GOLDEN OLDIES: Need for Speed 5

A spectacular symphony of elements combined with refined finesse and relentless emersion, brought upon the world, possibly, the best racing simulation ever conceived for the PC: Need for Speed, the fifth installment.

Overview:

From its humble beginnings, the Need for Speed (NFS) franchises aspired to inject realism (debatable) and passion into, at that period of time, an insipid and neglected genre of the PC gaming society. Intrepid, ambitious and tenacious, the NFS title was born. Retrospectively, the first title was morbidly received, benign only to the few who abided by what it so selfishly had to offer. Nonetheless enough was convened to impose an impression, a reality that the title endeavored to create an environment that had an aesthetic perception for the art of racing. Very much unsurprising, a sequel was conjured, one that was cognitive to success in, possibly, the most profound ways and rightfully so.

Yet, to superimpose on the benevolent success of the second, the persistence and motivation to assemble a third title in the series, proved present, as Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit was unleashed upon the world, players was introduced to a welcomed concept of commandeering a ‘Cop-car’. Or of opposite preference, to be chased by one, where evasion proved to be of significant requisite. However a vast number of similarities between the third and the fourth titles, caused the fourth, ‘High Stakes’, to incur much obloquy from revered fans, and thus aptly failed at satisfying the insatiable hunger that is expectation. The fourth installment was the first NFS to completely miss the appeal and commendation of its dedicated followers.

Then, insidiously, the eventual jewel of the NFS series was born. A barrage of unique elements, alien to the conventional repetitive routine the predecessors depicted, was introduced in a subtly boisterous way. The package that brought the NFS franchise to heart again and nestled itself was the fifth. Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 (or Unleashed).

Story:

Your father was brutishly startled by a driver who callously honked his car’s horn. He promptly fainted and spilled his lima beans. You vowed to seek revenge, to hunt down the Honker.

Wait a second, no.

Game modes:

Porsche 2000 introduced two unique game modes that will perpetually be indigenous to the title, namely: Evolution mode and Factory Driver. Both enveloped the player providing absolute emersion in NFS: 5 and presented enough playability to sustain such notions.

The Factory Driver game mode gave the player the opportunity to drive various models (of Porsche, if it proved difficult to surmise) around test tracks or the skid pad. It was a revolutionary idea that, probably, most developers felt just too futile or frivolous to execute in a racing game. Yet, the story, or explanation that constitutes as to why the player is a ‘Factory Driver’ (a term almost synonymous with stunt driving), is simply, you are a test driver for Porsche. Not that most would see this as an obligatory aspect, the fact that it had to be elaborated why this game mode exists, but it does meticulously complete the general feel of tangibility. The sheer innuendo of test-driving a Porsche would unequivocally catch the attention of any remotely interested driving-enthusiast. So, what does ‘Factory Driver’ entail? Quite candor, the player would be required to complete various challenges or tasks (cookie if you guessed that bit): one would comprise of successfully finishing a track/circuit in a predetermined time; the other (as mentioned) is the ‘skid-pad’ scenario, where the driver would be obligated to complete an array of tricks for example, doing handbrake turns, 360° or 180° spins, again, within the required time limit. It might not superficially appear as a conspicuous fun mode, but there is benign sense of appeal, and it incessantly entices the senses. It renders colostomy-bag wrestling dull.

Evolution mode is nearly self-explanatory. The player is expected to compete in races, starting with the very first models of Porsche (those sexy 356), and persist through the three eras, working through a vast number of models ranging from the first 911 Carreras, the 914, 944, the 911 Turbo, Boxter, and eventually conclude with the 911 Turbo 2000 model. It is prevalently a rather simple concept that is infallible in execution. The incremental increase in sense of speed, the obtrusiveness in significance of money, the recession of one’s flawed driving tendencies. It is all quite remarkable. Simple concept + assiduous execution = yayburger (yes, equation sponsored by Kepten Kraaim Stop himself). The reason for being obstreperous about this mode will be made clear, momentarily.

