Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Again?

When the Xbox 360 was launched back in 2005, one of the launch titles was Need for Speed: Most Wanted and the reason I know it was a launch title is because I bought it at launch (before I actually got the console), so why are they getting Criterion to polish it up for another release?

What it boils down to is that it’s basically the same game as from seven years ago, but they’re re-releasing it with all the new bells and whistles that the new Need for Speed games have, such as the Autolog. I’m a pretty big Need for Speed fan (I have all the games), but I don’t think Most Wanted needs rehashing, no matter how good it looks, they could have at least made it a sequel like they do with the rest of their (EA) franchises.

“Criterion is shaking up the franchise with Need for Speed Most Wanted,” said Matt Webster, Executive Producer at Criterion Games. “This is Most Wanted for a new generation of players. We’ve brought everything we know about racing, chasing and exploration and smashed them together in a highly connected open world automotive experience. Whether driving solo or racing with friends in our amazing new multiplayer experience, Autolog fires up competition out of everything as players compete to be most wanted amongst their friends.”

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The only rule in Need for Speed Most Wanted is to race without rules. There’s a start and a finish to every race – but how the player races, where and when they choose to compete, and the skills they choose to compete with – are all up to the player. It isn’t enough to be the Most Wanted amongst rivals and cops. Now players will fight for ultimate bragging rights amongst their friends thanks to Autolog. As the original inventors of the ground-breaking, friend-connecting Autolog technology, Criterion establishes once again a new standard in social competition by recommending gameplay challenges across a players’ social network within both single player and multiplayer game play. In Need for Speed Most Wanted, everything players do will earn Speed Points that will take them up the Most Wanted list – from competing for best race times and battling cops in pursuits for the highest scores, to catching the most air off a huge ramp and more. Autolog 2 keeps intense competition at the heart of the experience – if there’s something to do, there’s someone to beat. And for the first time, Autolog recommendations extend to enhance the multiplayer experience within Need for Speed Most Wanted. With no lobbies or wait times, gamers will seamlessly enter an online world and immediately receive a rapid-fire delivery of Speed and Skill Tests. Autolog 2 will make recommendations to players to help finesse their racing prowess, further fuelling endless competition and hours of entertainment.
As noted in the trailer, Need for Speed Most Wanted 2012 is scheduled for an October 30th release, are you interested or not bothered since the original wasn’t all that? Just because it’s ‘open world’, has customization and new cars dowsn’t necessarily make it better…