is the launch trailer too which hopes to get you down the stores tomorrow to purchase it.  Our Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit review will be live very soon but for those of you that are still unsure I can honestly say that Criterion’s version of the Need For Speed franchise is as close as you will get to the feel of the original.

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