Gameplay:

What made NFS Porsche so unbearably attractive were the tremendously miniscule aspects. Those aspects beget emersion and the expedient appreciation for the title. For example: to convey the verisimilitude of the car’s behavior or the overall sense of realism, a very rudimentary concept was implemented, namely an axis (this was not a technique native to NFS 5). Meaning if you accelerated, the car would aptly raise its nose slightly, contrastingly, if you would brake, the car’s nose would ‘bury’ itself. Furthermore, if you found yourself in a turn (considering the nature of the game that might be regularly) the appropriate ‘roll’ would correspond. This is an embarrassingly simple idea that makes the feel immaculate. Countless times you would be obliviously immersed in whatever action you are dictating to the car. Say you are approaching a right turn and applying brake, you will witness the nose of the car lower, and when you eventually attack the turn and advocate the action and turn right, you would notice the left suspension giving way and lowering, rendering a tangible motion. Controversially though, these events would most probably be oblivious to the driver (turn, turn, turn, please don’t spin, please don’t spin).

NFS: Porsche also included a diligent damage system. Not solitarily affecting the bodywork, but performance as well. Arguably not the most venerated aspect of the NFS due to the fact that it could cause you to lose that rather significant race, but, again, contributes to the sense of realism and playability, encouraging the driver to be meticulous in his/her execution of the correct action in the pertaining situation. Simply reiterated, it forces you to learn, become better, and thusly leads to a greater euphoria when winning that important race.

On a more insidious note (and most likely overlooked by most), NFS 5, like its predecessors, incorporated ‘actual’ cockpits of the various Porsche models. It would seem that all the NFS sequels finally declared this to be a frivolous and too arduous endeavor, and therefore completely negated it. However it proved to be a basic concept that, even if it were infinitesimal, bred a notion of realism, an oblique method that made the player feel that he/she is in the relevant or actual vehicle. Simple, yet it proved effective.

However, there is another attribute of NFS 5 which is absolutely enigmatic in quality, so much so it encompasses oneself in the effect of realism and enables you to perceive the grace and glory of all the respective entities combined. After a race you are immediately treated to the according replay. It is here one can sincerely be tainted with awe, especially with regards to the physics of the car. The way the car depicts how you took a corner, or how you so narrowly and assiduously overtook two opposing vehicles. It is absolutely ineffable. Specifically the Factory Driver mode, adds value to the replay and vice versa. Discerning how the car moves when you complete a 360° handbrake turn will make you morbidly cringe with delight. It is as if you can feel the weight of the car swaying, timidly playing being thrown around. Marvelous.

Multiplayer:

Sheer emersion would lucidly sell the excitement that NFS Porsche had to offer. Outmost concentration was a malign key necessity to ensure pole position, or anything even near relevant. Cognitive of the human factor, pressure always played a gargantuan role in determining success, and nothing quite orchestrates some tension like spotting an amply motivated driver in the rearview-mirror of one’s car.

Moreover nothing fuels one’s ire by being overtaken by a fellow player and then witnessing him/her flashing composed hazards. A quite vacuous and adventitious addition made by Porsche 2000 that made a simple event so much more memorable.

Multiplayer was structured enough to let players take part in car-specific races or be a part of a mix-model feud. While the fundamental notion to race with various models might arouse some appeal, it would be slightly ignorant to let a 914 share a track with a 2000 model 911 Turbo. That’s a no-no folks.

Epilogue:

NFS Porsche is a desolate prodigy in a sea of equal titles of the genre. It remains until this very day a unique simulation racing game that would be impervious to any reverence and general gaming public attention, thus decomposing in the minds of the few who genuinely loved it. Those who understood why it was an apogee of feats, an astounding package in its fragile ways, knew what pleasures and excitement it displayed.

It was remarkable and always will be. Current NFS titles are of severe esoteric nature. It would seem the days are gone, aged in complete obsolescence, where one could drive a sports car, those exotic marvels only depicted in the images one would see in magazines, or on the internet. It was reciprocated by Fiat Uno’s with 22″ rims and a roof-scoop. NFS completely negated the essential sense of racing and replaced it with a more paramount aspect, making you feel GANGSTA. Why in *&% name, does one need ‘street-cred’? Why does one need to eventually beat a bad-acting muscle-head by winning other arbitrary races first? The term esoteric becomes vastly aggravated. While the appeal DOES exist for those gamers who prefer modified everyday cars, again, NFS intrepidly neglected those who still yearn for exotic car races.

Possibly the biggest loss of the ‘neo-NFSesessees’ is that it comprises of complete arcade sense of gameplay. Again, the term esoteric emerges. Taking into consideration the plethora of people who state with fervor ‘I wish Gran Turismo were on PC’, one would conjecture EA would fathom the fact that there is a need for a racing SIMULATION for the PC.

Until then, NFS 5 will perpetually reside on my hard-drive. Recognize.