Despite being one of the longest running racing series, Need for Speed has lacked a clear identity in recent years. I think Ghost Games and Electronic Arts has finally nailed it, though, with Need for Speed Payback. Described as an “action racing” game, it combines intense street racing with an open-world filled with cops and events to get into. Oh, and there’s also a Fast and Furious-esque story that brings with it some completely ridiculous blockbuster film moments.
Players control three different characters in Payback, and each of them brings with them their own charm. There’s the charmingly egotistical off-road specialist Mac (I think it’s the British accent), a street racer punk named Tyler (I’m waiting on my royalties), and a sassy escape driver named Jess. Throw in a mechanic that complains about being too old for this type of tomfoolery, and you’ve got a cast of characters that’d fit into any street racing movie. Story is definitely a focus in Need for Speed Payback, but the three characters also factor into the gameplay. There’s a total of five types of events to compete in (Drag, Off-Road, Drift, Race, and Runner), and each character heads up the areas that lean into their strengths. Since a Lamborghini isn’t going to do well in dirt, players will need to have different types of cars available. This ends up working really well as players are forced to spend time with all three of the characters thro...