Franchise Focus - Need for Speed : Carbon (PS3)

After a bit of a hiatus from this article series, we finally return to Need for Speed, with the franchise finally making it's first appearance on the Playstation 3. Now, this game itself, as well as the next few games, make a double appearance on the last generation of console as well. So keep in mind that while I review and cover these games, I'll be doing so on the PS3 version. There will most likely be some differences between the two generations, and if I have any chance to mention so, I will.

Need for Speed : Carbon

Set in the fictional racing city of Rockport, players will control a nameless driver who's headed towards the city through one of it's canyon routes. While heading into the city, making a big return, you remember a race from your past comes to mind. More specifically, at the end of said race, an incident involving the local police breaks out. You quickly make your escape, leaving everyone else behind to deal with the cops, most of whom end up getting arrested. 

Coming back to the present, your car gets hit by someone who turns out to be a former cop turned bounty hunter. The two of you race through the canyon, ending up in a construction zone where your car ends up getting wrecked and you find yourself in a corner with the bounty hunter looming in after you. At the last moment before you can be taken in, Darius shows up. A local head of a street racing crew. Darius pays off the bounty hunter, hooks you up with a new ride and sends you to the streets. He informs you that there's some new crews running around, and you should work your way through Rockport and reclaim some old territory. But, how pure are his encouragements?

For the most part, things remain mostly the same from the previous game. All the race modes return except for a few : Carbon contains no Drag mode, and it also nixes Street X and Knockout (toying with my heart, bringing Knockout in and out of these games). 

One new mode also is introduced, Canyon Duels. These are head-to-head races that take place in two stages. The first stage has one driver in front with the other starting behind. Over the duration of the course, the trailing driver will need to stay close to the leader, ultimately trying to overtake them and hold a lead for ten seconds. The lead car's goal is to gain distance away from the driver behind them, and once the maximum distance is reached, maintain that for ten seconds. Stage two flips the roles and at the end, whoever has the highest point total combined wins the Duel. 

While rivalries return from the previous entry, they take a "crew" form this time instead of just being an individual. Rockport is divided up into a few different districts, each one with a single crew that has majority control of it all. There's also smaller minor crews that you'll see racing alongside in you in some of the events, but this time it's all about teamwork. 

With teamwork, comes teammates. Building your own crew means you actually get...a crew! You can hire drivers to race for you, and each comes with two separate skills. One skill can be used during races, while the other skill is for outside of races. Out of your assigned crew, you'll be able to set one as your wingman in races, and use these skills to your benefit.

In race skills include Blocker (you can target a rival racer and your wingman will ram them to a stop), Drafter (your wingman gets in front of you and sets up a slipstream for you to gain speed), and Scout, (your wingman will find shortcuts along the track routes). Outside of races, your wingman can either be a Fabricator (giving you access to AutoSculpt parts for body customization on your vehicle), Fixer (you'll gain more money when you win and some police activity will be cooled down after races) or a Mechanic (your nitrous is better in performance, your SpeedBreaker lasts longer, and you'll get discounts on other cars and upgrade parts).

Overall, not that much of a difference between the last game and this one. It feels a lot of the same, but it does manage to feel different in parts to. Are they any good? Let's see. 

Changes

Drifting -Thankfully, drift racing makes a return after being left out in Most Wanted. However, it's changed in such a way that I'd rather it were left out (that's me personally, other people may enjoy it). It acts more like an auto-drift than anything else. With a simple flick of the steering, your back end will kick way out and you'll already be drifting through a corner. No mechanics, no timing, just turn and flick, maintain control and you're good. Again, some/most people may not have a problem with it but to me it just felt like I was being spoon fed a driving style.

Teammates and Crew - I was a huge fan of this. It's something that happens in all areas of life, people flock together and tend to act as a cohesive unit. And if you want to talk specifically with street racing, The Fast and the Furious taught us that not only are there crews, but these crews are family to each other. The wingman skills in-race aren't really a necessity, but if you flub a single turn and need some assistance gaining back some lost ground, this will come in clutch.

Canyon Duels - By far, my most favorite thing about this game. The style of these races is so much fun. The only downside is there is a little bit of rubber banding at work here. If you start out as the lead car, and get passed, it's not that difficult to regain the lead. It's helpful as far as helping you to progress in the game and not get stuck in one of these duels, but it's a bit disheartening at the same time.

I'd be more hung up on the drifting change, if I haven't already played later games in the series and already know that it turns around and gets better again. However, now I get to experience for myself just whenit makes that turnaround. For now, we wait here. Next up in the series :